Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it is both a pleasure and an honor for me to commemorate such an enormous milestone for an organization that does so much for America's veterans.

Founded by a small group of friends in New York City on February 16, 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal society committed to the virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity. Over the past 150 years, the Order has grown to include nearly 1,000,000 Elks Members and 2,000 lodges across the country.

The Elks have a long and storied history of supporting America's veterans. This is evident through the century-old Elks pledge: ``So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.''

In fact, during World War I, at the behest of General Pershing--who was an Elk, himself--the Order donated over $2,000,000 to assist U.S. soldiers going abroad; and organized, constructed and equipped the first two American field hospitals in France.

Following World War I, the Elks empowered nearly 50,000 disabled veterans by providing rehabilitation, vocation and education loans. It was this act of generosity that prompted the federal government to offer the first ever G.I. Bill for education benefits.

Every day, Elks across the country visit VA medical facilities to provide support and friendship to the men and women who have borne the battle for our freedoms. Last year alone, the Elks provided over 1,000,000 hours of service to veterans and donated nearly $41,000,000 worth of goods, supplies and cash in support of America's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, it is an absolute honor for me to commemorate the 150th anniversary of this incredible and selfless organization, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude for their work over the past 150 years and I wish them the absolute best for 150 years to come

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4533) to designate the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Lexington VA Health Care System'' and to make certain other designations, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4533, as amended, a bill to designate the collective healthcare facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, in Lexington, Kentucky, as the Lexington VA Health Care System; to designate the Lexington VA Medical Center Leestown Division as the Franklin R. Sousley Campus; and to designate the Lexington VA Medical Center Cooper Division as the Troy Bowling Campus.

The bill is sponsored by my good friend Congressman Andy Barr from Kentucky, and I am grateful to him for introducing this legislation in honor of two American heroes.

One healthcare facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 2250 Leestown Road in Lexington, Kentucky, would be named the Franklin R. Sousley Campus in honor of Private First Class Franklin Runyon Sousley.

Private First Class Sousley was born in Hilltop, Kentucky, and became a marine in 1944. Following basic training, he was assigned to the newly formed Fifth Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, and slated for the upcoming invasion of Iwo Jima.

A force of 70,000 marines, including Private First Class Sousley, landed on February 19, 1945, on the south side of the island of Iwo Jima. On the fourth day of the invasion, Private First Class Sousley was one of the six men in the famous photograph of United States Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi. Tragically, he was killed in action by a Japanese sniper 27 days later.

Private First Class Sousley was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with a Silver Star, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with a Bronze Star, and the World War II Victory Medal.

The other healthcare facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, located at 1101 Veterans Drive in Lexington, Kentucky, would be named the Troy Bowling Campus in honor of Private Troy Bowling.

Private Troy Bowling was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and was another proud marine who served during World War II. Private Bowling's unit was among the first to land at the beaches of Iwo Jima. His unit came under intense and concentrated fire, completely overwhelming his unit.

Two projectiles struck Mr. Bowling, leaving him critically wounded on the battlefield. At that moment, Private Bowling said he looked to the heavens and committed to serving mankind for the rest of his life if he survived. Miraculously, a combat photographer and medical team then carried Mr. Bowling to the safety of a landing craft, where he witnessed the planting of the American flag atop Mount Suribachi.

Private Bowling followed through on his battlefield promise to God, devoting over 78,000 hours of volunteer service at the Lexington VA Medical Center and rising through the ranks of the Disabled American Veterans, eventually holding nearly every position possible, including state commander.

At the 2005 DAV National Convention, Private Bowling received the George H. Seal Award for outstanding volunteer and the VA Lifetime Service Achievement Award. Mr. Bowling was also nominated and selected to be inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame for his lifetime of service to veterans.

After a life of service to our Nation and his brothers and sisters in arms, he passed away on June 17, 2017.

Mr. Speaker, it is only fitting and appropriate that, a week before the 73rd anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima, we honor both these heroes by naming the two VA medical center campuses in Lexington, Kentucky, after them. This legislation satisfies all the committee's naming criteria and is cosponsored by the entire Kentucky congressional delegation and supported by many Kentucky veteran service organizations. I am proud to support it, as well, and urge my colleagues to join me.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr), who is my good friend and Mr. Bowling's Congressman from Lexington.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation. From this Army veteran, I wish Private Sousley and Private Bowling to rest in peace. Semper fi.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 140 and its inclusion of H.R. 986, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act.

