[Open letter to veterans signed by twenty-one Medal of Honor recipients]

Dear fellow veterans:

We have listened to Senator Kerry falsely attack President Bush for months over funding for veterans, and it’s time to set the record straight. The truth is President Bush has led the way on improving veterans’ benefits, supporting our troops and restoring honor and dignity to the White House.

Since 2001, President Bush has increased veterans funding by over $20 billion, and funding for veterans’ health care has increased by 40 percent since he took office. Funding for veterans has gone up twice as fast under President Bush as it did under President Clinton, and those who accuse the President of cutting funding are simply not being honest with veterans.

Meanwhile, John Kerry voted against a $1.3 billion increase in veterans health care, skipped votes on concurrent receipt and voted against funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. And while he talks a good game, Kerry’s record shows he is out of the mainstream. The American Flag symbolizes our ideals, our history and our values. President Bush shares this belief and supports a Constitutional Amendment banning desecration of the Flag. John Kerry believes this is “an attack on free speech.”

We are disturbed that John Kerry would try to scare veterans with his false accusations, and we are disappointed in his lack of support for today’s troops. Please join us in setting the record straight and showing your support for President Bush — a leader who has proven his support for those who have served, backs our troops defending our nation and shares our values.

Sincerely,

*The signatures on this letter of Medal of Honor recipients does not denote the support or endorsement of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society