Medal of Honor Act

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.

To join the armed services is an act of profound selflessness. On the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we recognize the sacrifice and service of every servicemember who, in the face of uncertainty and danger, took the oath and chose to commit themselves to a higher purpose.

While every individual servicemember makes sacrifices and dedicates themselves to this path of honor, there are a select few who distinguish themselves from the rest.

The Medal of Honor cannot be won. It must be earned through extreme selflessness and bravery. We recognize this distinguished service with our Nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.

From the first awardee to the most recent, Medal of Honor recipients have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to serve above and beyond the call of duty, even to their own death.

There have been 43 Kentuckians who were awarded the Medal of Honor. I will just talk about one, Sergeant John C. Squires, a Louisville native who went from Male High School to the United States Army and served in Italy in World War II.

It was in April of 1944, in the Italian countryside, that Squires braved automatic gunfire, artillery, and mortar

fire to carry messages through barbed wire and over minefields, to organize troops, and bring reinforcements to the front line. With total disregard for his own well-being, he fought German soldiers day and night.

He was killed in action. He lies in rest at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, and a bronze statue of Squires sits atop the Kentucky Medal of Honor Memorial.

Squires is one of just 3,538 Medal of Honor recipients in our history. From all who have been awarded, for all of those who earned this honor, they do so through the acts of service that are incredible.

There is no paycheck that could repay their sacrifice and no thank- you letter that could truly convey our Nation's gratitude. We cannot ever hope to repay this debt, but we can show our fullest support for them and their surviving spouses and families by increasing their annual compensation.

The Medal of Honor Act ensures that servicemembers and their surviving spouses get an increased pension for their sacrifice, an increase that properly reflects the gravity of their service.

Currently, the payment of $1,619.34 a month is deeply inadequate. Medal of Honor recipients go above and beyond the call of duty. It is only right that we honor their sacrifice with compensation that truly reflects their extraordinary actions.

These heroes continue to serve, speaking throughout the country and inspiring our citizens in schools and beyond. They continue to carry the mantle of courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment here at home.

There is nothing we can pay them that will ever match their sacrifice, but voting for this act is a step toward recognizing their service, courage, and enduring legacy. It is about showing them not just with words but with action that they are seen and valued and that they will never ever be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 695. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend and the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 695, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam President, I rise today to honor a very special group of Americans--the soldiers, the sailors, the marines, and the airmen who have fought bravely for this Nation, but who have received the very highest distinction that any member of the Armed Forces can earn, the Medal of Honor.

Since 1863, Presidents of the United States have awarded the Medal of Honor to more than 3,500 of the bravest men and women ever to wear the uniform of this Nation. Each one has demonstrated valor, gallantry, and heroism above and beyond the call of duty, with acts so selfless, so extraordinary that they stand as beacons of courage for future generations.

In 1960, Congress passed Public Law 6556, establishing the Army and Navy Medal of Honor Roll and entitling each Medal of Honor recipient to a modest special pension of $10 per month for life.

Over time, that monthly amount has gradually increased from $10 to $100, to what stands today at approximately $1,400 per month.

But let's pause and think about that: $1,400 a month for those who risked everything--their safety, their future, their very lives for freedom, for the opportunity for all of us to be here today.

Today, there are 61 living Medal of Honor recipients, 61 men who faced unthinkable odds, who put their country before themselves so that the rest of us could live in peace. We cannot truly ever repay them. There is no sum, there is no medal, there are no words that can measure up to their sacrifice. But there are ways that we can continue to honor them, by ensuring that they are cared for, respected, and supported.

In January of this year, I introduced the Medals Act, my legislation to raise the monthly pension for Medal of Honor recipients. This legislation is a way for this Nation to say: We see you, we remember you, and we will not forget what you have done.

Many of these heroes spend their time traveling the country, speaking to schoolchildren, visiting military hospitals, and strengthening the very fabric of America.

This monetary increase will allow them to continue those efforts and to reach more communities, mentor more veterans, and remind all of us about the cost of freedom.

And I would like to take a moment to recognize nine Medal of Honor recipients who currently live in the Lone Star State. We honor them, and we cherish them.

I would also like to recognize the 139 Medal of Honor recipients who were either born in, entered the service from, or died in Texas. These are America's heroes, and they are heroes for the great State of Texas.

Now, I would like to take a moment to recognize the Medal of Honor recipients here in the Gallery: LTC William Swenson and COL Paris Davis.