There are more than 560 federally recognized Native American Tribes across the United States, and each of these Tribes has a unique history and distinct culture that have helped shape who we are today as a nation. Each Tribe has an inherent right to self-govern, just like any other sovereign government does.

That right to self-governance is rooted in the Constitution and has been reaffirmed by courts for almost 200 years. Because of it, Tribal leaders are able to make decisions that affect their people in a way that makes the most sense for their Tribe and best protects the interests of their members--or, rather, they should be able to make those decisions.

We are here today because, for the past 14 years, the National Labor Relations Board has ignored longstanding labor policy and involved itself in Tribal activities. Since its 2004 San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino decision, the Board has used a subjective test to decide on a case-by-case basis whether a Tribal business or Tribal land is for commercial purposes, and, if it is, the Board has asserted its jurisdiction over that business.

Among its other provisions, the bill under consideration would amend the National Labor Relations Act to reaffirm that the NLRB cannot assert its authority over enterprises or institutions owned or operated by a Tribe on Tribal land. It very simply reasserts a legal standard that was in place for decades and returns to Tribes the ability to manage their own labor relations as a sovereign right has.

I want to thank my friend and fellow member of the Education and the Workforce Committee from Indiana (Mr. Rokita) for his leadership on this issue and for continuing to work on those in Congress who have helped lead the fight to protect Tribal sovereignty over the years.

It is time for all of us to join that fight and stand with the Native American community and restore to Indian Tribes the ability to govern their own labor relations.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how you support Tribal sovereignty, which, by definition, is a sovereign state, but not allow Tribes to self- govern. I don't understand that, and I also don't understand, Mr. Speaker, if our friends on the other side of the aisle today are so worried about getting our work done, why I had to leave committee hearings to come over here three times today to vote not adjourning this body. I would like to know that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, as a physician, I rise today to raise awareness about the value of comprehensive training aimed at preventing deaths after a traumatic injury occurs.

Last fall, I took part in a ``Stop the Bleeding'' training course offered by the American College of Surgeons. This simple training teaches individuals how to treat bleeding injuries and help save a life.

Each year, more than 180,000 people die from traumatic injuries. The most common and easily preventable cause of these deaths is too much blood loss in the critical minutes before trained first responders arrive. With an average response time of 8 to 12 minutes once 911 is called, it is the responsibility for all of us to prepare to help others in the event of a traumatic injury.

I look forward to working with my fellow Members of Congress and advocates, such as my friends of the American College of Surgeons, to raise awareness of the value of this lifesaving technique.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the provision within this legislation that would authorize and appropriate $2.1 billion for the Veterans Choice Program.

Choice was created by Congress in 2014, following a nationwide Department of Veterans Affairs access and accountability crisis. Make no mistake about it: Choice has certainly not been without its faults in the last 3 years; however, the program has also resulted in millions of veterans receiving care they otherwise would have had to wait longer or travel further for--or maybe not receive at all.

Absent passage of this provision, the Choice Program is expected to run out of money in early 2018, which could jeopardize the care that veterans across the country are receiving in their communities. This is totally unacceptable.

The committee has been working diligently to create a permanent care in the community program to replace and improve upon Choice. In fact, I was proud to introduce H.R. 4242, the VA Care in the Community Act, last month. That legislation was favorably reported out of my committee just this week, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on community care reform. In the meantime, we cannot allow the care our veterans receive in the community through the Choice Program to be jeopardized by lack of funding.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter Secretary Shulkin sent me earlier this month.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs,

Washington, DC, December 12, 2017.

Hon. David P. Roe, M.D.,

Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to raise issues for your

consideration regarding the financial status of the Veterans

Choice Program (VCP), established by the Veterans Access,

Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, Public Law 113-146, as

amended (Choice Act). Current projections indicate that VCP

could be unable to create new referrals or authorizations

within several weeks. Without additional funding before the

end of the year, there will be a dramatic impact on the

ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide

care to Veterans.

As of December 7, 2017, VA has approximately $490 million

in VCP funds remaining, once December obligations of

approximately $300 million and reserve funding of

approximately $300 million are accounted for. The average

spend rate of VCP funds ranges from $200-$400 million per

month, with the possibility that unexpected obligations would

push this above and beyond the reserves. As a result, we

believe we have 3 to 5 weeks of funds left, which could

change based on Veteran utilization.

Nearly 1.9 million unique Veterans have sought care through

VCP since its implementation. VA has focused on improving VCP

through streamlined business processes, contract

modifications and implementation of statutory changes. Unless

additional funds are provided, Veterans utilizing the current

VCP will be less able to access timely health care as close

to their homes as possible. The Veteran Coordinated Access &

Rewarding Experiences (CARE) Act, proposed by VA to Congress,

would satisfy the funding requirements if passed.

