Joe Manchin: “first of all, I wish to thank my colleague and good friend from the State of Washington, Senator Cantwell, for honoring…”

“first of all, I wish to thank my colleague and good friend from the State of Washington, Senator Cantwell, for honoring and recognizing a true American hero. We have had so many of them, and we still have so many, and I wish to thank her for that. As the country mourns for those we have lost in Libya and those who remain in harm's way to keep us all safe, we are reminded of the sacred debt we owe the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day. No matter the generation and no matter the war, America's soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen are always tough, always determined, and always victorious. Even when we have asked the impossible of them, they have served us well. However, how well have we served them? How well have we kept our sacred promise to care for those who, as Abraham Lincoln said, ``have borne the battle'' for us and for this great country of ours? The Veterans Jobs Corps Act is an opportunity to make good on that promise, but it is more than an opportunity; it is an obligation. It is also a duty and, most importantly, it is a privilege. It is one of the best welcome home celebrations we could give the men and women in our armed forces, as well as the 9/11 generation of their families--more than 1 million military spouses and 2 million children, many of whom have lived their entire lives in a nation at war. Today, one of our Nation's great challenges is a new generation of veterans coming home to a weak economy.…”