Protecting Our Veterans

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAMMACK. I rise today, Madam Speaker, to speak in support of the RECORDS Act to make urgently needed reforms to the National Personnel Records Center which has failed our Nation's veterans through a critical time.

I would like to share a recent story from my district about a 99- year-old marine who has been suffering from Alzheimer's. Her family has been attempting to obtain her DD-214 form to apply for her VA pension. This would grant her a placement in a nursing home equipped to handle an Alzheimer's patient. However, the National Personnel Records Center has put an indefinite delay on sending her records to her and her loved ones.

Their justification in writing: this request does not constitute a medical emergency. She is 99 years old. She dedicated her life to serving our country as a marine and is suffering from a debilitating disease. As if this excuse was not poor enough, the center also demanded that the family prove that she has been separated for 60 years or more to justify pulling the records. Again, this is a 99-year-old marine veteran.

The National Personnel Records Center can no longer be allowed to lean on the crutches of COVID. This is their excuse to justify their dereliction of duty. They have an obligation to fulfill these claims for our Nation's veterans who have served our country bravely. If the National Personnel Records Center does their job and still feels no shame in letting veterans' care lapse while their needed records requests go unfulfilled to the tune of 500,000-plus nationally, hundreds within Florida's Third Congressional District--constituents of mine--then it is time for us in Congress to intervene.

Madam Speaker, I urge the House to immediately take up this legislation. Excuses be dammed.

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