Vice President Pence: Veterans Day is a time to thank and appreciate heroes who have preserved our liberty – Fox News
On Veterans Day, Americans gather to pay a debt of gratitude to the generations whove answered the call to serve in the armed forces of the United States.
From Bunker Hill to Belleau Wood, from San Juan Hill to Saipan, from the Coral Reef to Kandahar, nearly 50 million men and women have donned the uniform of the United States, and nearly 20 millionveteransstill walk among us.Todaya new generation of American heroes and veterans is being forged around the nation and around the world.
Our veterans really dont consider themselves heroes most of them reject the very thought of it.My dad, a combat veteran from the Korean War, used to say withhumility that the heroes were the guys who didnt make it home.
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But onVeterans Day, its our day to set the record straight. Every veteran of the armed forces of the United States is ahero to the American people.Onthis day, its our duty to tell the story of what they did for us, what theydid for our country, and all thattheyve done to ensure the survival and the success of liberty.
As a father of a Marine Corps captain and a father-in-law of a Navy lieutenant whos currently deployed,I couldnt be more proud to be vice president to a president who cares so deeply about the men and women of our armed forcesand every veteran in America.
Since the first day of our administration, President Trump hasfoughtto ensure that America keeps the solemn promises weve made to all of our nations heroes.
Fouryears ago, years of budgetary neglect combined with ever-growing foreign commitments were sapping the strength of our men and women in uniformand challenging their morale.Scandal after scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revealed a cold indifference to the fate of our veterans.
Inhis speech to the American Legion in September 2016 when he was a presidential candidate, DonaldTrumppromised to rebuild our depleted military, and ensure every veteran in America gets timely access to top-quality care. And most importantly, he said we were going to stop apologizing for America and we were going to start celebrating America. And thats exactly what weve done.
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With the strong support of our allies in Congress, America is more prosperous, our military is stronger, and our veterans are finally getting the care and the respect they deserve every single day.
Webeganbyfixing the Department of Veterans Affairs.Under this presidents leadership, with our partners in Congress, we passed the VA Mission Act the most sweeping VA reform law in half a century. And today nearly 3 million veterans have been able to see the doctor of their choice and get the medicine they need.
The president also signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to ensure that our veterans receive the highest level ofservice in the VA system.Weve fired more than 10,000 VA employees for negligent behavior. The era of abuse at the VA is over.
Since our administration took office, wait times have dropped by 33 percent. In fact, the American Medical Associationreported that we reduced wait times atthe VA so much that they are now shorterthanthe waitfor private doctors.
Before President Trump took office,our veterans'trust in the VAwas only 59 percent. Today,the VA has a 90 percent approval rating.
Beyond our VA hospitals, weve also been making sure that our veterans get the care they need outside of our institutional care. And weve actually found permanent homes for nearly 30,000 homeless veterans.There should be nohomeless veterans in America. We put an end to this scourge in at least 76 communitiesacrossthree states.
Under President Trump, weexpanded the GI Bill so that veterans can get up to $24,000 to attend the college of their choice at any point in their careers.Last year, President Trumpdirected the Department of Education to eliminate every last penny of student debt owed by permanently disabled veterans.With the stroke of a pen, President Trump wiped out as much as $750 million owed by more than 25,000 heroes.
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And I couldnt be more proud that the second lady of the United Statesleadsthe PREVENTS task force an effort to expand mental health benefits to veterans all across America.
Under the president's leadership, the VA is now providing mental health screenings to every veteran who walks through the door.
To my fellow Americans who did not serve in uniform, I have a challenge for you today.
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Before the day is out whether at home or at work, on a street corner, or over a backyard fence find a veteran. Whether he or she came home in the last week or in the last century, extend your hand and say those words that veterans never ask to hear but they deserve to hear every day. Find a veteran today and say: Thank you for your service. Becausetheydeserve to hear it every day.
God bless our veterans and their families.
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Vice President Pence: Veterans Day is a time to thank and appreciate heroes who have preserved our liberty - Fox News