In just a moment, I will propound a unanimous consent request to take up and pass H.R. 695, the House-passed version of the Medal Act that passed

the House 424 to 0. I urge my colleagues to join me, as our companions in the House have already done, in supporting this measure, in passing it into law, in sending it directly to the President's desk to be signed into law, and showing that, when it comes to honoring our Nation's very greatest heroes, we are united, and we speak with one voice.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 695, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, Chairman Bost, for yielding. First and foremost, it has been a sincere pleasure to work with the chairman and his staff to advance this important legislation to the House floor. It is an honor to stand with him today. I also extend my gratitude and thanks to my colleague, Mr. Pappas, for co-leading this bipartisan legislation with me for the last two Congresses.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.

The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest and most prestigious military decoration that can be awarded.

Under current law, the President may award a Medal of Honor to a member of the Armed Forces who has distinguished himself conspicuously by ``gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.''

Since the Medal of Honor was established by Congress in 1862, it has been awarded 3,528 times. Today, as the chairman stated, there are only 63 living Medal of Honor recipients.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have had the privilege of getting to know some of these heroes and hearing their stories firsthand. In my humble opinion, these heroes are our Nation's most sacred treasure, and it is our obligation, as Congress, to do everything in our capacity to support them and their families.

Currently, each Medal of Honor recipient receives a special pension that totals roughly $1,500 per month, or $18,000 annually. The last update to the special pension for Medal of Honor recipients was back in 2002, when Congress passed the Medal of Honor pension act.

This legislation increased the Medal of Honor recipients' special pension from $600 per month to $1,000 per month. However, since 2002, for more than 20 years, the Medal of Honor special pension has not been updated by Congress. It is long overdue that Congress acts.

My legislation would raise the Medal of Honor special pension to roughly $5,600 per month, or $67,500 annually, and is fully offset.

When I hear stories about how a Medal of Honor recipient's family requested to set up a GoFundMe to pay for surgery and extensive care, or how Medal of Honor recipients are not being reimbursed for travel expenses to speak at several military recruiting events, I knew something had to be done.

Our Medal of Honor heroes deserve better, which is exactly why this critical legislation is needed. While this bill is a small step forward, it is the very least that Congress can do to recognize and show support for these selfless, courageous heroes.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our Medal of Honor recipients by passing this bipartisan legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Kentucky for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Medal of Honor Act.

The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest military decoration. It recognizes the extraordinary valor that distinguished men and women of our military demonstrated in critical moments during their service to our great Nation.

There are 63 living Medal of Honor recipients, including heroes like Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts of New Hampshire, who served two tours in Afghanistan. During his second deployment, hundreds of insurgents attacked the Army base where he was stationed. Sergeant Pitts was badly wounded by a grenade but continued to fight with a tourniquet on his leg, singlehandedly holding his outpost for 2 hours.

That battle is now known as the Battle of Wanat, one of the bloodiest battles of the war in Afghanistan. Thanks to the bravery of Sergeant Pitts, Americans were able to turn the tide in that battle and hold their position, leading Taliban fighters to withdraw from the area.

As ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am focused, with my colleagues, on how we can make good on our promises to our veterans and be worthy of their sacrifice.

It is our responsibility as Americans to ensure that all of our servicemembers, veterans, and their families have the support that they earned and deserve. One way we can do that is by ensuring that veterans are financially secure when their military service is over.

Medal of Honor awardees receive a monthly pension that has not been raised in 23 years. It is well past time to do the right thing and increase the pension for these distinguished American warriors. This bill ensures their extraordinary acts of bravery are not forgotten and that their sacrifices are valued by a grateful Nation.

I have been really glad to partner with Congressman Nehls on this bill to introduce this legislation and get it to the floor today. I thank him for his determined leadership on this issue and hope that we can get all of our colleagues on board later today with a strong vote in passing this legislation over to the Senate and seeing it signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, this is the right thing to do by our veterans and by our Medal of Honor recipients, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 695) to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the rate of the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients, and for other purposes, as amended.

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. 695, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 695, offered by my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Nehls). This bill would increase the rate of special monthly pension for Medal of Honor recipients and their surviving spouses.

The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest military award. It is reserved for servicemembers who have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and self-sacrifice in combat.

The Medal of Honor special pension is intended to repay part of the debt that our Nation owes them. The Medal of Honor pension is separate from the compensation that a veteran receives when they are unable to work due to service-related disabilities.

Today, there are just 63 Medal of Honor recipients who currently receive less than $2,000 in special pension payments per month. Their stories of service, without question, should be honored and remembered and told.

However, the current pension offered does not cover the cost of travel to speak at events that inspire future generations and tell their fellow Americans about their service in defense of our freedom.

It is time we increase the Medal of Honor recipients' pension in recognition of their heroic military service and their continued service to our Nation. The bill is fully offset by using a bipartisan offset related to older veterans and pensions, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 695, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Nehls), the chief sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.