Ijoined the Army when I was 18 years old. I marched into a recruiter’s office and enlisted because I wanted to give back to the country that had given so much to my refugee family.

The Army changed my life. Serving gave me the foundation to go to college, raise a family, and eventually be elected to represent Southern California in Congress. Every dollar in my Army paycheck made a difference. I grew up on food stamps, Medi-Cal, and Section 8 housing. A steady paycheck that supported me while I was serving my country was a dream come true.

When I got to Congress, I made it my mission to support our troops and our Veterans however I could. The first bill I introduced was the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, to reinstate Veterans who were wrongfully fired from their federal jobs. Protecting the li

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