Rep. José Aponte Hernández, a Puerto Rican politician, has begun visiting members of Congress in Washington, D.C. to advocate for equal benefits for the 100,000 military veterans living on the island. The visit is part of the Equality and Statehood Summit, which is being held for the second year. Aponte, who chairs the House Committee on Federal Affairs and Veterans Affairs, has been in communication with Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the situation. He also plans to focus on eliminating discriminatory barriers in the provision of medical services and housing.