Today – and every day – we offer our gratitude to all the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform. They and their families have answered the call of duty, and for that we are eternally grateful. It is because of their service that America continues to be the greatest country in the world.

Veterans Day is a time for a grateful nation to pay its respects to those who have served. Today, we set aside our differences and stand united as Americans.

In these divisive times in our country, we could learn a thing or two from our veterans and service members. Each day, they work to complete their mission. They come from all backgrounds and work together without regard for their differences. They get the job done because they have a shared goal: defending the values that unite us as Americans and as Alabamians.  

When you think about those principles that our men and women in uniform work every day to uphold, it’s easy to remember that we have a lot more in common than what divides us. 

The responsibility to defend those freedoms doesn’t just fall on the shoulders of our military. Each and every one of us has an obligation to do our part. That means voting in elections, speaking out against injustices, being active citizens, and standing up for those American values. 

President Franklin Roosevelt said that, “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”

We must not take our freedom for granted. And we must not take for granted our solemn obligation to care for veterans and their families. 

We need to ensure that veterans have access to the quality and affordable health care that they need. I believe that care needs to include timely access to mental health resources, so I’ve sponsored several bipartisan bills that would expand access to these services and help prevent veteran suicide. We need to continue to help make the transition to civilian life easier – and that means prioritizing job training and workforce development so that veterans can find fulfilling work in their own communities. Just last week, I introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a new fellowship position in every U.S. Senate office specifically for a wounded veteran. And, I’m sponsoring comprehensive legislation to support female service members and meet the unique challenges they face in transitioning to civilian life and accessing health care. 

We also need to continue to fight the “Military Widow’s Tax” that prevents so many Gold Star spouses from getting the benefits that they are owed by our government. I’ve been fighting to fix this unfair law this year that impacts some 67,000 military widows across the country. My legislation has earned unprecedented support in Congress – more than three-fourths of senators are cosponsors – and I am hopeful that it will get finished and signed this year. 

Those are just some of the priorities we’re working on for our veterans. But I want you all to know that my office is working on these issues and more every day – not just Veterans Day. If there is ever anything at all that we can do to help, my door is always open. One day is simply not enough to show our gratitude for the service of our country’s veterans. 

As a nation, we owe each of our veterans and their families a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. 

We are all so fortunate to call ourselves Americans and to live in a country worth fighting for. 

May God bless all who have served and all who still do. 

Doug Jones 
Senator for Alabama