America asks extraordinary things of the men and women who volunteer to defend our nation. They spend birthdays away from their children, holidays overseas, and willingly place themselves in harm's way so the rest of us can live in freedom.
The least we can do is ensure they can afford to raise a family, build a career after military service, and continue contributing to America's strength long after they hang up the uniform.
That is exactly what I have been fighting to accomplish in Congress.
Too often, Washington celebrates veterans with speeches while ignoring the economic realities they face. Military families have been squeezed by inflation, rising fuel costs, and an economy that has made the American Dream harder to achieve. A strong military begins with strong military families, and that means putting more money back into their pockets.
That is why I proudly supported two major tax relief bills that deliver meaningful savings for working Americans, including our servicemembers and veterans. Ending income taxes on military service and retirement pensions allows military families to keep more of what they earn instead of sending it to Washington.
I also introduced legislation to provide a federal fuel tax discount, so gas and diesel are tax-free on bases—just like everything else at the PX and commissary. Arizonans understand better than most how quickly fuel costs are adding up. For many military families living on fixed budgets or commuting long distances to installations, every dollar matters. The government should be looking for ways to lower costs, not increase them.
Our troops also deserve certainty that the unique sacrifices they make in combat, in hazardous duty, and during prolonged family separation, will never become an excuse for Washington to allow inflation to erode their special and incentive pays. Combat pay should remain exactly what it was intended to be: recognition of extraordinary service. That principle guided my Combat Pay Protection Act, which provides the first combat pay increase since 2003, alongside dozens of other pays, incentives, and Family Separation Allowance. It also pegs these to real inflation and base pay growth—so the most important recognition of our warfighters is never again forgotten.
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But our obligation to those who serve does not end when they return home. The goal must be not to just honor our veterans with words alone, but with action and implementation of policies that improve their lives.
With that goal in mind, I have worked with companies that have embraced the America First agenda, such as TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), to hire our veterans. The Arizona Commerce Authority thanked me for championing the policies and investments that helped pave the way for this investment and my commitment to “strengthening Arizona’s economic future.” I am humbled, but that is my job, which is why I introduced the Improving Emerging Tech Opportunities for Veterans Act, which would add “emerging technologies” such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing to be eligible for VET TEC.
This critical legislation would also allow the VA and stakeholders to collaborate to identify emerging technology career fields that veterans can enter using their VA education benefits. This bill would also allow specified emerging technologies to have an expedited process for program approvals in VET TEC, which would allow veterans to fill critical roles more quickly.
Too often, some high-tech companies claim that they must hire H-1B visa workers because veterans are not qualified to fill their job openings. This bill eliminates that excuse by paying for veterans' training at companies like those found in Congressional District 8, in order to make them qualified for high-tech jobs, as it creates a government-subsidized job training program in AI/semiconductors. This bill is not a handout; veterans have EARNED these benefits in addition to the GI Bill.
As a former U.S. Army officer myself, I can confirm what employers know: veterans make the best employees because they come to work on time, motivated, disciplined, and ready to work.
Our service members have already fulfilled their commitment to America.
Now it is America's turn to fulfill its commitment to them.
Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.
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