Hire Veterans Act of 2004

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3665) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide adaptive housing assistance to disabled veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member and to make direct housing loans to Native American veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to commend H.R. 3665, as amended, to the House for passage. This bill has several goals. First, we want to provide some flexibility in several VA programs, including the Adapted Housing Grant program and the Native American Loan program. Second, we want to protect and institutionalize the taxpayers' investment in the President's National Hiring Veterans Committee. Third, we want to reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program for 3 years.

Madam Speaker, it is no secret that many of those wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan return home with significant disabilities. Many of those severely disabled servicemembers spend their convalescence at a family home before moving to their own home when they are well enough to do so. Under the current rules, VA cannot help adapt those family homes for their specific disabilities unless the veteran has an ownership interest in the property. This bill would eliminate the ownership requirement for a partial grant. Therefore, title I would provide a partial adaptive housing assistance grant up to $10,000 or $2,000, depending on the level of disability to veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. It would also authorize up to three specially adaptive housing grants within the allotted maximum amount.

Madam Speaker, this measure contains several provisions from H.R. 1773, originally introduced by the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee ranking member, Ms. Herseth. I want to compliment her and her staff for their hard work on this issue. These provisions would make permanent the pilot program for housing loans to Native American veterans; extend the eligibility for Native American loans to certain non-Native American veterans who have a meaningful interest in the property under tribal law and are the spouses of a Native American. And finally, this would adjust the maximum loan to conform with the Freddie Mac limits similar to other VA loans, currently $59,650.

Madam Speaker, the taxpayers have made a significant investment in the work of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee, and we feel strongly that a 1-year extension will allow a proper transition of the duties and products of the committee to the Veterans Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor. Therefore, title II would extend the committee's work until not later than December 31, 2006. Transition of its duties to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training require the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans Employment and Training to develop a transition plan for those duties and modify the membership and duties of the advisory committee on veterans employment and training to include outreach activities.

Madam Speaker, we all know that homelessness among the veterans continues to be a problem. While there is some disagreement about the total number of homeless veterans needing a job to break the cycle of homelessness, there is no disagreement that the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program remains a valuable tool to put homeless veterans back to work. I want to emphasize that this is an employment program managed by the Veterans Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor, not a housing program. Therefore, title III would reauthorize the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program for fiscal years 2007 through 2009 and retain the maximum authorization of $50 million per year.

Finally, title IV makes technical amendments to the servicemembers group life insurance legislation as well as clerical and technical amendments to a number of other sections of title 38.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown), chairman of the Health Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the sponsor of the original bill to extend the operation of the President's National Hire Veterans Committee, and former chairman of the Veterans' Benefits Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bradley), the vice chairman of the Veterans Disability and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, a gentleman who, since coming to Congress, has been a tireless advocate for veterans.

Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), and the committee's ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), for their leadership and support in bringing this bill to the floor. I would also like to thank the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth), as well as her staff and my staff for their hard work and cooperation on this bipartisan legislation.

Special thanks to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), who is the ranking member for Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

This bill is an example of how we can work together to achieve good things for veterans, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3665, the Veterans Housing and Employment Improvement Act of 2005.

I do not think we can close today before noting that this coming Friday is Veterans Day, a day that originally marked the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the war to end all wars. Unfortunately, that idealistic prediction failed, and several generations of Americans have since served in wartime. So today, instead of honoring the end of World War I, Veterans Day now honors all of those who have worn the uniform in defense of the Nation. Whether a veteran served in war or peacetime, we owe them our gratitude, and this bill is just one small token of our appreciation.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the House, I want to say thank you to all who have served.

Madam Speaker, having no further requests for time, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank Chairman Buyer, Ranking Member Evans, Subcommittee Chairman Boozman, and Ranking Member Herseth for bringing this bill to the floor. Ms. Herseth has been detained at a legislative hearing before the Resources Committee concerning the bill she has introduced. I hope that she will be able to join us before the debate on the bill is completed, but I want to particularly thank her for her input into this important piece of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 3665. As amended, the bill before us would provide greater flexibility to the VA's Adaptive Housing Grant program. It also includes measures to extend the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. The bill also includes language from H.R. 1773, which Ms. Herseth introduced to make the Native American Veteran Home Loan program permanent.

