WASHINGTON—U.S. Representative Scott Franklin (R–Fla.) joined the For Country Caucus, a group of military veterans serving in Congress who are dedicated to working together in a nonpartisan way to create a more productive government. The For Country Caucus will be led by Congressmen Van Taylor (R–Texas) and Jared Golden (D–Maine) as co-chairs through 2022 as its ranks swell to 25 members. Congressmen Jim Baird (R–Ind.) and Salud Carbajal (D–Calif.) will serve as vice-chairs of the caucus.

“Defending my country as a naval aviator was a tremendous honor, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve Florida and America in Congress,” said Representative Scott Franklin (R–Fla.). “I’m excited to join my fellow veterans in the For Country Caucus. We have experience putting political views aside for the greater good, and I look forward to working together in a nonpartisan manner to address the serious challenges facing our nation.”

The For Country Caucus is a group of principled military veteran members who strive to create a Congress that is less polarized, more efficient, and is trusted by Americans. Together, they share a vision of a Congress that is strategic in purpose, focused in action, and where elected officials put their country first. Members of the For Country Caucus seek a Congress where members serve with integrity, civility, and courage.

Members of the 117^th Congress For Country Caucus include:

“Serving this country in the military gives you the skills to work as a team with Americans of different backgrounds and beliefs, for a cause greater than yourself,” said co-chairs Van Taylor and Jared Golden. “As co-chairs of the For Country Caucus, we’re honored to lead this bipartisan group of veterans as we continue to build on the foundation that’s been laid over the past two years. The mission of this caucus — to set aside political differences in the pursuit of policies that will benefit the country — has never been more important, and together we can set that example in Congress.”

In the 116th Congress, the For Country Caucus built a strong track record and got results. The caucus and its members successfully worked to pass a number of national service-oriented provisions into law, including:

• Fallen Heroes Family Travel Act (H.R. 3065): Authorized reimbursement to Gold Star families for the costs of transporting fallen servicemembers’ remains to a national cemetery (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Better Military Housing Act (H.R. 2811): Established a tenant “bill of rights” and sets minimum acceptable livability standards for military personnel and their families (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Widow’s Tax Repeal (H.R. 553): Phased out the Widow’s Tax (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Afghan Allies Protection Act (H.R. 2796): Authorized 4,000 additional visas for Afghan allies and extended the application period to 2021 (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Full Military Honors Act (H.R. 1019): Authorized full military honors for veterans who were awarded the Medal of Honor or prisoner-of-war medal (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Childcare Resources for Surviving Family Members: Expanded financial assistance to civilian providers of childcare services for Gold Star families (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• Meetings of Service Chiefs and Surviving Families: Enacted a requirement for senior military officials to meet with survivors of deceased service members to receive feedback on issues affecting survivors (Enacted in FY20 NDAA)
• National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (H.R. 4194): Designated 9-8-8 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline (Enacted)
• National Cyber Director Act (H.R. 7331): Established the office of the National Cyber Director within the Executive Office of the President (Enacted in FY21 NDAA)
• Gold Star Families Park Pass Act (H.R. 5998): Made the National Parks and Federal Recreational Land Pass free to members of Gold Star families (Enacted in FY21 NDAA)
• Legal Services for Homeless Veterans Act (H.R. 3749): Established grants for entities that provide legal services for homeless veterans (Enacted in H.R. 7105)

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