Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4955. This bill will designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham VA Clinic. I thank my colleague, Representative Lee, for introducing this bill.

A member of a segregated Army unit, Private First Class Parham was likely the last surviving African-American D-day combat veteran. His heroic actions during perhaps the most famous military operation in American history are worthy of our continued gratitude. It is my pleasure to support this bill to do just that.

Mr. Parham was born in Emporia, Virginia, in November 1921 and was the son of a sharecropper. With limited educational opportunities in Emporia for African Americans, Mr. Parham moved to Richmond as a teenager to begin work as a porter for Trailways buses.

Following American entry into World War II, Mr. Parham was drafted into the Army at age 21. His unit, the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, had the mission of protecting ground forces by raising the hydrogen- filled balloons to disrupt and down enemy aircraft.

The 320th, an all-Black unit, initially trained in Tennessee before being sent to England in 1943 to prepare for the D-day invasion.

Landing on Omaha Beach hours after the first wave of American troops, Private First Class Parham and his unit encountered heavy German fire and casualties spread across the battlefield. Private First Class Parham survived the assault at Omaha Beach, and his service continued in the months to come.

Private First Class Parham and the 320th remained at Omaha Beach for 2 months following the June 6 invasion. This unit played a critical role in protecting supply lines and troop movements for follow-on operations in the region. The actions of Private First Class Parham and the 320th were crucial to the ultimate defeat of Nazi forces and Allied victory in Europe.

Private First Class Parham and the 320th returned to the United States in November of 1944. They were stationed in Hawaii. The unit began preparing for deployment to the Pacific as part of the planned invasion of Japan. They were still in Hawaii when atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in August 1945, ending the war.

After World War II ended, Mr. Parham and his wife, Ethel, settled in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for years in the region.

Following his retirement, both Mr. and Mrs. Parham became active volunteers at local VA hospitals and with The American Legion.

Mr. Parham, like so many members of the Greatest Generation, answered his Nation's call to serve to protect democracy at home and abroad.

During a time of racial division, Mr. Parham remained committed to a country that often treated him as a second-class citizen. His actions with the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion on D-day and the months that followed are deserving of our continued gratitude and respect.

What is more, his work with fellow veterans as a volunteer in his post-military life demonstrated a lifelong commitment to our Nation's heroes. There is perhaps no better way to honor Mr. Parham than to ensure that this community facility bears his name and helps to educate the public about his service.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation. I ask my colleagues do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Lee), the author of H.R. 4955 and my very good friend who serves on the Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4955, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham VA Clinic, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 8667, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Cadillac, Michigan, as the Duane E. Dewey VA Clinic introduced by Representative Moolenaar.

Risking his own life to protect his fellow marines, Corporal Dewey demonstrated incredible bravery while serving in the Korean war. His heroic service deserves to be memorialized in his home State of Michigan, and I am proud to support this bill to do just that.

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mr. Dewey was a foundry worker at National Motor Casting at the beginning of the Korean war. Determined to support his Nation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves in 1951 for an indefinite enlistment.

Corporal Dewey completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He then underwent intensive combat training in Camp Pendleton, California.

At the completion of his training, Corporal Dewey deployed to Korea as a member of weapons platoon Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in September 1951.

Corporal Dewey and the members of Company E participated in the United Nations summer-fall offensive of 1951 and in the second winter during the Korean war.

On April 16, 1952, Corporal Dewey and the roughly 80-member Company E found themselves under attack near Panmunjom, a village at the border between what is now North Korea and South Korea. Outnumbered by nearly 700 enemy forces, Corporal Dewey directed his machine gun squad to provide continuous suppressive fire.

As Corporal Dewey was being treated for wounds sustained by a grenade explosion, another grenade landed in their vicinity.

Despite his injuries, Corporal Dewey immediately alerted his machine gun squadron and the hospital corpsmen treating his wounds that a grenade had just landed.

Corporal Dewey launched himself on top of the grenade to minimize impact to his fellow marines, sacrificing his own safety and saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. The grenade exploded, lifting him off the ground and leaving serious wounds throughout his body.

Corporal Dewey was evacuated to hospitals in Japan and then back to the United States for treatment and rehabilitation for his serious shrapnel and gunshot wounds. He was released from Active Duty on August 19, 1952.

For his heroic actions, Corporal Dewey was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1953. He was the first person to be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously told Dewey that he ``must have a body of steel.''

