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Washington, DC —Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) released the following statement in honor of Veterans' Day:
"Today is a day to honor all of the brave men and women who have risked their lives—the ultimate sacrifice—to protect our nation. This Veteran's Day, I encourage all Americans to reach out to veterans and thank them and their families for this sacrifice. While we may be divided on the war in Iraq, we must be united in seeing that every single member of the armed forces is welcomed back with all the compassion this grateful nation can bestow.
"Veterans have kept their promise to serve our nation, and we must keep our promises to protect our veterans. With my support, the Democratic Congress this year has made great strides in providing a new direction for funding these promises. We have passed landmark legislation to care for our veterans, such as an increase in the VA budget by $6.7 billion—the largest single increase in veterans' funding in the 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This proposed increase will strengthen veterans' health programs, including mental health care. It also increases the VA's maintenance and repair budget to prevent another Walter Reed scandal from occurring.
"Our men and women should not get first-class weapons in battle only to receive third-class benefits when they return home from war. I will continue to demand that President Bush provide adequate funding for our warriors—not just for the war. We must ensure that our veterans receive benefits that are first-rate and uncompromised."
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