Bill Richardson

thank you so much for have me __PUNCT__

it is an honor to be with you and especi to be with the veteran and militari famili who have join us here todai __PUNCT__

thank you for your servic to our nation __PUNCT__

when the presid ask our militari men and women to put themselv in harm wai halfwai around the world __PUNCT__ we do not expect hesit __PUNCT__

we expect the honor choru of __PUNCT__ ye __PUNCT__ sir __PUNCT__ ye ma'am __PUNCT__ for flag __PUNCT__ for countri __PUNCT__ for the defens of freedom __PUNCT__

we expect that while we tend to the everydai busi of our nativ soil __PUNCT__ there ar those who have chosen a differ path __PUNCT__

there ar those who will leav their famili to protect our __PUNCT__

there ar those that carri the proud promis of a righteou defens __PUNCT__

pass down from vallei_forg to iwo_jima to inchon to hue to todai in the mountain of afghanistan and the desert of iraq __PUNCT__

thi solemn tradit of servic ha stood unbroken for nearli a quarter millennium __PUNCT__

not simpli becaus of a share uniform or joint drill __PUNCT__

thi tradit is bond by a common faith that human_digniti and democrat freedom ar worth fight for __PUNCT__

thi promis of protect is kept aliv by gener of courag servicemen and women __PUNCT__

it is a promis that doe not and should not come cheap __PUNCT__

when our troop salut and ship out oversea __PUNCT__ thei ar keep their promis of servic to our nation __PUNCT__

it about time we kept our nation promis to them __PUNCT__

it about time that we said __PUNCT__ ye soldier __PUNCT__ ye sailor __PUNCT__ ye airman __PUNCT__ ye marin __PUNCT__

you and your famili ar entitl to the best health_care __PUNCT__

the best benefit __PUNCT__

to the best our nation ha to offer __PUNCT__

presid_bush ha fail again and again to keep up hi part of thi promis __PUNCT__

while ask for more and more from our troop and their famili __PUNCT__

he ha given them less and less __PUNCT__

and hi failur ar even more insidi becaus thei ar too often unseen __PUNCT__

the presid ha block out pictur of the flag __PUNCT__ drape coffin come home from afghanistan and iraq __PUNCT__

we do not see our maim vet march in parad __PUNCT__ onli in the occasion new exposé of decrepit condit __PUNCT__

by now we all seen the disgrac condit at walter reed __PUNCT__

but too few of us have heard about the mental trauma suffer by so mani return combat veteran __PUNCT__

too few have felt the anxieti of militari famili across the countri that can't make end meet while a love on is serv abroad __PUNCT__

put_simpli __PUNCT__ the presid ha hidden awai the heroism of our fight men and women __PUNCT__

he ha trade in our troop __PUNCT__ health_care for tax_cut __PUNCT__ and he ha trade on our veteran __PUNCT__ servic for vote __PUNCT__

it long past time that end __PUNCT__

it long past time we said __PUNCT__ never in america __PUNCT__

never again __PUNCT__

it is the sacr duti of ani command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief to take care of hi or her troop __PUNCT__

and i swear to you that when i am presid __PUNCT__ i will not rest until the promis we made to our veteran and our militari famili is fulfil __PUNCT__

the first step is get all of our troop out of iraq __PUNCT__

all our troop __PUNCT__ with no residu forc left behind __PUNCT__

onli when we make it clear that we ar leav can we expect the iraqi to make the tough choic necessari for reconcili __PUNCT__

onli when all of our troop ar on their wai out __PUNCT__ will other in the region do what thei must to prevent iraq from collaps __PUNCT__

onli our departur will give us the credibl to conven a dayton __PUNCT__ style confer to build a power __PUNCT__ share arrang polic by multilater __PUNCT__ un __PUNCT__ sanction peacekeep __PUNCT__

hillari_clinton __PUNCT__ barack_obama and john_edward have said we have to wait and see how thing go befor we can know how mani troop to bring out and how quickli __PUNCT__

