Political Quotes

“I just left a hearing involving the Veterans of Foreign Wars before the Veterans' Committee. In fact, it was a joint hearing of both the House's and the Senate's Veterans' Committees, where I am the ranking member. I informed them that I was coming to the floor of the U.S. Senate to seek unanimous consent on the Major Richard Star Act, and there was a spontaneous standing ovation. I dare say that that applause was totally bipartisan--nonpolitical--because there is no more glaring and egregious injustice affecting veterans today--our Nation's patriots-- than the fact that 50,000 veterans and servicemembers are forced to medically retire or to undergo medical separation because of combat-related injuries and are unable to collect both retirement benefits and disability compensation. Right now, the men and women who are in harm's way in the Middle East may be injured--we hope not--but there may be casualties. We know that some have already been injured. If they retire as a result of those combat injuries with less than 20 years of service--the majority of them have less than 20 years of service--they will be reduced in their retirement pay, dollar for dollar, from their VA disability benefits. Let me just repeat: Right now, combat-injured veterans are getting a dollar-for-dollar reduction of their military retirement pay from their VA disability benefits.”