Denver, CO – Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak today issued the following statement honoring America’s veterans.

“Today, I join all Coloradoans in honoring the more than 400,000 veterans living in Colorado and the 2,770 brave men and women serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the families of the 28 Coloradoans who have been lost to the battlefields of Iraq know all too well, America’s veterans understand better than anyone else the true meaning of sacrifice. We owe each and every one of them an enormous debt of gratitude.

“As Democrats, we express our appreciation to our men and women in uniform by fighting to make sure our government keeps its promise to take care of them when their service is done. That is why Democrats have fought to fund combat-related trauma centers, fought to increase VA research into prosthetics, fought to speed up the processing of veterans benefits claims, and fought to increase access to affordable health insurance for members of the Guard and Reserve and their families.

“America can do better. This week’s resounding victories by strong Democratic candidates in elections across the country show that the American people are hungry for leaders who put their interests first. The time has come for Colorado's representatives in Washington, DC to cast aside the broken promises and empty rhetoric about veterans and join Democrats in standing up for the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our nation.”

Colorado has 2,770 men and women fighting overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan and over 400,000 veterans. [DOD Legal Residence/ Home of Record for Service Members Deployed, 4/05; VA 10/04]

Democrats Fought to Support our Troops and Veterans.

Democrats fought to provide an additional $53 million for urgently needed funding for combat-related trauma care centers, telemedicine initiatives for trauma care centers, VA medical and prosthetic research, survivors of those who die from service-connected deaths, and for processing claims for compensation and pension benefits – items critical for veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But Republicans Defeated It.

Every single Democrat voted for this bill, but Republicans rejected this proposal 214 to 213. (HR 2528, Vote #224, 5/26/05; http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll224.xml [NOTE: 19 Republicans voted with the Democrats: Reps. Capito, Green (WI), Hall, Jones (NC), Kennedy (MN), Paul, Poe, Porter, Ramstad, Reichart, Jo Ann Davis, Dent, Fitzpatrick (PA), Fosella, Gerlach, Gibbons, Leach, Smith (NJ), and Wilson (NM).

Democrats Fought to Provide TRICARE for Reservists.

Democrats fought to provide full TRICARE benefits to all members of the Guard and Reserve and their families, letting them buy into the program for an affordable monthly premium. Currently, the Guard and Reserve are covered by TRICARE only when they are mobilized for active duty. A 2003 report by the General Accounting Office showed that 20 percent of all Reservists do not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lack health coverage. According to the latest Defense Department data, 18 percent of activated Reservists have no medical coverage.

But Republicans Defeated It

Every single Democrat voted for this bill, but Republicans rejected this proposal 218 to 211. [HR 1815, Vote #221, 5/25/05; http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll221.xml) [NOTE: 9 Republicans voted with the Democrats: Reps. Brown-Waite, Jones (NC), Paul, Ramstad, Goode, Latham, Leach, Shays, and Wilson (NM)]