Governor Greg Abbott addressed the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Mid-Winter Conference, honoring service members who have served abroad. The event brought together veterans and advocates, including VFW State Commander Dave Walden, VFW Officer of the Day Willie Keller, and VFW State Chaplain Jim Russell.
“We wouldn’t be America today without those willing to fight and defend our freedom and our country across the entire globe,” said Governor Abbott. “It is essential to the future of our country that Texans at every age level know who you are and what it is that you did. As long as I’m your Governor, you have a Governor who has the back of Texas veterans.”
During his remarks, Governor Abbott thanked those who serve overseas and highlighted Texas’s role as home to more than 1.7 million veterans and active military personnel. He noted that he signed House Joint Resolution 133 to make permanent a franchise tax exemption for veteran-owned businesses. Additionally, he referenced a $50 million allocation for ibogaine clinical trials aimed at improving veterans’ lives.
Governor Abbott leads the executive office for the state government of Texas, which focuses on economic development, education enhancement, border security efforts, and community initiatives according to its official website. Under his leadership since 2014, the office has contributed to job growth in Texas and maintained primary offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building (source). The governor’s administration also supports initiatives such as Operation Lone Star for border security (source).
Additional photos from the conference will be provided when available.
