Veterans
Honoring Our Veterans
From the Texas Democratic Party Platform
To honor the men and women who serve our country, state and federal policy should demonstrate respect for the sacrifices made by military veterans by ensuring a smooth transition from military to civilian life and providing benefits to honor their service.
We support the continuation and enhancement of veteran's benefits, including post military training, medical and disability. We deplore the hypocrisy of arm chair patriots who talk glowingly of war and wrap themselves in the flag while turning their backs on those who fought those wars and defended that flag.
Over the last few years, the Republican Congress has consistently underfunded the Department of Veterans Affairs. In many VA hospitals and medical facilities, the budget shortfalls have become so severe that they have stopped scheduling new appointments, been unable to replace doctors and nurses who have retired or left and even been unable to keep surgical suites operational due to a lack of equipment. Texas Democrats support:
- professional licensing for skills learned during military service, including programs like Troops to Teachers;
- job training for veterans;
- adequate and affordable health insurance coverage and health care services for veterans and their families, including mental health care services;
- restoring funding and service cuts and expanding clinical services at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers;
- the establishment of a new, full service VA Hospital in South Texas;
- extend the rights of full citizenship to non-citizen veterans who have served our country in the United States military;
- programs to encourage and support veterans and their families to obtain higher education, such as expanding the Hazlewood Act to permit veterans who have not fully utilized their entitlement under this act to pass on any remainder of the unused credit hours to their children.
Links:
Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars
Action Center
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