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    "localId": "1252720",
    "label": "3/3/76 - Remarks at the Dedication of the National Service Headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans",
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    "title": "3/3/76 - Remarks at the Dedication of the National Service Headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans",
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    "seq": 1,
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    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/20/2527/1252720/content/library/document/0122/1252720.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 24, \"3/3/76 - Remarks at the Dedication of the\nNational Service Headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans\" of the President's\nSpeeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 24 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nREMARKS AT THE DEDICATION OF THE DISABLED\nAMERICAN VETERANS NATIONAL SERVICE\nHEADQUARTERS, MARCH 3, 1976\nSML\nPRESIDENT HAS SEEN\nACKNOWLEDGEMENTS\nDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS NATIONAL\nHEADQUARTERS BUILDING\nTHANK YOU, LYLE.\n(Lyle Pearson, National Commander,\nintroduces you.)\nDISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE\nFYI -- INVITED\nSENATOR HARTKE\nSENATOR HANSEN\nSENATOR THURMOND\nCONGRESSMAN ROBERTS\nCONGRESSMAN HAMMERSCHMIDT\nCONGRESSMAN TEAGUE\nADMINISTRATOR ROUDEBUSH\nMRS. SCHULTZE\n(PHONETICS: SCHULTZ)\n(Commander, DAV\nREVEREND ELSON\nAuxiliary)\nDISTINGUISHED GUESTS\nLADIES AND GENTLEMEN\n-|-\nI AM VERY PROUD TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY,\nTAKING PART IN THE DEDICATION OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN\nVETERANS NATIONAL SERVICE HEADQUARTERS\n-2-\nIN AUGUST OF 1974, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AS\nVICE-PRESIDENT OF ADDRESSING YOUR FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL\nCONVENTION IN NEW ORLEANS\nAT THAT TIME YOUR NATIONAL\nCOMMANDER GRACIOUSLY OFFERED ME AN INVITATION\n-3-\nHE SAID I WOULD BE WELCOME AT ANY GATHERING OF THE\nDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS\nAT ANY PLACE\nI CAN THINK\nOF NO TIME OR PLACE OR OCCASION MORE APPROPRIATE\nFOR ME TO ACCEPT THAT INVITATION THAN TODAY\n-4-\nTHE COMPLETION OF THIS IMPRESSIVE NEW\nNATIONAL SERVICE HEADQUARTERS IS THE PROUD CLIMAX\nTO YOUR FINE HISTORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS\nA HISTORY\nTHAT STRETCHES BACK FOR FIFTY-SIX YEARS\n-5-\nAS A VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II, I HAVE LONG\nADMIRED AND RESPECTED THE OUTSTANDING ROLE THE D-A-V\nHAS PLAYED IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE\nTHE D-A-V, WITH\nOVER HALF A MILLION DEDICATED MEMBERS, HAS COMPILED\nAN ENVIABLE RECORD OF CONSCIENTOUS AND COMPASSIONATE\nRESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF DISABLED VETERANS\nAND THEIR FAMILIES\n-6-\nYOUR EFFORTS HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE\nEDUCATIONAL,\nMEDICAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES\nAVAILABLE TO DISABLED VETERANS\nYOU HAVE PERSONALLY\nASSISTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL VETERANS\nAND THEIR FAMILIES IN RECEIVING THE BENEFITS WHICH THEY\nHAVE EARNED\n-7-\nWORKING WITH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION,\nYOU AND THE MEMBERS OF YOUR AUXILIARY HAVE PROMOTED\nTHE REHABILITATION AND WELFARE OF HOSPITALIZED VETERANS\nAND YOUR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOY SCOUTS\nOF AMERICA MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THOUSANDS OF HANDICAPPED\nBOYS TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF SCOUTING\n-8-\nTHROUGHOUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS,\nYOU DISPLAY A STRONG \\ HEALTHY AND VIBRANT PATRIOTISM\nYOU ARE RIGHTFULLY PROUD\n-\nAS I AM,\nOF THE GREAT COUNTRY\nWE WE RE CALLED UPON TO DEFEND\n+\nAND DID\n-9-\nYOURS WAS THE ULTIMATE INVOLVEMENT\nYOU GAVE YOUR\nMUSCLE, YOUR BLOOD YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR YEARS\nIT IS A PRICELESS GIFT AMERICA MUST NEVER FORGET\nAS PRESIDENT. \\ AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF \\ AND AS CITIZEN --\nI SALUTE YOU FOR IT\n-10-\nONE OF YOUR NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS\nHAS BEEN TO SERVE, AND TO INVOLVE IN YOUR WORK,\nDISABLED VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM CONFLICT\nI UNDERSTAND MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF YOUR 280 NATIONAL\nSERVICE