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Floor Speech

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I have often said that our veterans have sacrificed so much for our Nation, so it is our responsibility to take care of them when they come home. We owe a debt of gratitude to these brave Americans.

I have been proud to work alongside my colleagues in the Senate to strengthen mental health resources, increase access to healthcare, and ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs is managing Federal resources effectively to serve our veterans well.

While I work in Congress on behalf of our Nation of veterans, many organizations work daily to support this selfless group of people. There is one Iowa organization that I would like to highlight. It is called the Veteran Flagpole Initiative. The Veteran Flagpole Initiative started with a group of passionate Iowans who would install flagpoles for veterans at no cost to the veteran.

The group started their work to provide veterans with a permanent, visual reminder of their appreciation--our constituents' appreciation for the veterans' service and sacrifice. The goal is to ensure at least one veteran in all of Iowa's 99 counties has a flagpole by 2028, and I am sure that their goal is to go well beyond that.

Their work continues at a time when the flag and what it stands for is continually under attack, both here and abroad. It serves then as a reminder that change begins at home, and one individual in America can make a difference--some of them making big differences, maybe some making smaller differences.

And we don't know the end result of the Veteran Flagpole Initiative, but they are trying to make a big difference. Looking after those around us provides a valuable lesson because you never know what someone else may be facing, and the very small acts--as well as big acts--of service may turn out to have monumental impact. So thank you to the Veteran Flagpole Initiative and the many other organizations and individuals that support our veterans daily.

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