i sai there ha been enough wait and see __PUNCT__

if you haven't seen enough to know that we need to get all the troop out then you aren't watch the same war that i and the rest of america ar see __PUNCT__

senat_clinton and obama __PUNCT__ when directli ask __PUNCT__ refus to commit to get all u. __PUNCT__ troop out by __NUM__ __PUNCT__

ten of thousand could remain in iraq through __NUM__ __PUNCT__ and senat clinton said she might have troop in iraq at the end of her second term __PUNCT__

leav troop is just chang the mission __PUNCT__ we need to end thi war and while i respect my democrat colleagu __PUNCT__ their plan simpli will not end thi war __PUNCT__

how mani more mother and father __PUNCT__ brother and sister __PUNCT__ wive __PUNCT__ husband __PUNCT__ and children must lose their love on befor we get our troop out of the crossfir __PUNCT__ how mani more of our young_peopl will die befor we recogn that our troop cannot win someon els civil_war __PUNCT__ over __NUM__ brave american have lost their live __PUNCT__

more than __NUM__ have been wound __PUNCT__

countless more suffer the lone anguish of mental trauma __PUNCT__

yet __PUNCT__ the administr ha shut it ey to the scar and close it ear to the cri for help __PUNCT__

it is absolut unaccept __PUNCT__

our veteran fought the enemi abroad __PUNCT__

thei should not have to fight their govern at home to get the health_care thei have earn over and over again __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ almost __NUM___million veteran ar uninsur __PUNCT__

that is not right __PUNCT__

when i am presid __PUNCT__ all veteran will be offer a hero __PUNCT__ health card __PUNCT__

if it inconveni for them to get to a va hospit or clinic __PUNCT__ you know where thei can get care __PUNCT__ wherev thei need it __PUNCT__

while we expand choic __PUNCT__ we also need to make sure that the va system is the strongest it can be __PUNCT__

i will guarante full mandatori fund for the va __PUNCT__

no more year __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ year __PUNCT__ discretionari fund __PUNCT__

no more polit_calcul __PUNCT__

no more game __PUNCT__

the health of our veteran is not option __PUNCT__

the fund must be mandatori __PUNCT__

when we send our troop into harm wai __PUNCT__ we do not ask how much it will cost __PUNCT__

when thei come home wound __PUNCT__ we should not ask __PUNCT__ how much will that cost __PUNCT__ the answer to both question is the same __PUNCT__

whatev it take __PUNCT__

it is essenti that we fix walter reed and the rest of our militari hospit __PUNCT__

the condit that we saw at walter reed were an insult to our veteran and an embarrass to our nation __PUNCT__

the presid should have stood up and taken respons __PUNCT__

he should have said __PUNCT__ the buck stop with me __PUNCT__

thi will be fix __PUNCT__

he didn't __PUNCT__

instead we saw anoth game of washington music chair __PUNCT__

and when the music stop __PUNCT__ the presid scrambl to find himself a comfort place to sit __PUNCT__ well out of the wai __PUNCT__

well __PUNCT__ when i am presid i will never sit_back and watch our veteran suffer __PUNCT__

i will requir a regular brief from the militari senior medic gener offic on the statu of our nation medic facil __PUNCT__

i will stand up __PUNCT__ out front __PUNCT__

everi dai for our fight men and women and their famili __PUNCT__

we all know that when our troop ship out __PUNCT__ thei do not serv alon __PUNCT__

their famili serv with them __PUNCT__

and the power of our militari is a testament to the strength of our militari famili __PUNCT__

when our troop come home wound __PUNCT__ thei cannot heal alon __PUNCT__

we must support the famili that care for our veteran __PUNCT__

our resolv to support these famili bear_wit to the charact of our nation __PUNCT__

often __PUNCT__ spous and parent ar forc to leav their job in order to care for a wound troop __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will offer a comprehens disabl insur_polici that will averag forti thousand_dollar __PUNCT__

it will cover the necessari expens for the next of kin when a spous __PUNCT__ parent __PUNCT__ or other famili_member stai by the side of a wound veteran dure the recoveri process __PUNCT__

