Roy Blunt: “first, let me thank Senator Ernst for organizing this opportunity to talk about our veterans, to talk about those who…”

“first, let me thank Senator Ernst for organizing this opportunity to talk about our veterans, to talk about those who serve and the obligations we have to them, to talk about their challenges. Last week, certainly Veterans Day was very much on our minds, but also we ought to be sure that our veterans are on our minds all the time. We have appropriations bills we need to pass that will make a big difference in how veterans' issues are dealt with. Obviously we need to pass the appropriations bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and every veteran would want us to pass the appropriations bill for the Department of Defense. But there are also provisions in other bills that help veterans get back into society more effectively when they leave the military. The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education bill that I talked about on the floor last week increases assistance for veterans' employment programs and veterans' training programs. It supports veterans when they move from the military workforce to the civilian workforce. It works to give homeless veterans a chance to have a home, have a job, have an opportunity--break through whatever barrier is a barrier for them. Opioid dependence--we all know those numbers are back up. Those opioid death numbers are back up. Veteran suicide--not one is acceptable.…”