[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7053-S7055]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Thanksgiving

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I am here today to join some of my fellow 
Senators here to talk about giving thanks to our military 
servicemembers and our veterans. Certainly, this is the thankful and 
grateful season that we are heading into. I think November has a lot of 
celebratory times both for our families and also for our veterans and 
military families.
  There is no question that this year has been most different and has 
looked very different than most. We have faced so many challenges and 
adjusted to a new norm of teleworking, telehealth, telecommuting, all 
kinds of different ways to communicate on our devices, FaceTiming--I do 
a lot of FaceTiming with my family--and other socially distanced 
activities, and I don't see that coming to an end in the near future. 
But in the midst of all of this, we certainly do have so much to be 
grateful for and thankful for.
  A little fun fact is, I was actually born on Thanksgiving Day, and my 
parents always joked that they were going to name me ``Thankful Ever 
Moore'' because my last name was Moore at the time. And while my 
parents, thankfully, decided to go a different route with my name, the 
meaning still holds true today.
  It is true because I am thankful evermore for many things, 
especially, as I said, as we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, which 
is just around the corner. And it is going to look a little bit 
different for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean it can't be just 
as special.
  I am thankful evermore for my own personal good health and that of my 
family's. I am very, very grateful and thankful for the first 
responders and the essential workers and now those workers in the 
hospitals who are really seeing a lot more patients coming in with 
COVID. I think about the grocery store workers, the truckers, and 
others who have really kept life moving during those first months when 
we weren't sure how to cope.
  I am very grateful for my wonderful community of Charleston, WV, 
where I have lived for over 40 years. And I am very grateful for the 
opportunity and the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of West 
Virginia in the U.S. Senate. I am grateful for our country and all of 
the great American thoughts and prayers that have carried many of us 
through these last few months.
  But I am especially thankful and grateful for the brave 
servicemembers who have put their lives on the line for our country 
year after year. I am grateful for the many veterans who have come 
before them and for the military families from all over the country who 
support the men and women who serve.
  Just last week, we celebrated Veterans Day. It is always a very 
special, kind of solemn day in our State, and it is very well attended. 
This year we couldn't have the parades. We did a lot of virtual 
celebrations, but it was no less special. This is a day to honor the 
men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, both past and present, who have 
stood up to protect the freedoms that we hold dear.
  Our military is undoubtedly the very greatest in the world. From the 
``greatest generation'' to our younger soldiers who have fought in Iraq 
and Afghanistan, all of our soldiers have served admirably, and I am 
pleased to be serving with some who have not just served several years 
ago but in recent times.
  My home State of West Virginia has a long and proud history of 
answering the call of duty. I think we have the highest percentage per 
capita of military veterans.
  I am the proud daughter of a World War II veteran and Purple Heart 
recipient. I grew up hearing stories about heroism displayed on and off 
the battlefield and have always been in awe of those who have served 
this country.
  Interestingly, too, in hearing my father's generation talk about 
their service to the country, it was always framed in terms of duty and 
love of country and never in terms of ``I had to do this'' or ``my 
parents thought it was a good idea.'' These were things deeply held 
inside of those veterans who wanted to be a part of something that they 
held dear--their love of country, their love of freedom, their love of 
liberty.
  Woody Williams is one of those individuals who lives in my State. 
Many of you have seen them. He did the coin flip at the Super Bowl last 
year, I think. I continue to be inspired by him every day. I have 
mentioned him more than a few times on the Senate floor, as have all of 
our proud West Virginians. He is a proud West Virginian himself and is 
one of the last remaining Medal of Honor recipients from World War II. 
He turned 97 last month.
  He valiantly fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima and rightfully earned 
the military's most prestigious medal for his actions during the war. 
We are so proud of him and all he does with our Gold Star families. We 
have memorials all throughout our State and across the country, where 
Woody inspires not just those who have served but those who support and 
the families who support those who serve. So we are very proud to call 
him our West Virginia own. We did rename the VA center, hospital, in 
Huntington after Woody. We had a grand opening. It was really fun.
  Whether it be the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the first Gulf war, 
the ongoing fight against terrorism in the Middle East, and all the 
conflicts that America has fought, our country's servicemembers have 
made the ultimate sacrifices to keep our liberties intact.
  Sometimes I think people get kind of down about where are we going, 
and it seems like we don't have the optimism as a country. Do you know 
what? I am very optimistic because of what I am talking about today.
  Without the sacrifices of men and women, we would not be able to have 
these many freedoms, and it is important to remember those men and 
women who have supportive family members.
  It is fitting also that this month is Military Family Appreciation 
Month. I think about the different moves or the nights of sleeplessness 
where you are unsure where your loved one is or how they are serving. 
This is a month to honor and recognize the sacrifices and challenges 
that military families face while supporting these brave men and women.

