Heinrich Statement on Veterans Day
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Committees, released the following statement in commemoration of Veterans Day.
“The tradition of New Mexicans answering our nation’s call to serve runs deep. Throughout our state’s proud history, New Mexico’s service members and military veterans have put our country first — in devotion to what our country is and what it can become.
“That’s why it’s so important that we keep America's promise to our service members and their families. We owe them so much more than a debt of gratitude or mere words of appreciation on Veterans Day. We owe them action, and I am committed to continuing to deliver exactly that.
“To all of New Mexico’s veterans and military families, and to the service members who continue to defend our freedoms: Thank you for your courage and selflessness.”
Heinrich remains unwavering in his commitment to provide the care and benefits that veterans deserve and have earned.
Last month, Heinrich delivered a keynote address at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit in Albuquerque, where he highlighted how investments in veteran-owned businesses have grown New Mexico’s economy and created jobs New Mexicans can build their families around. Heinrich secured $50,000 through the Appropriations process for the New Mexico Veterans Business Advocates Expo to provide New Mexico’s veteran-owned businesses an opportunity to interact with potential partners, customers, and employees, supporting their success and growth.
This year, the VA has served more veterans than ever before and provided more care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in the military because of the successful implementation of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, bipartisan legislation that Heinrich helped lead as then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022 and has provided a record expansion of care and benefits for veterans. As a result, more veterans are filing claims and receiving their long overdue earned benefits, including disability compensation and GI Bill benefits.
Heinrich also recently passed legislation to protect veterans’ earned benefits and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is able to continue to pay disability compensation, surviving spouses and dependent compensation, pension, and education benefits to veterans, including nearly 70,000 New Mexicans.
Additionally, Heinrich recently announced the Senate Appropriations Committee’s bipartisan, unanimous passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which included $3.2 billion to expand programs providing critical services and housing for veterans and their families. Heinrich also fought to include key language to protect access to abortion for veterans in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk, but the Committee did not ultimately include the provision.
In the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully advocated for major increases in funding to programs that support veterans in New Mexico and throughout the United States. He also successfully included key language to protect access to health care for veterans in New Mexico and nationally. Specifically, Heinrich secured increased funding to provide access to care for rural and Tribal veterans, transportation for rural veterans, rural health care for veterans, assistance to homeless veterans, construct state extended care facilities, improve veteran access to Suicide Prevention Coordinators, increase research on prosthetics and limb loss, and build on the work of neurology-related Centers of Excellence.
Additionally, in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully ensured that funding was not cut from the Tribal HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program, which provides rental assistance and supportive services to Native American veterans who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness living on or near a reservation or other Tribal areas.
