Congresswoman Lee Issues Statement in Honor of Veterans Day
For Immediate Release: November 11, 2012
Contact: Katherine Jolly, 510-763-0370
Oakland – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-09) offered the following statement in support of America’s troops and veterans in honor of the 93rd Veterans Day:
“On this Veterans Day it is important that we remember those who have fought with dignity and honor to protect democracy and freedom throughout the world. As we recognize the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, we must not forget our obligation making sure our veterans come home to good jobs and services that are needed to transition successfully into civilian life.
As the daughter of a veteran, I believe we have a moral responsibility to keep our promise to the brave women and men who have served our nation. Veterans, service members, and their families deserve our full support and I will continue to fight to keep the promises made to our veterans who have served selflessly and answered our nation’s call to duty in times of peace and war.
Since military forces deployed a record number of troops to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I will continue to fight for a corresponding increase in job placement and support services for our veterans. I am proud that Congress enacted the President’s VOW to Hire Heroes Act, a law that makes it easier for veterans to obtain quality jobs by expanding access to education and training opportunities and provides tax credits for employers who hire Veterans with service-connected disabilities.
I have also been working with my colleagues from the California congressional delegation to ensure that the over 26,000 veterans served by the Oakland Regional Office are receiving fair, timely, and accurate decisions on their claims. I am optimistic that the office-wide training held in July and the transformation initiatives which were introduced in October will assist the VA in improving accuracy and efficiency.
Reports show claim response time and accuracy are showing improvement, but in spite of these advances I know that there is still work to be done. I will continue to advocate forcefully for our veterans and fight to give them the benefits they have earned.
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