Chris Deluzio: “It is, of course, an honor for all of us to serve here, but, of course, maybe no greater honor than to stand up for our…”

“It is, of course, an honor for all of us to serve here, but, of course, maybe no greater honor than to stand up for our fellow veterans. I think this country has a sacred obligation to care for all who served. I am proud of my time in uniform, and I often talk about a simple lesson I learned in the Navy: ship, shipmate, self. You put the mission and the country first. You put others before yourself. I think that is fundamentally at the heart of the ethos of service. I come from western Pennsylvania where so many homes and families have a picture of someone who has worn the uniform, someone who has served or shares the values of hard work and patriotism and sacrifice. It is pretty common but becoming a little rarer for us maybe to talk about it as we should. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for convening us for this important fight for veterans. It is so central to our work here in the House and certainly in this Congress. This work should be bipartisan in so many ways, and I think it often is, not always, but it often is. I introduced a bill with colleagues from both sides of the aisle, Saving Our Veterans Lives Act, which is about us putting together a coalition to tackle the crisis, the problem of veteran suicide. It has got a coalition that I think tells you it can succeed, from gun safety groups to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Veterans Service Organizations. That is a coalition that is broad, that tells you this is a serious effort.…”