The uncommon valor Corporal Dewey displayed while serving in Korea is worth our continued recognition and appreciation. His service is a reminder of the sacrifices that Americans from all walks of life have made in defense of our freedoms. It is fitting to honor his legacy by naming the VA clinic in Cadillac, Michigan, for Corporal Dewey.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 8667 to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Cadillac, Michigan, as the Duane E. Dewey VA clinic, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 9124, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Auburn, California, as the Louis A. Conter VA Clinic, which was introduced by Representative Kiley of California.

Lieutenant Commander Louis A. Conter, the last remaining survivor of the attack on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, embodied the highest ideals of military service and American valor. I am proud to support this bill to honor his service.

During the fateful attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, he helped evacuate shipmates who were blinded, wounded, and burned. In the days following the attack, he helped recover bodies and put out smoldering fires. Lou Conter's heroic actions saved the lives of many of his shipmates.

Mr. Conter continued to serve with distinction throughout World War II as a naval aviation pilot, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for rescuing 219 Australians trapped by Japanese troops in New Guinea.

Later, during the Korean war, he served as both an intelligence officer and naval aviation pilot aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard. In addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and became the first recipient of the USS Arizona Medal of Freedom.

After retiring from Active Duty, he continued to serve the Nation as a military intelligence adviser to three Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. In the 1950s, he helped establish the Navy's survival, evasion, resistance, and escape, or SERE, training program.

Following his retirement from the Navy in 1967 after 28 years of service, Lieutenant Commander Conter remained active in his community. He generously shared his experiences at veteran ceremonies and delivered lectures to students. His passing on April 1 of this year marked the end of a life dedicated to service and preservation of American military history. He is very deserving of this recognition for his decades of service to a grateful nation.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask that my colleagues do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 9124 to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Auburn, California, as the Louis A. Conter VA clinic, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

If that title sounds familiar, it is because all of my Democratic colleagues already voted for this bill. We passed the House version in November, and then we had to work to overcome Senate Republican holds on the House bill. Despite those holds, no substantive changes were made to the bill as a result of these negotiations.

Many of my Democratic colleagues have important provisions in this bill, and what was agreed to during the time the bill was held up were some technical changes that were agreed to by the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees, though this resulted in the slightly updated bill being incorporated into a Senate amendment that was included in the shell of the companion to the original bill, Representative Julia Brownley's bill, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, which she worked on for many years.

Mr. Speaker, it has been quite a long and winding journey for this bill, which was unfortunate, but I am glad we can at least pass some significant legislation for veterans this Congress, even if it comes at the last possible moment.

When reasonable minds work together, we can find consensus and deliver something for veterans. Hopefully that lesson will be taken to heart as we head into the next Congress.

I support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to reaffirm their support, and let's get it to President Biden's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I support S. 141, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 141, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans

Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 2513, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act.

I thank Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Luttrell and Ranking Member Pappas for working in a bipartisan manner on the House companion to this package, which passed this body in September of last year. I also commend Representative Ciscomani and Representative McGarvey for their contributions to this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes several important changes that will help to streamline the medical disability exam process for veterans. It will also help to strengthen recruitment, hiring, and retention at the Board of Veterans' Appeals by creating a new internship program for law students and will expand the reimbursement programs for current employees to include student loans, professional development activities, bar exam fees, and dues.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also increases by one the number of temporary judges appointed to the Court of Appeals for Veterans' Claims, allowing the court to process cases faster and grant veterans and survivors the relief they deserve.

Unfortunately, this is a much-pared-back provision from the version originally considered by the House last year. This bill languished because Senate Republicans refused to expand the court, albeit on a temporary basis, until this moment. How curious.

Nevertheless, I do support this expansion, and I hope that we can do more in the future. I support S. 2513, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2513, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as California's fire season draws to a close, I rise to express my deepest gratitude to CAL Fire, Riverside County, and the city of Riverside firefighters for their unwavering dedication to keeping our community safe.

This past season, the Canyon Crest, Hawarden, Minton, and Eagle fires scorched for than 2,500 acres in Riverside County. As we see the intensity and frequency of fire emergencies grow, our local firefighters have consistently risen to the occasion, to working around the clock, putting their health and safety on the line, and tirelessly battling the flames to protect our homes and families.

I also acknowledge the tremendous contributions of former Riverside Fire Chief Michael Moore, who retired after more than 40 years of dedicated service this past September, and I extend my congratulations to Chief Steve McKinster as he assumes the leadership of the Riverside Fire Department.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the service of Julian A. Purdy, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Policy of Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) in the U.S. Department of Labor. The Deputy Assistant Secretary previously served on our Committee's staff, and has proven his dedication to America's veterans, servicemembers, and their families over his impressive career thus far.