The challenges of the transition from VCP to a new

Community Care program should not be underestimated, and VA

will need to take steps soon to responsibly prepare for the

termination date. If no action is taken by Congress in the

next 3 to 5 weeks, VA could have to discontinue authorizing

VCP care and transition Veterans to VA or other community

care programs. VA's other community care programs will not

have the capacity to handle all of the patients who will

transition from VCP, and the wait time for appointments at VA

facilities will rise if large numbers of Veterans return to

VA to seek care. Taking these actions would have a number of

negative consequences, including decreased access to care,

damaged community partnerships and interrupted care

continuity for Veterans.

Should you have any questions, please have a member of your

staff contact Mr. David Brant, Congressional Relations

Officer.

Sincerely,

David J. Shulkin, M.D.

In this letter, Secretary Shulkin explicitly stated: ``Without additional funding before the end of the year, there will be a dramatic impact on the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide care to veterans.''

A vote against the continuing resolution is a vote against funding medical care for our Nation's heroes. The Secretary's message is clear, Mr. Speaker.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting an additional $2.1 billion for the Choice Program.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1266) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations to investigate medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1266, the Enhancing Veteran Care Act. S. 1266 would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with a nonprofit entity specializing in civilian accreditation or healthcare evaluation to investigate and assess deficiencies at VA medical centers and to coordinate any such investigations with the VA inspector general and the Government Accountability Office.

This bill is sponsored by Senator James Inhofe from Oklahoma and is companion legislation to H.R. 42, which is sponsored by my good friend, Representative Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma's Second District. I am grateful to both Senator Inhofe and Congressman Mullin for their work on this legislation.

We are all familiar with the various challenges and scandals that have plagued VA medical centers across the country since the 2014 systemwide VA access and accountability crisis.

I, along with Ranking Member Walz and other committee members, our Senate colleagues, Secretary Shulkin, veterans service organizations, and others, have been working tirelessly to transform the VA healthcare system into the modern, high-performing healthcare organization that our veterans deserve.

S. 1266 is in line with those efforts in that it would provide VA an additional avenue to identify and resolve problems impacting the care our veterans receive in VA medical facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), my good friend and sponsor of the House companion bill, H.R. 42.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. This has been a team effort on the Veterans' Affairs Committee to work to try to improve the care that our veterans and Nation's heroes get throughout this country. The involvement on both sides of the aisle on our committee is unprecedented, I think, for a committee working toward a single goal and purpose.

Many times, we have differences of opinion, but this bill is just another tool that the VA will be able to use to improve the care that veterans get.

I received a letter today from a gentleman in New Mexico who had a very different experience 6 or 7 years ago with the VA. He was even hesitant to go back. He went back to this VA hospital and had a very pleasant experience. So I think things are changing for the better, I think due to the hard work of the leadership at the VA, the people who work there every day, and this committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4374 because our Nation's servicemembers deserve the best and safest medical treatments available, especially when they are in harm's way.

This bill fixes a provision in the FY 2018 NDAA which passed the House overwhelmingly just yesterday, which would have allowed the Secretary of Defense to approve the emergency use of medications that have not yet received FDA approval.

Under today's legislation, we ensure the FDA will review any emergency DOD request for the use of unapproved medical products on an expedited basis while maintaining the FDA's critical role of evaluating the safety and effectiveness of treatments. This new authorization will include situations when the Secretary of Defense determines the risk of attack with an agent that may cause an imminently life-threatening and specific risk to the United States' military forces.

As a physician and a veteran myself and the chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have worked tirelessly to ensure our Nation's servicemembers have access to the best, safest, and most effective medical treatments available while they are in service and after.

While we all want these breakthrough treatments made available to our Nation's men and women in service as quickly as possible, we need to make sure that they are safe and effective before subjecting members of our Armed Forces to unproven treatments in the interest of expedience.

I have personally spoken to the FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb on this issue, and he assures me that the FDA will work in a collaborative way with DOD to ensure the processes work more effectively for our troops.

Mr. Speaker, today I honor the nearly 1200 crew members who were aboard the U.S.S. Indianapolis when it was attacked by a Japanese submarine in the early morning of July 30, 1945. Among those sailors was Seaman Second Class James Smith, a resident of the First Congressional District now living in Blountville, Tennessee.

