Before being elected to the state Assembly, I was an advocate for nurses for many years. In many of our fights to provide health care, we went up against huge corporations with millions of dollars on the other side. I know how disheartening it is to see the influence of money in politics.

As chair of the Assembly Military and Veterans Committee, it’s been refreshing to work on issues that have typically not been controversial and have broad bipartisan support. But last year, that changed with Senate Bill 694 when big corporate monied interests attempted to derail this important legislation.

As a daughter and sister of veterans, my support for SB 694 — the Protecting Veterans from Predatory Practices Act — is deeply personal. This bill is not just about policy. It is about protecting the people who have risked their lives to serve our country and ensuring they can rely on the Veterans Affairs system without being taken advantage of by predatory actors.

My family knows firsthand how critical the VA and those benefits can be. My father served our country in Vietnam and, like so many veterans of that era, was exposed to Agent Orange. Over the course of his life, he battled cancer three times as a result of that exposure.

Throughout those years, the VA was a lifeline — providing care, support and stability for him and for our family. And as he got sicker and sicker, those VA benefits were critical support for my parents. Last year, we lost my dad to that long and difficult battle. His experience shaped who I am and why I fight so hard to protect veterans today.

© Santa Clarita Valley Signal