NOVEMBER, 2009

 

In This Issue:
Honoring our Veterans
Useful Links
In Maryland
Fast Facts



“We have a sacred trust with the veterans who risked their lives so that we may live in freedom. Part of that sacred trust is making sure we provide our veterans with the services and support they need.”

Sen. Barbara Mikulski


This Week in Washington:
Secretary Shinseki lays out new plan for homeless Vets. Click here for details.


From My Website:
Senator Mikulski
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On the Issues
Constituent Services
About Maryland


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Celebrating America’s Veterans

    

This month our thoughts turn to our veterans and we thank them for their service to our nation. Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”  That is even more true today and the American people owe to our veterans and those now in our armed forces our deepest gratitude.

For those of you who are veterans, I thank you. You served with honor and bravery.  For those of you who are family members, I also acknowledge your sacrifice.  You had to bear the long separations and hardships.

We cannot think of our veterans, without also thinking of the men and women of our armed forces who are standing sentry around the world to protect us.  I would like to especially recognize those who serve in the Maryland National Guard and Reserves.  I am so proud of each and every one of these Marylanders and you should be too. They are moms and dads, your neighbor next door, or your child’s teacher.  These are ordinary women and men who are called upon to do extraordinary things in the service of our country.

The freedoms we enjoy in this country, we owe to our veterans.  The way to thank you for your service is through a commitment to veterans’ health care, veterans’ programs and veterans’ services.  This includes ensuring veterans health care is not held hostage to political delays.

 

That is why I was proud to cosponsor the Veterans Healthcare Reform Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which President Obama signed into law on October 22.  Under this new law Congress will fund the three major VA medical programs one year in advance to ensure stable and uninterrupted funding for veteran’ s medical care.  Advanced funding will prevent delays in hiring new doctors, will make it easier to maintain VA healthcare facilities, and will expedite the process of buying equipment and supplies so that our veterans do not have to endure long waits to get the care they need.  The Senate version of the 2010 VA Appropriations Bill begins the process of advanced funding next year.  Expediting this change to ensure quicker and better care for our veterans is crucial and I will fight to see that this important bill reaches the President’ s desk and is signed into law.

Whether you fought at Iwo Jima, Pork Chop Hill, the Mekong Delta, Fallujah or the mountains of Afghanistan, you shouldn’ t have to fight for health care here at home. As you fought for America, I am fighting for you in the United States Senate to make sure that promises made to our veterans are promises kept.