On this Veterans Day, we honor the brave men and women who have fought to protect our freedoms. Their bravery grants us the ability to live, work, and prosper in a free America. May we never take this privilege for granted. Today, and every day, we are thankful for the sacrifices of those who put their lives on the line for the welfare of every American citizen. 

Taking care of those formerly, currently, or will be in uniform must always remain a top priority. We honor our commitment to the veteran community and their families by providing greater mental health care access, increasing opportunities for veterans transitioning to civilian life, and cutting through bureaucratic red tape at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Earlier this year, I introduced the Veterans Burial Accountability Act, which gained the support from over 100 of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. The goal of this nonpartisan legislation is to eliminate needless delays in veteran burials, which would allow families to grieve on their own time. Under current policy at the VA, certifying the death of a veteran can take up to eight weeks, which results in postponed burials and prolonged grief. With the Veterans Burial Accountability Act, this agonizing eight-week timeline is cut down to just 48 hours. This commonsense reform ensures that no veteran family will be denied closure or forced to endure uncertainty when burying one of our nation’s heroes.

On this Veterans Day, America is now on the 42nd day of the Democratic government shutdown — undoubtably the longest shutdown in U.S. history. As a result, many essential veteran services have been paused, including mental health and homelessness assistance programs. At the beginning of the shutdown, the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost and I pointed out that this shameful negligence of veterans in vulnerable situations is unacceptable. Today, the best way for Congress to honor our nation’s heroes is by reopening the government so they receive uninterrupted access to these essential services. I’m glad to report that the Senate has made progress to finally reopen the government.

To our veterans and their families, thank you and may God bless you. If you or your family need assistance accessing the VA or another federal agency, please reach out to my offices by visiting our website, emmer.house.gov or calling our office in Otsego: (763) 241-6848.