I grew up in a military home. As the son of an Air Force Master Sergeant who served for more than 20 years, I learned at an early age about how military service is a family affair.

I’m proud to join my colleague Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to introduce a resolution designating April as the Month of the Military Child to recognize those whose parents serve in uniform and acknowledge their unique experience.

Month of the Military Child is observed each April to honor and celebrate military children and youth for their service, commitment and sacrifice in support of the Department of Defense’s mission. The observance reiterates a commitment to provide these children the positive development and best care they need for a bright future.

It’s a privilege to support military families and improve policies to better meet their needs. Last month, I introduced the Helping Heroes Act of 2023. This legislation recognizes the work done by the approximately 2.3 million children living in homes with a disabled veteran and seeks to provide critical support and assistance to connect these young caregivers with additional resources so we can help them at every stage. We’re working to incentive hiring military spouses who face challenges in finding meaningful employment as a result of frequent moves for new military assignments. I’m also championing bipartisan legislation to update the Dependence and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits for military survivors. The Caring for Survivors Act of 2023 would bring payments to DIC recipients in line with payments to surviving spouses of other federal employees as DIC benefits currently lag behind other programs’ payments by nearly 12 percent.

Through these proposals and others, I’m proud to advocate for military kids and families so we can improve their quality of life and address the specific needs that come with being an extension of our nation’s Armed Forces.