11/11/17

Sen. Tester offers Veterans Day essay

Dear Larry,

On Veterans Day, we pause to remember and honor the enduring sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their families, the bravery they showed in service to our nation and the unwavering responsibility we have to them when they return from war.

Those who came before us courageously defended our freedoms and helped make America the nation it is today.

There is no doubt that serving our veterans and their families is a cost of war.

And the services and benefits that we extend to them are just as much a mark of the strength of America’s military as the aircraft, weapons and troops that protect us around the world.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I work every day with Republicans, Democrats and Independents to make sure that the VA has the resources it needs to serve veterans from Ekalaka to Eureka and Glendive to Great Falls.

And when it doesn’t make sense for a veteran to go to the VA, we must ensure that they have timely access to care in their communities, no matter where they live.

Right now, I’m in the midst of bipartisan negotiations with Republican Chairman Senator Johnny Isakson, from Georgia, on a bill to fix the troubled Choice Program and revamp the way we send veterans into the community for health care.

Together, we have crafted, debated, and sent seven bipartisan, VA reform bills to President Trump’s desk. These laws are now helping Montana veterans to get the education, disability benefits and health care that they have earned.

We will keep putting politics aside and working together to make sure that every veteran receives the very best care and assistance that they have earned.

When veterans suffer from the unseen wounds of war, we must ensure that they can all access mental health care.

When our military men and women want a better education, we must ensure they can access the means to earn a degree.

When our veterans are ready to transition from military service to civilian life, we must ensure they are prepared to take on meaningful jobs.

When our veterans get lost in the VA bureaucracy, we must ensure they can access a quick, just, and efficient appeals process.

Honoring the men and women who serve us is not a partisan issue, it is a bipartisan responsibility.

I am committed to getting it done.

God bless our men and women in uniform, past, present, and future. On this Veterans Day and every day.

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