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November 11, 2003
Honor Our Veterans Through Kept Promises
 
By Congressman Gene Green
 
November 11th holds an important place in the history of this country.  As the day that marked the end of fighting in World War I, November 11, 1918 was declared Armistice Day by Congress in 1938.  To all Americans, Armistice Day represented not only the end to the destructive fighting and bloodshed that had divided the world but also the resumption of peaceful relations between the United States and other nations. 
 
Unfortunately, we now know that world peace would not be a lasting effect of the first World War and that hundreds of thousands of American men and women would continue to sacrifice to defend our country and the values we hold so dear.  To honor veterans from all wars, past and present, President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954 declared November 11th Veterans’ Day.
 
In his proclamation, President Eisenhower called upon all American citizens to observe November 11th, saying “on that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom.”
 
On this Veterans’ Day, we follow President Eisenhower in remembering the sacrifices of this country’s veterans, from those who fought to found this great nation to those currently defending long-cherished American ideals in Iraq and Afghanistan.  For our veterans of previous military conflicts, we honor your bravery and service to this nation.  The United States of America is forever indebted to you for the many sacrifices you made on behalf of your country. 
 
For our servicemen and women currently fighting abroad, you are bravely carrying out your missions, and we honor your continued commitment to the causes for which we fight.  Along with your families, who also are sacrificing for our country, we pray for your safe return. 
 
President Eisenhower also declared November 11th an annual Veterans’ Day holiday “in order that a grateful nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this nation.”
 
As a truly grateful nation, our homage to America’s veterans must not be in word alone.  America’s veterans have fulfilled their duty to this country with honor.  Yet this country has not fulfilled its duty to them.  Let us honor our veterans by keeping the promises that we made to them.
 
Let us honor our veterans by ending the unfair tax on our military retirees with service-connected disabilities.  Currently, our military retirees who bravely sustained service-connected injuries are compensated for their disability. But this disability pay is deducted dollar-for-dollar from their military pension. 
 
This system cheats 560,000 of America’s disabled military retirees, 65,200 of whom live in Texas and 264 of whom live in the 29th Congressional District.  Currently, each of the 264 disabled military retirees in our district is losing an average $5,310 in annual benefits because of this tax on their pensions.  These heroes sacrificed their well-being for this nation and should receive every dollar of their disability and retirement pay.  Every dollar.
 
Let us honor our veterans by providing enough funding for the health care we promised them.  The House-passed version of the VA spending bill underfunds veterans’ health care by $1.8 billion.  Currently, 60,000 U.S. veterans have to wait more than six months for an appointment at a VA hospital.  Even more alarming, however, is the fact that 14,000 veterans who are entitled to expedited VA claims have waited more than an entire year to be seen at a VA hospital.  This is not the deal we struck with our veterans. This is not the treatment they deserve.
 
As we hear the unfortunate news of increasing American casualties in Iraq, we must remember that behind this country’s military might stand selfless men and women, dedicated to protecting our freedoms.  On this Veterans’ Day, let us honor all veterans, both past and future, by keeping the many promises we made to them as they bravely fought to defend the values and ideals of this great nation.
 
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