Excerpt:

Democrats in the Iowa House spent a lot of time discussing veterans issues during the first week of the legislative session.

On the first day of the session, Speaker of the House Murphy honored Rep. Ray Zirkelbach for his service in Iraq. Zirkelbach is the chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and has called for actions to help better care for Iowa’s Veterans…

Zirkelbach said he wants to ensure that all returning military personnel have access to quality mental-health care — especially in rural Iowa.

Between 12 and 20 percent of Iraq war veterans will suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Today I’m asking for your help and support to ensure that all Iowa veterans have access to medical and mental-health service, as well as educational and employment support that we deserve,” Zirkelbach told his colleagues.

On Tuesday, Rep. McKinley Bailey, who served in Iraq, introduced a bill (HF 2001) about military leaves of absence and reemployment.

Democrats in the Iowa House are leading the charge to ensure our Veterans have the benefits and care they need.

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