General Support of Veteran Bill for Week of July 27

GENERAL SUPPORT OF VETERAN BILLS FOR WEEK OF JULY 27 -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 31, 2009)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support for the veterans' bills considered on the floor this week. I am very pleased that we have reached a point where we can begin to address the many institutional problems our returning soldiers endure under the Department of Veteran Affairs. While some of these issues can be attributed to administrative deficiencies, many of the department's problems can be helped by increased federal support. These brave men and women deserve our support as they risk their lives in combat. This support should be reflected in appropriate legislative action to ease the burdens they confront upon returning home. While many of us in Congress may disagree on our military strategy and presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, we can all agree that our returning veterans deserve far more than what they have received upon returning home from combat.

Although the Bush Administration initiated the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it failed to provide for critical veterans' health care benefits and programs that would have helped to reorient our returning troops into society. However, under a new administration and as evidenced by the bills considered this week, Congress is working diligently to introduce and pass critical legislation that will provide our veterans with long overdue support and efficient access to medical resources. Therefore, I am pleased to support all of the veterans' bills on the floor this week, and I commend my colleagues in Congress for their commitment to our nation's troops.

A New York Times report published last fall reported that the nation's newest veterans, particularly the wounded, are paying an exceptionally high price for their service to our country. According to various veterans' advocacy groups, the combination of injury and unemployment coupled with the long VA disability claims process has forced many veterans into foreclosure and other financial hardships. Thus, the legislation on the floor this week will provide for beneficial assistance through federal appropriations, employment and housing resources, and improved veterans' medical insurance programs.

H.R. 3219, the Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act of 2009 will expand veterans' insurance and provide much needed healthcare improvements. Additionally, this measure establishes permanent VA authority to provide hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veterans and Persian Gulf War veterans who have insufficient medical evidence to establish a service-connected disability. Undoubtedly, many of our current veterans from past and our present international conflicts stand to benefit a great deal from this bill.

In addition, H.R. 1293, the Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009, will increase the amount of authorized grants the Department of Veterans Affairs can pay for improvements and structural alterations for homes of veterans with service-connected disabilities of 50 percent or more. Accordingly, this bill will provide much needed assistance for veterans to make any necessary improvements they are otherwise unable to fix on their own. As many may suffer from service-connected physical disabilities impeding their normal life activities, this bill would authorize the VA to increase their financial assistance to veterans. This measure will greatly supplement the bill we passed last Congress, the Homes for Heroes Act, H.R. 3329. Where that bill expanded the supply of permanent housing for veterans, H.R. 1293 will provide the grants to make improvements for veterans' current homes.

Moreover, H.R. 2270, the Veterans Nonprofit Research and Education Corporations (NREC) Enhancement Act of 2009 will amend federal provisions regarding the establishment at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities of nonprofit and research and education corporations (NRECs) to allow an NREC to facilitate the conduct of research or education, or both, at more than one VA medical center. This will greatly benefit the VA so that they can have readily available resources to help them confront challenges facing our veterans.

And H.R. 3155, the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act will provide federal assistance to individuals providing non-institutional extended care to disabled veterans. These valuable services include educational and teaching caring techniques; strategies and skills; nursing care, and mental and health services.

And finally, H.R. 1803, the Veterans Business Center Act of 2009 will amend the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish within the SBA a Veterans Business Center program to provide entrepreneurial training and counseling to veterans. This will create yet another resource to benefit our returning veterans who may have trouble finding employment.

Madam Speaker, these are incredibly important bills, providing our veterans with the federal resources so they may have efficient access to much needed medical assistance, job, and housing support. As a strong advocate for veterans' rights, I am pleased to add my voice of support for all of these measures. Moreover, I will be working with my colleagues to make sure we continue to provide the necessary resources towards protecting our veterans' rights and ensuring fair and just access to their rightful benefits.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source