Joe Holleman | Post-Dispatch

Political correspondent/columnist

Last week was a winning one for U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, a Democrat who represents part of the Metro East area.

Not only was she able to bring good news to Granite City-area steelworkers, but two of Budzinski's bills to help military veterans passed out of the U.S. House and now move to the Senate for approval.

One of the bills aims to establish scholarships to help veterans pursue degrees in science, health care, and technology.

The other legislation would address staffing shortages at Veterans Health Administration facilities by requiring the VA to offer participants in its health scholarship program an employment contract within 90 days of completing their courses.

Budzinski said the proposal could reduce shortages

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