FOR VETS Act of 2013

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent during the week of July 8, 2013. If I were present, I would have voted on the following.

Monday, July 8, 2013: rollcall No. 305: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1341, ``yea''; rollcall No. 306: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1564, ``yea''; rollcall No. 307: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1171, ``yea''.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013: rollcall No. 308: Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule for H.R. 2609, ``nay''; rollcall No. 309: Motion on Agreeing to the Resolution on the Rule H.R. 2609, ``nay''; rollcall No. 310: Motion on Approving the Journal, ``nay''; rollcall No. 311: Moran of Virginia Amendment No. 1, ``aye''; rollcall No. 312: Moran of Virginia Amendment No. 2, ``aye''; rollcall No. 313: Takano of California Amendment No. 2, ``aye''; rollcall No. 314: Perry of Pennsylvania Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 315: Broun of Georgia Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 316: Cohen of Tennessee Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 317: Broun of Georgia Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 318: Swalwell of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 319: McClintock of California Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 320: Peters of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 321: Perlmutter of Colorado Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 322: Connolly of Virginia Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 323: First Takano of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 324: Second Takano of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 325: Heck of Nevada Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 326: Butterfield of North Carolina Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 327: Foster of Illinois Amendment, ``aye''.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013: rollcall No. 328: Hastings of Florida Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 329: Garamendi of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 330: Broun of Georgia Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 331: Jackson Lee of Texas Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 332: Quigley of Illinois Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 333: Heck of Nevada Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 334: Polis of Colorado Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 335: First Burgess of Texas Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 336: Second Burgess of Texas Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 337: Titus of Nevada Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 338: Lynch of Massachusetts Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 339: Whitfield of Kentucky Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 340: Fleming of Louisiana Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 341: Garamendi of California Amendment No. 28, ``aye''; rollcall No. 342: Speier of California Amendment, ``aye''; rollcall No. 343: Chabot of Ohio Amendment, ``no''; rollcall No. 344: Motion to Recommit with Instructions for H.R. 2609, ``aye''; rollcall No. 345: Final Passage of H.R. 2609--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014, ``nay''.

Thursday, July 11, 2013: rollcall No. 346: Motion to Adjourn, ``yea''; rollcall No. 347: Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair for H. Res. 295, ``no''; rollcall No. 348: Motion to Adjourn, ``yea''; rollcall No. 349: Motion on Agreeing to the Resolution for H. Res. 295, ``no''; rollcall No. 350: Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair for H.R. 2642, ``nay''; rollcall No. 351: Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair for H.R. 2642, ``no''; rollcall No. 352: Motion to Recommit with Instructions for H.R. 2642, ``aye''; rollcall No. 353: Final Passage of H.R. 2642--Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, ``nay''.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida, and I rise today in support of H.R. 1171, the FOR VETS Act of 2013.

This bipartisan legislation will allow veterans service organizations access to Federal surplus property. In December, 2010, President Obama signed the original FOR VETS Act into law. This legislation added qualified VSOs to the list of organizations eligible to receive Federal surplus property under the Federal surplus property program. However, the wording of the statute requires all organizations to demonstrate that they are acquiring the property for purposes of public health or education.

Unlike many of the other organizations on the list, most VSOs are not set up to administer a health or education program. A strict interpretation of the law by the General Services Administration has prevented these VSOs from accessing Federal surplus as Congress intended.

Our bill would simply correct the error in current law and ensure that qualified VSOs will have the access to Federal surplus that our veterans have earned. This bill has been scored by the CBO as having no significant impact on spending. In this difficult economy, veterans service organizations can use valuable service items that are considered surplus property to better serve those who have given so much to our Nation. Some of these items could be a refrigerator for everyday use at a local post or even a vehicle to be used to take disabled veterans to appointments.

Last year I spoke to a veteran in Elk Rapids, Michigan, who told me that the error in current law was preventing his AMVETS post from using Federal surplus computers for unique veteran service tasks. This bill will help him and so many others like him put Federal surplus property to work for our Nation's veterans. I am very proud to be part of this effort.

I am grateful to Chairman Issa and Ranking Member Cummings and the members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee for the unanimous support this bill received during markup on June 25.

I also want to thank the National Association of State Agencies for Surplus Property, as well as the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans, for their support and assistance in getting this legislation to this point.

I urge the House to adopt this bipartisan legislation that will help veterans service organizations in every State better serve our Nation's veterans.

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

Mr. Speaker, I value and appreciate the sacrifices made by the men and women in our Armed Forces. For that reason, I am happy to rise in support of this legislation. The bill would simply amend current law to provide qualified veterans service organizations with greater access to Federal surplus property. The bill enjoys bipartisan support and is noncontroversial. In fact, in May of this year it was considered by the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and passed unanimously, a rarity in our history.

In December, 2010, President Obama signed the original FOR VETS Act into law. That legislation established the eligibility of veterans service organizations to receive surplus property under the Federal surplus property program. The wording of the statute suggests that those organizations should also demonstrate they are acquiring the property for the purposes of education or public health. The narrow construction of that language really hurts veterans service organizations, who are not always equipped to administer public health or educational programs, that not being their core mission. They have thus been prevented in some cases from accessing the Federal surplus property Congress intended them to access.

This legislation simply corrects any confusion and, if you will, that error to allow veterans organizations access to Federal surplus property to benefit veterans.

Mr. Speaker, we need to do better for our veterans, and I think this bill, H.R. 1171, is a good step forward. I urge Members to support the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Before I yield back, I just want to congratulate the gentleman on his legislation. It is correcting an error, and it will make a very positive benefit for so many veterans organizations, including the ones he enumerated. I am proud to support the legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1171) to amend title 40, United States Code, to improve veterans service organizations' access to Federal surplus personal property.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Our Nation's veterans serve our country and make sacrifices for the freedom and protections we enjoy every day. I am deeply grateful for the brave and heroic service of all who defend our Nation. H.R. 1171 permits veterans service organizations to obtain surplus Federal personal property, such as electronic equipment and vehicles, to provide services to our Nation's veterans.

There are countless individuals and organizations who want to help our veterans, but sometimes the law and bureaucracy present stumbling blocks to these individuals and groups doing all they can on behalf of our veterans. We can never truly repay our Nation's veterans for the work they do, but this bill is a small and necessary step to provide essential services to those who serve.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek).

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 1171.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1171, the FOR VETS Act. This straightforward piece of legislation simply amends current law to allow Veterans Service Organizations--VSOs-- access to federal surplus property.

VSOs are valuable partners in providing for our veterans, and can provide critical services including transport to medical appointments and other support services. H.R. 1171 ensures that VSOs are eligible for federal surplus property that could help to carry out their mission.

Our brave men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms, and we must do everything in our power to demonstrate our gratitude for their dedication and sacrifice. Our veterans deserve support, and this bill takes a step to showing them that we recognize their contributions and would like to give back.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote to help veterans by supporting H.R. 1171.