Guaranteed Home For Our Veterans Act of 2005

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to urge support for two bills that I have introduced that address the needs of our veterans. We have recently celebrated Flag Day, and I believe an appropriate way to celebrate Flag Day is to introduce bills that will help veterans in pursuing their education and gaining admission to state veterans homes.

My bill, H.R. 2365, the ``Montgomery GI Bill Flexibility Act'', improves education benefits. An important piece of the Fiscal Year 2003 Defense Authorization bill that Congress passed was a provision that extends the time limit from 10 to 14 years for members of the Selected Reserve to use their GI Bill education benefits. Life in 2005 can make it difficult to finish an education in 10 years. Many times, veterans with families, work commitments, and economic difficulties are unable to fulfill all their requirements to receive a degree or certification within the 10-year period, and Congress recognized this difficulty for members of the Selected Reserve. It is time to extend the number of years for all participants of the Montgomery GI Bill.

A veteran who is interested in seeing H.R. 2365 pass writes: ``I served 8 years of active duty in the Army, including the Persian Gulf War. I am also a family member of an active duty service member. In support of my husband's military career, I have moved six times, currently planning move number 7, in the past 9 years. That, coupled with three babies, has made it difficult for me to use my GI Bill benefits.'' H.R. 2365 will ensure that more veterans are able to avail themselves of the educational opportunity that they have earned.

I have also introduced H.R. 3009, ``A Guaranteed Home For Our Veterans Act'', to address a problem that has been called to my attention by my constituents. One was told by his state veterans home in California that if he chose to transfer to his home state of Minnesota, he would have to wait a year in order to establish state residency before being accepted. Veterans should be able to transfer to any other state veterans home on a space-available basis. H.R. 3009 would make that change to save veterans from severe hardships if they want to move to be closer to their families.

Better Long Term Care and Education Benefits for our nation's veterans! I urge my colleagues to support these veterans' bills.

Mr. President, on behalf of my colleagues Senators Lugar, Obama, Murkowski and Gregg, I rise to submit a resolution that expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States should begin negotiations to establish a free trade agreement with Mongolia.

The United States and Mongolia enjoy healthy and deepening relations since the end of one-party Communist rule in Mongolia in 1990. Today, Mongolia is a strong and consistent partner of America, and has demonstrated its commitment to peace, democracy and international stability, notably by its involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. America's relationship with Mongolia carries geostrategic importance.

Mongolia has made significant progress to strengthen its democratic governing institutions, to protect individuals rights and achieve free- market reforms. Its governments have adopted reforms that have enacted democratic electoral processes and the rule of law, privatized state enterprises, lifted price controls and improved fiscal discipline. Mongolia has achieved remarkable progress and continues to express its commitment to continued democratic and economic transition.

Mongolia has worked over the past years to become re-integrated in the international economic framework. In 1991, Mongolia joined the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. In 1997, Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization. In 1999, the United States provided permanent normal trade relations to Mongolia. And, in 2004, the United States and Mongolia signed a bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. In 2005, bilateral trade was valued at more than $165 million.

This resolution recognizes the significance of the U.S.-Mongolia relationship and emphasizes that a deeper and more lasting bilateral economic and trading relationship is in the interest of both countries. I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this resolution.