Hearing of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee - Opening Statement of Sen. Sullivan, Hearing on Legislative Presentation of Disabled American Veterans

Hearing

Commander Riley, I'd like to thank you for your testimony this afternoon and to all Disabled American Veterans (DAV) members present for their service to our nation. You are all examples of what it means to serve and sacrifice and I am grateful and appreciative of all that you have done for this great country. You are heroes among us. I would like to welcome our colleagues from the House, and to the Chairmen and Ranking Members on both sides of the aisle, for their
leadership in both committees.

This is my favorite time of year. When I see hallways lined with the men and women from our Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), it's awe-inspiring and deeply humbling. I made it a personal mission to be on the Veterans Affairs Committee when I came to the Senate back in 2015. In my mind, it's one of the most important, bipartisan committees in the Congress. I know if there is one issue we can all agree on, it's how we can uphold our nation's promises to our veterans. I currently serve in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, but beyond that, my state of Alaska boasts the largest number of veterans per capita, as well as thousands of active duty service members and their families. It's important to me that their voices, and your voices, are heard here in Washington. When VSO's like DAV storm the Hill, those voices are amplified. It's a privilege to serve you and I thank you for coming to testify before us today.

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