Brown Visits with Veterans in Downtown Mansfield Park

From Mansfield News Journal: 

Congressman Sherrod Brown brought his campaign for the U.S. Senate to the heart of his hometown Tuesday, armed with national political firepower.

Max Cleland, a Vietnam veteran and former administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, joined Brown for a morning rally at the Central Park gazebo. Billed as a “Talk in the Park” on veterans issues, the gathering was the first of several that would take Brown and Cleland to Dayton and Cincinnati later in the day.

...“Our first responsibility to veterans is to fully fund Veterans Administration health care,’’ Brown told an audience of about 125. “There are more than 6,000 Ohioans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and when they come home we’ll need to care for many of them.’’

Brown, a Mansfield Senior High graduate who has represented the 13th Congressional District in northeast Ohio since 1992, called for an end to the “disability tax” which he said reduces the pensions of disabled veterans. Their pensions are reduced to cover the cost of their disability health care, a practice which Brown said is unfair.

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08/09/2006 / Permalink / Cleland Tour, Iraq, Northeast Ohio, Veterans, (all tags)

Democrats push for veterans’ benefits

From Cincinnati Enquirer: 

Veterans are being neglected by the government, some Ohio Democrats and veterans claimed at a forum Tuesday.

"The government will pay for the war but won't take care of our nation's veterans," said Max Cleland, former U.S. senator, Veterans Administration (now Veterans Affairs) administrator from 1977-81 and disabled veteran of the Vietnam War.

"This administration is spending $8 billion for the war in Iraq but will underfund $6 billion for the VA budget for the next five years."

More than 50 people showed up at the Public Library downtown Tuesday evening for the veterans forum, hosted by U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is running for the U.S. Senate. Brown, Cleland and Iraq veteran Paul Hackett addressed issues regarding U.S. veterans, such as funding for proper health care for those affected by war.

"There's real professional care that needs to be delivered," Cleland said. "Not just physical wounds but the hidden wounds of war ... You've seen the world explode before you and that is very difficult to handle - sometimes you can't do it alone."

Brown called on Congress to do three things: repeal the Disabled Veterans Tax, seek to fully fund veterans' health care and pass a GI Bill for the 21st century.

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08/09/2006 / Permalink / Cleland Tour, Iraq, Southeast Ohio, Veterans, (all tags)

Sherrod Brown, Max Cleland, Launch Tour Honoring Ohio’s Veterans

Bush and DeWine failed to fully fund veterans' benefits, develop winning Iraq exit strategy

AMHERST, OH -- U.S. Representative Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and former Senator and Vietnam veteran Max Cleland yesterday toured Ohio to hear the concerns of veterans in Mansfield, Dayton, and Cincinnati.  Today they issued the following release calling for a new direction in Ohio, and leadership in Washington that will fully fund veterans' benefits and develop a winning Iraq exit strategy.

Brown condemned slashes to VA health benefits at a time when the nation is at war.  "With tens of thousands of our troops serving in Iraq, Mike DeWine voted to rubberstamp budgets that slashed VA funding. We must honor our soldiers' service by fully funding veterans' benefits, ending the disabled veterans' tax, and passing a GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century."

08/09/2006 / Permalink / Cleland Tour, Iraq, Veterans, (all tags)

Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett Endorses Brown for U.S. Senate

Former Primary Rivals Call for Unity at Cincinnati Rally

CINCINNATI - Ohio Democrats took another significant step today towards victory in November when Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) and Iraq veteran Paul Hackett stood shoulder to shoulder before a cheering crowd of more than 100 supporters in Cincinnati.

The former primary rivals called the Unity Rally to announce Hackett's endorsement for Brown in his Senate race against incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.

"I want to help Sherrod, because I want to make our country better, make Ohio better," said Hackett. "We need quality leadership like Sherrod Brown, someone who will stand up for Ohio families and Ohio veterans. And he has done that."

"Paul is very supportive of this race, because he shares my same values," said Brown. "We need change from the pay-to-play culture in Washington embraced by Mike DeWine that has hurt Ohio families and Ohio veterans."

07/10/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Southwest Ohio, Veterans, (all tags)

Brown slams DeWine, GOP on veterans health care

From Toledo Blade:

Two days after Memorial Day, Sherrod Brown brought his U.S. Senate campaign to Toledo yesterday to talk about his agenda for improving the federal government's support of veterans and their families.

Mr. Brown, a Democratic congressman from Lorain, criticized President Bush, U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, and Republican leadership for what he said was shortchanging the veterans' health-care system. Mr. Brown will face Mr. DeWine, a Republican, in November.

"Earlier this week, all honored the brave men and women who died in service to our country in World War II, in Korea, in Vietnam, in the first Gulf War, in Iraq, and Afghanistan," Mr. Brown said, speaking outside the VA Outpatient Clinic on Glendale Avenue yesterday. "Unfortunately, though, when the parades ended and when the graveside ceremonies were completed, too many politicians go back to Washington and are part of a government that ignores the needs of veterans."

Mr. Brown called for fully funding veterans' health programs, tax cuts for businesses that pay service members during extended tours of duty, and passing the "GI Bill for the 21st Century" to help veterans afford education and homes. He also said the government should cover costs resulting from the recent theft of personal information from veterans.

Click here to read the full article.

06/01/2006 / Permalink / Veterans, (all tags)

Memorial Day in Southeast Ohio

Friendship Park Veterans Memorial, Smithfield

Veterans Memorial Bridge, Zanesville

Connie with WWII veteran Herman Zerger

Sherrod observed Memorial Day at two moving ceremonies in southeast Ohio to honor the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families.

Standing on the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Zanesville, Sherrod joined Muskingum County veterans and residents to pay tribute to service members who perished at sea.

The observance was part of a series of events to commemorate Memorial Day in Zanesville.

After a few brief remarks, and a military salute, wreathes were released into the waters of the river below.

The crowd stood silent as the wreathes floated by symbolizing fallen service members.

Sherrod then traveled east for a ceremony at the Smithfield Veterans Memorial on top of Friendship Park.

More than 200 people gathered on the hill, which offered a panoramic view of the Jefferson County valley below.

Sherrod, joined by State Sen. Charlie Wilson and local veterans, told the crowd the our commitment to veterans is not a Democratic issue, or a Republican issue. It is an American issue.

Local veterans shared memories of fellow service members lost in combat, but never forgotten. One man vividly described how luck and faith spared him in battle, while several of his friends didn't make it home.

The honor guard ended the ceremony by raising the flag and conducting a military salute.

The days events were a reminder that we should be grateful for our veterans not just on national holidays, but every day we continue to live free and strong thanks to their bravery and sacrifice.

05/31/2006 / Permalink / Veterans, (all tags)

Columbus TV Coverage of Veterans News Conference

Watch WBNS-CBS coverage of Sherrod's Memorial Day news conference in Columbus:

05/31/2006 / Permalink / Multimedia, Veterans, (all tags)

VIDEO: Sherrod unveils key priorities to support veterans and their families

Sherrod unveiled his key priorities to support veterans and their families at a news conference on Memorial Day in front of the Franklin County Veterans Service Commision.

Sherrod was joined by a dozen Columbus-area veterans, who were eager to hear his plan to address chronic shortfalls in federal funding.

Watch video from the event below.

05/30/2006 / Permalink / Multimedia, Veterans, Video, (all tags)