Free Veterans From Fees Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1029) to Waive the application fee for any special use permit for veterans' special events at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1029

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Free Veterans from Fees Act''. SEC. 2. WAIVER OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FEE FOR VETERANS' SPECIAL EVENTS.

(a) Waiver.--The application fee for any special use permit solely for a veterans' special event at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs shall be waived.

(b) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) District of columbia and its environs.--The term ``the District of Columbia and its environs'' has the meaning given that term in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States Code.

(2) Gold star families.--The term ``Gold Star Families'' includes any individual described in section 3.2 of Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36.

(3) Special event.--The term ``special events'' has the meaning given that term in section 7.96 of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations.

(4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.

(5) Veterans' special event.--The term ``veterans' special event'' means a special event of which the majority of attendees are veterans or Gold Star Families.

(6) War memorial.--The term ``war memorial'' means any memorial or monument which has been erected or dedicated to commemorate a military unit, military group, war, conflict, victory, or peace.

(c) Applicability.--This section shall apply to any special use permit application submitted after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(d) Applicability of Existing Laws.--Permit applicants remain subject to all other laws, regulations, and policies regarding the application, issuance and execution of special use permits for a veterans' special event at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1029, the Free Veterans from Fees Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Greg Steube.

This bill would honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and Gold Star families by waiving application fees for veterans' special events at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in our Nation's Capital.

Although the National Park Service has a longstanding practice of waiving application fees for special use permits for most veterans' events at war memorials, veterans' organizations have often had to pay administrative fees and associated costs to obtain permits for events, such as honor buses.

By codifying a version of this practice in law, we can ensure that veterans and the Gold Star families are not required to pay when visiting the national war memorials that were built to commemorate their bravery and sacrifices and our country's fallen heroes.

I would like to thank Representative Steube for introducing this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, we have heard all the reasons why this bill matters. We even did an Honor Flight with the Rosies from Michigan, which was memorable.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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