Following the public outcry last summer upon the news that two of Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) in Caribou and Machias would close, I, along with my colleagues in the Senate, voted unanimously to pass legislation that kept all six homes open. We took bold action to prevent these closures; however, we also made a public promise to the MVH and, most importantly, their residents and families that we, as the Maine Legislature, would be there for them.

For me, this was quite personal. Before being elected to the Legislature, I served nearly 30 years in the Maine Air National Guard and on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. Retiring as the state command chief, I had the privilege to serve with some of Maine’s and this nation’s finest warriors and saw firsthand their unwavering commitment to defending the United States and our interests all over the globe.

But that unwavering commitment must go both ways. Our part as a State and nation is to ensure their care when our warriors return and even throughout their later years. There are very few of our World War II veterans left, and those heroes who are still among us are the primary recipients of the care these homes provide. The same goes for our Korean War veterans – many of them now in their 80s and 90s – as well as our Vietnam veterans.

So yes, it’s a moral imperative and societal obligation that we care for our veterans. The time has now come for the Legislature to keep that promise.

This year, I sponsored legislation to provide a sustainable funding solution so that the MVH system has the resources it needs to continue providing the world-class care our veterans deserve. The bill, L.D. 985, covers the gap between the cost of providing that care and the actual reimbursement rate the system receives for veterans, spouses and Gold Star families whose care is paid for by MaineCare. This bill will cost the state $3.4 million, but triggers an additional $6.9 million in federal funding to close MVH’s $10.3 million funding gap.

The Legislature is duty bound to find a funding solution — we committed to it last year. Through L.D. 985, we now have that solution and it must pass.

Failure to do so jeopardizes the award-winning system of care provided by MVH. But the simple truth is Maine Veterans’ Homes cannot sustain $10.3 million in losses year after year, no matter how great the care is. No business can survive that and MVH is no exception.

The bottom line is we have the power to make sure Maine Veterans’ Homes continue now and sustainably into the future. The Legislature made that promise to the public last year; and our country committed to our veterans the day they joined the Armed Forces that we would care for them.

L.D. 985 both satisfies and honors that promise and the commitment made. It is our duty to follow through and fund of our Maine Veterans’ Homes. Our aging veterans are depending upon it.

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