Today's National Debt: $9,359,558,814,371.29
Your Share: $30,784.96
Dear Friend,
Memorial Day signifies the beginning of the summer travel and vacation season for many Arkansas families. However, it is also a time to pay tribute to the countless Americans who have honorably served our country in the Armed Services. With 3,000 National Guard members of Arkansas’s 39th Infantry Brigade currently serving their second tour of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, we must not forget to keep these men and women along with their families in our thoughts and prayers.
It is important that our brave men and women know that they have our full support while they are serving overseas and when they return home. That is why I was proud to cosponsor and recently help pass the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008,” which is commonly referred to as the new G.I. Bill. It is time that we renew our promise to the 24 million American veterans of today and tomorrow by making this significant investment in higher education to prepare them for their return to the workforce. This bill restores full, four-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It will give our returning troops, including those in the National Guard and the Reserve, the tools to succeed after military service and increase recruitment as we work to rebuild our military.
In addition, I was also proud to help pass the “Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act,” or HEART Act, to benefit our troops upon their return. This bipartisan bill will provide $2 billion in tax relief for military families who have experienced extended military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, including providing low-interest loans to help them become homeowners. Our brave men and women face significant economic hardships when they return home, and I am honored to support this worthwhile bill to help ease these burdens on our troops and their families.
Congress is committed to serving our nation’s veterans who served and sacrificed for our freedom, and I will continue to advocate in Washington for our soldiers while they are overseas and when they return home. This Memorial Day let us honor the sacrifices being made by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also honor all of America’s veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Sincerely,
Mike Ross
Please remember that if you have issues related to the federal government such as Social Security, Medicare and veterans benefits, you can visit with staff from my office in a community near you. My office will host community office hours at the following locations, dates and times:
Mitchellville - May 28th at 9:30 a.m., at the Mitchellville City Hall located at 216 Emily Bowen Drive;
Dumas - May 28th at 11:30 a.m., at the Dumas City Hall located at 155 W. Waterman Street
Reed - May 28th at 2:30 p.m., at the Reed City Hall located at 848 Highway 65.
Mike visits with members of Arkansas's 39th Infantry while they are training at Camp Shelby in Mississippi before their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
