State of Kentucky Archives: on Homeland Security
Alison Grimes:
Reduce veterans' services backlog; support new vets jobs law
Washington has fallen short of honoring our commitment to our veterans. Our veterans should not struggle to find jobs or access care. Kentucky is the home of over 350,000 veterans, the fourth largest in the nation. It is a disgrace that so many veterans
across Kentucky have compensation claims pending, more than 10,000 in the Louisville VA backlog alone. I'm shocked that Mitch McConnell opposed plans to reduce this backlog and voted against veterans jobs legislation. This is wrong.
I'm committed to serving Kentucky's 350,000 veterans and I will fight for the quality health care, benefits and treatment they have earned. We must expand education and training opportunities for service members and veterans, facilitating
public/private partnerships that help them translate their military skills for the civilian workforce. We must improve access to health care services, including mental health, prosthetic care and wound regeneration.
Source: 2014 Senate campaign website, AlisonForKentucky.com
Oct 20, 2013
Amy McGrath:
Fully fund the VA so veterans get quality health care
I will make sure the VA delivers the health care and education benefits that veterans have earned through their service. I'm an avid proponent of initiatives like the Post-9/11 GI Bill (I used it!) and the VA home loan (I used that, too!)--programs
that help veterans transition from the military into productive civilian lives and careers. The skills and talents that veterans develop during their service are incredibly valuable.
I will make sure the VA remains the best place for veterans to receive care for their injuries. America should not outsource its responsibility to our veterans so that
private insurance companies can profit from our injured and ill veterans. We must fully fund the VA so that veterans receive the quality health care they deserve--for life.
Source: 2020 Kentucky Senate campaign website AmyMcGrath.com
Jun 30, 2020
Andy Beshear:
Full exclusion of military pensions from state income tax
I have included the full exclusion of military pensions from the Kentucky income tax,
recognizing the service of our men and women in uniform and what it means to our country.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Kentucky legislature
Jan 7, 2021
Jack Conway:
Let gays serve openly in US military
Democratic US Senate nominee Jack Conway says gays should be allowed to serve openly in the US military, while his Republican rival, Rand Paul, says the military should decide the issue. Kentucky's US Senate candidates were asked their opinions on the
so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the wake of this week's unsuccessful effort by Democrats in the US Senate to repeal it.When Conway was asked whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military, he said "yes,"
without elaborating.
Paul's campaign spokesman said in an e-mail without elaboration, "Dr. Paul believes this is a matter that should be decided by the leadership of the military, not through political posturing."
Republicans in the US Senate this
week stopped a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" when Democrats attached an amendment seeking the repeal to a defense bill. Republicans said a Pentagon study on the impact of ending the policy should be completed before there is any move toward repeal.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader on 2010 Kentucky Senate debate
Sep 23, 2010
Jack Conway:
Protect veterans and active servicemembers from fraud
Jack Conway is committed to protecting veterans and active servicemembers from fraud. Scam artists and fraudsters have targeted servicemembers, veterans and their families with deceptive business practices.
Across the United States, veterans and servicemembers have fallen victim to abusive lending practices, unlawful debt collection practices, identity theft, and many other unfair business practices.
Jack is committed to standing up for our servicemembers.
He serves as the co-chair for the National Association of Attorneys General committee on veterans' affairs, and has used the resources of his office to protect veterans, servicemembers and their families.
Source: 2015 Kentucky Governor campaign website, ConwayOverly.com
Aug 11, 2015
James Comer:
Advocate for investments in national defense
In office, I will work to reverse the damage President Obama has done to our national defense capabilities. I will do so by advocating for the investments in national defense--and specifically in the Army--required to ensure we remain the world's
greatest military power.I will also be an aggressive advocate on behalf of service members and families stationed at Fort Campbell, one of our country's premiere military installations. I will work with the House Armed Services and Appropriations
Committees to ensure Fort Campbell has the infrastructure it needs to support our troops and their mission. I will also work with the Department of Defense to highlight the unique capabilities of Fort Campbell--including its airfield and its ability
to quickly deploy troops as a Power Projection Platform, among others--in an effort to bring more service members and assignments to the post, which is vitally important to the economy of Hopkinsville and the surrounding community.
Source: 2016 Kentucky House campaign website JamesComer.com
Nov 8, 2016
Jim Gray:
Support the military, intelligence community, & diplomacy
We live in a dangerous world--and our government has no greater responsibility than to keep our country and our Commonwealth safe.We need leaders in the Senate who understand the
threat and have the strength and resolve to meet it head on. That includes supporting the military, our intelligence community, and diplomacy that unifies the world behind this mission.
