WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2017) – Yesterday, Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus, joined fellow Co-Chair Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02) at Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia for the annual bipartisan Congressional Military Family Summit. The two welcomed Department of Defense officials, representatives from military service organizations, staff from five Congressional offices, and over 200 military family and service members for this year’s summit at the National Infantry Museum near Fort Benning.

“Supporting our military families is a top priority of mine because the strength of our military is drawn from the strength of our military families,” said Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers. “This summit and caucus allow us to pay special attention to the unique and diverse issues that military families face, hear their stories, and work to find solutions. I’m so thankful to Congressman Sanford D. Bishop for being a partner in this effort and for hosting this year’s summit at Fort Benning. As a team, we can continue to look for solutions to strengthen our military families and make their lives a little easier.”

“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Military Family Caucus and a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, I take seriously my obligation to military families and veterans in Georgia and nationwide,” said Congressman Bishop. “It is our responsibility to listen, learn, and ensure military family voices are heard on Capitol Hill. Spousal employment, state licensure, healthcare and caregiving, and military child education provide unique challenges for military families, and as legislators, we must see to it that the policies we craft ease the burden for those families that support our national defense.”

“We have made great strides in addressing the challenges facing military families since the founding the Congressional Military Family Caucus in 2009,” continued Congressman Bishop. “However, there always remains room for improvement. The Military Family Summit continues to provide military families a seat at the table and helps Congress and the Executive Branch uncover and address emerging concerns in a swift and productive manner.”

NOTE: The Congressional Military Family Caucus is a bipartisan group consisting of more than 80 Members of Congress dedicated to educating elected officials, congressional staffers, senior military leaders, and the public on the unique issues facing military families today.

Keynote panelists at the summit included General (Ret.) Lloyd Austin, former Commander of CENTCOM and Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; Joyce Raezer, Executive Director of the National Military Association; and Major General Jeffrey Clark from the Defense Health Agency. The full program, including all panelists and moderators, for the 2017 Military Family Summit can be found here.

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