This Veterans Day, we salute the 240,000 Nevadans and the millions nationwide who bravely served our country. They truly represent the best of America. Our nation has a solemn duty to look after our veterans and their families once they return home from duty.

The Silver State is home to one of the fastest-growing veteran communities in the nation. One in every eight Nevadans is a veteran. Sadly, in their moment of need, some of our most vulnerable veterans have been left behind. That is simply unacceptable. We must not allow any service member, past or present, to fall through the cracks.

Throughout my career, I have worked to ensure that Nevada’s service men and women’s voices are heard at the highest level of the federal government. I have secured millions of dollars in funds necessary for our veterans to get the support, training and services they deserve. I also worked with Congress this year to honor a Nevada veteran, Master Chief Petty Officer Jesse Dean. Officer Dean is revered across Nevada for decades of work with his fellow veterans. This year, Congress passed – and President Obama signed – legislation naming the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Laughlin in his honor. By naming the clinic after this good man, we ensured his legacy will be celebrated for years to come.

We still have a long way to go in meeting our commitments to the brave men and women who have defended our country. I have always fought hard to ensure that veterans have access to the care and benefits they have earned and deserve. No veteran should ever find themselves out of work, homeless, or struggling. Taking care of our veterans is one of the costs of a robust defense that keeps America safe, and it would be immoral to neglect that responsibility. We must continue to do all that we can to uphold our sacred obligation to our veterans not just on Veterans Day, but every day.

Contact Harry Reid at http://reid.senate.gov/