[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7075-S7076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Honoring Our Veterans

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate the 
courageous service and selfless sacrifice of our Nation's veterans.
  Honoring our veterans is one of the greatest privileges I have as a 
Senator, which is why I often attend celebrations in Arkansas to 
acknowledge and salute some of the brave men and women who have served 
our Nation in uniform.
  I recently had the pleasure to recognize the service and valor of 15 
Arkansas veterans during the Arkansas Military Veterans' Hall of Fame 
induction ceremony. The class of 2017 inductees comes from all across 
Arkansas. These veterans served in conflicts ranging from World War II 
through the War on

[[Page S7076]]

Terror. Together, they have earned some of our Nation's most 
prestigious honors and commendations, including the Purple Heart, the 
Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, and 
the Silver Star Medal for gallantry.
  I also had the opportunity to present three Arkansas veterans with 
the medals and commendations they had earned when I attended the 
Veterans Day celebration in Fort Smith, AR. I am proud of the work that 
we do to obtain the service medals and recognition that these heroes 
have earned.
  We have also worked hard to honor the efforts of Mr. Errol Severe, of 
Eureka Springs, AR, as he strives to preserve and promote the role of 
joint service aviation cadets in the 20th century. Mr. Severe, an Air 
Force veteran, operates the Aviation Cadet Museum, which is the only 
museum in the United States that exists exclusively to celebrate the 
teamwork, collaboration, patriotism, and courage of the individuals who 
trained for and fought in the national aviation effort from 1917 to 
1965.
  As we recognize our veterans and honor the sacrifice and heroism of 
those who have been called to serve our Nation in uniform, we must 
recommit ourselves to fighting on their behalf. As a member of the 
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am committed to honoring the 
promise made to our veterans.
  We have made tremendous progress during this Congress. In June, 
President Trump signed the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. This strengthens 
accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs by allowing the VA 
to dismiss bad employees while protecting those who expose wrongdoing.
  We are also continuing to improve the Choice Act. Earlier this year, 
we hosted listening sessions with Arkansas veterans to obtain their 
input on the strengths and the weaknesses of the program, as Congress 
continues to expand access to adequate healthcare options for veterans.
  In addition, we enhanced the post-9/11 GI bill benefits to increase 
educational opportunities. I am proud to have played a role in crafting 
this law, along with my colleague from Oregon, Senator Wyden. I am 
pleased that he can join me on the floor to recognize the importance of 
the provision we have championed for several years to fix an oversight 
that prevented combat-injured members of the National Guard and Reserve 
from receiving the same GI bill benefits as Active-Duty military 
members. This is a great example of Senators on both sides of the aisle 
working together to get things done.
  Fixing this clear oversight in the law that unfairly penalized 
wounded and injured servicemembers and kept them from accruing 
educational benefits they rightly earned while in recovery was a 
priority for both of us because these men and women deserved better. To 
correct this injustice, we introduced legislation earlier this year, as 
well as in the last Congress, and I am pleased that it was included in 
the comprehensive GI reform bill that was signed into law this summer.
  While we have made improvements, there is still more that needs to be 
done, including the expansion of VA services for female veterans. I 
encourage my colleagues to support the Deborah Sampson Act to address 
these concerns, and I urge VA Secretary Shulkin to implement reforms 
written in the bill that don't require congressional action. Our work 
must continue.
  Today, my colleague from Indiana, Senator Donnelly, and I will 
introduce legislation to allow veterans who served in Thailand during 
the Vietnam war era the opportunity to prove toxic exposure in order to 
qualify for VA benefits.
  Let me take one more opportunity to thank our veterans and their 
families. This country made a promise to our veterans that we must live 
up to, and I am proud to be able to work for them to ensure that we 
follow through with our commitment.
  The men and women who put their lives on the line in defense of our 
country deserve our undying gratitude. They also deserve our support 
when they transition back into civilian life, which is why we must 
support efforts to improve their health, their ability to further their 
education needs, and to pursue their dreams, just as they fought to 
make that possible for their fellow Americans. That sentiment is shared 
throughout this Chamber. For all of our disagreements in Washington, we 
truly do come together in support of our veterans. That is one area of 
agreement.
  I thank Senator Wyden for his leadership to ensure equal treatment of 
education benefits for wounded guardsmen and reservists. I was very 
proud to work with him in support of this efforts, and I look forward 
to working with him in the future.
  Our guardsmen and reservists are called to defend and protect our 
Nation, exactly like Active-Duty members. So it is only right that they 
receive the same GI bill benefits.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nebraska.