Washington, DC - To honor our nation's veterans, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today inserted the following statement into the Congressional Record.

"Today, on Veterans Day, we commemorate and pay special honor to all the veterans who have made such great sacrifices in the name of country and democracy.

This day is particularly poignant as our nation is at war. There are more than 150,000 military service members in harm's way, fighting overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. They fight for freedom of the Iraqi people, who have faced decades of extreme oppression and brutality under Saddam Hussein, and against the Taliban forces, who continue to pose a challenge in Afghanistan.

Sadly, nearly 500 have paid the ultimate sacrifice and many more have sustained life altering injuries. And as we prepare to send thousands more in harm's way, I believe that it's our obligation to ensure that our military service members and veterans receive full support from Congress, and that our efforts are tailored to benefit those who proudly serve this nation.

We have recently granted the Administration an additional $87 billion dollars in supplemental funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. While I would have preferred that some of those funds be in the form of a loan to Iraq, and that there be more safeguards to ensure the funds are well-used, I believe that it was necessary to provide these funds.

It is clear to me that we must stay the course, and we must rebuild the infrastructure, prevent civil war, and see to it that Iraq does not become a base for terror and instability throughout the region.

We must see to it that a stable governmental structure and viable economy apart from Saddam's tyrannical dictatorship can be put in place. And most importantly, we must see to it that our troops are given all the tools necessary to accomplish these objectives.

Approving the additional funding was the only way to truly support our military service members and aid their ultimate success. As we seek to ensure that the current war efforts are well funded, we also need to realize that very soon, the young men and women of our armed forces will be returning home.

Some will require extraordinary care for a long period of time. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that they have adequate facilities to aid them in their recovery and recuperation. There must not be any doubt by any of our injured veterans that they did the right thing in sacrificing health to defend our nation's interest. The best way to prove to them that they have our full support is to ensure that they receive good health care and adequate benefits once they return home.

It is our responsibility to make sure that our veterans are not waiting six months or longer for appointments at VA hospitals, nor should they have to wait for 15 months for disability claims to be finalized, as is now often the case. And prescriptions costs must be affordable. We need to make room available in VA hospitals to ensure that all of our veterans whether active duty or reserves are adequately served.

In order to accomplish this task we must be cautious as we close hospitals under the Capital Assets Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) program to ensure that we don't leave our veterans stranded without accessible services. As our veterans return home, some with great and debilitating injuries, we must also ensure that their compensation is just, full, and reflective of the American spirit.

Finally, we need to remember the families of the great men and women who are separated from their loved ones. We must make sure that their concerns are the nation's concerns. While their loved ones are overseas fighting for America's interest, Congress must ensure that their medical needs are covered.

As I reflect on the origin of Veterans Day, it brings me great hope that our service members will be home and peace will reign again. On June 4, 1934, Congress enacted a concurrent resolution, recognizing November 11, 1918. The resolution states:

'WHEREAS the 11^th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relation with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

WHEREAS it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; ...'

On May 13, 1938, the 11^th of November was approved as a legal holiday dedicated to world peace, known as Armistice Day. Finally, on June 1, 1954, Congress renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, thereby commending all veterans.

Veterans Day is often associated with war, but its true significance lies in peace and humanity. Since September 11^th this country has undergone tremendous struggle and uncertainty. We have shown that our resiliency is greater than our fears and our convictions of freedom and right can not be compromised.

This country is great because its citizens are great. This country was born from the sacrifice of its citizens and the vision they saw. Today we honor the citizens who served and continue to serve our great country. They are the protectors of our democracy and our way of life; they are our veterans."

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