Veterans' Day 2011

Fellow Montanans,

Today I want to say thank you. Thank you to our veterans and our troops currently serving. Thank you to their families. Thank you to their communities.

As Montanans, we have deep appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans and their families have made. We are the proud home to more veterans per capita than almost any other state.




That's because service, patriotism and a sense of duty are part of who we are as Montanans. After September 11, 2001, Montanans volunteered for service at a greater rate than anywhere else. And many of those brave men and women are still serving overseas today.

Veterans' Day takes on an even greater meaning in a time of war. Our servicemen and women who work abroad face some of the most difficult conditions. They serve every day -- weekends, holidays, anniversaries and birthdays. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our troops are some of the hardest working Americans. And many of them are Montanans.

Veterans' Day is a time to remember the sacrifices they are making right now and of the sacrifices made by those who served before them -- sacrifices that helped build our country and the great state of Montana.

This year, we celebrate Veterans' Day with joy, knowing soon we will be welcoming home Americans serving in Iraq. These service members have made America proud, and bringing them home is the right thing to do.

Now it's time to do the same in Afghanistan. It's time to bring our troops home and focus on the challenges we face right here in America.

Among the greatest of those challenges is jobs. And it's shameful that the high unemployment rate is even higher for our veterans. At 20.1 percent, Montana currently has the 4th highest unemployment rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the nation. It's not right. And we can't let up until we make it right.

That's why I'm working so hard to pass the VETs Jobs Act. This bill will give a tax credit to help businesses hire veterans. And I cannot think of a better investment than that.

The VETs Jobs bill is just one piece. I am also sponsoring the Hiring Heroes Act to make it easier for veterans to translate the valuable skill they learn on the battlefield into civilian employment. If a service member can drive heavy equipment in Iraq, then they ought to be able to drive a truck here at home. If they can serve as a medic in Afghanistan, then they are certainly qualified to be an EMT in Montana.

I am also pushing legislation to hold federal agencies accountable for meeting the goal to award at least three percent of federal contracts to small businesses owned by disabled veterans.

And, I have commissioned a study from the independent Government Accountability Office, to find ways our government programs can do a better job connecting veterans with the good-paying jobs they need.

Today, we say thank you. But it isn't enough just to say it. We must show our gratitude with the things we do -- not just today, but every day.

We must honor the sacrifices our veterans have made fighting overseas by coming together to tackle the tough challenges we face here at home. We owe it to them to build a stronger Montana and a stronger America for the next generation.

Sincerly,

Max

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News & Politics

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