Mary Esther, Florida (November 14, 2003) - This is a day of honor. Every Veterans Day, families visit the graves of loved ones, and veterans come to honor their lost friends. And nearly every day, another is laid to rest. Our veterans selflessly stood in harm’s way as the guardians of our most fundamental freedoms – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If you're a veteran, you carry the traditions and values of our military, and you share them by example. America is proud of you.
Dwight Eisenhower once recalled the day he began his military career. "The feeling came over me," he said, "that the expression 'the United States of America' would now and henceforth mean something different than it had ever before. From here on, it would be the nation I would be serving, not myself."
Our veterans have endured the malaria-infested jungles of Southeast Asia, the blowing sands of the Middle East, and the unforgiving cliffs of Normandy. Many of our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guard, and reserve never came home. Our peace has come at a very high price throughout the last century, and the price of freedom will likely not get any cheaper in this century.
The bottom line is that veterans are our heroes and our responsibility.
America must, and will, keep its word to those men and women who have given us so much. Veterans have been promised good health care when they are sick and disabled; they must be treated with fairness and respect. And to families across this land with loved ones whose fate is still undetermined, America owes the fullest possible accounting of our prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Congress has worked hard with our Commander-in-Chief to support the values and principles our veterans share. Over the past few years, we have made historic advances to improve the delivery of veterans’ benefits and services.
We have increased funding to record levels, including a 49% increase in funding for veterans health care services in just the past five years. Under our leadership, we have reached a truly historic agreement, which begins to allow disabled retirees to concurrently receive disability compensation and military retirement pay for the first time in over 100 years.
This year, we have continued to build upon the record of accomplishment. Among the latest bills approved by the House is legislation to expanding the national cemetery system, aid veterans starting or operating small businesses, provide further enhancements to returning veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans and invest in VA’s health care infrastructure – which, upon Senate approval, will significantly benefit Florida’s First District.
On this Veterans Day, we honor veterans and we honor their families, and we offer the thanks of a grateful nation. Let us not forget what they have done for our great nation. May God bless our veterans, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.
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