Last month, we celebrated Memorial Day, a day of remembrance for those who have fallen in service of this great country. On that holiday, we remember and honor the brave servicemen and women who have sacrificed their lives so that we may all enjoy the everyday freedoms that come with being an American.

Memorial Day also reminds us of what our veterans and current servicemen and women have given to us and how much we owe them in return. Our responsibility to these men and women does not end, and we must make sure they know how grateful we are for their service.

I am proud to say that this year the Legislature passed a number of critical measures that help support and honor our veterans and current service members. As the Senate chairman of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, I had the opportunity to work on several important pieces of legislation dealing with veterans’ issues.

While we may never be able to adequately repay our veterans for the sacrifices they made for this country, the least we can do is ensure they have access to the care and treatment they need for the injuries and disabilities caused by their service. That is why I sponsored a measure to acknowledge the serious harm that has come to Maine’s National Guard veterans from exposure to Agent Orange and other harmful chemicals at the Canadian Forces Base in Gagetown, New Brunswick. The resolve directs the federal government to recognize the potential health risks and disabilities associated with such exposure so that our veterans can finally receive the care and benefits they deserve.

There is a greater percentage of veterans in Maine than nearly anywhere else in the country ”“ and many veterans are out of work. Recent studies show that our country’s veterans face unemployment rates that are 20 percent higher than the general population. To help address this, the Legislature also passed my bill to allow private employers to adopt a veterans’ preference employment policy as the federal and state governments already do. This law will assist veterans with transitioning back to civilian life and finding work by allowing private employers to adopt a veterans’ preference if they would like. 

Unfortunately, not all our efforts to support veterans were successful. Our most disappointing setback was the failure to provide health insurance for 3,000 veterans. These brave men and women would have received health insurance coverage had Maine accepted the federal government’s deal to expand the state’s health insurance program, MaineCare, to nearly 70,000 Maine people. Four times, the Legislature passed a bill to take this deal, but four times Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the bill. 

While we passed measures that will assist our veterans in a number of ways, there is always more work to be done. I am deeply proud of the service of our veterans. I remain committed to ensuring we do everything we can to honor their service and their sacrifices for our country and our state.

— Sen. John Tuttle represents Senate District 3, which includes Alfred, Limington, Lyman, Sanford, Springvale and Waterboro. He is the Senate chairman of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee and also serves on the Judiciary Committee. He holds weekly office hours on Sundays from 1-3 p.m. at his home, 176 Cottage St. in Sanford.