CHC, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Go on Road to Puerto Rico for Veterans Day Weekend
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) was in San Juan, Puerto Rico for Veterans Day weekend to engage with local Veterans as part of the CHC On the Road initiative. In Puerto Rico, CHC Chair Nanette Barragán and Members Nydia Velázquez, Darren Soto, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, were joined by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Tanya J. Bradsher, Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
CHC On the Road creates an opportunity to inform Latino communities about the legislative victories Democrats in Congress and the Biden Administration have accomplished on their behalf, such as the PACT Act. It also serves as a platform to connect with Latino communities, hear their concerns, and share information about tools and resources available to them.
The Congressional delegation toured the San Juan Veteran Affairs Medical Center alongside Deputy Secretary Bradsher and Governor Pierluisi, hosted a press conference to highlight the accomplishments Congress and the Administration have delivered, and held a community town hall with Veterans at the American Legion Department of Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands. The delegation also answered participant questions.
“We were excited to take CHC On the Road to Puerto Rico during Veterans Day weekend to engage with the men and women who have valiantly served our country in the armed forces,” said Chair Nanette Barragán. “Partnering with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sends a clear message on our commitment to serve our Veterans. The CHC is thankful to Governor Pedro Pierluisi for extending a warm welcome, and to Deputy Secretary Tanya J. Bradsher, for joining us to drive home the message that Democrats in Congress and President Biden’s Administration continue to work every day to provide a brighter future for Veterans in Puerto Rico and across the country.”
“It was an honor to welcome the CHC chair Nanette Barragán, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tanya J. Bradsher with open arms to Puerto Rico,” said Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi. “This Veterans Day weekend visit serves as a strong reminder that the CHC and New York delegation will always fight for Puerto Rico’s Veterans. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to continue our work to deliver the resources and services our brave Veterans deserve. Veterans served us, so now it’s our sacred obligation to serve them.”
“I want to thank Chairwoman Nanette Barragán for bringing CHC On the Road to Puerto Rico,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “We know that on the island, there are close to 100,000 men and women who have served in uniform. We’ve got to ensure that we are there for them with respect to health care, employment opportunities, housing and in every possible way. We want to make sure that all veterans can benefit from the PACT Act and what we’re doing on your behalf because every day is Veterans Day.”
“New York and Puerto Rico have an unbreakable bond, and I was honored to stand side-by-side with Governor Pierluisi and our colleagues in San Juan,” said Governor of New York Kathy Hochul. “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Gillibrand, Leader Jeffries, CHC Chair Barragan and many others, the PACT Act is providing critical benefits to individuals who served our nation and New York will continue our efforts to ensure every single veteran is treated with the care and respect they deserve."
“I was thrilled to join so many of my colleagues and some of Puerto Rico’s great leaders for CHC On the Road. During Veterans Day weekend, we joined together to urge veterans living on the island to apply for health care benefits through the PACT Act,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The PACT Act has already helped over half a million veterans nationwide get life-changing health care and disability benefits, but thousands more have yet to apply. I’m proud to work with New York’s representatives to fight for the people of Puerto Rico.”
“As the first Floridian of Puerto Rican descent to serve in Congress, I was deeply proud to join my colleagues and the Biden Administration for a CHC On the Road event in honor of Puerto Rico’s brave veterans,” said CHC Vice Chair of Policy Rep. Darren Soto. “Our Veterans deserve nothing but the best, because they’ve risked their lives in service to our nation. While we can never fully repay them, Democrats will always fight for America’s Veterans within the halls of Congress.”
“As a Puerto Rican Member of Congress, I was grateful that CHC came to Puerto Rico to hear from the brave veterans who have fought to protect and provide stability to the United States and its territories,” said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez. “Unfortunately, when veterans from the Island return home, they often struggle to access the same benefits as veterans living on the mainland. These inequalities are unacceptable, and I hope we can continue raising awareness about these disparities, their root causes, and how Congress can address them.”
"I was honored to join Chairwoman Nanette Barragán and my CHC colleagues in Puerto Rico this Veterans Day weekend,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Our veterans protect our country at great personal sacrifice, yet often return to the United States without the proper resources to access health care, housing, and employment opportunities. This is especially true for veterans in Puerto Rico who are denied access to the same benefits as veterans living within the 50 states. We believe in honoring all our veterans — including those in Puerto Rico."
A link with pictures from the events can be found here.
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