Mr. Purdy's career began with his time as a Counterintelligence Agent and Human Intelligence Collector in the U.S. Army Reserves from 2004- 2012. During this time, Mr. Purdy deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He balanced his obligations in the Reserves with service-oriented civilian careers, including working as an instructor for future military intelligence Soldiers.

Following his military service, Mr. Purdy began a career within the Federal Government, first with the House of Representatives. As a Legislative Assistant for Rep. Adam Smith (WA-9), he managed a diverse portfolio of policy issues, including veteran affairs, gun reform and criminal justice. While serving as a Professional Staff Member on the House VA Committee's Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, Mr. Purdy was responsible for policy related to veteran transition, education, employment and housing.

Since arriving at the DOL, Mr. Purdy has led numerous critical projects, including overseeing President Biden's White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Further, he spearheaded the DOL signing MOUs with HBCUs to ensure veterans attending HBCUs leverage the programs available through American Job Centers.

Additionally, Mr. Purdy led the Office of Strategic Outreach in aligning with the White House's Defense Industrial Base strategy by addressing critical labor shortages. This effort included supporting the Department of the Navy to strengthen national security through workforce solutions for building submarines and warships.

I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Purdy for his outstanding professional achievements and his dedicated service to our Nation and its Veterans.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the service of James D. Rodriguez, the U.S. Department of Labor's Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS). The Assistant Secretary has been a critical resource for the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and we all owe him our gratitude for his life of public service.

Mr. Rodriguez enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1988. Over the course of his 21-year career in the USMC, Mr. Rodriguez deployed several times, including as part of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Mr. Rodriguez's post-military career has centered around supporting our Nation's Veterans. After separating from the USMC, he entered the private sector, spearheading Government Relations initiatives with companies like BAE systems and Deloitte. While at BAE, Mr. Rodriguez served as a liaison for the White House Joining Forces initiative while developing a program to hire Veteran employees. The program ultimately led to the hiring of more than 1,500 Veterans.

In 2014, Mr. Rodriguez transitioned to a new role at the Department of Defense, serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Office of Warrior Care Policy. Here, he developed a strategic roadmap to align business processes and procedures for WCP while working alongside international partners to enhance warrior care.

In his current role with DOL, Mr. Rodriguez is responsible for preparing America's veterans, service members and their spouses for meaningful careers. During his tenure with DOL, he expanded DOL VETS' Vision statement to be inclusive of our reserve & Guard components and Military Spouses while aligning with the White House's Defense Industrial Base strategy to address critical labor shortages. He further served as the Department's Designee for the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and co-chaired for the White House's taskforce on suicide prevention.

For his efforts supporting Veterans and labor initiatives, Mr. Rodriguez recently received the University of Maryland's Global Campus' 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award, the highest alumni award granted at

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember a giant of the legal world, Ted Olson. It may seem odd that a Democrat would stand on the floor of the House of Representatives to honor this rock-ribbed Republican lawyer.

Remember, this is the man who successfully argued Bush v. Gore, and later represented the Bush administration before the Supreme Court. Mr. Olson's conservative vision did not come at the expense of those who some of his peers sought to relegate to the margins.

He stood up for people like Dreamers and LGBTQ+ Americans because he understood that everyone had the right to pursue the American Dream.

I am personally grateful that he took up and won Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case that overturned California's Proposition 8 and restored marriage equality to my home State of California.

As we honor Mr. Olson, I remain hopeful that my Republican friends will honor his vision for conservatism, one that brings people together and not divides them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 9495. As Members of Congress, it is our duty to stand against terrorism and stand up for our common values, but this bill does neither.

What does it do?

What it does is grant sweeping draconian powers to the executive branch to essentially shut down any nonprofit.

On what basis would future administrations, Democratic or Republican, be able to exercise such power?

On a mere accusation.

I repeat, an accusation.

All nonprofits could be under scrutiny. These are decent people who are advocating on issues from religious freedom to animal welfare.

Mr. Speaker, why would conservatives, the very same people who gnashed their teeth at executive overreach, support such a measure?

Why would they suddenly about-face and sacrifice the values they claim to stand for?

It is because this is a gift to the President-elect, Mr. Trump, wrapped up in a bow right before the holidays.

On the campaign trail, he has made no secret of who he would seek to go after. This is bigger than the President-elect because now every President who would be king would be free to seek vengeance on their political opponents for every perceived slight.

