Al’s first idea as a Senator, inspired by a chance meeting with a veteran, was to provide vets with service dogs to help them readjust to their communities and deal with mental and physical health issues. Having visited our troops overseas seven times on USO tours before becoming a Senator, Al continues to spend time with Minnesota veterans every chance he gets—and he is fighting to make sure they get the benefits they’ve earned.

Each year, when Congress debates the VA budget, Al will fight to ensure that sufficient funding is allotted to prevent lengthy delays for veterans looking to receive benefits. And he continues to work for job training and education programs to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan find good jobs.