Honoring America’s Veterans

Today is the day we honor America’s veterans, both those that lost their lives in combat, and those who served other roles in the military, perhaps not reaching the front lines. All deserve respect for their service. Georgia’s elected officials offered their thoughts in honor of Veterans Day.

Senator Johnny Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs:

As we honor our veterans, those of us who serve in Washington must renew and strengthen our commitment to the men and women who have sacrificed for our country. I am proud that the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs that I chair is one of the most bipartisan committees in the Senate. There are not Republican veterans or Democrat veterans; there are only American veterans.

We have made tremendous progress since I took over as chairman in 2015. On the heels of the Phoenix wait-time scandal at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, we expanded access to care for veterans with the implementation of the Veterans’ Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014. With the passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act we are working to address the crisis of veterans suicides, among taking many other positive bipartisan steps.

Yet, there is more work to be done. I want to reiterate my commitment to working together for veterans to change the culture at the VA through the passage of the bipartisan reforms included in the Veterans First Act.

Our veterans have never failed us. We must not fail them.

Senator David Perdue:

We stop today to honor and reflect on the sacrifices and contributions all of our veterans have made for our great country. I wouldn’t be standing here today without the dedicated service and commitment, and sacrifices really, of everybody that has worn the uniform.

You know, I get to travel the world as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and I can tell you that the best, and I mean the very best, of America is in uniform today protecting our rights as Americans.

I want everybody to know how much it means to me and the people of Georgia that today we stop for a second and remember our heroes and our veterans—the men and women in uniform. Thank you.

3rd District Representative Lynn Westmoreland:

I want to join my fellow Americans in thanking our all our nation’s veterans. Less than one percent of our population are veterans, however the impact of their selflessness is felt by each of us every day. These brave service men and women put their lives on the line to serve and protect our country, and no words will ever truly express our gratitude and appreciation. America is –without a doubt- the best country in the world because of their commitment to defending our freedoms.

5th District Representative John Lewis:

Our freedom is not free. It comes at a price. No one understands that like the men and women in uniform who serve this nation so well. As Americans gather to celebrate Veterans Day, we honor the thousands of brave men and women who defend this nation on the frontlines of war and peaceful engagement on American shores and around the world. We honor those who have laid down their lives for us as well as those who stand ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for this country.

I am immensely proud to represent over 33,000 veterans in the 5th District of Georgia. Their commitment to patriotic duty reminds us of our best selves and the principled selflessness that can be a powerful part of the American spirit. For their honorable service and all that they sufferwe owe our veterans not only a debt of gratitude, but a sacred promise to uphold America’s highest ideals of equality, liberty and justice. They should inspire our vow to live true to the founding principles of our democracy in our homes, at work, in our minds and our hearts.

6th District Representative Tom Price:

Today on Veterans Day, we acknowledge the debt of gratitude we owe to the men and women in uniform who have selflessly served to protect our great nation. We are forever grateful for their service and we have a moral obligation to care for our veterans who need assistance—many of whom have faced devastating injuries because they were willing to sacrifice themselves for the safety and security of the American people.

In the words of President Teddy Roosevelt, “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.”