Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, the decision in Procopio removed much of the cost issues both Chambers struggled with in the last Congress. Because we are covering more veterans than the Procopio decision, the ranking member and I included a mechanism in the bill to cover both the mandatory and discretionary costs. As was the case with the bill that passed last Congress, the pay-for results from raising the current rate of the filing fee veterans pay when applying for a home loan under the VA mortgage guarantee program.

We are running out of time to do what is right for the blue water Navy veterans and the survivors of those veterans we have already lost. It is time for Congress to make our intention clear. The evidence supports granting this presumption in favor of these veterans.

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Mr. TAKANO. The gentleman from Connecticut has been a steadfast advocate for the blue water Navy veterans and the veterans in his district, and I want to express my gratitude to him for pushing the Veterans' Affairs Committee and the House to right this wrong and ensure veterans receive the benefits they are owed.

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Mr. TAKANO. Jones, Jr., from North Carolina, who cosponsored H.R. 299 at the very beginning of this Congress. It saddens me that we weren't able to pass this bipartisan bill into law before his passing. As a former member of the North Carolina National Guard, he would be proud to know that this bill was being considered on the House floor today and that we will continue to push to get this legislation passed into law.

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I want to take a moment on this historic day to recognize the effort of former Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tim Walz. He was a primary mover of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act for 12 years while he was in Congress, and I know this effort was very important to him.

He said many times that compensating and providing care for toxic exposures is one of the greatest challenges the Veterans' Affairs Committee faces but that no veteran should ever have to wait more than 40 years again.

When he left, he challenged us to make sure that this pattern of denying benefits does not continue. As chairman of this committee, I will do what I can to meet Tim Walz's challenge.

Mr. Speaker, I know that Tim has a big smile on his face in the Governor's mansion back in Minnesota, and I just want him to know that he has had a big part in today's victory.

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Mr. Speaker, passage of this legislation is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to right an injustice. I urge all my colleagues to champion this legislation, H.R. 299, as amended, so we can finally pass it into law and get justice for these veterans.

I associate myself with the challenge that the ranking member has made to the Senate. I would have rather they got it done by the end of the week, but I would be perfectly happy if we get the Blue Water Navy bill done by Memorial Day.

I, too, want to congratulate the hard work of my staff and your staff, for their working together. The solidarity that our staffs had in getting this bill to the floor, done, and tied with a ribbon and bow was really important. I appreciate the bipartisan spirit that not only exists between me and the gentleman, and the members of our committee, but also the spirit of cooperation that exists with our respective staffs.

Mr. Speaker, the Veterans' Affairs Committee is that corner of Congress that still works. It is with great pride today that I close out these remarks and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 299, as amended.

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