Veterans Day I know there is no commitment more important to our country than the solemn vow we have made to the men and women in our Armed Forces. They deserve our utmost respect and appreciation for the sacrifice they have made. I've made it my mission in Congress to ensure veterans have access to the best health care available, a cost-of-living adjustment and the support systems they need to successfully transition back into civilian life. As an Army Medical Corps veteran and member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, you have my word that we will never allow our soldiers to return home to anything less than a heroes' welcome. The character of this country is defined by how we care for and honor our veterans. I am fully committed to ensuring those who serve in the military receive the quality care they deserve. I honor the devotion, service and legacy our service members have instilled in America. During my time in Congress, I have looked closely at ways we can better serve our wounded warriors who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other traumatic brain injuries. Of the more than 30,000 suicides in this country each year, twenty percent of them are acts by veterans. As co-founder of the Invisible Wounds Caucus, it is my commitment to work with the VA to ensure our wounded soldiers are provided the necessary mental health care and support system they need. Similarly, I will continue to support legislation to better the health and the well being of our service members and veterans. Many of our veterans who suffer from a disability due to military service are struggling to get their claims processed in a timely and efficient manner. It is evident we need to improve the system and it's critical we work to resolve the claims backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs as soon as possible. I was proud to support H.R. 2189, which would establish a commission to evaluate the disability claims backlog, when it passed the House on October 28. As of October 21, the VA's backlog of claims that are 125 days old or older was down to 411,704, but we can do better and we must take steps to ensure this kind of backlog never happens again. This is why I introduced the Integrated Electronic Health Records for Military and Veterans Act, legislation to create a public-private partnership for development of an integrated electronic health record system for our military and veterans. This bill would allow active duty personnel to transition seamlessly to the VA system with their full medical history available. In an age of instantaneous information transfer and amazing technological achievements, it is unacceptable that DoD and VA cannot avoid these unnecessary headaches and it's time to solve this problem once and for all. It is also important that veterans have employment opportunities when they transition back to civilian life after service. I was proud to support the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act when it passed the House on March 15. This bill would reauthorize and reform federal job training and employment assistance programs to ensure adult learners, including veterans, have access to programs that help transition them into employment. This Veterans Day, it is important we remember the sacrifices our military makes to keep this country safe. Whether they are currently fighting on the front lines, or a retired veteran, this country has a responsibility to care for our nation's heroes. I will continue support our veterans through passage of important legislation that creates jobs, provides the benefits they need, and improves their quality of life. Feel free to contact my office if we can be of assistance to you or your family. Our contact information can be found on our website, www.roe.house.gov. | 
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