Senator Murray Hosts First Lady and VA Secretary in Seattle to Celebrate Veteran Families and Caregivers

Statement

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, hosted First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough at Seattle's Pacific Science Center to recognize and celebrate children who take on caregiving roles in military and veteran families. The event was co-hosted by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project.

At the event, Senator Murray, Dr. Biden, and Secretary McDonough had the opportunity to speak and play with kids and caregivers from military and veteran families. During a roundtable, Senator Murray spoke about the often hidden work these caregivers--especially children--do in our communities to care for our veterans. She emphasized how important it is for these kids to have opportunities to connect with other "hidden helpers"--including at events like the one at the Pacific Science Center--and highlighted her non-stop work to support veterans' families, including by introducing the Helping Heroes Act of 2022.

"There are spouses, kids, grandkids, and "hidden helpers' across our state who step up every day to help a family member who sacrificed for our nation. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude--but we owe them far more than that too," said Senator Murray. "I've heard from so many hidden helpers about how they can feel isolated, or that they don't have anyone to talk to about their experience. That's why events like today are so important--an opportunity for families to come together, share an afternoon of fun, and connect with other people who share a similar experience. I'm going to keep fighting for our veteran families to make sure they get the support they have earned and to make sure VA gets these programs right."

"At the foundation, we support the nation's nearly 5.5 million "Hidden Heroes' … and it's our responsibility as a country--it's the responsibility of everyone in Washington state and in Seattle, as the Pacific Science Center did today--to support these families, to welcome them, to embrace them, and to help support their loved ones," said Steve Schwab, CEO of Elizabeth Dole Foundation. "The foundation is proud to work with folks like Senator Murray and the VA to provide the day in and day out support they need every day and that they'll need every day moving forward."

"Senator Murray, your whole life is a testament to the importance of caregiving and you were a hidden helper, back before we had the term," said Secretary McDonough. "Veterans who are in our care are with us for such a short period. Where they spend the rest of their time is with you; with their families. It's really important that we're very focused on the whole, we can provide that support for those heroes. We are really thrilled about the expansion [of the Caregivers Program]. Every veteran of every era is now eligible to have caregiver support through this program that Senator Murray got enacted."

This event was part of "Hidden Helpers," an initiative launched by Senator Elizabeth Dole and Dr. Biden at the White House in 2021, in conjunction with Joining Forces, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and Wounded Warrior Project, designed to create supportive programming for the children of America's 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers.

As the daughter of a World War II veteran and a leader on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Murray is committed to making sure our country fulfills its promise to care for our veterans long after they return home from duty. In the Senate, she has fought for increased benefits, housing assistance, accountability to ensure veterans get the care they deserve, and new veterans clinics throughout Washington state. Senator Murray has fought to strengthen support for veteran caregivers by the VA MISSION Act of 2018 which included provisions of her Military and Veteran Caregiver Services Improvement Act of 2015 that expanded the Caregivers Program to veterans of all eras in October. Earlier this year, Senator Murray helped pass the PACT Act, a historic expansion of health care for veterans, which will expand medical benefits to over 100,000 veterans in Washington state who were exposed to toxic burn pits while serving overseas. As part of the PACT Act, she was also able to secure federal funding for a new VA clinic in the Tri-Cities.

Senator Murray also introduced the Helping Heroes Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill that would support the families of disabled veterans, including children who take on caregiving roles. The Helping Heroes Act of 2022 recognizes the work done by the approximately 2.3 million children under the age of 18 living in a household with a disabled veteran and seeks to provide critical support and assistance to these children in accessing local, state, and federal resources.

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