The freedoms and rights we cherish are made possible by the selfless contributions of service members and their families. Throughout their service, they take on unimaginable hardship and challenge in order to protect us, and for that our nation is forever grateful.

          Yet all too often, when our service members return home as veterans they don’t receive the care they deserve, leaving them without adequate support. It couldn’t be more important that we listen to our veterans to better understand where our nation is falling short, and to work together to find solutions.

          That’s why last week, I hosted a roundtable discussion in Salem with veterans and advocates to talk about some of the most pressing issues in the veteran community, and what Congress can do to support them.


          At the event, I shared an update on my most recent work in the Senate on veterans issues -- the introduction of the Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act, legislation that would bar predatory lenders from luring veterans into vortexes of debt with abusive lending schemes. We also discussed a variety of other urgent issues that require solutions, like strengthening housing options for veterans and making it easier to access health care providers and treatment.

          I am grateful to the attendees for sharing their personal experiences, some of which were tough to talk about -- experiences of delayed health impacts from their service, of difficulty adjusting to civilian life after intense deployments, trying to find and navigate resources, and more. These powerful stories are an important reminder of the sacrifices our service members and veterans make, and should inspire us all to recommit ourselves to supporting them.

          Just as our veterans have stood up for us, it’s our responsibility to make sure we stand up for them. I look forward to continuing to work with veterans and advocates to make sure Congress is meeting that responsibility.

All my best,
Jeff