Political Quotes

“We ask our veterans to serve, young men and women who sign up, serve in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and they are going knowing that they are representing us, and they will take on the challenges and the dangers of combat. They do that willingly. But why is it that we create an extra hazard within our control by creating these burn pits and assign men and women to be breathing that toxic air? It is not right. This legislation, Honoring our PACT Act, finally acknowledges that that was wrong and that we have a duty to every one of those veterans. In Vermont--and I know, Mr. Speaker, it is in your State as well; you have been a leader on this--there has been tragedy with cancers to young men and women, fathers, moms. In our State, Pat Cram and June Heston both lost their wonderful husbands, Sergeant Major Michael Cram and Brigadier General Michael Heston, to cancer. Those women have started a movement in Vermont that has supported this legislation that finally is going to do for these veterans what we did for the Vietnam veterans with Agent Orange and establish a presumption that this was combat related. It is overdue, and it is necessary. So I thank all of the men and women on both sides of the aisle who are standing up to acknowledge that our obligation is to take care of the warrior and his or her family after they have served us so well. This is overdue legislation. Let's pass it by unanimous consent.”