Political Quotes

“my purpose in rising this afternoon is threefold. I would like to share with my colleagues a story that is virtually unparalleled in illustrating the difficulty many military retirees face in the effort to have their government fulfill its promise of lifelong health care. Second, I want to salute the extraordinary efforts of a retired service member in my district, Mr. Len Gagne of Ashland, Oregon, whose selfless devotion to his fellow service members has endured long after the Government's commitment to them waned. Finally, I want to highlight the importance, indeed the absolute necessity, of honoring our Nation's commitment to provide lifelong health care coverage to our military retirees. Here on this picture next to me are some of the 2,500 military retirees in Oregon's Rogue Valley, all of whom entered the armed services with the explicit promise of lifelong medical care following their retirement. As most of my colleagues know, due to downsizing and the subsequent lack of space available at many military medical facilities, that promise has not been kept.”