"On this Veterans Day, let us all take time to give thanks and honor our brave men and women in uniform who have risked their lives to protect our freedom, as well as those fallen heroes who paid the ultimate price for our country. They have put country first, duty before comfort and sacrifice before luxury.

"As and a representative of more than 65,000 veterans I will continue to work to ensure that we keep the promises we have made to our veterans and that they receive the benefits they've earned.  We must stand up for those who have stood up for us.

"The special honor we pay our veterans today is no more than we should do every day.  They deserve no less."