When I first began my time as 104th District State Representative just this past December, one of my priorities was improving the treatment of our veterans here in Illinois. As a veteran myself, I am no stranger to the red tape, bureaucracy, and inconveniences our veterans face when trying to access the benefits they have earned. Although I haven’t spent a lot of time yet in Springfield, here is what I have supported and worked on for veterans so far, in an effort to change that.
As one of seven veterans in the House Republican Caucus, I have kept my word and have sponsored, voted for, and worked towards advancing legislation that helps veterans. SB 2751, which I co-sponsored, is legislation geared towards making it easier for veterans to make home improvements by removing permit fees. I voted in favor of SB 3479, which protects veterans from targeted scams. I also voted for SB 2778, legislation that improves the process for sheriffs’ offices to hire veterans.
Although those pieces of legislation represent a good start on prioritizing veterans, more work must be done. I am the Chief House Sponsor of SB 2769, a measure that creates a pilot internship program for veterans with the Illinois General Assembly. Additionally, I sponsored HB 4128, which gives veterans paid leave on Veterans Day each year.
While we have made progress toward supporting our veterans, the FY 25 Budget represented a big step backward in these efforts. In the more than $53 billion budget, four times more money was allocated for spending on noncitizen services than to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The partisan FY 25 Illinois budget once again fails our veterans and relegates them to second-class citizen status, putting them in line behind noncitizens and criminals.
While Democrats prioritize premium healthcare for noncitizens and large tax credits to hire ex-criminals, I have worked on legislation that would work for veterans, not against them. As a Marine for 21 years, I refuse to stick to the status quo of misplaced priorities. I will continue to fight for my fellow servicemen and women in Illinois.
As your state representative, I always want to hear from my constituents about your thoughts on legislative matters so that I can accurately represent the 104th District. If you have ideas or measures you would like addressed, please feel welcome to reach out to my office at (217) 477-0104 or by visiting RepSchweizer.com.
State Representative Brandun Schweizer currently represents Illinois’ 104th district. Rep. Schweizer is a 21-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, serving as an Intelligence Analyst and Equal Opportunity Advisor. Rep. Schweizer lives in Danville with his wife and three sons.
###