Op-Ed: Honoring, Supporting and Respecting Veterans Is a Duty

Congressman Tim Bishop issued the following statement in observance of Veterans Day:

The debt we owe America's veterans for their service can never be repaid, and that means we must never stop working to ensure veterans receive the support and respect they have earned. From the Greatest Generation who stormed the beaches of Normandy and liberated the Pacific to the current generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who fought to keep America safe and bring our enemies to justice, all veterans deserve our thanks on Veterans Day and every day.

We must also acknowledge the service and sacrifice of military families, who are the bedrock supporting our service men and women during their deployments and when they return home. Families helping their veteran cope with the mental and physical wounds of war deserve our special thanks and support.

As a nation, we must recommit to the promise that no veteran will return from service unable to provide for themselves and their family, or end up without a roof over their head. Also, we must increase resources devoted to ending the heartbreaking incidence of substance abuse and suicide among recently-returned veterans.

Honoring, supporting, and respecting veterans is a duty we all share, and as the Representative in Congress for the Eastern Long Island I pledge to do everything in my power to stand up for those who took a stand for us. Please thank a veteran today.”

— Congressman Tim Bishop