2002年，在阿富汗的一座山顶上，我目睹了人性中最好的一面，也目睹了最坏的一面。我看到那些人展现出非凡的勇气、牺牲精神，以及彼此之间坚定不移的承诺。经历这一切，他们始终信守诺言。
On a mountaintop in Afghanistan in 2002, I witnessed the best and worst of the human condition. I watched men demonstrate extraordinary courage, sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to one another. Through it all, they kept their promises.
后来授予我的荣誉勋章，代表的是那些人以及他们那天的所作所为。它从来都不只属于我一个人。当我们举起右手宣誓为这个国家服役时，我们许下了一个承诺。我们接受了一项最终可能让我们付出生命的义务。我们这样做，是因为相信国家也会反过来履行它的义务。
The Medal of Honor, which I was later awarded, represents those men and what they did that day. It has never belonged to me alone. When we raise our right hands and take an oath to serve this nation, we make a promise. We accept an obligation that may ultimately cost us our lives. We do so believing that our country will honor its obligations in return.
然而，承诺的价值取决于为兑现它而采取的行动。在这个退伍军人节，国会有一个机会来表明它理解这个简单的道理，那就是通过《关爱美国退伍军人法案》（TCAVA）和《理查德·斯塔尔少校法案》。TCAVA包含60多项两党立法提案，旨在改善3200多万退伍军人、照护者和遗属的生活。
A promise, however, is only as good as the actions taken to keep it. On this Veterans Day, Congress has an opportunity to demonstrate that it understands this simple principle by passing the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, or TCAVA, and the Major Richard Star Act. TCAVA includes more than 60 bipartisan legislative proposals designed to improve the lives of more than 32 million veterans, caregivers and survivors.
这项立法将每年向遭受灾难性伤害的退伍军人额外提供1万美元，扩大60多万遗属的福利，并在二十多年来首次提高某些遗属补偿。它还将废除那些因“金星”配偶再婚而对其进行惩罚的条款。想一想：一位配偶在为这个国家服役中失去了所爱之人，却仅仅因为选择与另一个人重建生活，就要面临失去本应获得的遗属福利。这公平吗？
The legislation would provide an additional $10,000 annually to catastrophically injured veterans, expand benefits for more than 600,000 survivors and deliver the first increase in certain survivor compensation in more than two decades. It would also eliminate provisions that penalize gold star spouses for remarrying. Think about that for a moment: A spouse loses the person they love in service to this country, only to face the loss of earned survivor benefits if they choose to rebuild their life with someone else. Where is the justice in that?
《理查德·斯塔尔少校法案》针对的是另一项长期存在的不公。超过5.9万名在战斗中受伤的退伍军人，因为他们同时领取伤残补偿，而被剥夺了一部分本应获得的军人退休金。他们的退休金是靠服役挣来的。他们的伤残补偿是对服役中所受伤害的认可。两者不应相互削减。
The Major Richard Star Act addresses another long-standing injustice. More than 59,000 combat-injured veterans are denied a portion of their earned military retirement pay because they also receive disability compensation. They earned their retirement through service. Their disability compensation recognizes injuries sustained in that service. One should not diminish the other.
这项立法获得了压倒性的两党支持，众议院有334名共同提案人，参议院有79名。然而自2020年以来，在共和党和民主党领导下，它一直停滞不前。这不是党派之争的失败，而是领导力的失败。
This legislation has overwhelming bipartisan support, with 334 co-sponsors in the House and 79 in the Senate. Yet it has remained stalled since 2020, under both Republican and Democratic leadership. That is not a partisan failure. It is a failure of leadership.
我们同样对那些在兵役结束很久之后仍背负重任的人负有义务。数以百万计的照护者，往往是配偶和父母，为了照顾受伤的退伍军人而牺牲了事业、财务保障和个人机会。TCAVA将在退伍军人去世或退出退伍军人事务部照护者项目后，为某些照护者延长医疗保险覆盖，并帮助这些照护者重返劳动力市场。
We also have an obligation to the people who carry the burden long after military service ends. Millions of caregivers, often spouses and parents, sacrifice careers, financial security and personal opportunities to care for injured veterans. TCAVA would extend healthcare coverage for certain caregivers after a veteran dies or leaves the Department of Veterans Affairs caregiver program, and help those caregivers return to the workforce.
