Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. KING. Madam President, I rise to share some good news from my
home State of Maine. It is the story of veterans helping veterans--of
three people from Maine who have positively impacted the lives of
thousands of veterans in my State and have done so in a unique way.
They make personalized wooden canes with a bold and intricate bald
eagle head carved into the handle for any Maine veteran who wants one.

I have some pictures that show a large number of the canes and a
closeup. As I noted when one of these canes appeared in my office
recently, this eagle has an attitude and he is positive about the
future of this country.

About 8 years ago, George and Donna Gunning from Windsor, ME, heard
about a project in Oklahoma called the Eagle Cane Project. The mission
was to help post-9/11 veterans who had trouble walking because of leg
disabilities due to combat-related action by providing them with a
unique hand-carved cane.

As a Navy veteran, George and his wife Donna Gunning, who grew up in
a Navy family, were both intimately familiar with the sacrifices and
difficulties that accompany military service. This project touched
their hearts and they quickly recognized it as an opportunity to give
back to veterans in Maine. They brought their own version of the
project to our State, offering a personalized eagle cane to any Maine
veteran who had served anywhere in the world in any conflict across the
globe.

It wasn't long before the Gunnings were joined by another fellow
named Burt Truman from Hallowell, ME, who spent two decades in the
military, in the Navy, Army Reserve, and the Air National Guard. The
trio worked together on each cane they made--crafting them, painting
them, personalizing each one by etching the veteran's name and molding
medals to show their branch of the service and any honors they
received.

As impressive as each of these masterpieces is, the number that these
three people have produced is what is astounding and remarkable. The
current count is 2,474 of these personally hand-made canes, made free
of charge and funded for Maine veterans entirely through donations.

For all their hard work and dedication, the trio remains adamant that
they deserve no special recognition, although I am giving it to them
here today. Instead, they would rather the attention and admiration and
thanks of all of our people be directed toward the veterans who are
receiving these canes, who have borne so much for our country.

That is the true magic of this project. It is about recognizing our
veterans, supporting them, and giving them something to lean on, both
literally, physically, and emotionally.

In recent months, as the Presiding Officer knows, there have been a
number of efforts in the Congress to further support our veterans--to
improve their access to care and support services. While the Choice
Act, which was signed into law last August, made progress in this area,
more work needs to be done. To ensure that provisions of this
legislation we all voted for and supported last year are implemented in
accordance with our intent, Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Susan Collins,
myself and others have introduced a bill to improve how the VA
determines eligibility for the Choice Program.

Currently, veterans can only use their Choice cards if they cannot
get an appointment within 30 days at a VA facility and face an
excessive burden of travel, such as a body of water, or if they live
more than 40 miles as the crow flies from any VA facility, regardless
of whether it provides the type of care they need.

In my opinion this isn't what Congress intended. In rural States such
as Maine, as the crow flies is not a good definition of distance. We
have to take into account whether the VA facility in question can
provide our veterans with the specific care services they require. So
the bill sponsored by Senators Moran, Collins, myself, and others
offers a fix by requiring the VA to use its existing authority to offer
community care to veterans who live more than 40 miles driving distance
from the nearest VA facility that provides the type of care they need.

I hope in the coming weeks the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and
the similar committee in the House will hold hearings on this issue so
we are able to provide a path forward and correct what I think is
certainly a fixable portion of the Choice Act we passed last year.

As we look for that path, and as we think about veterans' issues, I
think these eagle canes provide some inspiration. The bald eagle of
course is a national symbol of freedom and independence, and with these
canes it has also come to symbolize in Maine the debt of gratitude we
owe to our Nation's veterans. Each cane is a treasured reminder that
someone cares, someone notices, and someone appreciates what they have
done.

I have seen firsthand the powerful effect these canes have. Earlier
this month I was meeting with members of the Maine Veterans of Foreign
Wars and one of the gentlemen who sat right next to me in my office had
with him this beautifully carved eagle cane. Thinking it was the only
one of its kind, I asked him where he found something so unique and
interesting and powerful. He said: Well, it was made right here in
Maine, and I am not the only person who has one. It was one of
thousands made in a Windsor, ME, workshop.

Even more telling was how quickly and enthusiastically the VFW
members, also in my office that day, jumped in to explain where the
canes came from and how glowingly they spoke of this project and what
it has meant to veterans in Maine. They knew the history of the
project, they described the meticulousness of the craftsmanship--which
we can see here--and they quickly gave me George Gunning's name. Their
enthusiasm underscored their true appreciation for the support and
recognition this Eagle Cane Project in Maine had given to them and
their fellow veterans.

Burt, George, and Donna's work is a true testament to the strength of
our veterans community in Maine, and that is what it is all about.

Good news from Maine, Madam President. Good news about our commitment
to each other and our commitment to our veterans. It is often said that
Maine is a big small town with very long streets. We know each other,
we care about each other, and in this case we deeply care about our
veterans.

Madam President, I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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