Cbc Honors America's Veterans

Floor Speech

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Mr. HORSFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her tremendous leadership in serving as co-chair not just for tonight's Special Order hour on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, but every time that Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Representative Jonathan Jackson are able to lead in this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to thank and recognize our Active-Duty servicemen and servicewomen and to honor Black veterans from around the Nation, those who have returned to civilian life and those who are serving here in Congress. I also thank all of their families who also serve alongside them in the freedoms that we hold dear. I rise today to honor them for their service, their patriotism, their courage, and, of course, their sacrifice in keeping our Nation safe and free.

Unfortunately, the stories of Black veterans are too often untold. Even now, the very history of their service is under threat of being taken out of our schools. It is important that we never forget the unique history and contribution of our Nation's Black veterans, like the Tuskegee Airmen, and we cannot ignore inequities Black veterans have faced over generations, like being denied benefits in the GI Bill following World War II, something that our assistant Democratic leader, Mr. Clyburn, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus are working to address.

Black veterans account for nearly a third of our Nation's unhoused veteran population, and Black veterans are nearly two times as likely to live in poverty.

As a Congress, we must fulfill our responsibility to repay our veterans for their service, including to the Black servicemen and servicewomen who are still making contributions to our Nation today.

Mr. Speaker, there are a few veterans from Nevada's Fourth Congressional District who represent the best that Nevada and our country have to offer whose stories I will share.

One of those constituents was a servicemember named Kelley. Toward the end of her service in the Air Force, Kelley's health began to deteriorate. After consulting with doctors, she was diagnosed with untreated fibroids, which caused her immense pain and forced her to rely on pain medications.

In the early years, there were no women's clinics and Kelley had only male doctors attending to her care. However, the VA's renewed focus on addressing the unique needs of women veterans means there is now a safe space where Kelley can feel comfortable alongside fellow women veterans who share similar experiences.

Christina is another Black woman from my district who was in the Air Force. She served from 2002 until her medical retirement in 2008. Tragically, during her service, she fell victim to sexual assault, which caused her immense trauma and impacted her mental health.

After leaving the military, she grasped her need for help and turned to the VA, where she engaged with programs such as cognitive behavior therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. She was set on a path to recovery which affirmed her strength. Her story serves as a reminder that we must ensure that we provide the support and the resources our servicemembers need.

I was recently honored to help document the story of the Montford Point marines through an interview with Henry Franklin Jackson and the family of Isaac McMickens. They were among the first Black Americans to enlist in the Marine Corps, and they trained at Montford Point. By preserving their stories for generations to come, we can ensure that we honor their sacrifices.

We will never be able to fully repay our veterans, given the sacrifices that they have made for our country; but as a Congress, we can make sure that we do all that we can to ensure that they have what they need when they return home.

Mr. Speaker, it is because of the challenges that our veterans face that I was so proud to support the PACT Act, which is one of the most significant expansions of benefits and services for toxic-exposed veterans in more than 30 years. This historic piece of legislation is helping to deliver more timely benefits and services to more than 5 million veterans, including thousands from Nevada, who were impacted by toxic exposures while serving our country.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus for their commitment to supporting our Nation's veterans, for recognizing the role Black veterans play in American history, and for sharing stories of veterans in their districts.

I thank our CBC colleagues who were able to join us for this important topic tonight and to our co-chairs for their extraordinary leadership and managing this Special Order hour.

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