i will offer up to a year of paid leav __PUNCT__ to ensur the financi stabil of the famili of recov veteran __PUNCT__

and we must recogn that not all injuri can be treat with bandag and stent __PUNCT__

mental trauma __PUNCT__ post __PUNCT__ traumat_stress disord __PUNCT__ traumat brain injuri __PUNCT__

these ar battlefield injuri __PUNCT__

we cannot ignor them just becaus we can't see them on a soldier or marin bodi __PUNCT__

there should be an automat presumpt that mental_ill ar servic relat __PUNCT__

inde __PUNCT__ we need to revamp our entir veteran __PUNCT__ disabl system __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ we have a system that ha been design to protect the financi_interest of the govern rather than address the medic_condit of our veteran __PUNCT__

that is wrong __PUNCT__

a veteran who ha serv honor should not have to prove he or she is entitl to care __PUNCT__

rather __PUNCT__ the burden of proof should be on the govern to meet it oblig __PUNCT__ and to meet them as fulli and honor as our veteran have met their __PUNCT__

all of them __PUNCT__ all who have serv have commit themselv to the protect of our nation __PUNCT__

mani have risk their live over and over again __PUNCT__

and i believ that we __PUNCT__ as a nation __PUNCT__ have a lifelong duti to our veteran __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will reduc feder_incom_tax by five percent for all veteran for the rest of their live __PUNCT__

senat jim_webb __PUNCT__ on of our nation greatest veteran __PUNCT__ is exactli right on thi issu __PUNCT__ and i will fight for hi propos __PUNCT__

i will also elimin feder_incom_tax for all troop in their first year out of the militari __PUNCT__

it is our respons to eas the frequent __PUNCT__ difficult transit from militari to civilian life __PUNCT__

presid_bush cut_tax for our nation wealthiest citizen __PUNCT__

i will cut tax for our nation bravest citizen __PUNCT__

i alreadi done it in new mexico __PUNCT__

we elimin the state_incom incom_tax for all activ __PUNCT__ duti militari pai __PUNCT__

i led the nation by purchas a __NUM___dollar life insur_premium for each and everi member of the new mexico nation_guard __PUNCT__

__NUM__ other state have follow our lead __PUNCT__

guard personnel and their famili around the countri ar now much better protect against the worst __PUNCT__

i grant free tuition to ani new mexico public_univers for ani child of a new mexican guardsman kill in action __PUNCT__

educ is the spark that light mind __PUNCT__

and the gi_bill wa the fuse to the econom explos that power our nation through the last centuri __PUNCT__

when i am presid __PUNCT__ i will fight for a new gi bill for the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__

my nation_servic plan will augment the gi_bill and the servic __PUNCT__ colleg fund with addit fund for colleg and career educ __PUNCT__ up to __NUM___dollar in loan forgiv __PUNCT__

furthermor __PUNCT__ my plan will allow a spous or child to us these benefit __PUNCT__ if the servic_member doesn't __PUNCT__

and i will make sure that all servic member get the benefit that thei earn __PUNCT__

what happen to the iowa nation_guard is outrag __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ it is a perfect exampl of how thi administr talk about support the troop __PUNCT__ and then deni them the benefit thei deserv __PUNCT__

the men and women of the iowa guard serv the longest tour of ani combat unit in iraq __PUNCT__

their deploy wa extend not onc __PUNCT__ but twice __PUNCT__

some were on activ_duti for __NUM___dai __PUNCT__

yet __PUNCT__ when thei return_home the administr told them __PUNCT__ sorri __PUNCT__

you on dai short of get your full benefit __PUNCT__

on dai short __PUNCT__

thi is unconscion __PUNCT__

it is disgrac __PUNCT__

it is just plain wrong __PUNCT__

while i am glad congressman bralei and other ar work_hard to fix thi problem for these veteran __PUNCT__ when i am presid i will make sure that thi never happen again for ani veteran __PUNCT__

i will count all dai __PUNCT__ both at home and abroad __PUNCT__ that guard and reserv personnel serv on activ_duti dure wartim toward their cumul total of dai serv __PUNCT__

