H.R. 4023House108th Congress (2003-2005)In Committee

To amend the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone the 2005 round of base closures and realignments until 2007.

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

Readiness Subcommittee

April 6, 2004

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 24, 2004

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

March 24, 2004

HouseCommittee

Executive Comment Requested from DOD.

Armed Services Committee

April 6, 2004

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

Readiness Subcommittee

April 6, 2004

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4023 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Susan A. DavisD-CA-53 · Oct 11, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues for acting to protect the benefits of a vulnerable class of America's brave veterans. Over 100,000 of America's military veterans or their dependents…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues for acting to protect the benefits of a vulnerable class of America's brave veterans.

Over 100,000 of America's military veterans or their dependents are not able to manage their own finances because of physical or mental disabilities. In these cases, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) appoints a family member, a guardian, or another person to act as a ``fiduciary'' to protect and manage their monetary payments and VA benefits.

Caring for a dependent veteran involves using the payments the VA sends each month to pay utility bills, buy food, and to meet the other needs on behalf of the veteran. It is a tremendous responsibility.

Last year, during an oversight hearing into the VA's fiduciary program, I learned that some of these veterans are not always cared for by the appointed fiduciary.

In fact, the Inspector General has found cases in which a fiduciary has withheld payments completely for several years--defrauding the veteran out of several thousand dollars.

In my District Office in San Diego, my staff has tried to assist veterans who lost out on their payments only to learn that under current law, the VA does not have the authority to replace the benefits when misuse has occurred.

Because it was our veterans suffering from the lack of oversight, I introduced the Veterans Fiduciary Act of 2004 or H.R. 4023 to provide veterans with protections similar to those recently enacted to protect Social Security beneficiaries. Surely our Nation's veterans also deserve the same protections as Social Security beneficiaries.

H.R. 4032 gives veterans new avenues to recoup their losses if they fall victim to fraud. In addition, the VA will conduct more thorough background checks and will have new authority to take action against fiduciaries who are not fulfilling their obligations.

I am pleased provisions of H.R. 4032 have been included in the servicemembers Legal Protection Act of 2004 or H.R. 4568. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation today.

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 24, 2004

108th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 4023

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 24, 2004

Mr. Ortiz (for himself, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Evans, Mr. Jones of North Carolina, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Green of Texas, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Mr. Kanjorski, Mr. Holt, and Mr. Allen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To amend the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to postpone the 2005 round of base closures and realignments until 2007.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

The roles of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, and the resources necessary for homeland defense, are still evolving.

(2)

The decision to conduct an additional round of base closures and realignments in 2005 was developed before the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

(3)

The long-term, costs, and personnel requirements of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, and Operation Iraqi Freedom are still unknown.

(4)

Additional funds are necessary to adequately supply the Armed Forces for current missions, while expediting military transformation.

(5)

The Congress will not have the opportunity to thoroughly review and consider the policy decisions culminating in the Global Posture Review before decisions regarding the closure and realignment of military installations will be required in the 2005 round of base closures and realignments.

(6)

The expected costs of implementing and executing base closures and realignments recommended in the 2005 round is estimated at $15,000,000,000 and net savings from such base closures and realignments will not be realized until approximately 2011.

Two-year postponement of 2005 base closure and realignment round

(a)

Submittal of recommendations regarding closure or realignment of military installations

Section 2914 of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101–510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note), as added by section 3003 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Public Law 107–107; 115 Stat. 1345), is amended—

(1)

in the section heading, by striking 2005 and inserting 2007; and

(2)

in subsection (a), by striking May 16, 2005, and inserting May 16, 2007,.

(b)

Commission review and recommendations

Subsection (d) of such section is amended—

(1)

in paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking September 8, 2005 both places it appears and inserting September 8, 2007; and

(2)

in paragraph (6)—

(A)

by striking in 2005 and inserting under this section; and

(B)

by striking July 1, 2005 and inserting July 1, 2007.

(c)

Review by president and transmittal to Congress

Subsection (e) of such section is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

by striking in 2005 and inserting under this section; and

(B)

by striking September 23, 2005 and inserting September 23, 2007;

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking October 20, 2005 and inserting October 20, 2007; and

(3)

in paragraph (3), by striking November 7, 2005 and inserting November 7, 2007.

(d)

Conforming amendments

(1)

Section 2904(a)(3) of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 is amended by striking in the 2005 report and inserting in a report submitted after 2001.

(2)

Section 2906(e) of such Act is amended by striking 2005 and inserting 2007.

(3)

Section 2906A of such Act is amended—

(A)

in the section heading, by striking 2005 and inserting 2007; and

(B)

by striking 2005 each place it appears and inserting 2007.

(4)

Section 2912 of such Act is amended—

(A)

in the section heading, by striking 2005 and inserting 2007;

(B)

in subsection (a)(4), by striking fiscal year 2006 and inserting fiscal year 2008;

(C)

in subsections (b)(2) and (d), by striking in 2005 each place it appears and inserting under section 2914;

(D)

in subsection (d), by striking March 15, 2005 both places it appears and inserting March 15, 2007;

(E)

in subsection (d)(4), by striking calendar year 2005 and shall terminate on April 15, 2006 and inserting calendar year 2007 and shall terminate on April 15, 2008; and

(F)

in subsection (d)(5), by striking second session of the 108th Congress for the activities of the Commission in 2005 and inserting second session of the 109th Congress for the activities of the Commission under section 2914.

(5)

Section 2913 of such Act is amended—

(A)

in the section heading, by striking 2005 and inserting 2007;

(B)

by striking in 2005 each place it appears and inserting under section 2914;

(C)

in subsection (e), by striking March 15, 2004 and inserting March 15, 2006.