As Americans, we have an important responsibility to care for our veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom. Additionally, as our men and women from both the active service and the National Guard fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan return home, I am working to ensure that they receive all the benefits they are entitled to, so that they may more easily transition to civilian life. While the veterans community is rapidly aging, new veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan deserve to receive the care they have earned. I therefore support mandatory funding for veterans health care in a manner that does not increase taxes. Additionally, since so many of South Dakota's veterans live in predominantly rural areas, I have focused my efforts toward enhancing access to quality health care for rural veterans. For example, I have worked with former Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado to successfully create the Office of Rural Health within the VA. I will continue to work to ensure that veterans are treated with the dignity and honor they deserve and that the Department of Veterans' Affairs is given the tools it needs to do its job, and do it well.

The Veterans History Project is sponsored by the Library of Congress and serves as a collection of war-related oral histories. I interviewed my father, Harold Thune, about his experience as a World War II fighter pilot. To hear his story, as well as to find out more about the project, please click on the link to the left.