  Our military families do face unique challenges, and I think here in 
this body we take that into consideration quite a bit when we are 
looking at appropriations and ways to help our families. We are forever 
indebted to the sacrifices they make as their loved ones are fighting 
for our freedoms. They are often the ones behind the scenes, faced with 
difficult decisions every single day, and it is not easy.

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  I have had the chance to meet many military families and hear about 
their experiences firsthand, and I have also heard from many of our own 
here, particularly Senator Joni Ernst, who served as well and is a 
veteran. Senator Martha McSally is also one of those whom I have been 
fascinated to hear her path and her service.
  Whether it is our current servicemembers, veterans, or military 
families, we are so grateful for their service. It is because of their 
sacrifice and courage that we are able to enjoy these freedoms and 
liberties that we all cherish.
  This Thanksgiving, take a moment to thank a veteran, a servicemember, 
and in this environment, a frontline worker, an essential worker--
someone who is giving of themselves, sacrificing time with their family 
and, in some way, putting themselves in precarious situations with 
meeting the health challenges of COVID.
  At the same time, this should not be limited to just Thanksgiving or 
to Veterans Day or Military Family Appreciation Month. We should be 
doing this every day, and we should be making sure that those who serve 
know our appreciation, that those who serve know--like the Senator from 
North Dakota, who is going to be after me--that their long history of 
service in our States--and, certainly, the Presiding Officer's State as 
well--all across this country are not going without recognition.
  Without this great sacrifice and dedication to defending the flag, 
this country would not be what it is today. I mentioned how optimistic 
and grateful and thankful I am to be an American.
  While this year has thrown a lot our way, and it may be difficult to 
see some of the positives, we must always remember that we have much to 
be thankful for.
  Thank you.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I want to acknowledge and express my 
appreciation for the comments of the Senator from West Virginia, her 
father's service, and the service of so many veterans, as well as our 
colleagues here in the Senate who are here today saying thank you as we 
enter this time of Thanksgiving for our veterans and all those who 
serve today. We appreciate them so much.
  Of course, that is what this colloquy is all about, for us to come 
down today and to say thank you to our veterans, thank you to those who 
serve. I know the Presiding Officer's State has a number of military 
bases and a large contingent of servicemembers, and they are truly 
fantastic. They are just amazing. We have two large Air Force bases in 
my State, and, of course, our Guard and others who serve in our 
military. I am impressed every day when I see what they do and how they 
serve. We are so deeply appreciative.
  That is what today is all about. It is thanking our veterans and 
making the point, I think, that we need to be there for our veterans 
and our servicemembers every day, not just on Veterans Day, but that we 
need to be out there every day saying thank you for all that they do 
for us--and to their families--and to always keep in our hearts and our 
prayers all of those who are deployed around the world today keeping us 
safe.
  In my State of North Dakota, we have a rich tradition of service. I 
am so proud of all of our North Dakotans who have served in the 
military and serve today.
  Since I was Governor of North Dakota, from 2000 through 2010, and 
even since I have been here in the Senate, I don't think I have ever 
missed participating at home on Veterans Day in ceremonies for our 
servicemembers. Really, because we were in session last week, this was 
the first time in, I think, more than 20 years that I wasn't able to 
attend services at home for our veterans on Veterans Day. So what I did 
is I went over to Arlington Cemetery and spent some time there.
  I also went to the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, and I particularly 
wanted to go over to the Marine Corps Memorial because my father was a 
marine. Of course, for his life--he died when he was 87 years old, but 
throughout his life, you could never say he was a marine because once a 
marine, always a marine. So even when he was in his eighties, he would 
say he still is a marine. If you said ``was a marine,'' then he would 
get mad at you, but now that he has passed, I can say he was a marine. 
But he was awfully proud of his service.
  As I looked at that Marine Corps Memorial, it made me think of him. 
It just is, again, a recognition for all of us of how much we owe our 
veterans.
  So it is about thanking them and acknowledging them, but it is also 
very important that we show our gratitude in other ways, by making sure 
that our Armed Service forces, members, as well as all of our veterans 
receive the care, the benefits, the recognition, the things that our 
Nation has promised them for their service.
  We need to follow through on those things. In this Congress we have 
worked to do that, and we need to continue to work to do that.
  Some of the things we have been able to do are work to strengthen the 
VA's ability to provide veterans with a continuum of care so that not 
only do they have access to the medical care they need, but they also 
have that continuum of care as they get older.
  We talk about our World War II generation, America's ``greatest 
generation,'' as laid out in Tom Brokaw's book and that famous 
acknowledgement of all that they did in World War II. So many of them, 
of course, we are losing now, and it highlights the need to make sure 
that we have the continuum of care there for them, both care in terms 
of nursing home care and also home-based care as well. We need to make 
sure that those options are available to them.
  We also need to recognize that members of our military suffer 
injuries both seen and unseen. There are the wounds that you can see, 
but then there are also the wounds, the battle scars of war, that you 
can't see.
