Honoring the Service and Sacrifice of Our Veterans
Today, we honor and recognize all of our nation’s veterans for their service and sacrifice.
The freedoms we enjoy today would not exist without the brave men and women who put their lives on the line in defense of our nation. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those who have sacrificed for our liberty and way of life. As an Army veteran myself, I have no greater priority in Congress than fighting for our veterans and working to ensure they receive the services and benefits they deserve.
While we have made significant progress in recent years on legislation to help our veterans, Veterans Day serves as a reminder of how far we still have to go.
For example, the number of homeless veterans has been cut in half since 2003, but there remain 150,000 homeless veterans in this country. That is a national tragedy. No one who puts on the uniform to defend our rights and our freedoms should be left to fend for themselves when they fall on hard times. That’s why I’m proud to announce that Congress recently passed, and the President signed into law, legislation that included provisions of the “Helping Homeless Heroes Act” (H.R. 2559), which I helped write to improve many of the successful federal programs that help homeless veterans.
I have also worked with the Department of Defense and the VA to address mental health services by expanding treatment opportunities for troops and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, and other invisible wounds. I worked across the aisle to institute mandatory, confidential mental health screenings for returning combat troops, so we can help ensure they get the care they need and deserve.
We are also working on legislation to address veterans’ unemployment by improving veterans’ job training services for veterans, expanding programs that connect veterans with job openings, and encouraging private sector employers to hire veterans. These programs are critical to helping our troops and veterans make the transition to civilian life.
Taking care of our veterans is one of our most sacred jobs as members of Congress, and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. If you’re a veteran and you’re having trouble with your benefits, please complete the form on the right or contact my office, and we’ll do everything we can to help you.
Thank you to all our nation’s veterans for your courageous service and sacrifice.
Sincerely,
Congressman Tom Rooney