SERVING THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR NATION

Every year on Memorial Day, we pause to honor the more than one million brave men and women who put on our nation’s uniform and paid the ultimate price in our defense.  We all owe the freedoms we enjoy to their sacrifice, and that of their families. 

As we honor those who have lost their lives, we must also remember the twenty-three million living veterans and the hundreds of thousands of servicemen and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world today.  While we may be divided on where we stand on these conflicts, we can all agree that our men and women in uniform should be welcomed home with all the compassion this grateful nation can muster.  That’s why this Congress has made many important investments in our veterans and the support services they depend on. 

One of the highlights of my service in the United States Congress was shepherding the Post 9-11 GI bill through the House as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee.  Sponsored by Senator Webb of Virginia in the Senate, that bill provided the biggest expansion of education benefits for GI’s since the passage of the original GI Bill in 1944.  The new GI Bill provides full, four-year college scholarships for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Recognizing that veterans coming home are facing double digit unemployment, this Congress has enacted incentives to help veterans operating their own businesses and to encourage American businesses to hire unemployed veterans.  As part of the Recovery Act, we provided nearly 2 million disabled veterans a $250 payment to help make ends meet.  Finally, to help our service-members who have literally served above and beyond the call of duty, the Appropriations Committee led the way in enacting a special payment of $500 a month for every month that a soldier had their enlistment involuntarily extended by the practice of Stop Loss since 2001.

We have also acted to improve veterans’ health care.  Since I’ve been Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, we’ve increased investments in veterans’ health care and other veterans’ services by over 60 percent – including the largest single increase in the 80-year history of the VA.  This funding has strengthened health care for more than five million veterans, resulting in 17,000 new doctors and nurses.  What that means for veterans is hopefully better health care and shorter waiting times for their medical services. 

It also means more resources for VA mental health care services, which more and more of our troops coming home with mental and physical injuries – like traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder – will need.   However, in north central Wisconsin we are sorely lacking community counseling offices, or Vet Centers.  Last month, I joined other members of the Wisconsin delegation to send a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging them to open a Vet Center in north central Wisconsin.  I expect the VA will quickly respond to my request; there are tens of thousands of veterans in our region who cannot regularly see a counselor at a Vet Center because there isn’t one anywhere near them.  

And just this month, President Obama signed a bill into law that provides support to family and others who care for disabled, ill or injured veterans.  The new law will also enhance mental health services and health care access for veterans in rural areas, enhance services for the 1.8 million female veterans, and eliminate co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled. 

This Congress also responded to a top priority of many veterans’ groups by providing advanced appropriations.  This will ensure that the veterans’ health care system receives timely and predictable funding so the VA can plan for and provide the best care for America’s wounded warriors. 

At the end of the day, it's important to remember that this isn't just about dollars and programs, it's about respect.  While veterans have always been respected by Congress in our hearts and our words, we need to show our respect through deeds as well.  When it comes to veterans, the moral principle is very simple.  Our nation should keep its promises to those who stepped up to serve their country, no questions asked.

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