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Every day, brave American servicemen and women risk their lives to ensure the safety and freedom not only of the citizens of our great Nation, but also of our international allies. These selfless individuals put their lives on the line for our country, and in return, they -- and the families that support them -- deserve access to high quality support and services for the rest of their lives.
President Calvin Coolidge once said, "The Nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." Seventy-five years ago, the Veterans Administration (VA) was formed to ensure that our Nation's courageous defenders are never forgotten and their interests are represented at the highest level of government.
Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs serves 24.3 million veterans who have participated in every conflict from World War I to the current missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In total, approximately 63 million people are eligible for VA services including the spouses, survivors or dependents of veterans.
Many of the staff at the VA have served in our Armed Forces themselves. Approximately 50% of male staff are veterans and 7% of staff are disabled veterans. The VA leads the way in proving that our nation's veterans are some of the most motivated and disciplined employees in the country.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the VA, the House of Representatives approved a resolution (H. Con. Res. 427) to allow a special celebratory ceremony to be conducted in Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on July 19, 2006. As Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I was delighted to support this resolution to ensure that the VA and its staff, as well as the veterans they serve, receive well deserved recognition for their efforts.
The motto of the Department of Veterans Affairs is taken from a speech by Abraham Lincoln, in which he promised "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." For the last 75 years, the staff at the VA have worked tirelessly to fulfill this commitment. Our Nation's veterans and their families deserve the best, which is why I will continue working to ensure that their interests are represented in the United States Congress.
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