I caution my colleagues to consider how far-reaching the consequences of this bill would be. This bill would apply to all future Presidents.

At a time when we should be strengthening our checks and balances and shoring up our guardrails, this legislation would do the opposite.

Mr. Speaker, in the strongest possible terms, I urge my colleagues to vote against this executive branch power grab.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3126, the Mark Our Place Act. I thank Senator Mike Braun for introducing this bill and Representative Morgan Luttrell for introducing the House companion.

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish a headstone, marker, or medallion signifying the status of a deceased member of the Armed Forces as a Medal of Honor recipient regardless of when the member served.

In spite of what the President-elect may think, the Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Since 1976, VA has provided distinctive government- furnished headstones and markers for Medal of Honor recipients to recognize this prestigious honor.

Under current law, only Medal of Honor recipients who served after 1917 are eligible for such markers, meaning many recipients, principally from the Civil War era, have not been able to receive the full array of honors from VA. This will remedy that situation and allow descendants of those recipients who served prior to 1917 to request appropriate markers to honor their loved ones.

Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I support S. 3126, the Mark Our Place Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2181, as amended, the Keeping Military Families Together Act. I thank Senator Gary Peters for introducing this bill and Representative Chris Pappas, the ranking member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, for introducing similar legislation in the House.

This bill extends two Department of Veterans Affairs burial benefits provided to spouses and dependent children of veterans or Active Duty servicemembers. Specifically, the bill requires VA to provide memorial headstones or markers for spouses or dependent children of veterans or servicemembers who were serving on Active Duty at the time of the spouse's or child's death.

Additionally, the bill authorizes burial in any open national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration for a spouse or dependent child of veterans or servicemembers who were serving on Active Duty at the time of the spouse's or child's death.

Madam Speaker, these burial authorities were set to expire at the end of October, and many families would have been faced with extremely difficult decisions about where to inter their loved ones. Thankfully, we were able to extend these authorities for an additional year in the most recent continuing resolution.

However, families of veterans need more certainty. While I am disappointed that we couldn't extend these authorities permanently, as Senator Peters and Ranking Member Pappas had originally intended, the additional 7 years presented in this bill will still allow for some time for some long-term end-of-life planning for many families.

Madam Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I support S. 2181, as amended, the Keeping Military Families Together Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7653, the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2024, introduced by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Davis), my good friend.

The Veteran Readiness and Employment, or VR&E, program offers vital services to help veterans and servicemembers with service-connected disabilities and those determined to have an employment handicap prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment or live more independently.

This bill would replace the terms ``employment handicap'' and ``serious employment handicap'' with the terms ``employment barrier'' and ``serious employment barrier.''

Historically, the term ``handicap'' has been associated with disadvantage or burden, which does not accurately reflect our veteran population. By making this change, we acknowledge the challenges that veterans with service-connected disabilities often face in the job market. Eliminating the stigma associated with these disabilities will encourage more veterans to participate in the VR&E program, ultimately assisting them in preparing for and securing meaningful employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs requested this change, which has bipartisan support and incurs no cost.

I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Davis) for his work on

veterans' issues during his first term in office. I am proud of his work to open doors at VA for more veterans so they may access the benefits they have earned through their service.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Davis), my good friend and also a veteran who is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and House Armed Services Committee.

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

Madam Speaker, in closing, I support H.R. 7653, the Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2024, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8371, as amended, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.

This omnibus package of veterans' legislation isn't perfect; such packages rarely are. However, it achieves progress on many of the goals we set out to accomplish at the beginning of the 118th Congress.

The backbone of this bill is legislation that was originally introduced by my colleague, Julia Brownley, the ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

Representative Brownley has worked tirelessly for nearly 3 years to pass the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act, H.R. 542. This bill will enable veterans to remain at home, safely age in place, and avoid or delay admission to nursing homes and other costly institutional settings of care by expanding veterans' access to home- and community-based services such as home health aides.

This legislation will also help connect veterans' caregivers to respite care and other support services that help them care for veterans at home. Further, it will help improve VA's coordination with other Federal long-term care programs that promote aging at home.

I am very thankful to my colleague Julia Brownley for her important work, but I know she worked very closely with Senator Elizabeth Dole, and Senator Dole has risen to an amazing stature in our country. I am so proud that she is also here in this Chamber with us today as the chairman mentioned. I hope someone will get her a blanket because it is so dang cold in this Chamber that I don't want her to freeze up there.

This legislation is an investment in care for millions of veterans and current servicemembers who need this help now and in the future.

