[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ON THE OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. THOMAS S. P. PERRIELLO

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 2009

  Mr. PERRIELLO. Madam Speaker, as we prepare to observe Memorial Day, 
I rise to pay tribute to all those who have fallen in defense of our 
country. From Appomattox Courthouse to the National D-Day Memorial, the 
veterans of central and southern Virginia stand as a testament to the 
virtues of sacrifice and selfless service. I am proud to work for those 
who have given so much to our nation.
  I firmly believe the best way to honor the veterans of past 
generations is to take care of the veterans alive today. Since coming 
to Congress, I have served as an active member of the House Committee 
on Veterans Affairs, working hard to ensure that the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs continues to uphold its commitment to this Nation's 
veterans. I have been a co-sponsor of H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health 
Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009, a bill which would 
authorize Congress to provide VA medical care appropriations one year 
in advance of the start of each fiscal year. An advance appropriation 
would provide the VA with a year to plan how to deliver the most 
efficient and effective care to an increasing number of veterans with 
increasingly complex medical conditions.
  Taking care of our veterans also means helping them take care of 
their families. In today's economy many of our veterans are returning 
home after extended deployments only to find that the jobs they left 
behind no longer exist. I recently introduced H.R. 1098, the Veterans 
Worker Retraining Act of 2009. H.R. 1098 will help address the growing 
problem of veteran unemployment by reinstating and making permanent the 
rate increase for On-the-Job Training (OJT) benefits available to 
eligible veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. OJT 
offers veterans and members of the Guard and Reserve an alternative to 
attending a college or university by using their education benefit to 
obtain employment training.
  As a Nation we have prospered because we have always had brave men 
and women willing to answer the call to arms in times of great 
uncertainty. May God bless all those who have fallen in the name of 
freedom and all those who stand vigilant to protect it.

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