Section 102 of the bill would make permanent the Native American Housing Loan program, currently a pilot program administered by the Veterans Administration since 1993. The Native American Housing Loan program has provided more than 443 direct loans nationwide since its inception. By all accounts, the pilot program has been a great success and, in fact, currently does not require any government subsidy.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enactment of the provision would generate savings of $1 million over the next 5 years. Section 103 of the bill would authorize non-Native American veterans married to a Native American spouse and living on trust or tribal land to fully participate in this direct loan program. Because certain tribal sovereignty rules prohibit ownership interest by nonnative persons, they have been unable to qualify for this home loan program. The language in section 103 would make it possible for a nonnative military member or for a nonnative military member or veteran to qualify for a VA loan if he or she shares a meaningful interest rather than an ownership interest with their respective spouse in their home.

Madam Speaker, on this Friday we will celebrate and honor the service of our Nation's veterans. Hopefully, we will all be in our home districts attending Veterans Day parades and other activities that we share with our veterans. As I do so, I am mindful that over 3,000 veterans in Nevada are homeless. Most of them are living on the streets in Las Vegas. The number of homeless veterans in America is, I am sorry to say, a national disgrace and simply must be addressed. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, there are already 400 veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan who have sought shelter through homeless programs.

I strongly support the provision in H.R. 3665 which would reauthorize appropriations for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program to help veterans get off the street and working again.

With increased efforts to deny VA benefits and, thereby, health care to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, I fear that our efforts to reduce the number of homeless veterans, many who are suffering from PTSD, may be at risk.

One homeless veteran who recently contacted the VA Committee had a VA claim pending for PTSD. We learned that because of a perceived pressure to deny claims, regional office adjudicators were afraid to accept the veteran's testimony of his Iraq combat experience, an article naming him and describing the attack, and a statement of his soldier passenger, who was wounded in the attack, as sufficient credible evidence of a stressor.

VA officials later acknowledged that the evidence provided by the veteran met the legal requirements and the claim was approved, finally.

This veteran's story is an example of how severely mentally disabled veterans are at risk of becoming homeless due to VA policies.

Congress must stop the administration's assault on veterans with severe PTSD. We must also provide opportunities to those veterans who are homeless due to their disabilities. H.R. 3665 will do just this.

I appreciate the cooperation of the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) in including language I had suggested to eliminate the obsolete term ``helpless'' from title 38. Although severely disabled veterans may require significant help with activities of daily life, characterizing them as helpless is demeaning and, quite frankly, inaccurate.

The bill under consideration today will benefit our Nation's veterans and deserves the support of all Members of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Hawaii (Mr. Case).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3665, as amended, the Veterans Housing and Employment Improvement Act of 2005. This bill incorporates a number of important measures aimed at improving the quality of life of our servicemembers, veterans and military families.

I would like to thank Chairman Buyer and Ranking Member Evans for their leadership on the full committee and for their assistance in moving this bill to the floor today.

I also want to express my appreciation to the Chairman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee--Mr. Boozman, for all his hard work and bipartisan leadership on the subcommittee this legislative session. I look forward to continue working with my friend from Arkansas as we begin discussions with the Senate to ensure passage of a bipartisan, bicameral veterans' benefits package for this year. I know that the veterans of my home state of South Dakota and all veterans of this nation will appreciate the important benefits and program improvements we have included in this legislative measure.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 3665, as amended, incorporates important provisions that would provide greater flexibility to the VA's adaptive housing grant program. It also includes important measures to extend the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program and improve the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. In addition, the bill also includes language from H.R. 1773, the Native American Veteran Home Loan Act--a measure I introduced along with a number of colleagues earlier this year.

Section 102 of the bill would make permanent the Native American Housing Loan Program, currently a pilot program administered by VA since 1993. The Native American Housing Loan program has provided 443 direct loans nationwide since its inception--20 to veterans in South Dakota. By all accounts the pilot program has been a great success and in fact currently has a negative subsidy--that is, it actually pays for itself. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enactment of the provision would generate savings of $1 million over five years.

Section 103 of the bill would authorize non-native American veterans married to a Native American spouse and living on trust or tribal land to fully participate in this direct loan program. Because certain tribal sovereignty rules prohibit ownership interests by non-native persons they have been unable to qualify for this home loan program. The language in section 103 now makes it possible for a non-native military member or veteran to qualify for a VA loan if he or she shares a ``meaningful interest'' rather than ``ownership interest'' with their respective spouse in their home.

I want to thank Mr. Faleomavaega the Delegate of American Samoa for bringing this issue to my attention, and I want to also thank the VA for its assistance in drafting this particular provision.

Madam Speaker, the service members, veterans and military families of this nation have earned and deserve our best efforts here in Congress. Indeed, they deserve so much more.