Despite the great need for this bill, it has been an uphill battle to get it passed. This Chamber had an opportunity almost a year ago to pass the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act as a stand-alone bill. Unfortunately, House Republicans decided to bring a version to the floor they knew the Senate wouldn't pass.

Why would they do that you may ask? Well, because they decided to hold the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act and other bipartisan policy priorities hostage, attempting to use them as leverage to achieve their goal of outsourcing more VA care to for-profit healthcare providers. The Democratic Caucus stood firmly against these efforts.

It can be difficult and isolating to stand on policy principles, but I will always do so when the future of veterans' healthcare is on the line, and it is. The system is already straining, and if we don't take real and serious action, it will break.

House Republicans attempted nearly for a year to use H.R. 8371 to advance harmful provisions that would have undermined healthcare directly provided by VA, driving veterans to for-profit, lower-quality care from contracted providers. We want VA to remain a strong provider of care instead of diminishing it to nothing more than an insurance company where profits are prioritized over outcomes for veterans.

Madam Speaker, if we have learned anything during the 118th Congress, it is that anything meaningful that we have accomplished has been done on a bipartisan basis with Democratic votes.

It should never have taken this long to get here, but last week, we successfully negotiated a compromise on the most objectionable provision of H.R. 8371, which will preserve VA healthcare for current and future generations of veterans.

Unfortunately, in the year it took to get to this point, House Republicans also held hostage critical legislation to help homeless veterans. In December 2023, my colleagues in the majority knowingly and intentionally took a flawed version of the HOME Act, which includes two Democratic-led bills to the House floor to use these provisions as leverage in negotiations for this package. They used homeless veterans as political pawns in the same way that they did with elderly and disabled veterans and their caregivers.

Meanwhile, VA and its community partners continued doing the hard work to help veterans experiencing homelessness. On Veterans Day, the VA announced that veteran homelessness dropped to its lowest level on record, and that VA had helped place nearly 48,000 veterans into permanent housing in 2024.

While I celebrate VA's success in addressing this issue, there are still nearly 300,000 veterans who interact with VA's homelessness programs each year. We must continue investing resources into these programs and into our communities to ensure that every veteran has a stable place to call home. We hope the next administration will continue this work and adhere to the models that have proven effective like Housing First.

Therefore, the second pillar of this legislation supports our shared goal of ending veteran homelessness. H.R. 8371 includes provisions from Congresswoman Williams' H.R. 491, the Return Home to Housing Act and Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick's H.R. 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act. These provisions will provide direct investments in communities across the country as they move veterans from the streets into stable housing.

During the pandemic, VA used authorities contained in Representative Williams' bill to enhance the services that traditional housing providers could offer to veterans through an increased per diem reimbursement rate. It used the flexible authorities in Representative Cherfilus-McCormick's bill to save lives by bringing veterans out of unsafe living conditions into stable, permanent housing and meeting their basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing.

It also ensured homeless veterans had the transportation needed to get to and from medical appointments and job interviews.

These long overdue reauthorizations will ensure VA and its community partners can continue to address the veteran homelessness crisis in this country with the urgency and focus it deserves.

There is still more work to do to get every veteran into housing, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to provide VA, HUD, and communities across the country the support they need to end veteran homelessness.

Madam Speaker, I will also acknowledge several Democratic Members who have contributed to the drafting of this package. Representatives Mike Levin, Don Davis, Elissa Slotkin, Frank Mrvan, Dean Phillips, Morgan McGarvey, Chris Pappas, and Lauren Underwood all have provisions in their own bills included in this package. Many of them are or have been members of our committee, and their commitment to serving veterans continues with our work here today.

Among other things, these provisions will increase outreach to veterans about their eligibility for benefits, mandate training for VA employees on reporting wrongdoing to the inspector general, and remove statutory restrictions on the qualifications of senior leaders within the Veterans Health Administration.

Madam Speaker, that does not mean this bill is perfect, and I will stress my objection, once again, to the backward practice of the majority to offset discretionary spending along with mandatory spending in every bill. This means taxpayers will be paying for these programs twice and many remaining legislative priorities from the VSOs who are with us here today are at risk of being left undone next Congress when we must unnecessarily waste our limited offsets in order to advance this legislation.

Also missing from this package is a strong piece of bipartisan, bicameral, good-government legislation that would have installed much- needed guardrails on VA's electronic health record modernization project.

It is no secret that the Oracle-driven modernization effort has struggled at VA. The program is woefully behind schedule and is only operational at 6 of 172 medical centers. I am not convinced the system is fully functional. The EHR Program RESET Act would have required minimum operational criteria to be met before Oracle could be deployed to any further facilities, which would have prevented many of the current problems.

