Editor, Manteca Bulletin,

We want members of Congress to put us first and not get bogged down in the show in Washington. I am glad that Josh Harder has decided to start his term by putting politics aside to get things done for the veterans in our community. 

On February 8, 2019 The House of Representatives passed Rep Josh Harder’s bipartisan amendment to assist veterans and their families experiencing mental health emergencies. This amendment to the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act ensures that veterans having a mental health crisis will be able to get child care provided free of cost at VA Centers. This amendment ensures that whenever a veteran experiencing an emergency mental health crisis, they can receive immediate assistance and do not have to worry about the associated child care costs. CA-10 has approximately 34,000 veterans many of whom suffer from opioid addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. The best way to thank a veteran for their service is to care for their needs as promised. Bipartisan support came from Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Antonio Delgado (D-NY).

Kathi M. Fotinos

Manteca