VIDEO: Chuck Grassley Completes #22PushUpChallenge with Senator Tom Cotton to Honor Those Who Serve

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 11, 2016
Contact: Robert Haus, 515-288-5055 | info@stggrassley.wpengine.com

Challenge Aimed at Raising Awareness of and Preventing Veteran Suicide

[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDY2VudGVyJTNFJTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGQklYc2k5c2NubkUlMEElM0ZyZWwlM0QwJTI2YXV0b3BsYXklM0QxJTIyJTIwZnJhbWVib3JkZXIlM0QlMjIwJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNFJTNDJTJGY2VudGVyJTNF[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]DES MOINES – Senator Chuck Grassley took the #22PushUpChallenge with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas along with employees of Cobham’s Davenport plant, which employs more than 750 people. Cobham is a leading global technology and service innovator, servicing critical capabilities for both national defense and commercial aerospace. Senator Cotton served in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer, where he spent five years of active duty, completing combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The #22PushUpChallenge is aimed at raising awareness for veteran suicide, estimated to take the lives of 22 veterans every day.”It’s important we honor those who serve in our nation’s Armed Forces,” said Senator Grassley. “It’s also important to raise awareness about the epidemic of suicide among veterans and to do everything we can to help those who served our country in uniform. Every day, twenty-two veterans are lost to suicide, leaving behind grieving families and loved ones across the country. That’s thousands of men and women every year. This is a national tragedy. We need to let our veterans know that we appreciate their service and make sure mental health resources are available to them.”

Senator Grassley and Senator Cotton challenged Iowa veterans Zach Nunn, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from Altoona, Ken Rizer, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from Cedar Rapids, and Dan Dawnson, a candidate for the Iowa State Senate from Council Bluffs, to take the #22PushUpChallenge.

Senator Grassley has a longstanding commitment to our nation’s veterans and works to ensure they get the care they deserve. Most recently, Senator Grassley has worked to get veterans exposed to Agent Orange the care they need under the Agent Orange Act of 1991.

Senator Grassley Works For Veterans By…
  • taking the lead on the Clay Hunt and Joshua Omvig bills now enacted into law, which increased mental health services and prevention programs for veterans and established a pilot program to repay loans for psychiatrists for those who agree to serve the Veterans Health Administration;
  • making it easier to fire incompetent workers at the VA;
  • championing whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing in the VA;
  • helping family caregivers who commit themselves to serving veterans;
  • improving the Veterans Choice program to give veterans more flexibility to seek medical care outside the VA system;
  • expediting appeals process for disability claims;
  • encouraging federal agencies and private sector to hire veterans;
  • supporting more resources for the VA to make sure veterans are served timely and effectively; and,
  • raising awareness and providing critical support for suicide prevention and post-traumatic stress disorder among service men and women.

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