DeGette Honors Nation's Veterans

Touts DemocraticCongress' Accomplishments for Veterans; Sends Letter to U.S. SenatePressing for Swift Action on Remaining Veterans' Priorities

DENVER, CO – To commemorate Veterans Day, ChiefDeputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) stood shoulder to shoulder withColorado veterans during a press conference today to celebrate theirservice and to highlight the accomplishments of Democratic Congressregarding veterans' priorities. Despite the Bush Administration'scommitment to sending our troops to war, the Administration has failedto adequately provide for our troops when they return home. Democratsin Congress are fulfilling their commitment to honor our troops andveterans' service to our nation. DeGette also organized and released a letter,signed by Democrats in the Colorado House Delegation, to the U.S.Senate Leadership pressing for swift action on remaining veterans'priorities already passed by the House.

"Democrats in Congress are working to keep our promise to ourcourageous men and women in uniform when they return home," saidDeGette. "We are strengthening the American military by rebuilding itsreadiness, improving military health care and key benefits for ourtroops and their families, and investing in our veterans by making thelargest-ever increase in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget.President Bush's budget for our veterans fails to take into account theneeds of so many of our troops returning home from the wars inAfghanistan and Iraq."

The Democratically-controlled Congress is making an investment in ourveterans by providing the resources and tools for our troops not onlyduring times of war, but also when they return home. By providing thenecessary equipment, increasing access to health care, and treatingthem with the respect they deserve, Democrats have made honoring ourveterans a top priority. However, much work still must be done. Thereare still over 15 bills the House has passed that include additionalfunding for veterans' health care, help for veterans' small businessowners, and improve programs to assist veterans returning from abroad.DeGette organized a letter, signed by the Democrats in the ColoradoHouse Delegation, to the U.S. Senate Leadership, including MajorityLeader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, requestingprompt action.

"This is how Democrats show in actions that they ‘really support thetroops' – by ensuring that our nation's veterans, who have served inthe armed forces or have returned from the wars, are provided thebenefits and care they so deserve," said Bob Moser, President ofColorado Veterans for America.

"Some among us have experienced the waking nightmare of combat – ahorror others of us are lucky not to know," said Shannon Sharrock, aWest Point graduate and former helicopter pilot. "Some among us havesuffered injuries from the often relentless demands of service – aburden others of us are again lucky not to know. Most of us have at onepoint or another been lost in an endless sea of paperwork andbureaucratic red tape – our claims for assistance or benefits lost,found, and then lost again."