As we approach Veterans Day, I am very proud to support this legislation and confident

it will benefit the veterans of my home state of South Dakota, as well as the other veterans around the country.

I fully support H.R. 3665, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I also rise in full support of H.R. 3665, the Veterans Housing and Improvement Act of 2005, which addresses the critical housing needs of our Nation's disabled and Native American veterans.

I also would like to thank Representatives Boozman and Herseth for their leadership on this legislation and, of course, Veterans Committee Chair Buyer and Ranking Member Evans for expeditiously bringing this bill to the House floor.

H.R. 3665, in part, provides permanent authority for the Native American Direct Home Loan Program and extends eligibility for such loan to non-Native American spouses of Native Americans living on Native American trust and tribal lands.

The Native American Direct Home Loan Program has been a highly successful veterans effort, particularly in my Hawaii, where it applies to veterans living on lands held in trust under this Congress' own Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920. The majority of these Hawaiian homelands in my Second Congressional District on the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Maui, Hawaii, and Lanai.

Since the inception of this program, which was spearheaded by the great Hawaii Senator Spark Matsunaga, and continued by Senator Daniel Akaka, native Hawaiian veterans have successfully used this direct home loan program for their acute housing needs, and I am proud to say with nominal deficiencies and delinquencies.

Over $20 million has now been approved for over 200 loans in Hawaii, with 106 loans totaling $7.5 million pending. This is an incredible help not only with the needs of many veterans who would likely otherwise be precluded from quality housing, but about Hawaii's overall housing crisis.

Due to its success over the last 13 years, the Native American Direct Home Loan Program, which initially started out as a pilot program, was twice extended by Congress but is currently set to expire on December 31 of this year. It is vital to understand why this program is so important to our Native American veterans and why we should make the program permanent, as this bill proposes.

Of course, the most basic reason is the success of the overall program in honoring our commitment to our Nation's veterans. Beyond that, Congress found some years ago that during the entire history to that date of the program, not a single Native American veteran living on Indian trust lands or Hawaii homelands had in fact received the VA home loan under the VA's traditional home loan program. The reason for that was quite simple.

The unique trust status of native lands did not lend itself to conventional lending practices because banks and other financial institutions did not recognize those lands as valid collateral.

As part of our obligation to all of our Nation's veterans, that obligation being to ensure that they are all able to tap fully into VA programs, the Native American Direct Home Loan Program addressed this unique and discrete challenge facing many Native American veterans and afforded them the same opportunity of home ownership availed their comrades-in-arms.

This bill recognizes and improves upon the clear success of this effort, and I ask my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3665.

Mahalo.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3665, the Veterans Housing and Employment Improvement Act of 2005. I especially want to thank Chairman Steve Buyer and Ranking Member Lane Evans of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and also Chairman John Boozman and Ranking Member Stephanie Herseth of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity for their leadership in making it possible for Native Americans to participate in the veterans' housing loan program.

I am especially thankful that American Samoa's veterans have also been able to participate in this very successful program. Today, I am here to thank my colleagues for working with me to address the concerns of American Samoans without adversely affecting the rights of other tribes.

Many Samoans have served in the military and they are allowed to obtain home loans under current law. Other Samoans are married to non- Samoan veterans. Nonnative military spouses married to native Samoans have not been able to qualify for the VA home loan program. In part, this is because the Native American Home Loan program excludes the spouses of non-native Americans from qualifying for a VA home loan.

For my constituents, this is problematic. In brief, most land in American Samoa is communal, meaning that only Samoans of Tutuila, Manu's, Aunu'u, or Swain Islands may qualify for home loans offered by traditional lending institutions because only they can make claim to native land.

As a result of these land laws, non-native spouses of veterans or persons serving in the U.S. Armed Forces who are married to a Samoan may not qualify for a VA home loan. The VA has been helpful in assisting the Veterans' Affairs Committee and my office in drafting language to rectify this problem and I am pleased that this language has now been included in H.R. 3665.

As we have agreed, it is our understanding that this language now makes it possible for a non-Samoan military member or veteran to qualify for a VA loan if the non-Samoan military member has a ``meaningful interest'' in the housing a Samoan spouse has been granted permission to build on communal land. It is also our understanding that ``meaningful interest'' means that the veteran has the right to reside in the home under tribal laws.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 3665 and I again thank my colleagues for including my provision in this important legislation. I also thank the VA for its assistance, and Ms. Mary Ellen McCarthy, Democratic Staff Director for Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, for her tireless efforts. I urge support of this legislation.