  In terms of what the VA does for our veterans, we need to make sure 
that the mental healthcare and the suicide prevention programs are in 
place there as well. Last month the Commander John Scott Hannon 
Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act was signed into law, and I 
was pleased to be able to cosponsor that legislation, and that 
legislation will help advance a more comprehensive approach to address 
the tragedy of veteran suicide.
  It also expands access to alternative treatment options like 
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, for veterans who have not been able 
to benefit or recover using traditional therapies for post-traumatic 
stress.
  Last year, working with others, I was able to secure for the Fargo VA 
designation as the fifth location in the Nation for an HBOT pilot 
program, and we recently extended that program for a longer period of 
time and added additional service area in Jamestown, ND, as well.
  I have to say, our VA veterans healthcare facility in Fargo is second 
to none. They do a tremendous job. I talk to veterans who go there not 
only from North Dakota but from much of Minnesota, and they really 
appreciate it. The care there is high level.
  Sometimes we hear these stories and have great concern about 
veterans' care facilities where they are not doing a good job, and we 
need to address that, but I can say that our Fargo, ND, VA healthcare 
facility is tops. And the veterans I talk to on a regular basis tell me 
that, so we are very appreciative of all the healthcare providers who 
work there and do that very good job for our wonderful veterans. So we 
need to continue to provide that type of care as well.
  Also, I joined with Senator Sinema and Senator Sullivan in 
introducing the Reduce Unemployment for Veterans of All Ages Act, which 
enables veterans, regardless of when they served, to access VA's 
vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits. That just makes 
sense, particularly during this pandemic. We are seeing the challenges 
with unemployment for everybody, and making sure that our great 
veterans have access to work and employment when they come back or 
leave the service is always a priority. It is obviously very much a 
priority as we work our way through this pandemic.
  So passing this legislation would help provide veterans with greater 
self-sufficiency, better financial security, and, of course, a higher 
quality of life.
  Also, as chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I have 
worked with our committee to ensure that our

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Nation fulfills its promise to our Native American veterans. Native 
Americans serve in our military in a higher percentage than any other 
ethnic group, which is truly remarkable and a tremendous thing.
  So, as I say, for all of our veterans, we have to be there, but we 
certainly have to make sure, then, that we are providing help and 
support for our Native American veterans who have served as well.
  Clearly, Native American veterans face some unique challenges related 
to homelessness and housing, and that is a function of being on the 
reservation. They have some unique challenges, and we have to work to 
address those challenges.
  So I have worked with Senator Udall, the vice chairman of the Indian 
Affairs Committee, along with Senator Tester, whom I think is ranking 
member on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and we introduced the Tribal 
HUD-VASH Act, which would provide rental housing assistance as well as 
housing for eligible Native American veterans who are homeless or at 
risk of homelessness.
  Our legislation has passed the Senate, and we are certainly hoping 
that it receives action in the House very soon.
  As we continue to support our servicemembers, I also am a member of 
the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, and we need to continue to 
work to invest in our military and ensure that our servicemembers have 
the tools they need to complete their missions.
  In North Dakota we have many Active-Duty servicemembers at our Air 
Force bases, as well as others in the State. They perform incredibly 
important missions, and we need to make sure that we are supporting 
them and our servicemembers across the country and deployed around the 
globe and that they have what they need to do their missions.
  That applies equally for our members of the National Guard and the 
reserves. As a former Governor--and I know the Presiding Officer was a 
former Governor himself--the amount that we rely on the National Guard 
is unbelievable. Their level of service is unbelievable. Whether it is 
fire or flood or hurricane or tornadoes or any kind of natural disaster 
here at home or whether it is deploying to the global war on terror in 
Afghanistan, Iraq, or anywhere else around the world, our National 
Guard is there. They do an incredible, incredible job, so we need to 
make sure we are supporting our Guard and reserves just as we support 
our Active-Duty forces. As a matter of fact, one of our Guard units is 
actually deployed for a 9-month assignment defending the Nation's 
Capital. They are here defending Washington, DC.
  Again, talk to anybody who is a Governor or a former Governor, and 
they will tell you just how incredible the National Guard is. And those 
deployments are not easy. Whether they are deployed overseas, whether 
they are deployed somewhere in the United States, whether down on the 
border or wherever it may be, they serve. And we can't forget that 
their families serve too. When they are gone, the families have to pick 
up the slack at home, and they do.
  That is one reason that each year since coming to the Senate, I have 
introduced in the past the Senate resolution proclaiming a national Day 
of the Deployed to recognize and thank our deployed servicemembers and 
their family members: Active Duty, Guard, and Reserves.
  With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded of the many freedoms 
and blessings that we enjoy as a nation, all of which have been secured 
by the men and the women who have served and do serve in our Armed 
Forces.
  Today and every day--not just on Veterans Day but today and every 
day--we say thank you and God bless you
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Romney). The Senator from Nebraska.