Source: 2016 Kentucky Senate campaign website, GrayForKentucky.com
Aug 8, 2016
Mitch McConnell:
AdWatch: Brought in new VA hospital; & higher pay for troops
An issues group supportive of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is launching a three-week, $1.8 million advertising campaign in Kentucky. Unlike other Super PACs operating in Kentucky, the Kentucky Opportunity Coalition is a 501(c)4 non-profit
organization, so its political activity is restricted to issue-focused ads that don't directly ask voters to support one candidate over another.The ads focus on McConnell's record on veterans' issues. The first wave of ads will ask Kentuckians to sign
a petition "to oppose President Obama's plan to cut the military."
"This advertising is designed to educate citizens about President Obama's plans to slash military spending and leave our nation in a weaker position, and to urge Sen. Mitch McConnell--
who has a strong record of standing up for Kentucky's service men and women--to oppose those military budget cuts," a spokesperson said.
The ad says McConnell fought to bring a new VA hospital to Louisville, and for body armor and higher pay for troops
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader AdWatch on 2014 Kentucky Senate race
Mar 17, 2014
Rand Paul:
Military should decide don't-ask-don't-tell policy
Democratic US Senate nominee Jack Conway says gays should be allowed to serve openly in the US military, while his Republican rival, Rand Paul, says the military should decide the issue. Kentucky's US Senate candidates were asked their opinions on the
so-called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the wake of this week's unsuccessful effort by Democrats in the US Senate to repeal it.When Conway was asked whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military, he said "yes,"
without elaborating.
Paul's campaign spokesman said in an e-mail without elaboration, "Dr. Paul believes this is a matter that should be decided by the leadership of the military, not through political posturing."
Republicans in the US Senate this
week stopped a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" when Democrats attached an amendment seeking the repeal to a defense bill. Republicans said a Pentagon study on the impact of ending the policy should be completed before there is any move toward repeal.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader on 2010 Kentucky Senate debate
Sep 23, 2010
Rand Paul:
2015: Introduced Arming All Pilots Act
Senator Rand Paul has taken up the cause of improving airline safety and introduced a bill titled the Arming All Pilots Act of 2015. "My bill will make it possible for more pilots to get trained and protect flyers. Pilots regularly tell me
they've experienced problems with the availability of training under the current program; my bill addresses those concerns and ensures that participants in the program have access to licenses and the critical training they need."
Source: Human Events magazine on 2016 Kentucky Senate race
Jun 18, 2015
Andy Beshear:
Expand the Military Family Assistance Trust Fund
Beshear signed legislation into law that supports Kentucky's military community and families as part of Military Appreciation Month. The governor was joined by bill sponsors and members of Kentucky's military community to sign legislation that expands
the Military Family Assistance Trust Fund, makes it easier for military spouses to get occupational licenses and adds seven active military unit license plates to the 28 current military-related plates.
Source: WNKY on 2023 Kentucky Gubernatorial race
May 18, 2022
Daniel Cameron:
Religious right for airmen to be exempt from COVID vaccine
Cameron led a coalition of 21 states in filing a brief in support of military service members' religious liberty rights to be granted an exemption from the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. "Sacrificing to serve our country should not require
members of the military to forfeit their right to religious liberty," Cameron said. "Attempts like those made by the Air Force to punish airmen for their sincerely held beliefs directly violate their constitutional rights as Americans."
Source: The Jessamine Journal on 2023 Kentucky Gubernatorial race
Oct 4, 2022
Daniel Cameron:
Joined bipartisan suit to protect veterans' benefits
Attorney General Daniel Cameron joined a bipartisan coalition in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of an Army veteran who was wrongly denied federal education benefits. "Veterans represent the very best of America," said
Attorney General Cameron. "I joined this brief to ensure that those who have served us so well have access to the benefits they deserve."
Source: WIKI Radio 95.3 FM on 2023 Kentucky Gubernatorial race
Aug 25, 2023
Pamela Stevenson:
Pass legislation to stop veterans from killing themselves
[On Veteran PTSD issues]: "We can pass legislation," she said. " If we don't pass this legislation to stop veterans from killing themselves, then all we've done is made it a bumper sticker. . . . Everyone here has said they believe in what
you said . . . everyone that's testified. Now it's time for you to call us and say, 'Where's the legislation?' We've proven we could get something done in an hour on the floor. Let's get this done in an hour on the floor."
Source: Kentucky Lantern on 2026 Kentucky Senate race
Jul 3, 2023
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026