John Barrow: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We Americans owe no greater debt than we owe the men and women of our armed services who risk…”

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We Americans owe no greater debt than we owe the men and women of our armed services who risk their lives to protect our freedoms. We currently have around 350,000 troops deployed overseas. About a third of that number come from our National Guard and Reserve. While most Americans don't know it, many National Guard members don't get the same support we give career servicemembers. When many National Guardsmen and -women get on the plane to go overseas, their families don't even know about the services that are available to them, and when many of those troops get back home, they don't have the help they need to get back into their daily lives. To address this disparity, in 2008, Congress established the yellow ribbon reintegration program to provide a support program tailored to meet the needs of National Guard and Reserve combat veterans and their families. The yellow ribbon program helps servicemembers and their families throughout deployment, with programs such as career counseling, suicide prevention, access to health care, veterans benefits, and education benefits. This final amendment would increase funding for that program by $200 million. There is an excellent program in my district called the Augusta Wounded Warrior Project. They have several projects in Georgia to help wounded veterans. I've had the honor of working with them on some of these priorities and to meet with some of the returning veterans they have helped.…”