Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution alongside Senator John Boozman (R-AR) to designate April as the “Month of the Military Child.” Month of the Military Child is observed each April to celebrate and honor the commitment, service, and sacrifices made by children in military families. The resolution notes that servicemembers’ entire families make a commitment to the United States, and that military children are heroes in their own way—and it urges people across the United States to show appreciation for the more than 1.6 million children who are part of military families across the United States.
The legislation was also co-led by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Hoeven (R-ND).
“I know first-hand that when your parent is in the military, it is a commitment the entire family makes to this country. Military children deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged for the heroic commitments they make to their families in service,” said Senator Murray. “I will always be a voice for Washington state’s servicemembers and their families, and I am proud to partner with Senator Boozman to recognize military children for the sacrifices they make every single day for their families’ service to our country.”
“Military service is a family affair, including the sons and daughters of our servicemembers. There are not enough words to acknowledge the costs and sacrifices, like countless moves and long separations during deployments, that they bear,” said Senator Boozman. “I am proud to come together in a bipartisan way to recognize every military child and express our gratitude for selflessly sharing their parents with the noble cause of defending our nation.”
“When someone chooses to serve our nation in uniform, their entire family joins in the sacrifice. Military children have to move around frequently, change schools multiple times, and spend special occasions without a parent,” said Senator Rosen. “They deserve our gratitude and recognition, which is why I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to designate April as the Month of the Military Child.”
“Military children show incredible resilience as they navigate the unique challenges of military life,” said Senator Hoeven. “From frequent moves to long deployments, they stand strong beside their families with courage. Their sacrifices often go unseen, but their service to our nation deserves to be celebrated.”
Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting servicemembers, veterans, and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has fought throughout her career for increased benefits for veterans, housing assistance, better access to veterans’ clinics throughout Washington state, and more accountability from the VA.
Earlier this year, Senators Murray and Boozman reintroduced their bipartisan Helping Heroes Act, which would support the families of disabled veterans, including children who take on caregiving roles. This bill recognizes the work done by the approximately 2.3 million children under the age of 18 living in a household with a disabled veteran and seeks to provide critical support and assistance to these children in accessing local, state, and federal resources.
The full text of the legislation is HERE.
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