U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., threw his support behind a bill from a potential rival for the U.S. Senate in 2016 on Thursday.
Miller, the chairman of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee, announced that he was behind U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanans, R-Fla., Veterans ID Card Act, a bill ensuring every honorably discharged veteran receives an ID card from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Buchanans bill would ensure all veterans receive ID cards from the VA instead of just those who served 20 years in the armed forces or are seeking medical treatment for service-related wounds. Buchanan said veterans are forced to carry DD-214 paperwork, which contains sensitive information including Social Security numbers, and an ID card would be more convenient and would do a better job of keeping their personal information secure. Buchanan says his bill is budget neutral since veterans who opt for the ID card would have a small fee which the VA secretary would examine every five years.
Earlier this week, Miller said he was considering running for the Senate as U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is running for the Republican presidential nomination and is not expected to seek a second term. Buchanans name has also garnered some attention as a possible Senate candidate in 2016.
While they might end up as primary rivals in 2016, Miller praised Buchanan and his bill on Thursday.
I am proud to support this common-sense, bipartisan legislation to help protect our veterans from identity theft and make it easier for them to provide proof of their service, Miller said . I thank Congressman Buchanan for his leadership in bringing this important measure forward and look forward to working with him as it moves through the committee process.
I want to thank Chairman Miller for his endorsement and for his unwavering commitment to improving the lives of all those who have served our country in uniform, said Buchanan, who used to serve on the Veterans Affairs Committee.
Buchanans bill has more than 35 co-sponsors including U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and Miller.
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Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
