A feature on the Navy Times shared that a group of 20 senators have formed a bipartisan military family caucus, for the purpose of bringing attention to the issues that military families face, as well as to discuss improvements to programs and services for military families. The Senate is following in the footsteps of the House of Representatives, which formed the House Congressional Military Family Caucus late last year.
The caucus is co-chaired by Democrat Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.
Among the issues that the caucus will be focusing on, as shared by the Navy Times based on a statement from the caucus co-chairs, are: child care, education, employment for the spouses of service members, health care, and the effects that multiple deployments had on the mental health and well being of spouses, caregivers and children.
The Senate Military Family Caucus will be working closely with their counterparts in the House of Representatives, which has already begun several efforts, including the solicitation of input from military families through various means, and the hosting of a briefing regarding a study that looked into the effect that deployments had on military families.
Senator Boxer shared that the Senate recognized the fact that the family of a service member who signs up to serve his or her country makes sacrifices for the country as well. Senator Burr, on the other hand, gave the following comment: “The Senate Military Family Caucus signifies that we, as a group of senators, recognize a need to support military families and provides an avenue to push for legislation that will benefit these families.”
January 7th, 2011 - 9:05 pm
Senator Burr, in his most recent newsletter, rightfully observed that “The neglect at Arlington Cemetery is a tragedy that has caused significant heartache for families who have already sacrificed for our country. Fallen soldiers and their families deserve the best that we can give them.” Since the families of our fallen soldiers deserve the best, why has the Pentagon and the Congress failed, year after year, to give the Pentagon’s MIA remains recovery program the funding it needs to do its job of recovering the remains of the tens of thousands of service personnel still unaccounted for from World War II to the present day? This is a national shame.