Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025
Floor Speech
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Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, our veterans deserve the very best. It is our job to make sure they get it.
That is why we are here during amendment debate to ensure that their needs continue to be met after their honorable and heroic service to the Nation.
The underlying bill appropriates $320 million to the VA Housing Benefit Program Fund for administrative expenses to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs.
As many of my colleagues know, the VA loan program guarantees loans made to servicemembers, veterans, reservists, and single surviving spouses for the purchase of homes.
As veterans navigate the often cumbersome process of buying a home, they should have access to as much information as possible that will enable them to make the best financial decisions for their families. That is all this amendment does.
If the VA accepted this recommendation, this amendment would ensure that $1 million of the total administrative expenses funds appropriated for the home loan program can be used for the development of improved information materials regarding the relative benefits of a VA home loan versus other types of housing loans for prospective buyers.
This is simply a reflection of the fact that while a VA home loan is often the right choice for veterans who are trying to buy a home, the benefits may not be as clearly presented as they go through the process. If a VA loan would be better, then the veteran should know it.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her support.
Again, all we are trying to do here is make sure that our veterans who have committed their lives and sacrificed for our country have information as they are trying to provide for their families. We have made promises, so this is promise made, promise kept.
Madam Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of my amendment to prioritize increased support for our veterans suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
The numbers don't lie and bear repeating: Over 20 percent of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans have received a diagnosis of PTSD. Our older veterans are also impacted. Over 10 percent of Gulf war veterans and 15 percent of Vietnam veterans are similarly impacted by this cruel diagnosis.
Unfortunately, current treatments do not always meet the needs of our veterans suffering from PTSD. Therefore, it is vital that the Department of Veterans Affairs invests more of its resources into any treatment that can improve the daily lives of our veterans. One of those treatments, SGB therapy, has been a cause championed by my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).
Madam Chair, I urge adoption of his amendment, as well.
Caring for our soldiers is the top priority of this Congress, whether Democrat or Republican.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the gentleman's amendment.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her support.
PTSD is real. We have veterans suffering from it every single day. ``Promises Made, Promises Kept,'' that is our oath.
Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, with many veterans in my family, this is something that is near and dear to my heart as I have seen members of my family having to drive long distances to receive care that otherwise could have been provided at home.
I think of my Uncle Keith, who suffered and languished in the hospital when he could have passed peacefully with his family in his own home.
VA's Medical Community Care Program allows veterans to get the care they need from community providers when the VA cannot do so. To complement the VA's efforts to provide medical services to chronically ill or disabled veterans through the community care program, this amendment ensures additional funding specifically for in-home healthcare.
If a disabled veteran would like to receive medical services from a specific VA-approved community provider, and it would better facilitate that veteran's care than other medical services, it should be a top priority for the VA.
This is plain and simple, common sense, providing the best healthcare for those who have sacrificed so much for this country, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, when I think about my home State of Tennessee, and particularly Maury County, where I reside, we have Maury Regional Hospital, which is a community-owned nonprofit hospital. The VA is over an hour away if veterans live where I live. If they live further south, then the VA would be 1\1/2\ hours to 2 hours away. You have a locally owned, community-owned hospital that is a nonprofit that could provide these same services for our veterans, in our community, at their homes, where they are not having to travel 1 hour or 1\1/2\ hours to get services.
This isn't about privatization. This is about prioritizing our veterans as they seek medical care for the service that they gave to their country.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, what the gentleman's amendment does is it encourages the privatization of in-home healthcare that we provide to our veterans.
The difference between providing care to our veterans from the VA and providing privatized home healthcare is one can ensure that, within the VA system, the veteran is cared for, oftentimes by another veteran or by someone who is accustomed to treating veterans and understands the unique and specific needs that they have.
Moving toward more and more privatization makes it so that veterans are less likely to be treated soon, more likely to be treated with care that is more expensive, and more likely to be treated by someone who really doesn't have experience in caring for a veteran.
Madam Chair, none of those things are positive, so I urge opposition to that amendment for that reason, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I appreciate my colleague's comments, but I would disagree. This is simply about prioritizing our veterans.
Again, I speak of my community. From where I live, the VA is over 1 hour away. Veterans can be served by their regional hospital, their community hospital. In rural Tennessee, most of the hospitals are community owned.
This is about allowing veterans, who otherwise would be 1 hour to 3 hours away from care, to be served and serviced in their community. They are our veterans. They served the country. They have sacrificed, and they deserve the best.
Madam Chair, I urge adoption of the amendment. Promises made, promises kept.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, the underlying legislation provides similar funding to the Board of Veterans' Appeals as the fiscal year 2024 levels, approximately $267 million. This amendment recommends that the Board of Veterans' Appeals invest a very small portion of its appropriated funds to expedite and eliminate the casework backlog many of our veteran constituents have raised with a variety of Members of Congress.
Again, this is simply to get rid of the backlog, to expedite those cases, as has been discussed here previously, so that our veterans can get care in a quick, expeditious manner.
The committee report highlights sustained Member concerns regarding the ongoing delays veterans and their families face. Claims can currently take years to resolve.
I am grateful to see that the committee, under Chairman Carter's leadership, has prioritized hiring needed staff to expedite processing. This amendment stands in support of the committee's work.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even though I am not opposed to it.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her kind words.
This is a report ordered by this legislation that directs the VA Secretary to produce a plan within 90 days that would eliminate the veteran case backlog within 3 years. It is a simple, commonsense approach of promises made, promises kept. Let's do that.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, coming from a family who has had family members serve in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the current war on terror, I have a near and dear place for all of our veterans in my heart.
Specifically, I think about our World War II veterans and the veterans of the Korea and Vietnam conflicts. We owe it to those who risked life and limb to fight our Nation's battles, not only to have our deepest gratitude and sympathy, but to have their service recognized. They should know that we will stand with them through disability, illness, and old age.
Again, to our veterans of World War II--there are not many of them left--Korea, and Vietnam, we need to make sure that they have access to excellent extended care. State extended-care facilities play a critical role in living up to that promise.
State governments can place these facilities where they can best serve veteran communities. They allow our veterans to find high-quality nursing home care in their home States and near their communities so they can enjoy the camaraderie of being surrounded by other residents who know what it is to have served our country.
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment, even though I am not opposed to it.
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Mr. OGLES. Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her comments.
Again, this encourages the VA to redouble its efforts in supporting States in constructing and maintaining excellent facilities to serve all veterans, especially the veterans of our foreign wars.
Promises made, Madam Chair, promises kept. That is what we must do.
Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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