As the first New York Senator to serve on the Armed Services Committee, one of my top priorities is to insure that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to be safe and secure as they do their job.

New York has a proud history of military service and it has been a great honor to meet the soldiers and their families at New York’s various military installations and to visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where men from the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, NY who were wounded in battle in Afghanistan are recuperating. Their bravery, patriotism and determination is awe-inspiring, and we must never forget what they have done to protect our nation.

In early 2005, I joined several other Senators on a Congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Pakistan. In Iraq, we visited Baghdad, Fallujah and Kirkuk and met with U.S. troops, Iraqi leaders and ordinary Iraqis. In Afghanistan, we visited with Afghan leaders in Kabul and with U.S. troops at Bagram air base. During our trip, we expressed our support and the American people’s support for the servicemen and women that we encountered. It was a privilege to thank these men and women in person for their service.

This was my second visit to Iraq and Afghanistan – I previously spent time with our troops in both nations over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2003. During that trip, I was honored to share Thanksgiving dinner in Afghanistan with servicemen and women from the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum and to fly with members of the 914th Airlift Wing of Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. On my most recent trip, I encountered the same images I witnessed on my first: brave soldiers serving with courage, valor, and honor in defense of freedom. I am so proud of them and of their service.

We owe our men and women in uniform an enormous debt of gratitude for their sacrifices. And recent experience has reminded us that they deserve more than just our thanks. We need to ensure that we are providing them with the support and resources that they need to get the job done.

In the months leading up to the Iraq war, I questioned whether the Pentagon was prepared to track medical problems our troops might encounter. And according to the GAO, we were not doing all that we should. Thus I joined with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to pass the Armed Forces Personnel Medical Readiness and Tracking Act of 2004, which established a new tracking system that ensures that active duty personnel and Reservists receive regular health screenings. With these screenings, if a group of soldiers begins to exhibit symptoms consistent with exposure to some hazard, there will be adequate information to identify the cause.

Another issue that requires Congressional attention is an increase in the survivor benefit for soldiers and their families. I have joined with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to push for passage of the Military Survivor Benefit Act of 2005. This bill will raise the military survivor benefits paid to the families of active duty military personnel from $12,000 to $100,000. It will also ensure that some money is provided to families within 72 hours to assist with immediate financial needs. This is important legislation that lets our soldiers know that their families will be taken care of financially.

I have made support for our National Guard and Reserves one of my areas of focus on the Armed Services Committee. I was proud to join with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in introducing the Guard and Reserve Readiness and Retention Act of 2005. This bill offers TRICARE eligibility (military health care benefits) to members of the Guard and Reserve whether they are on active duty or not. The bill also reduces the age at which a Reservist can receive retirement benefits based on years of experience. This legislation recognizes the sacrifices that all of our men and women in uniform make, and makes certain that these brave men and women and their families have access to adequate health care.

Supporting our troops also means protecting them from unscrupulous insurance agents who seek to target our men and women in uniform. I have joined with Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) to introduce the Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act that aims to protect members of the Armed Forces from unscrupulous practices regarding sales of insurance, financial, and investment products. In addition to giving soldiers greater legal protection from financial predators, I also plan to introduce legislation to improve the financial education services available to our soldiers. We need to arm them with the knowledge to make good financial decisions for themselves and for their families.

I learned late last year of a problem that many have by now heard about: stories of wounded soldiers who upon returning home received bills from the Pentagon instead of paychecks. After my office intervened in one such case, an Army investigation revealed that 129 soldiers were treated in this shabby manner. You can be sure that I will follow up with the Army so that we can learn how this could have occurred, and how we can ensure that it never happens again.

Every American needs to remember that we continue to owe our soldiers our full support even after they return home. We must fully compensate them and their families for their sacrifices, and ensure that their active military service is a foundation they can use to build on for the rest of their lives.

After all these courageous young Americans have done for us, that is the least that America owes to them.