Senator Murray to Succeed Senator Akaka as Chair of Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee

Late last week, Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., was announced as the replacement for Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) as the chair of the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee. "This is a great honor, but an even bigger responsibility," Murray said in a release from her office. "As Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I have a tremendous duty to the 22 million veterans across the country who have stepped up to serve our nation and who deserve the highest quality care, benefits, and treatment in return."

Akaka, an 86-year-old veteran of World War II who helped push forward the changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, will move posts to chair the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Murray, who never served in the military, but whose father was a veteran, said of Akaka: "I am humbled by this Chairmanship not only because of the great veterans I’ll serve, but also because of the man whose shoes I’ll be working to fill. Senator Akaka has been, and always will be, a champion for his fellow veterans. I know that in the coming years he will continue to be a leader on this Committee, someone who I will rely on heavily, and someone who’ll never stop fighting for the veterans of his home state and our nation."

Murray is the Committee's first chairwoman. For more information about the new Veteran's Affairs Committee chair, refer to the release from Senator Murray's office: Senator Murray Named Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee

Image courtesy of Sentator Murray's office.

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