President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for the first time together since the end of last week’s election. They will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff also in attendance.
Harris will then join Biden at the amphitheater in Arlington Cemetery for a speech. Last week, Harris lost to President-elect Trump in the presidential election, with Trump winning all seven key states and likely the popular vote. Various parties have been pointing fingers at who should bear the most responsibility for the failure of the Democratic Party and their candidate Harris.
In late July, Biden announced his withdrawal from the race due to concerns about being unable to compete effectively against Trump. Harris then replaced Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee. Last week, Harris and Biden each gave speeches committing to a peaceful transfer of power and urging supporters not to give up fighting for their values. Biden praised Harris’ campaign as “inspiring.”
According to a White House announcement, in honor of Veterans Day, the Biden-Harris administration will provide historic care, benefits, and new initiatives to veterans and their families.
The Biden administration has stated that the number of homeless veterans nationwide has reached a historic low. They have expanded eligibility for disability benefits and have created record levels of care and benefits for veterans through President Biden’s Unity Agenda.
The announcement states, “We have a sacred obligation to care for our nation’s veterans and their families … our debt to them can never be fully repaid, but fulfilling our promise to these men and women in uniform can unite all Americans, and that is President Biden’s core pillar of supporting veterans in his national Unity Agenda.”
Since taking office, President Biden has signed over 34 bipartisan bills aimed at addressing some of the most pressing issues facing veterans, including the PACT Act, the most significant expansion of benefits and services for veterans exposed to toxic substances in over 30 years.
The Biden-Harris administration pledges to continue efforts to expand healthcare coverage, address veteran homelessness, and provide education and job opportunities for veterans and their families.
[This article referenced reporting from “The Hill.”]