Honoring Our Veterans

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, I will join elected officials and grateful Americans at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery to pay tribute to those who have served our nation in uniform.  On this day, we salute all the men and women who risked their lives so that we can live free.  We honor the next generation of veterans, those now serving in harm’s way abroad.  And, with their grieving families, we remember those who have given ‘the last full measure of their devotion’ in Iraq and Afghanistan.

How we repay the service of our veterans speaks volumes about our national character.  That is why Democrats will continue to work to honor our national promise to our veterans.  We will work across parties to ensure the VA health care system receives the funding it needs and that veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve.  Providing for our military veterans and their families is a continuing cost of war and should be a central component of our national defense policy.

In the 110th Congress, we will be proud to welcome five new Democratic Members of the House who were elected Tuesday and have served in our military and have chosen to continue their public service in Congress: retired Navy Vice Admiral Joe Sestak, Patrick Murphy, and Chris Carney, all of Pennsylvania; Tim Walz of Minnesota and Phil Hare of Illinois.  We will look to them and many of their Democratic colleagues who are veterans for their advice and leadership on how we can best support those who wear, and those who have worn, our country’s uniform.

May God bless our veterans and their families.  May God bless our men and women in uniform.  And may God bless America.