M. Speaker – On October 2^nd, while Congress was campaigning, the Pentagon registered the 2,000^th fatality in Afghanistan, the longest war in American history.   Today, that number has risen to 2,026.

It is imperative that we all remember the terrible human price that has been paid, is being paid, and will continue to be paid by our troops in Afghanistan and their families.

This year, there have been 60 so-called “blue on green” killings of U.S. troops by Afghan soldiers they were training.

Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan kill themselves at a rate of one every 80 minutes. 

More active-duty U.S. military personnel have died by suicide since the war in Afghanistan began than have died fighting there.

Nearly 18,000 have been wounded in Afghanistan alone.

Let us bring them all home.  Let us provide our veterans and active military the care and benefits they have so bravely earned.  Let’s end the war in Afghanistan now.