Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 26.4 million military veterans and their families living in the United States who have served in defense of our great nation. In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over. How unprophetic were these sincere but hopeful words.
The turn of events has since made us realize more than ever that "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," and Armistice Day has turned into Veterans Day to honor all our brave men and women who served since that hope-filled day in many countries to defend liberty and freedom.
America today, and this imperfect world, is a better place because of the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families, many of whom paid the ultimate price, for "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." When duty called, our veterans responded magnificently.
Mr. President, as we engage in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, and countless other missions around the world, it is important that we support our men and women in the military by providing them with the training, equipment, and resources necessary for them to accomplish their mission so that they can return to their families in a timely manner. We must also honor their families who also sacrifice precious time with them so that they can defend our freedom.
At the same time, we must never forget the contributions and sacrifices made by those veterans who served in past conflicts, and their families. We must work to ensure that our veterans are provided with appropriate services and benefits, such as adequate health care, in a timely fashion. We currently face a $1.8 billion shortfall in funding needed to provide healthcare for our veterans. I remain committed to ensuring that our veterans are provided with the services and benefits that they have earned.
I am honored to pay tribute to these fine individuals on behalf of a grateful nation.
