Political Quotes

“I asked my colleagues to join me in honoring and thanking the heroic individuals who have served our country. Every year on Veterans Day--just a couple of days ago--we come together as Ohioans or Oregonians and New Mexicans and Americans generally to remember with deep respect and gratitude all that our veterans have done for our country. Veterans and their families have sacrificed so much to keep us safe. They put their lives on the line to protect us. So often veterans don't speak about their service. My dad was a World War II veteran. He rarely talked about it. It was pretty typical of that generation; not so different from Vietnam vets, many of whom suffered from Agent Orange, or from Iraqi or Afghan war vets. They don't brag, they don't ask for recognition, but they have earned it. As we pay tribute to all who serve and all who have served, we must remember that we owe veterans and their families more than just a thank you on Labor Day--or on Veterans Day. We owe them what they have earned: healthcare benefits, education opportunities. Taking care of our veterans is a cost of going to war. Now, I have heard--I am going to talk about the PACT Act in a moment. Senator Merkley and I were just talking about it, the long overdue step we took to pass the PACT Act. A number of our more conservative colleagues said it cost too much. They never say it costs too much to send people to war.…”