Veterans Day is a special time to remember and honor the sacrifices of the patriotic men and women who have answered the call to serve. We can never fully repay our former servicemen and women who followed the path to protect and defend our country and freedoms, but we can ensure America fulfills the promises we made to support them.
That is not an option, but a responsibility.
My dad was a World War II veteran who served more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. I think of him, my uncle and those they served alongside as I work with my Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee colleagues, in a bipartisan way, to do what is best for our veterans and support the needs of their families. With this unifying goal, we strive to improve the policies and programs that can help our veterans and their families thrive.
In recent years, we have seen movement in the right direction.
Congress has successfully expanded health care benefits while eliminating barriers to care and services for women veterans at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. Additionally, we have modernized the VA’s breast cancer screening policies. Increasing access to its unique capabilities and resources will help deliver lifesaving and preventative care to our women who served. I have been proud to champion these improvements that were long overdue.
Veterans suffering with toxic exposure illnesses sustained during their military services are now benefiting from a landmark proposal that became law in 2022, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. The bill, which extended eligibility for more toxic-exposed veterans to qualify for VA healthcare and benefits, has enabled thousands of veterans across our state and many more nationwide to access the healthcare and support they are owed.
Ensuring our veterans receive mental health support has also been a high priority. While there is no single solution to the veteran suicide crisis, I have authored several major reforms that aim to prevent and reduce veteran suicide through data-driven policy decisions. The Improve Well-being for Veterans Act is now empowering veteran-serving nonprofits to provide even more direct support to vulnerable former servicemembers, and the Not Just a Number Act would modernize how the VA can better reach and serve those struggling.
In order for it to be effective, the Department must have the workforce and bandwidth to meet this responsibility. Our veterans deserve the best care from the best medical professionals possible, which is why I’m leading a bipartisan effort to bolster the recruitment and retention of excellent clinicians who can provide the highest quality of care. The VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act helps level the playing field for it to compete for the best and brightest doctors to serve those who have worn our nation’s uniform.
As kids, my friends and I were surrounded by men who had served in the armed forces. Whenever they were asked to stand and be recognized, it seemed like the whole room would rise. Today, we know the burden of defending our country is increasingly borne by a limited number of Americans – but these brave men and women, past and present, always deserve our thanks and admiration.
While Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11, as a nation, let us all demonstrate our appreciation for their service and sacrifice each and every day of the year.