it is enough that thei have serv these dai __PUNCT__ thei should not have to serv them consecut __PUNCT__

i will also guarante __PUNCT__ that employ give mobil member of the guard and reserv their old job_back __PUNCT__

no question ask __PUNCT__

and we got to help small_busi do their part __PUNCT__

i will offer a tax_credit for small_busi who go the extra_mile and help make up the differ in pai for guard and reserv personnel call to activ __PUNCT__ duti __PUNCT__

on in seven american_busi is own by a veteran __PUNCT__

i will fulli implement those provis of the veteran benefit act of __NUM__ __PUNCT__ includ feder_contract set __PUNCT__ asid __PUNCT__ which help support our vet __PUNCT__ own busi __PUNCT__

these issu ar not new to me __PUNCT__

i have spent my career fight for our troop __PUNCT__ our veteran __PUNCT__ and our militari famili __PUNCT__

it ha been my privileg to stand with those who have stood against our enemi __PUNCT__

it ha been my honor to stand with those who have stood up for our valu gener after gener __PUNCT__

and it ha been my determin to make_life better for our veteran wherev i have serv __PUNCT__

i ow my success in bring_peopl togeth and solv_problem to take risk __PUNCT__

sometim you have to lai thing on the line to get result __PUNCT__

i have negoti with some of the toughest dictat in the world and come home success __PUNCT__

i went to north_korea earlier thi year on a bipartisan mission __PUNCT__

i came home with the remain of six soldier miss in action sinc the korean_war __PUNCT__

i negoti the releas of american servicemen and civilian from iraq __PUNCT__ north_korea __PUNCT__ and cuba __PUNCT__

i recal when on of my constitu wa taken hostag in sudan __PUNCT__

he wa an american journalist from my own state and he wa captur with two aid from the african_nation of chad __PUNCT__

thei were imprison on phoni charg of espionag __PUNCT__ i had no reason to be optimist about their releas __PUNCT__

but the journalist wife ask me to go and try to get him out __PUNCT__

so i went __PUNCT__

the dictat of that countri __PUNCT__ al __PUNCT__ bashir __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ you can have the american __PUNCT__ but the other two from chad __PUNCT__ thei stai __PUNCT__

at thi point i could have left with the american __PUNCT__ but i said __PUNCT__ no __PUNCT__

i am bring them all out __PUNCT__

it wa not the easi choic but it wa the right choic __PUNCT__

we went back into the negoti and i left with all three men __PUNCT__

there wa no time then for poll or consult __PUNCT__

nor is thi a time for polit_calcul __PUNCT__

i am go to us the same word i us then when i commun with our troop in iraq as their command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ i am bring you all out __PUNCT__

no on must be left behind to fight someon els civil_war __PUNCT__

and the next presid must state unequivoc and without reserv that tortur cannot and will not be a part of our foreign_polici __PUNCT__

tortur subvert the effect of our intellig __PUNCT__

it sabotag our moral_author in the world __PUNCT__

and it sacrific the safeti of our troop __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will shut down the prison at guantanamo __PUNCT__

i will follow the geneva_convent __PUNCT__

and i will preserv __PUNCT__ protect __PUNCT__ and uphold the constitut of the unit_state __PUNCT__

let us be worthi of the servic that our veteran and militari famili have given to thi nation __PUNCT__

let us know that when an american_troop is wound __PUNCT__ our nation is wound __PUNCT__

for he or she ha sacrif to protect what we all hold dear __PUNCT__

when an american troop di __PUNCT__ a piec of us all is lost forev __PUNCT__

for thei have given all in the defens of our share valu __PUNCT__

in recent_year __PUNCT__ too mani piec have been lost forev __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ too mani wound remain open __PUNCT__

togeth __PUNCT__ i know that we can do better __PUNCT__

thank you again to all the veteran and militari famili here for your gener and honor servic __PUNCT__

i hope you will join me in fulfil our nation oblig to veteran and militari famili across thi great_countri __PUNCT__

i hope you will join me in honor those who have given so honor __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__