OFFICERS STATIONED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TODAY\nARE VIETNAM VETERANS\n-11-\nTHAT CLEARLY SHOWS YOUR SUCCESS IN MEETING\nTHE NEW CHALLENGES CONFRONTING OUR VETERANS\nWE HAVE THE SAME OBLIGATION TO THE SERVICEMEN OF THAT\nLONG AND DIVISIVE CONFLICT AS TO ANY OTHERS\nTHEY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY WELL IN WAR, AND IT IS ONLY\nRIGHT THAT WE SERVE THEM WELL IN PEACE\n-12-\nBY MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING OUR\nVETERANS ADMINISTRATION, WE CAN ENSURE THAT VETERANS\nWILL GET THE HELP THEY DESERVE\nTHAT IS WHY, EVEN WITHIN THE TIGHT CONSTRAINTS\nOF MY FEDERAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1977, I HAVE PROPOSED\nA RECORD AMOUNT OF OVER 4 BILLION DOLLARS FOR V-A\nMEDICAL CARE\n-13-\nI HAVE REQUESTED FUNDS FOR MORE THAN 9,000\nNEW V-A MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN MY BUDGETS FOR FISCAL YEARS\n1976 AND 1977, TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF\nTHE QUALITY OF CARE SURVEY\nAND THOSE BUDGETS PROVIDE\nSOME 600 MILLION DOLLARS FOR V-A MEDICAL CONSTRUCTION\nPROJECTS\n-14-\nWE ARE PROVIDING MORE FUNDING,\nMORE PEOPLE\nAND BETTER FACILITIES TO GIVE ELIGIBLE VETERANS THE\nHIGHEST-QUALITY, FASTEST SERVICE POSSIBLE\n-15-\nIN ADDITION, MY NEW V-A BUDGET WILL PROVIDE 8 BILLION\nDOLLARS IN COMPENSATION AND PENSION BENEFITS TO ALMOST\n5 MILLION VETERAN FAMILIES IN FISCAL YEAR 1977\nYOU DESERVE NOTHING LESS\nI WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN\nTO MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU RECEIVE NOTHING LESS\n-16-\nI BELIEVE THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HAS\nDONE A FINE JOB OVERALL UNDER VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES\nWITH THE LEADERSHIP OF MY GOOD FRIEND DICK ROUDEBUSH,\nTHE V-A HAS MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES IN SERVING VETERANS\n-17-\nWE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THIS PROGRESS\nCONTINUES, WITH THE HELP OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS\nFROM YOUR NEW HEADQUARTERS YOU WILL BE IN A VERY GOOD\nPOSITION TO CONTINUE SERVING THE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS\nOF DISABLED VETERANS\n-18-\nTHIS NEW BUILDING IS A MONUMENT TO THE\nSACRIFICES MADE BY THOSE VETERANS, AND TO THE SERVICES\nYOU HAVE RENDERED THEM\nBUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT\nIT IS A LIVING, VITAL, DYNAMIC HEADQUARTERS WHERE\nYOU WILL CONTINUE THOSE SERVICES\n-19-\nHERE IS A BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED\nWITH SENSITIVITY TO THE NEEDS OF DISABLED VETERANS\nLIKE YOUR ORGANIZATION, IT IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT\nACCESSIBLE TO THEM, WHATEVER THEIR INFIRMITY\n-20-\nWE MUST CONTINUE TO ELIMINATE THE CRUEL\nBARRIERS THAT PREVENT DISABLED VETERANS\nAND TOO MANY\nOTHER DISABLED AMERICANS\nFROM LEADING THE RICH LIFE\nTHEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO ENJOY IN OUR GREAT COUNTRY\n-21-\nMANY OF THESE BARRIERS ARE PHYSICAL\nYOUR EFFORTS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO TRAIN\nAND REHABILITATE THE DISABLED ARE TRAGICALLY UNDERMINED\nIF THE DISABLED INDIVIDUAL CANNOT ENTER AND USE PUBLIC\nBUILDINGS OR PLACES OF BUSINESS\n-22-\nI AM WELL AWARE OF THE SAD FACT THAT MANY\nTHINGS THE REST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED\nLIKE A NARROW\nDOORWAY OR A FLIGHT OF STEPS\n-\nCAN BE LIKE SIGNS\nSAYING \"DISABLED -- KEEP OUT\nWE MUST WORK\nTO REMOVE THESE SIGNS -- AND WE ARE\n-23-\nWE ARE MOVING STEADILY TOWARD MAKING\nFEDERALLY OWNED AND LEASED BUILDINGS PHYSICALLY\nACCESSIBLE TO EVERY AMERICAN\n-24-\nA RECENT MEETING AT THE WHITE HOUSE\nON THE SUBJECT OF ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS, EXPLORED\nTHIS PROBLEM WITH ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS.\nBY REMOVING PHYSICAL BARRIERS, WE CAN ALSO HELP REMOVE\nTHE SOCIAL BARRIERS WHICH ALL TOO FREQUENTLY CONFRONT\nTHE DISABLED\n-25-\nAS WE DEDICATE THIS BUILDING, LET US\nDEDICATE OURSELVES TO PROTECTING THE FREEDOM FOR WHICH\nVETERANS GAVE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR LIVES\nLET US ALSO DEDICATE OURSELVES TO UNDERSTANDING AND\nRESPOND ING TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF DISABLED VETERANS\n-26-\nA FREE SOCIETY OWES AN ENDURING DEBT TO THOSE WHO FOUGHT\nTO KEEP IT FREE\nLET US MATCH THAT SACRIFICE WITH\nOUR DETERMINATION THAT ALL VETERANS SHALL INDEED,\nLIVE A LIFE THAT IS SECURE, SATISFYING AND TRULY\nINDEPENDENT.\nTHANK YOU VERY MUCH\nEND OF TEXT"
}