11.11.12

Hoeven Thanks and Honors Veterans on Veterans Day

Senator Emphasizes Helping to Meet the Health Care and Employment Needs of Veterans

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today told groups of veterans, their families, friends and caregivers that the nation needs to honor and recognize the sacrifices of veterans in tangible ways, especially by helping to meet their post-service needs. Hoeven is a member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.

“We set aside this one day every year, the 11th of November, to honor those, past and present, who have served our nation in the most dedicated and demanding way. They made great sacrifices to secure and preserve the blessings of liberty for all of us, and have made the United States a beacon of hope for people around the globe. Their service has helped to make the United States the freest and most successful nation the world has ever known. For this, our veterans have earned our deepest appreciation and continuing support.”

The senator spoke this afternoon at the both annual Veterans Day Program sponsored by the Fargo Veterans Affairs Health Care System and the Veterans Day Ceremony sponsored by the United Patriotic Bodies of the Fargo-Moorhead Area. He addressed the debt owed to the nation’s service men and women, and the country’s collective responsibility to help them with their health care and employment needs after they’ve served their country.

“We make a solemn promise to our military service members and their families when they serve our nation, and an important part of that promise is to provide reliable, high-quality health care when they need it,” Hoeven said. “At the same time, when our men and women in uniform return home from defending our principles and our country, their skills and work ethic should help them find good jobs. We’re working in the Senate to make sure that veterans have the kind of quality health care they deserve and the kind of job opportunities that will help them establish good, successful careers.”

To improve medical care for veterans, Hoeven described action in the Senate to provide faster resolution for medical claims; to secure funding for prosthetics research and mental health services; to support programs to educate service members, their families, and the public about post-traumatic stress disorder; and to better care for veterans living in rural areas.

Hoeven also described work he is doing to help veterans transition from the military to civilian life. He is a founding member of the bipartisan Senate Veterans Jobs Caucus, a group that works to address veteran unemployment and helps veterans to build successful lives. The caucus promotes the “I Hire Veterans” initiative, which encourages employers to hire veterans.

He also supported the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, which Congress passed last November to provide veterans with job training and businesses with incentives to hire them.