Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4035) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prioritize veterans court treatment programs that ensure…
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4035) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to prioritize veterans court treatment programs that ensure equal access for racial and ethnic minorities and women, and for other purposes, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days 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.
Mr. Speaker, I am the proud sponsor and proud of H.R. 4035. The Real Justice for Our Veterans Act is before the House for consideration, and I ask all my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill today.
I authored the Real Justice for Our Veterans Act to help our Nation's justice-involved veterans to improve the delivery of services in veterans and drug courts. The bill before the House today has three discrete aims.
First, the bill would expand data collection regarding the effectiveness of veterans courts.
Second, it authorizes a pilot program that would investigate and promote promising retention models in veterans and drug courts.
Lastly, and perhaps most critically, it would open up drug treatment courts to veterans in areas where there may not be a veterans court, so very important for those who have interacted with our committee and have made note of the fact that there are many jurisdictions in the United States where there are veterans and no veterans court.
Each of these critical changes would promote higher participation and higher rehabilitation of veterans who have mental health and substance abuse issues.
The need for this legislation is painfully clear. Generations of veterans have served abroad in recent decades, and we must redouble our efforts to support veterans and expand the services they need to thrive.
The rapid expansion of veterans treatment courts speaks not only to the need for such courts but, more importantly, to the benefit of the specialized approach to rehabilitation and treatment the courts offer.
The holistic treatment model, which includes input from the prosecutor, defense counsel, and the court, centers on the supervised comprehensive treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs or community organizations.
Because each veterans court offers different management services, we need to do more to identify which treatment options are successful so that these promising models can be expanded. That is why the elements of the Real Justice for Our Veterans Act are so important.
The bill also calls for additional data on the demographics of who is referred to veterans treatment courts and asks for information on completion rates. This information will be critical to advancing our understanding of how the programs are used.
Additionally, the legislation authorizes a new pilot program that will allow DOJ to test promising retention programs that promote greater enrollment and participation by veterans through the duration of their treatment program.
Legislative efforts to strengthen veterans treatment courts have yielded bipartisan support in the past, and the same is true today.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford), for cosponsoring the bill and working with me in this effort.
I urge my colleagues to take a look at their congressional districts. You will probably find places of refuge for our veterans; some may be homeless. I have several facilities in my congressional district that deal with the housing of homeless veterans, or deal with services for homeless veterans, or deal with services, period, for veterans.
I can assure you that a comforting judicial system on veterans who, because of combat injuries, PTSD, and
other issues dealing with them, losing their family, being separated from the family, being miles away from their home because of combat- impacted injuries, that the judicial system is one they may come in contact with.
To be able to have courts that are responsive to their service and their record, and to be able to help move them away from the judicial system is a tribute to our commitment to the service of our men and women.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to continue this record of support for veterans treatment courts by voting for this bill today.
I am proud that H.R. 4035, the ``Real Justice for Our Veterans Act'' is before the House for consideration and I ask all my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill today.
I authored the Real Justice for Our Veterans Act to help our nation's justice-involved veterans and to improve the delivery of services in veterans and drug courts.
The bill before the House today has three discrete aims.
First, the bill would expand data collection regarding the effectiveness of veterans courts.
Second, it authorizes a pilot program that would investigate and promote promising retention models in veterans and drug courts.
And lastly, and perhaps most critically, it would open up drug treatment courts to veterans in areas where there may not be a veterans court.
Each of these critical changes would promote higher participation and higher rehabilitation of veterans who have mental health and substance abuse issues.
The need for this legislation is painfully clear. Generations of veterans have served abroad in recent decades and we must redouble our efforts to support veterans and expand the services they need to thrive.
The rapid expansion of veterans treatment courts speaks not only to the need for such courts but more importantly to the benefit of the specialized approach to rehabilitation and treatment the courts offer.
The wholistic treatment model, which includes input from the prosecutor, defense counsel, and the court, centers on the supervised comprehensive treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs or community organizations.
Because each veterans court offers different treatment services, we need to do more to identify which treatment options are successful so that these promising models can be expanded.
That's why these elements of the ``Real Justice for Our Veterans Act'' are so important.
The bill also calls for additional data collection on the demographics of who is referred to veterans treatment courts and asks for information on completion rates. This information will be critical to advancing our understanding of how the programs are used.
Additionally, the legislation authorizes a new pilot program that will allow DOJ to test promising retention programs that promote greater enrollment and participation by veterans through the duration of their treatment program.
Legislative efforts to strengthen veterans treatment courts have yielded bipartisan support in the past, and the same is true today.
I thank our colleague, the gentleman from Florida, Representative John Rutherford, for cosponsoring this bill and working with me in this effort.
I urge my colleagues to continue this record of support for veterans treatment courts by voting for this bill today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
MR. BENTZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this has been a journey for me in terms of dealing with veterans who are in need of help.
Some years ago, I joined with the late and former member of the military, Chairman Murtha, to bring a satellite site to my congressional district for post-traumatic stress disorder. The center was outside of the veterans hospital but could be accessed by veterans through TRICARE.
So I have seen the needs of veterans who have experienced the impact of combat, the impact of the service, but are still committed to duty. This particular legislation responds and respects that duty. That is the duty that we owe to those who have fallen along the highway of challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that we have the treatment for those who have experienced substance abuse, as well as that we have the judicial system that responds to that need. It may cross the gamut of substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and of course, encounters with the criminal justice system.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Nadler of the Judiciary Committee. And I thank members of the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee because it shows that our work is expansive. It includes rehabilitation and treatment and fairness and justice. Finding ways to have people steer away from incarceration and, of course, encounters over and over again with the judicial system or the criminal justice system.
So veterans treatment court programs around the country have successfully provided support to veterans struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues. We have seen them work effectively. The need to expand veterans treatment court services is real and immediate.
We look forward to this bill moving in the other body and the President of the United States signing it, saying to veterans, we want to be helpful to you in your time of celebration of who you are as a veteran, but also in your time of need.
Based on the most recent data, the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that approximately 181,500 veterans are incarcerated in jail as well as State and Federal prisons. Mr. Speaker, that is too many who have been lost to the abusing of drugs, alcohol, and substance abuse.
H.R. 4035 would help rehabilitate justice-involved veterans and ultimately make for a safer community and give them a better quality of life; and might I say, give their families a better quality of life.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this important bill.
Mr. Speaker, veterans treatment court programs around the country have successfully provided support to veterans struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues.
The need to expand veterans treatment court services is real and immediate.
Based on the most recent data, the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that approximately 181,500 veterans are incarcerated in jails as well as state and federal prisons.
H.R. 4035 would help rehabilitate justice-involved veterans and ultimately make for safer communities.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this important bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
