Veterans
Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who dedicated their lives and risked their safety to protect our nation and our way of life. It is one of my greatest honors as a member of Congress to meet the men and women across the Fourth District who demonstrated tremendous bravery and acts of heroism during their time of service.
WASHINGTON - Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) joined Reps. French Hill (AR-02), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Steve Womack (AR-03), Senator John Boozman and Senator Tom Cotton in sending a letter to Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough regarding the staffing shortages at VA facilities in Arkansas.
The members released the following statement:
Each Memorial Day, Americans look forward to a weekend filled with friends and family, good food, and maybe a few sales from our favorite stores to kick-off the summer. The day off work should be enjoyed, and the time with loved ones should be cherished, but as a country, we must not forget the true reason for the holiday. Memorial Day was first proclaimed in 1868 to honor deceased Union and Confederate soldiers and was expanded after World War I to honor those who died in all wars.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) attended the Congressional Gold Medal award ceremony for Mr. Bobby Gene “Bob” Ross, a World War II United States Merchant Marine Veteran, in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Westerman issued the following statement:
WASHINGTON - In response to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union Address, Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) released the following statement:
The following information is for military personnel and veterans. Please contact our office for assistance if you have any questions or require further assistance.
* The following information is sourced from the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
As we celebrated our nation's veterans this past week, I hope we were all able to pause and count the many blessings we have in this country because of the sacrifices of others. We are fortunate to live in the United States of America, but our freedom does not come without a cost. Our liberty is hard-won by those who answered the call to serve.
The coordinated terrorist attacks on our troops and innocent civilians in Kabul, Afghanistan by ISIS was nothing less than a tragedy. Thirteen servicemen lost their lives in the mission to protect Americans and all human life in the face of true evil. My heart goes out to the families of those who were injured or killed. The nation grieves together with the loved ones of these heroes.
This year, we celebrate the 245th birthday of the United States. Independence Day is a great day to picnic with friends, spend time outside, and enjoy a fireworks show, but it is also much more than that. It is our duty to honor the men and women who, for the past two and a half centuries, have kept our county free.
We owe a debt of gratitude to American military members and their families and we want to repay them in a very small way by giving them lifetime access to our national parks.