Ehrlich on Washington column, November 16, 1997

1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Week of November 16, 1997 LOOKING OUT FOR OUR VETS As 1 reflect on Veterans Day 1997, let me take this opportunity to convey to you my thoughts on issues facing our nations’ veterans. Face-to-face meetings with veterans are the best way for me to keep informed on issues of importance to veterans and their families. I was especially honored to address the Maryland American Legion convention on July 1 8"' in Ocean City, and the Veterans Appreciation Day in Bel Air to honor the 29th Infantry Division. These events, and meetings with the VFW, American Legion, and other veterans groups, have been very beneficial to me. As I meet with veterans, I constantly hear two important themes. First, our veterans want Congress and the President to continue devoting the necessary resources to protect our national security, and to adequately train and deploy the most powerful military force in the world. Veterans understand the needs of our active members and reservists. During my tenure in Congress, I have fought for increased funding in the annual defense budget (despite opposition from President Clinton). In many ways, the end of the Cold War has made the world a much more dangerous place. We can no longer live off President Reagan’s Cold War buildup, and must invest in America’s 21st century force structure. Simply put, we do not want a military force that narrowly wins battles. Rather, we want a military force so powerful that hostile nations, such as North Korea, Iraq, China, and Iran, will not dare challenge us. Second, veterans want the government of the United States to fulfill the commitments made to them. Our veterans kept their end of the bargain and rightly deserve all benefits promised by the government. Accordingly, I support the following legislation: Providing military health to Medicare-eligible retirees - 1 am a cosponsor of H.R. 414, a bill that