On the 11th hour of the
11th day of the 11th month of the year of 1918, the
world celebrated the end of World War I, and in recognition November 11th
became known as Armistice Day.
Had World War I really been “the war
to end all wars,” perhaps we would still be celebrating Armistice Day
today. However, in 1939, World War II consumed Europe, Africa, the
Pacific and finally the world. Congress subsequently proclaimed in 1953
that November 11th would be a day to honor all of America’s veterans and
called upon Americans everywhere to rededicate themselves to the cause of
peace.
Americans celebrate this Veterans
Day at a time of ongoing global threats to our nation’s security. As
American troops fight terrorism around the world, it is particularly
important to honor the 25 million living American veterans, especially
those who have recently returned from battles overseas. Nearly 3,000 U.S.
troops have now died in Iraq, including 53 brave men and women from
Maryland who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Like all Americans, I
mourn the loss of these brave patriots.
On Veterans Day, we show our
appreciation in symbolic ways: parades, town meetings, and family get
togethers. While words of thanks are a valuable part of this celebration,
it is even more important to honor our veterans by providing them with the
services they have earned.
The most pressing need, according to
nearly every veterans group across the country, is health care.
Unlike other wars in recent memory,
citizen-soldiers are fighting on the front lines of this conflict.
With more guardsmen and reservists deployed than at any other time in
history, the obligation to provide our veterans with adequate care has
never been stronger.
The newly elected Democratic
Congress will honor our veterans with a new GI Bill of Rights for the 21st
Century. Among other things, this legislation would do the following:
Make health care accessible
and affordable for our Veterans.
Currently, more than 50,000
veterans are waiting for more than six months for veterans’ health care,
and that problem will only get worse with the growing numbers of returning
soldiers. Democrats would provide an additional $3.2 billion to meet the
demand for current services and medical inflation this year, and will work
to ensure that the VA is adequately funded over the next 10 years to ease
the waiting periods.
Strengthen Support for Men and
Women in Uniform
The American people are
fully backing our soldiers, and yet our troops do not have the needed
manpower or equipment. So the new GI Bill includes provisions to ensure
an adequate number of troops and to make sure they have adequate
equipment, so that our troops are well protected and not stretched too
thin. The package would also provide a $1,000 bonus to the troops who
have served in imminent danger in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in
Afghanistan as thanks for a job well done, along with increased pay for
senior enlisted personnel.
Honor Our Debt to Our
Servicemen and Women
We must provide first-rate
education benefits to reward those who have served and to recruit our most
able young men and women to serve our nation in the Armed Forces. The
package would modernize and enhance the GI Bill Education and Job Training
Programs and improve education benefits for Guard/Reserve. Specifically,
it would provide the full cost of tuition and fees, and a living allowance
for 36 months of schooling for those who enlist for four years of active
duty military service. Right now, the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) pays less
than two-thirds of the average cost of attending a 4-year public college.
It would also increase the basic benefit for those currently in the MGIB
or who serve less than four years to $1,300 per month, and eliminate the
current reduction in their basic pay to get the educational benefits.
Further, it would assist homeless veterans with employment, and protect
bonuses and special pay for those who are permanently and severely injured
or wounded or killed in service, and continue combat pay and other
additional compensation during recovery from combat injuries.
Veterans Day is an important time to
reaffirm our support for every American service member who fought to
protect our freedoms. Their bravery and sacrifice for our nation deserves
our recognition, our respect and our deep gratitude.
