Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of the EXPLORE Act today. It has been a privilege to work on this legislation with the chairman as a member of the Natural Resources Committee. I am particularly proud that it includes my Military and Veterans in Parks Act, nicknamed the MVP Act after the invaluable role our former servicemembers have played in protecting our great Nation. As a wife of a veteran, the mother of future veterans, and a former Navy helicopter pilot myself, I have a unique understanding of the challenges facing those who have served. As a geriatric nurse practitioner who spent years caring for our Greatest Generation, I have also seen the effects of all types of injuries sustained on the battlefield, including post-traumatic stress disorder and countless other invisible wounds. Unfortunately, almost two-thirds of all post-9/11 veterans are experiencing mental health issues, while 27 percent of all veterans have a service-related disability. We should be going above and beyond to give those heroes every opportunity to reintegrate into civil society and lead happy and healthy lives. That is why it is incredibly frustrating to me that accessibility remains a significant obstacle for disabled veterans in our national parks and other outdoor recreation sites.…”