Chris Van Hollen: “today, on the week we celebrated Veterans Day, I wish to pay particular tribute to our Nation's women veterans. Maryland…”

“today, on the week we celebrated Veterans Day, I wish to pay particular tribute to our Nation's women veterans. Maryland women served our Nation long before they were permitted to serve in the military, from Mary Digges Lee, who collected money and supplies to support the Revolutionary Army, to Harriet Tubman who spied for the Union in the Civil War. Today Maryland is home to over 50,000 women veterans. Our Maryland National Guard is led by the extraordinary Adjutant General Linda L. Singh and, for the first time this year, an all-woman command staff. As we honor our veterans, we must also keep the promises we made, as a nation, to them. That requires understanding and addressing the unique and complex needs of our women veterans. We know that they suffer higher rates of PTSD and suicide than their civilian counterparts and have medical issues that are too often overlooked or ignored. Later this week, I will be meeting with some truly heroic Maryland women who have served their Nation and continue to serve each other. I look forward to their insight on the programs and services they use and the ways we can expand the networks that might deliver the support our women veterans deserve. This Congress has worked on a bipartisan basis to support our Nation's veterans, and we must continue those efforts.…”