John,

Today, we’re seeing a lot of this going around:

Frankly, it’s frustrating. Veterans put their lives on the line to serve our country, and how do we thank them? A free meal and 20% discount on mattresses.

Our veterans deserve more than this — they deserve a life of respect and dignity before, during, and after they serve our country.

While defense contractors and their corporate executives get rich off of the bloated Pentagon budget, our service members get the short end of the stick.

They face the fear of being sent off to war, losing their life or someone they love, or coming back with PTSD and other mental health issues that make it difficult to reintegrate into civilian life.

After they fight for our country, they have to come home and fight all over again to access basic health services and benefits our country promised to them. We have a moral obligation to do better.

When I’m in Congress, I won’t just be sending empty thank you’s to those who bravely serve our country — I will fight to make real change in their daily lives.

I will prioritize fully funding the VA, passing Medicare for All so that no one ever falls through the cracks, expanding access to mental health and suicide prevention services, and ending all wars of choice by leading with peace and diplomacy.

We can and must do better.

Thank you,

Junaid Ahmed