Washington (November 10, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement commemorating Veterans Day.
 
“Every November, our country comes together to honor those who have served so that we may live as with freedom in the United States of America. Day after day, our veterans put their lives on the line for us so that we can exercise our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness guaranteed to us since the founding of our nation.
 
“Our veterans deserve the same guarantee when they return home. We have an obligation to honor them, not just one day out of the year, but every day. Often their battles continue long after their formal service has ended through struggles with injuries, traumatic brain injury, depression, addiction, and homelessness. We have to fight for their access to care and opportunity just as they have fought for our freedom.
 
“That is why I have introduced legislation not just on behalf of the more than 335,000 veterans living in Massachusetts, but on behalf of the more than 18 million veterans in the United States. I partnered with colleagues across the aisle to increase pensions for Medal of Honor recipients, to ensure equal treatment for wounded Guard and Reserve members, and to formally honor WWII Ghost Army servicemembers. I also have been working hard to preserve funding for services already utilized by our veterans, such as health care, job training programs, disability insurance, and affordable housing. Serving in our armed forces is not a partisan issue. Protecting and caring for our veterans should not be partisan either.
 
“Our veterans have served our nation with faith and courage. We need to be sure we have done everything we can for them. It is my wish that Veterans Day will help us to remember that our country is bigger than one person, one state, or one party. We must remember and honor the men and women that bravely serve to keep it that way.”
 

###