Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this amendment by Mr. Roy.

This amendment prohibits any of the funding appropriated from being used to modify or remove any VA display of the original mission statement.

As you may know, the original mission statement came from President Lincoln's promise: ``To fulfill President Lincoln's promise `to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan,' by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's veterans.'' They want to change it to a gender-neutral version: ``To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our Nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.''

We believe that that is a bridge too far, that we have changed the original mission statement too much. The original mission statement is posted in roughly 50 percent of all VA facilities, and now the VA has been replacing them over the last couple of months. It is unclear which displays have been changed and which have been replaced.

The Trump administration resisted calls to change the motto and put an additional 140 plaques in national cemeteries bearing Lincoln's quote.

Legislation changing the motto passed by voice in committee and on the House floor in the 116th Congress.

We should not use tax dollars to allow the administration to unilaterally change the VA's historic motto and to erase the words of President Lincoln in order to appease the radical left. This is part of our mission to claw back Article I authority from the executive branch.

The VA's mission statement, established in 1959, used approximately the same words. This speech was part of the VA's creation of their mission, and the Department wants to use hard-earned tax dollars now to erase the 16th President's words said during the midst of the most traumatic time in our Nation's history, the Civil War.

In one attempt, they want to erase Lincoln's words and earn woke brownie points.

I am thankful for the millions of men and women who have served valiantly in our Armed Forces, but changing the VA's motto is just virtue signaling. We should be focused on providing the quality care and benefits veterans have earned in a timely manner.

We just had a hearing with the Secretary of the VA this morning in the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We are trying to keep them focused on quality healthcare as opposed to other issues. There are still far too many veterans who fail to get quality care at the VA, or if they do not get an appointment, it takes months to schedule through community care.

Mr. Chair, we had a long discussion this morning about the failure of the VA to get a handle on veteran suicide. That is where our focus ought to be, as opposed to changing plaques on the wall to some sort of woke motto.

We have the power of the purse to hold the administration accountable, to stop the implementation of the VA's decision, and to save the few remaining displays of Lincoln's work. This is a worthy and noble goal, and I urge support for this amendment.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, I agree with the gentlewoman about one thing: This is the modern-day erasing of America's traditional history, which is one of three things that they are trying to erase along with our nuclear families and our Judeo-Christian faith.

It is only one of three things that they are trying to erase. That is what they are trying to erase. That is why we need to stand by this amendment because our families, our faith, and our history reflect what has made America strong.

It does not leave anyone out. We are going to care for every veteran. In fact, she is right, the Veterans' Affairs Committee is focused on our lady veterans in many ways. So this is a distraction from this bill. Let's keep our history where it is. Let's keep our nuclear families and our Judeo-Christian faith.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Chair, for the fastest growing group of veterans, our women, who walk into a VA facility and see the VA mission statement displayed on the wall that only refers to men who served is outrageous. That is not inclusive, and that does not reflect or recognize that we have thousands and thousands of women serving in our military.

The VA is supposed to take care of all of those veterans. So I will close, Mr. Chairman, by saying that if people show you who they are, you should believe them. That is why I am opposed to this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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