November 11, 2015

Manchin: Honor Our Veterans Every Day

As the nation celebrates Veterans Day, Senator Manchin encourages West Virginians to honor our brave Veterans throughout the year

Washington, D.C. – In honor of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today encouraged West Virginians to recognize the sacrifices and contributions and thank our nation’s Veterans not just on Veterans Day, but every day.  

“The sacrifices and patriotism of our Veterans who have served this country know no bounds,” Senator Manchin said. “No matter the war, no matter the rank, no matter the duty, every one of our heroic Veterans has answered America’s call. It doesn’t seem right that we pay tribute to our Veterans once a year on Veterans Day. Showing our appreciation is something we should do each and every day. As a nation, we should show our gratitude to these brave men and women by providing whatever they need when they return home. I am pleased with the progress we are making for our state and nation’s Veterans, but we’ve got more work to do. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees to make sure that this country keeps its promises to our Veterans and provides our service members with the care, benefits and services they have earned and deserve.  

“We owe those who have served and their families a debt of gratitude for their sacrifices. So today, as West Virginians and Americans across our great nation celebrate Veterans Day, I encourage us all to thank a Veteran and honor our Veterans not just today, but every day. It is because of them that America remains a beacon for all who love liberty and cherish freedom. May God continue to bless our Veterans and may He bless the United States of America and the state of West Virginia.”  

As a member of the Senate Committee of Veterans Affairs and the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Manchin has worked tirelessly to address Veterans issues and make improvements to ensure West Virginia’s Veterans are well-served. His recent actions on behalf of Veterans have included:  

  • Helped nearly 4,000 West Virginia Veterans with their individual Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Department of Defense claims.
  • Worked with the VA, the Beckley VA Medical Center, and West Virginia Veterans to bring a permanent VA clinic to Princeton. The facility opened in June 2015.
  • Raised $35,000 for the West Virginia National Guard Foundation to honor Gold Star Families by hosting a Ride for Fallen Service Heroes.
  • Hosted the VA Secretary Robert McDonald in West Virginia for a statewide tour concentrated on finding solutions to the challenges Mountain State Veterans are currently facing.
  • Addressed the importance of reopening of the Greenbrier Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC).  Senator Manchin continues to work with VA to reopen the facility and save thousands of West Virginia Veterans from driving several hours to seek treatment. 
  • Successfully urged the U.S. Navy to name a Navy ship after Medal of Honor recipient and renowned West Virginian, Hershel “Woody” Williams.
  • Formed a Veterans Advisory Group from Veterans across the state to help advise on issues facing our state.
  • Cosponsored the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act to address problematic overprescribing practices and provide safer and more effective pain management services to our nation’s Veterans.
  • Addressed serious concerns with the implementation of the Veterans Choice Program. The VA subsequently decided to change the calculation used to determine the distance between a Veteran’s home and the nearest VA medical facility.
  • Introduced the Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2015 to build on existing homeless Veterans' programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Introduced the Veterans Access to Extended Care Act to allow Veterans greater access to long-term care (LTC) services in their home communities.
  • Introduced the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act to create a system that can withstand surges in disability claims without generating another Veteran disability claims backlog.
  • Introduced the Veterans Small Business Opportunity and Protection Act to protect spouses and dependents of Veteran-owned small businesses after servicemembers pass away from a disability or in the line of duty.
  • Launched the Post-9/11 Veterans Caucus to address the challenges that the new generation of post-9/11 Veterans face when entering the job market.
  • Formed the bipartisan Congressional Veterans Jobs Caucus to urge employers to hire Veterans and to reduce the high rate of unemployment for Veterans.
  • Addressed the significant inadequacies in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Fiduciary Program.

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