To instruct the Secretary of Energy to carry out a study on the use of thorium-fueled nuclear reactors.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, the distinguished gentleman from California, for yielding.

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1037, the Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009, as amended, which the Veterans' Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee passed on June 4 and the full committee approved on June 10.

I was proud to introduce this important legislation, and I would like to thank the full committee chairman, Mr. Filner, the ranking member, Mr. Buyer, for their leadership in support of this legislation, as well as the support of Congressman Grijalva of Arizona, who was an original cosponsor. I have been pleased to be able to work with the distinguished ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Boozman of Arkansas, in a bipartisan way to advance this legislation to the full committee and now to the floor. I also

want to thank Congressman Teague of New Mexico for offering an amendment to this bill during the subcommittee markup that clarified the effective end date of the pilot program.

This legislation works to expand and improve the educational benefits available to our country's veterans by directing the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct a 5-year pilot project that tests the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of work study activities available to veterans receiving educational benefits through the VA.

Currently, eligible student veterans enrolled in college degree programs, vocational programs or professional programs, are eligible to participate in the work study allowance program. However, they are limited to positions involving VA-related work, such as processing VA paperwork, performing outreach services, and assisting staff at medical facilities or the offices of the National Cemetery Administration. Thus, veterans aren't afforded opportunities similar to those offered to nonveteran students.

This pilot program would expand the qualifying work study activities allowed to include positions in academic departments, such as tutoring or assisting with research, teaching and lab work, as well as student services such as positions in career centers, financial aid, orientation, cashiers, admissions, records, and registration offices.

Given the wide variety of tasks our men and women in uniform perform while serving their country, our Nation should be capitalizing on the unique training and skill sets that veterans who are pursuing their degrees bring to their educational institutions.

This pilot program will run from 2010 to 2014 and will give the VA an adequate opportunity to determine if this expanded work study program should be further expanded.

This bill also requires the Secretary of the VA to publish regulations on the supervision of veterans participating in these expanded work study positions.

Educational benefits are one of the essential benefits that our country gives its veterans. These benefits help our veterans take that experience that they have gained while serving, and translate that knowledge into college degrees and other types of professional development. The money we, as a Nation, invest in the education of veterans, has a direct positive economic benefit for the country.

As chairwoman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I look forward to continuing to work in a bipartisan manner with Mr. Boozman and our subcommittee members to ensure veterans are receiving the best possible educational benefits.

On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, it has been 20 years now, but as a work study student myself, I wouldn't want any of my contemporaries then, and certainly the young men and women who are serving in uniform today, to be denied particular opportunities available in an academic environment to pursue their own educational aspirations or to serve their fellow students on campus in any capacity that VA education benefits are intended to provide.

So again, I want to thank Chairman Filner for his leadership on this issue, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might use.

I rise in support of H.R. 1037, as amended, introduced by the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Ms. Herseth Sandlin. The Pilot College Work Study Program for Veterans Act of 2009 would expand the number and types of work study positions at colleges and universities.

The types of work study jobs that can be funded through the Montgomery GI Bill are too restrictive. Expanding the types of jobs veterans may hold at schools benefits student veterans financially, but more importantly, in my view, it places them in positions where nonveteran students and faculty will see the advantages and results of military service to the Nation. Too often our young people see only the entitlement side of life that requires no commitment to something other than themselves.

Just as the original GI Bill opened higher education to the masses of citizen soldiers after World War II, improved the experiences of all students, including nonveterans, this bill will broaden the impact on veterans throughout the Nation's higher educational system.

I am reminded of the statement by James B. Conant, president of Harvard University, shortly after the World War II generation filled the campuses. In recanting his earlier concerns, he stated, and I quote: The mature student body that filled our colleges in 1946 and 1947 was a delight to all who were teaching undergraduates. For seriousness, perceptiveness, and studiousness and all other undergraduate virtues, the former soldiers and sailors were the best in Harvard's history.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1037, as amended, will provide our veterans on campus a unique opportunity to earn while they learn, to build their resumes and to influence campus life. Too often our young citizens see a distorted image of veterans, and this bill will help replace that image with one of men and woman who are dedicated to education and to making meaningful contributions to society.

By enlarging the types of work study jobs veterans can hold on campus, we are putting them in the forefront of student life. As teaching assistants, administrative staff, student counselors, and other high-visibility jobs, nonveteran students and faculty will see them just as Harvard President Conant did over 60 years ago.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

I yield the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun) 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say, to thank Ms. Herseth Sandlin for bringing this forward. I, like her--and it has been a little bit more than 20 years--enjoyed the ability of participating with work study. I know how important it is and how important it will be to these students if we can extend this even further to our military.

So I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill. It's a good one. I appreciate Chairman Filner and Mr. Buyer for bringing this forward and would urge its adoption.

I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1037) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a five-year pilot project to test the feasibility and advisability of expanding the scope of certain qualifying work-study activities under title 38, United States Code, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the Veterans' Committee, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota, for introducing this bill, the Pilot College Work Study Programs for Veterans Act of 2009. It would direct the VA to conduct a 5-year pilot project to expand on existing work study activities for student veterans to participate in work study positions in academic departments and in student services.

As this committee's chairman and a former university professor, I understand the financial hurdles of paying for college and strongly support all methods to make education more affordable for our brave veterans.

This legislation provides an additional avenue for student veterans to help pay for college and places them on a par with other students in the same financial situation. Furthermore, these new work study positions would provide student veterans with much needed job skills that they can use in their professional career.

Our chairwoman, Ms. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, will be speaking on this bill, and I urge all our colleagues to join me in reaffirming our country's commitment to our veterans by supporting this H.R. 1037.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I would yield as much time as she may consume to our dynamic chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Ms. Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota.

I have no further speakers and am prepared to yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1037, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I rise today in support of the veterans of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I served in the United States Marine Corps. I'm also an original intent constitutionalist, and I believe very firmly that most Americans understand that a national defense, a strong national defense, and thus, supporting our military men and women as well as the veterans, is critically important. It's important for the veterans, the retirees, those who are on disability. It's extremely important to them.

It is also important to our current active duty troops for us to support veterans, because how are we going to get people to stay in the military to be senior NCOs, senior officers or flag officers if we do not fulfill the promises that we make to the men and women who come into the military to begin with? And thus, it is also important in the recruiting process. How are we going to recruit good men and women to come into the military, make it a career, if we don't fulfill the promises that we have made to them as they enlist or are commissioned in the military?

Mr. Speaker, we have broken promises to the veterans. We have broken many promises. In my district, I have two stellar VA hospitals, the Charlie Norwood Veterans Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia. I also have a veterans clinic just outside of Athens, Georgia, that gives stellar care to our veterans. But veterans are denied the health care, educational needs and other things that they have been promised, and it's a travesty. We have to stop denying the veterans the promises that we have made them, and it's absolutely critical for our national defense.

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