Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45), local elected officials and community representatives from veteran service organizations for a roundtable discussion and press conference about how House Democrats are standing up for veterans.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good afternoon, everyone. It’s an honor and a privilege to be here in Orange County with Congressman Derek Tran. I’m so thankful for his leadership, for his commitment to the people of the communities that he is privileged to represent. Of course, for his service to the nation as an Army veteran and now his service to the nation and to the state of California and to these communities as a distinguished Member of the House of Representatives.

It’s an honor and privilege to be here with so many other distinguished colleagues in government, as well as leaders of the veterans community here in Orange County and it was wonderful to participate in the roundtable with them to learn firsthand about the issues of importance to veterans here in Orange County and it is our highest responsibility and our highest commitment as Members of Congress to always ensure that we are standing up to protect the dignity and respect of the veterans who have served America. And we were able to reiterate that commitment here at our roundtable today, including as it relates to making sure we see to completion the establishment of the first veterans cemetery here in Orange County. We will partner together to get that done.

Congressman Tran indicated, these are also very challenging and perilous times. Veterans in America have been under assault from the Trump administration from day one, where thousands of veterans who worked for our federal government after serving the country in uniform were unceremoniously fired, having their livelihoods ripped away from them. Shame on the administration for engaging in that type of egregious behavior while at the same time pretending as though they’re standing up to cherish our veterans.

And now, unfortunately, as I travel the country, hearing from veterans who feel betrayed by an administration where Candidate Trump promised not to get the country in another endless and deadly conflict in the Middle East, only to get the country involved in a potentially endless and already deadly conflict—war of choice—in the Middle East. We believe that taxpayer dollars should be spent to make life more affordable for the people of Orange County, for the veterans and for everyday Americans, as opposed to billions of dollars somehow to drop bombs in the Middle East, but the administration can’t find a dime to make healthcare more affordable, a dime to make housing more affordable or a dime to lower the cost of the grocery bills that everyday Americans confront when they go to the supermarket.

Our commitment will continue to be—and I’m so thankful for Congressman Tran’s leadership in this regard—We’re going to fight hard to lower the high cost of living. We’re going to fight hard to fix our broken healthcare system. And we’re going to fight to protect and cherish our veterans, not disrespect them, and to ensure that veterans are able to receive their hard-earned benefits. These aren’t entitlement programs. These are hard-earned benefits that we want to ensure can continue to be delivered and are not cut and that the veterans of Orange County, the veterans of America are always treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. 

Full press conference can be watched here.

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