Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of today's rule. As we work with President Biden to build a better America, we must honor our debt to our veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our country. There are obvious risks and sacrifices in military service: the physical and mental challenges, time away from loved ones, and the possibility that one may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice for one's country. But there are hidden risks and sacrifices as well, and our failure to address them means that, for too long, we have not met the needs of veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances during the course of their military service, as they have suffered from chronic respiratory illness, cancer, and a variety of other maladies later in life. The most well-known example of this is Agent Orange. It took years of veterans' advocacy for the government to acknowledge and provide services and treatment for injuries caused by Agent Orange. Even as the connections between illness and exposure to Agent Orange have multiplied, new links have been established between exposure to other toxic substances during military service and chronic and life- threatening diseases. The burn pits used at military installations across the globe are a more recent example. The Honoring our PACT bill enacts long-overdue support for over 3 million veterans suffering from illnesses due to exposure to toxins and radiation during military service.…”