On Thursday — the 12th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War — U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , a Democrat, and Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) launched the Congressional Post-9/11 Veterans Caucus.

They were joined at an announcement in Washington, D.C., by Rep. Mark Takai, the other Democrat of Hawaii, and Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA).

Gabbard and Perry, both veterans of the Iraq war, will serve as caucus co-chairs.

On this 12th anniversary of the #Iraq war, these post-9/11 veterans in Congress are dedicated to empowering #veterans pic.twitter.com/HSsymuPkEc — Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) March 19, 2015

According to a press release from Gabbard’s office, the Congressional Post-9/11 Veterans Caucus will include a bipartisan group of members who have served in the military after 9/11 “and who are dedicated to issues related to our newest generation of veterans. The caucus’ legislative agenda will focus on the 2.8 million veterans who have served and deployed since 9/11, and provide a forum for this new generation of veterans to voice their concerns and ideas.

Flickr: The U.S. Army

“Taking care of our brothers and sisters in uniform who have selflessly served our country must be a priority for Congress,” Gabbard said on the press release. “The bond that exists between those of us who have served spans across all generations. …”

Said Takai, “I am proud and honored to be joining my brothers and sisters that have served in the Armed Services in establishing this new caucus. The number of veterans in Congress is at an all-time low, now more than ever, there needs to be a strong and united voice in Congress advocating on behalf of our veterans. The recent conflicts in the Middle East have produced a new generation of veterans with unique needs that must be met, and as a caucus of members that are part of this recent generation of service, we understand the challenges that lie ahead.”