On the 81st anniversary of D-Day, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed three pro-veteran bills into law.
The Florida governor spoke alongside veterans of World War II—one of whom is nearing his 105th birthday—at a Port Charlotte press conference, where he stressed the importance of protecting veterans from exploitation, making it easier for them to access care, and overhauling the veteran support system.
"On D-Day and every day, Florida honors those who served our country in uniform,” DeSantis said. “I was proud to support three bills today to further our commitment to veterans. Florida remains the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.”
HB 797 removes "bureaucratic" red tape for veterans and their spouses attempting to access veteran care. SB 116 revamps how Florida supports its veterans by expanding suicide prevention programs and creating a statewide plan for adult health care centers. SB 910 protects veterans from being exploited by "bad actors" by banning misleading guarantees and strengthening penalties.
D-Day marked the start of the liberation of Western Europe, the defeat of Nazi Germany, and the end of World War II. It was also the largest amphibious invasion.
On June 6, 1944, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, in "Operation Overlord." They faced around 50,000 German forces. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day, and more than 5,000 were wounded.
It's estimated that between 4,000 and 9,000 Germans were killed, wounded, or missing during D-Day.
