Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Wednesday spoke in honor of the 96th observance of Veterans Day and saw three pieces of veterans legislation that he wrote all advance from the Senate last week, the most notable of which would fund the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at record levels.
“Today we honor the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women who wore the uniform to defend our freedom and keep us safe," Kirk said. "Our heroes deserve better than to be treated as second-class citizens, which is why I’m leading the charge to investigate misconduct and intimidation at VA hospitals like Hines in Illinois. In order to care for our veterans, we also have to protect the men and women who care for them. After 23 years in the Navy Reserve, this is my way of giving back to my fellow veterans.”
His bill to fund Veterans Affairs at record levels — $1.1 billion above the president's requested amount — and offered whistleblower protection to VA staff members who report abuses or misconduct. Kirk's other bills make inroads for the VA to hire more combat medics straight from active duty so veterans can take of each other, and codifiy a simultaneous two-minute moment of silence across the country at 1:11 p.m. each Veterans Day.
Kirk was an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserves until he retired in 2013, ranked as a commander.
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