The ``Indy'' was returning from a secret trip to Tinian, carrying critical parts and the enriched uranium for the atomic bomb Little Boy, when it was struck by two torpedoes that caused massive damage to the hull. She sank after only 12 minutes. While approximately 900 of the crew members made it into the water after the attack, only a fraction of them survived the conditions in which they found themselves. Seaman Smith was one of just over 300 survivors, and had to survive for nearly four days in shark-infested waters relying on few food rations before being rescued.

As an Army veteran myself, I extend my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to James and his shipmates for their service, and offer my condolences to the families of the sailors lost at sea. With the wreckage having recently been located on August 19th of this year, it is yet another reminder of their incredible sacrifice, and gives us an opportunity to recognize them for taking on a mission that was so important to ending World War II.

I was proud to join Congressman Bishop last week in introducing legislation that would authorize the Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in recognition of their perseverance, their bravery and their service to our nation. I am forever grateful to the men and women who serve our great nation, especially to those who make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act.

Mr. Speaker, this debate boils down to whether we want local entrepreneurship and community engagement through the franchise model or a one-size-fits-all, top-down model.

When I served as chairman of the HELP Subcommittee, we heard testimony about the effect of this new joint employer standard from Mr. Ed Braddy, who owns a Burger King in inner-city Baltimore. Many of the men Mr. Braddy hires to work at his store have had a run-in with the criminal justice system, and several of the women he hires has been on some form of government assistance.

He hires people to give them an opportunity at a better life, as he described it.

If the new joint employer standard proceeds, the Burger King corporation will be liable for many of the hiring decisions that are made by Mr. Braddy. Why would we expect any corporation to know a community better than someone like Mr. Braddy, who grew up there? Shouldn't we expect that a corporate entity would be more risk averse and less likely to give people a second chance?

Think about the incredible story Mr. Braddy has to tell. He dropped out of high school in the 11th grade before returning when his life was headed in the wrong direction, according to him. He joined the Baltimore Police Department, and then he began working in a Burger King. After the first Burger King he owned closed, he ultimately rejoined Burger King and purchased his current store.

What is remarkable is when Baltimore experienced unrest several years ago, Mr. Braddy's store was at the epicenter, his neighbors stood outside to protect it from being destroyed, and his was one of the only restaurants open for business the next day.

Mr. Speaker, if this is not the American Dream, I don't know what is. On a recent trip that our conference took there, including the chairwoman, we dined with Mr. Braddy at his restaurant in Baltimore. He was a wonderful host, I might add.

Joint employer isn't just about restaurants. Hotel owners, fitness companies, movers, tutoring services, janitorial services, and the list goes on and on, anyone who franchises their business is affected by this ruling.

I am pleased the Labor Department is reviewing this standard, but this can't be a constantly changing standard while long-term damage is done to local entrepreneurship.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the joint employer standard that protects workers and allows the franchise model to flourish.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3562) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish assistance for adaptations of residences of veterans in rehabilitation programs under chapter 31 of such title, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is the type of legislation that I am proud members of our committee continue to bring forward. While it is not as flashy as the GI Bill package we passed earlier this year or Care in the Community legislation we are working on later this week, this bill gets to the core of what this Congress should be about: making it easier for disabled veterans to receive the benefits they have earned.

I commend Mr. Arrington and Mr. O'Rourke for looking at a challenge and working with the administration and veterans groups to craft this important bill.

General Leave

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. 3562.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1066) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report regarding the organizational structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1066.

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

Mr. Speaker, in just a few days, Americans will once again take time to remember and honor the sacrifices of the very few of our fellow Americans who have sworn a solemn oath to defend this great Nation.

As an Army Medical Corps veteran myself, I am proud that, with the support of leadership and Members of both sides, we will pass a series of bills today and tomorrow that improve the delivery of healthcare and enhance the benefits available to America's veterans.

On our first bill, H.R. 1066, the VA Management Alignment Act, issues with the organization and management of the Veterans Health Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs, in general, are nothing new. In 2015, the independent assessment found VA's organizational structure to be unnecessarily complex, rampant with mistrust and risk aversion, confused about priorities and strategic direction, and hampered by a workforce that was losing motivation and a leadership team that was overwhelmed by crisis management. In 2016, the Commission on Care found VA to have one of the lowest organizational health scores in all of the Federal Government and lacking effective national policies and a rational organizational structure.

Similar findings have been made by veterans, veterans service organizations, VA employees, the Government Accountability Office, the VA inspector general, and others in countless reports and testimony and stories over the last several years. They have also been common themes in the recent oversight hearings and site visits.

