[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15919]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VETERANS 
                    ADMINISTRATION ON JULY 21, 1930

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE BUYER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2005

  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs, today I am introducing H. Res. 361 recognizing the 75th 
anniversary of the establishment of the Veterans Administration on July 
21, 1930. I am joined by the Committee's Ranking Member, Mr. Evans, in 
introducing this resolution.
  More than 48 million men and women have served America well and 
faithfully in military uniform. More than 1 million made the ultimate 
sacrifice for our freedom. Twenty-five million veterans are living 
among us today. These men and women selflessly set aside their civilian 
lives to put on the uniform and serve us. Many return from that service 
bearing wounds to body and spirit. Many return hungry to take advantage 
of the fruits of the democracy they defended, and seek education and 
employment opportunity.
  The nation's obligation to her defenders is as old as that defense 
itself. In his second inaugural address in 1865, President Abraham 
Lincoln clearly expressed the obligation: ``. . . to care for him who 
shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.''
  On July 21, 1930, pursuant to a Congressional authorization, 
President Hoover issued an executive order to ``consolidate and 
coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans,'' creating the 
Veterans Administration. The new VA was charged with ensuring that 
America's veterans received the benefits and services they had earned 
through their military service.
  Today the 230,000 public servants of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, formed from the VA in 1989, continue the noble tradition of 
their predecessors in service to veterans and their families.
  The men and women of today's VA are dedicated to caring for today's 
veterans and stand ready to provide for our servicemembers who now 
defend our freedoms and our way of life.

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