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CONCURRENT RECEIPT PRESS CONFERENCE STATEMENT
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| October 16th, 2003 |
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Concurrent Receipt Press Conference
Statement of Rep. Jeff Miller
First Congressional District of Florida
October 16, 2003
Today is a very good day.
Since our country’s founding, some 48 million men and women have served in the United States military. Roughly half of them are alive today. Not every veteran has known the full wrath of battle, but every veteran has contributed to this nation and to the advance of human freedom. This nation owes each its permanent gratitude.
This historic concurrent receipt plan is a symbol of our gratitude to our nation’s disabled retirees. The military drew out the best that was in them, instilling the highest standards of diligence, discipline, and loyalty. Whether drafted or enlisted, commissioned or non-commissioned, each took an oath, lived by a code, and stood ready to fight and die for their country.
In recognizing their service, this government uses the words, "selfless consecration to the service of our country in the Armed Forces of the United States of America." It is an impressive phrase, and entirely true. Military life is built around sacrifice and complete devotion to America.
And yet our Democratic colleagues, who held the key to solving this problem for forty years, played partisan political football with an issue so viscerally important to our nation’s veterans.
Our retirees know the meaning of commitment to a greater cause. Today, we are honoring our commitment to the same. We have fought long and hard for a solution to this problem, and more disabled veterans than ever will be covered by this law. This solution is indeed fair, responsible, and an unprecedented step forward after years of gridlock.
Today, each and every disabled retiree can know that his sacrifice is appreciated, and his courage is honored. And equally as important, the men and women who serve today can know that they have the complete confidence, respect, and commitment of the Congress and the entire nation.
Today marks the two-year anniversary of my election to Congress. Upon being sworn in, H.R. 303 was the first bill I cosponsored. My Republican colleagues and I, under the leadership of my friend and fellow Floridian, Congressman Bilirakis, have worked vigilantly to bring about this day. And to the 100,000 civilian veterans who reside in Florida's First District, of whom nearly 29,000 are retirees, this is a very, very good day.
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There are no Floor Speechess to be displayed for this month.
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