Shaheen Statement Ahead of Veterans Day
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement ahead of Veterans Day:
“From the dawn of our revolution, to the shores of Normandy and the battlefields of Afghanistan and beyond, courageous Americans have fought for our freedom and stood watch over our republic and people. Generations of Granite Staters have answered the call to serve, and for their selfless sacrifice on behalf of our nation, we thank them,” said Senator Shaheen. “Veterans Day is a solemn reminder to thank the men and women in our communities who put their lives on the line so that we may live free. I encourage New Hampshire residents to pause and think about the veterans in their lives and to pick up the phone to say hello, or stop by a veteran-owned business to show their support. As Congress resumes legislative action next week, I look forward to working with lawmakers to build on the progress we made to assist veterans through the historic PACT Act. From providing better access to mental health services to employment and education opportunities, it’s imperative that Congress upholds the commitment our nation made to stand by our veterans.”
Senator Shaheen is the lead sponsor of a bipartisan resolution that would designate Sunday, November 13th, National Warrior Call Day in an effort to bolster action from community members in support of veterans.
Senator Shaheen has spearheaded efforts in the Senate in support of veterans and military families. Shaheen worked to include provisions and helped pass the historic PACT Act, which expands health care for post-9/11 combat veterans. In the fiscal year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was signed into law, Shaheen successfully included a provision based on her bipartisan legislation with Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) that improves the transferability of military spouses’ occupational licenses, and also helps alleviate the burden spouses endure if they’re small business owners from having to constantly re-register their businesses as they move from state to state with their families. In government funding legislation for FY2022 that was signed into law, Shaheen successfully secured $3 million to implement the legislation. Additionally, the funding legislation included $22 million for the Beyond Yellow Ribbon (BYR) program, which funds the New Hampshire National Guard’s Care Coordination Program. BYR programs provide outreach services to troops returning from deployment, including health care, marriage and financial counseling, substance misuse treatment and mental health services. Shaheen built on these efforts in the FY2023 government funding proposal released by Senate Democrats earlier this year. In September, Shaheen worked with a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce the Access for Veterans to Records Act to help more veterans access their service records.
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