Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day, which falls on Saturday, November 11:
“Nevada is home to thousands of veterans and services members—men and women whose bravery and sacrifice in service to our country have earned them our deep respect and gratitude. It is one of my priorities as Nevada’s Senator to make sure our veterans get the care they deserve, and any assistance that can make their transition to civilian life as easy as possible. From working with my Senate colleagues on legislation to provide veterans with educational assistance, to partnering with the VA to request funding for housing projects, to hosting job fairs and career workshops, I am committed to ensuring that Nevada veterans and their families get all the benefit they have earned and the support they deserve.
“I come from a family of proud veterans. My father and grandfathers answered the call of duty, enlisting at a young age. Through their military experiences, they learned virtues of service, integrity and respect—values that they instilled in my sister and me. When my dad returned from his service in the Army, the G.I. Bill helped him attend college. However, he had to give up his dream of higher education to take a full-time job to provide for our young family. He never forgot that dream and neither did I. When I came to the Senate, I worked to help young veterans like my father achieve their college dream by co-sponsoring the Forever G.I. Bill. To ensure that our diverse pool of officer candidates has greater access to higher education, I’ve also worked to encourage the Army to set aside scholarships for minority-serving institutions, like UNLV. I am determined to seek every avenue possible to provide much needed support to our veterans to honor their service and sacrifice.
“On Veterans Day, we are reminded of the contributions of those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom. We must recommit to honoring their sacrifice by supporting them both in combat and when they return home. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to support our veterans and ensure they have every single resource available to them, a stronger VA health care system, affordable housing, educational and career opportunities, and the basic dignity of financial security and a better quality of life.”