Further, this key legislation would have improved coordination with the Department of Defense and instituted major contracting and acquisition reforms over VA's IT modernization efforts that are long overdue.

Unfortunately, RESET was stripped from the package, which is not surprising given the army of lobbyists that Oracle unleashed to kill it.

That said, I thank the Veterans Service Organization community and other stakeholders whose tireless efforts and refusal to compromise their values proved critical in finally getting our Republican majority back to the negotiating table to reach a compromise on H.R. 8371 last week.

As we saw with the passage of the PACT Act, we know good things can be accomplished when VSOs are unified and committed to doing the right thing. I am glad that House Democrats also held firm to our values in negotiations and fought to preserve VA healthcare for current and future generations of veterans.

This package has taken more than a year to get to the finish line, but I am pleased that we as a caucus will be able to support passage on this compromise today.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley), my good friend and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Davis), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Agriculture and a veteran himself.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

I have said as much as I can about this important piece of legislation. What I will finally say is I am very glad that we got here, and I thank the chairman. We spent all this time, and we have reached a compromise. That is what we have to do in Congress, put our veterans and the people first. I think the American people want to see more of this sort of thing happening.

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased that we could get this done before the Thanksgiving weekend.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 9495, the so-called Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.

This legislation would grant the President-elect unilateral power to essentially shut down any tax-exempt organization based on any simple accusations of wrongdoing--let me repeat: a simple accusation of wrongdoing.

By granting the Treasury Secretary enormous power, the Secretary would have the authority to stifle any nonprofit organization that has provided ``material support'' to terrorists.

Granting this broad authority to investigate and strip nonprofits of their tax-exempt status paves the way for weaponized action against targeted organizations based on their core missions and political beliefs.

Mind you, I do not support organizations giving material support for terrorists, but I am concerned about a simple accusation of wrongdoing leading to that happening.

To be sure, nonprofits are already prohibited from providing material support to terrorist groups, and this legislation is unnecessary and duplicative. I support full enforcement of existing law.

Under a new President-elect Donald Trump, this proposed law could be punitive. The notion of giving President-elect Trump the power to take away the tax-exempt status of nonprofits associated with his so-called political opponents is staggering. Yet, here we are.

President-elect Trump before and during his campaign made numerous comments regarding his supposed enemies. These so-called enemies include individuals, corporations, or organizations that have been critical of the former President's policies and comments during the past and present.

Let us consider the case of a reputable organization like the Japanese American Citizens League. This nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization, a 501(c)(3), has done immeasurable work on behalf of the community and even our Nation advocating for Japanese Americans and other marginalized communities, including arguing against the Muslim ban. As a proud Japanese American myself, I am in awe of the great contributions that this nonprofit has made.

Yet, with this legislation before us today, one can predict a scenario in which this group may be targeted for supporting Muslims should a Trump Muslim ban 2.0 come to fruition.

Every day in this country, nonprofits are doing incredible work. They touch a range of different policy areas and sectors, and with this bill, they are at significant risk.

As written, this bill risks allowing LGBTQ organizations to be vulnerable to attack solely due to their collaboration with human rights groups in hostile areas. Loss of tax exemption would mean that these organizations would be subject to corporate tax rates, increasing financial burdens and the likelihood of financial hardship. New tax liabilities would divert funds away from core missions and activities, therefore impeding the work of supporting initiatives and community outreach.

We all know well that the organizations here that could be implicated are going to be based on political repercussions. A chilling effect of revoking tax-exempt status could deter other organizations from speaking up, essentially curtailing free speech.

Current law dictates it is already a Federal crime for nonprofits to provide this support for these groups, so why are we here today? Granting the executive branch such extraordinary power based off of unilateral accusations paves the way for significant abuse.

This bill is a gift to President-elect Trump, wrapped in a bow right before the holidays, to seek vengeance on his so-called political opponents.

Organizations such as J Street and the ACLU have come out in strong opposition to this bill for good reasons. The potential change in tax- exempt status would not only impact the financial stability of countless nonprofit organizations.

Mr. Speaker, the potential change in tax-exempt status would not only impact the financial stability of countless nonprofit organizations but would severely undermine the ability to carry out their core missions of advocating for civil rights and social justice.

Loss of funding and a reduction of capacity to serve communities threaten the survival and effectiveness of these nonprofits. We should be uplifting these organizations and not hindering their success.