Each year, Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to commemorate and thank the men and women who have served in the United States military. This year, I spoke to a group of over 100 at the Greenup County War Memorial. The War Memorial is an impressive tribute to service members from Greenup County and includes several pieces of military equipment and a wall engraved with the names of local heroes. It was an honor to share the stage with Greenup County Judge Executive Bobby Hall and Kentucky State Senator Robin Webb.
This was my first opportunity to speak publicly since the election. I expressed my optimism about the new administration and how I hope next year will be the beginning of a new era of diplomatic foreign policy. We owe it to the members of our Armed Forces not to use and abuse them in our foreign policy, to send them overseas only when there is a clearly defined mission, to bring them back in a safe and controlled manner, and to care for them once they are home. We must be discerning in the use of our military.
As a conservative, I believe we must be prudent in our use of American taxpayer dollars. However, we should not cut corners where veterans’ care is concerned. I talked about my vote in favor of the PACT Act, legislation that will expand benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances while serving. The PACT Act will cost less per year than we have sent to Ukraine. It’s time we put our veterans first. I also shared some good news that, through our work on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, veterans who have gone on to become truck drivers are once again able to get the physical examination needed for their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) at their local VA hospital.
Thank you to everyone who attended Greenup County’s Veterans Day ceremony, and a special thank you to all who have served. I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to support our veterans.
