On the recordOctober 30, 2019
In a few days, our Nation will celebrate Veterans Day, a time to pause, give thanks, and honor the brave men and women who have served our country. Those men and women who have worn the uniform of our Nation, who have sacrificed so much for us, deserve more than just words in return. We owe them action. That means keeping the promises we have made to our veterans to provide skills and offer opportunities as these men and women transition to civilian life; to provide a lifetime of healthcare that they have earned and were guaranteed; to support access to mental health services, including to those with other than honorable discharges who may have been improperly dismissed from the service due to undiagnosed brain injuries or PTSD; and to end the scourge of veteran homelessness, as we have done in Lake County, in my district in Illinois. To that end, I am proud of the bipartisan legislation I introduced to reauthorize the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program for veterans, previously passed in the House, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to similarly support this and other important programs. This Veterans Day, and every day, I hope we will all do more to remember the privileges we enjoy as Americans and honor those who served us as a small token of our thanks. ____________________
