Pueblo, CO – Flanked by local veterans and advocates, Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, wrapped up a statewide veterans listening tour at the Heroes Plaza in Pueblo, where statues of Pueblo’s four Medal of Honor Recipients serve as a reminder of the sacrifices of all American military veterans.
Bennet launched the tour from Pueblo earlier this month as part of an ongoing effort to reach out to Colorado’s veterans and get their ideas on how to address major issues including access to VA healthcare, services and benefits and the VA’s backlogs. From the first roundtable discussion with veterans from Southern Colorado, the tour took Bennet across the state to rural and urban communities, American Legion halls and VA hospitals to hear directly from former military men and women and their families.
“We owe all who serve in our armed forces a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay – but we can and should always try,” Bennet said. “We’ve made substantial progress in honoring our commitment to veterans here in Colorado, moving forward with the creation of a Veterans’ Cemetery in Southern Colorado, securing the authorization of full funding for Aurora’s VA hospital and pushing for changes that will allow the family members of wounded warriors to become certified caregivers. But there is more to do.
“I’ve heard from veterans across the state on the issues that matter most to them and ideas that can help up build on the progress we’ve made so far. I look forward to taking those ideas to Washington and continuing our ongoing effort to fulfill our promise to care for the men and women who have worn the uniform of our armed forces.”