该立法还扩大了对遭受创伤性脑损伤、爆炸冲击和创伤后应激障碍的退伍军人的支持，包括设立退伍军人事务部爆炸超压工作组。这些并非抽象的政策讨论。这项立法将帮助那些承受服役后果的人，而且这种后果往往伴随他们余生。
The legislation also expands support for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries, blast exposure and post-traumatic stress, including the establishment of a VA Blast Overpressure Task Force. These are not abstract policy discussions. The legislation will help people living with the consequences of service, often for the rest of their lives.
包括美国退伍军人协会、伊丽莎白·多尔基金会、美国军官协会、受伤战士项目、幸存者悲剧援助项目和AMVETS在内的20多个组织已加入支持这一努力的行列。国会荣誉勋章协会很自豪能与他们并肩而立。
More than 20 organizations, including the American Legion, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, the Military Officers Association of America, Wounded Warrior Project, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and AMVETS, have joined in supporting this effort. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is proud to stand alongside them.
关于如何为这项立法提供资金，存在合理的疑问，这些疑问理应得到基于事实、公开透明的回答。TCAVA纳入了对退伍军人事务部未来睡眠呼吸暂停和耳鸣伤残评级拟议的修改——这些修改是退伍军人事务部自己在2022年首次提出的，并且该部已在作证时表示将很快最终确定。这项立法将把由此产生的节省资金用于退伍军人、护理人员和遗属，而不是让这些节省资金退回财政部。
There are legitimate questions about how to fund this legislation, and they deserve factual, transparent answers. TCAVA incorporates proposed changes to future VA disability ratings for sleep apnea and tinnitus — changes the VA itself first proposed in 2022 and has testified that it will finalize soon. The legislation would direct the resulting savings toward veterans, caregivers and survivors rather than allowing those savings to revert to the Treasury.
我要明确一点：如果退伍军人事务部在立法之外最终确定这些修改，这笔钱就没了，我们就必须从头再来，解决退伍军人群体这些长期悬而未决的优先事项。
Let me be clear: If the VA finalizes the changes outside of the legislation, the money is lost, and we must start over again to resolve these long-standing priorities for the veteran community.
国会有责任审查细节、理解后果并做出知情的决定。这正是我们对领导者的期望。不可接受的是，让政治算计、机构惰性或不让对方党获胜的意愿成为不作为的借口。非营利组织“使命点名”就TCAVA开展了一项调查，并向受访者解释了这项立法，支持率从55.3%上升到70.5%。人们越了解利害所在，就越支持它。这其中有一个教训。事实很重要。理解很重要。而领导力需要勇气，依据这两者采取行动。
Congress has a responsibility to examine the details, understand the consequences and make informed decisions. That is what we expect of leaders. What is unacceptable is allowing political calculations, institutional inertia or the desire to deny the other party a victory to become excuses for inaction. When Mission Roll Call, a nonprofit organization, conducted a survey about TCAVA and explained the legislation to respondents, support went from 55.3% to 70.5%. The more people understand what is at stake, the more they support it. There is a lesson in that. Facts matter. Understanding matters. And leadership requires the courage to act on both.
退伍军人无法在处境艰难时推迟自己的义务。伤员无法推迟自己的牺牲。阵亡者的家属无法就他们付出的代价讨价还价。那么，为什么国会可以被允许推迟对他们应尽的义务？
Veterans did not get to postpone their obligations when circumstances became difficult. The wounded did not get to defer their sacrifices. The families of the fallen did not get to negotiate the price they paid. Why, then, should Congress be permitted to defer its obligations to them?
今年退伍军人节，会有演讲、仪式和感恩的表达。这些姿态有其位置。但没有行动的感恩是不够的。与我一起服役的人信守了他们的承诺。我们的退伍军人、他们的护理人员以及阵亡者的家属已经付出了他们的代价。
This Veterans Day, there will be speeches, ceremonies and expressions of gratitude. Those gestures have their place. But gratitude without action is insufficient. The men I served with kept their promises. Our veterans, their caregivers and the families of the fallen have paid the price of theirs.
现在轮到国会了。把两项法案都提交到议会。举行投票。通过立法。不是因为通过法案对某个政党有利。不是因为能成为好头条。而是因为这是正确的事。也因为，一个要求其公民信守承诺、哪怕付出生命代价的国家，有义务信守自己的承诺。
Now it is Congress’ turn. Bring both bills to the floor. Hold the vote. Pass the legislation. Not because passing the bills benefits one political party or another. Not because it makes for a good headline. Because it is the right thing to do. And because a nation that asks its citizens to keep their promises, even at the cost of their lives, has an obligation to keep its own.