In order to improve the care, benefits, and services that VA provides to our Nation's veterans and increase accountability for poor- performing employees, VA must first clarify and rationalize the Department's organizational structure and the roles, responsibilities, and lines of authority for supervisors, managers, and employees.

H.R. 1066 would jump-start that effort by requiring the VA to use the work the independent assessment, the Commission on Care, and others have already done to create a report on how the Department is to be structured--to include clearly defined roles and responsibilities of key leaders across all

levels--and submit it to Congress for review.

I am grateful to Representative Kilmer for sponsoring this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1066, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3122) to protect individuals who are eligible for increased pension under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the basis of need of regular aid and attendance from dishonest, predatory, or otherwise unlawful practices, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3122, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3122, as amended, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act.

Mr. Speaker, VA offers an additional pension benefit called Aid and Attendance, or A&A, to some disabled or elderly veterans who need help with activities of daily living such as dressing or bathing.

It may come as a shock to many Americans, but there are people out there who actually take advantage of elderly and disabled veterans by charging them money to help them apply for A&A benefits when the application process is free. If veterans need help

filling out the application, veterans service organizations like The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, VFW, and others will help, at no charge, even if the veteran is not a member of the organization.

Unfortunately, there are many veterans who don't know that the free help is available and, more importantly, that it is illegal to charge them a dime to file a claim. So some veterans may end up falling prey to these dishonest individuals.

H.R. 3122 would help educate veterans and their families by requiring VA to post warnings on its website about scammers who actually take money from our Nation's most vulnerable veterans for a service that should be free.

The bill would also require GAO to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress on how to better protect vulnerable veterans from being taken advantage of.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3122, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to associate my remarks to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright). He is absolutely 100 percent correct. To have a vulnerable veteran, an elderly veteran in need who served this country, maybe in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and then to have them taken advantage of is incomprehensible to me.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

THE SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3122, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3656) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a consistent eligibility date for provision of Department of Veterans Affairs memorial headstones and markers for eligible spouses and dependent children of veterans whose remains are unavailable, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3656, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3656, as amended.

Under current law, VA may provide a memorial headstone or marker for a veteran's dependent child or surviving spouse if their remains are unavailable. But this law also contains an inconsistency. VA can provide a memorial headstone or marker for a spouse who dies on or after November 11, 1998, but can only provide one for a dependent child who dies on or after December 22, 2006.

The disparity makes it difficult for VA to administer this law. More importantly, it has led to some confusion among veterans and their families as to whether a particular family member is eligible for this benefit or not.

These families are not just mourning, but they are also coping with the heartbreak of not being able to properly lay their loved one to rest because the remains have not been recovered. I am concerned that it is possible that these families may not request a memorial VA headstone or marker because they aren't sure if they qualify. I hope that this bill will bring these families some peace by allowing VA to provide a permanent memorial marker to ensure their loved one will not be forgotten.

H.R. 3656 would help avoid confusion by making the eligibility dates for the memorial markers consistent for surviving spouses and dependent children. This may seem like a small change, but I know it will be very important to grieving families who want to ensure that their loved ones are properly memorialized.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3656, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), an active member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and a Navy veteran.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3657) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide headstones and markers for the graves of spouses and children of veterans who are buried in tribal cemeteries, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3657, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3657, as amended.

VA provides headstones and markers for the spouses or dependent children of veterans who are interred in a national or State veterans cemetery at no charge. But VA is not authorized to provide headstones or markers for spouses and dependent children who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries. That is not right.

There is no reason that veterans and their families who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries shouldn't receive the same benefits as those who decide to use national or State veterans cemeteries.

H.R. 3657 would allow VA to provide headstones and markers for eligible family members who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Poliquin for introducing this bill. I know he has a special interest in this because his district includes a Tribal veterans cemetery.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3657, and ensure that veterans who choose to be interred in Tribal cemeteries are given the same recognition that we give to veterans who are interred in national or State veterans cemeteries.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin), my good friend and member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank both sides of the aisle for these great bills we are passing this afternoon. It may seem like a small bill to the American public, but to the individual that is affected--in Maine, or wherever it may be--this is a huge deal.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Democratic side for all of the work they have done on the committee in a bipartisan way. It is a great committee to work on.

This is a very important week for all of us, as we go home this Friday to begin celebrating Veterans Day. Two very important days on the committee are Memorial Day and Veterans Day, to honor those who passed and those who are still with us.

Mr. Speaker, I thank both the Republicans and the Democrats. We put that at the door's edge, and this week we will be voting on some important pieces of legislation. We have seven more bills on the floor tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for the support they have given our veterans in this country.

I once again urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.