Honoring America's Heroes

Honoring America's Heroes

WASHINGTON, DC, May 30 - Memorial Day was originally called "Decoration Day," a special time each year to decorate the graves of those who sacrificed their lives for our country. We honor America's fallen heroes. It is our duty to remember.

This year in Congress we have been busy seeking to meet the needs of our men and women in uniform, as well as our honored veterans. Just last week the House passed two pieces of legislation authorizing spending priorities for the Department of Defense and appropriating funds for veterans and military quality of life.

While we must do all we can to ensure sound fiscal policy, this latter bill called for a 9% increase in veterans health benefits, increasing by 40% over the last five years the total spent on healthcare for our veterans. This level of funding allows us to fulfill the promises made to our veterans.

Right here in eastern Nebraska, this bill provided nearly $1 million for the construction of a Joint Forces Headquarters building at Lincoln AFB. In addition to providing essential facilities for the Nebraska National Guard, this facility will also augment homeland security by incorporating a crisis management center to be used by military and civilian agencies.

Our National Guard and Reserves have made heroic sacrifices and seen heavy action in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. This is why I cosponsored the Americans in Uniform Act, the key provisions of which were passed last week as a part of Defense Authorization.

This Act increases hardship duty pay for Guard and Reservists, recognizing the tremendous sacrifices they and their families make when they are called to service. It also seeks to secure their civilian jobs. Companies that supply our troops will get credit for going the extra mile by employing Guard and Reservists in a civilian capacity. Further, it augments benefits for retirees of the Guard and Reserves, including an expansion of their eligibility for burial in Arlington National Cemetery.

Of course, our top priority with active duty military is always to bring them home safe. The Defense Authorization bill continues to make a high priority of providing our men and women in uniform with body armor and hardened vehicles to protect them while they serve.

As the famed poem reminds us, the men who lie in Flanders fields have passed to us a torch to hold high. We remember their sacrifice this Memorial Day, and serve their memory in the hope of the expansion of peace and freedom.

http://fortenberry.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=28477