Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7846) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2022, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 7846.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022.

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase the amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

Specifically, VA would be required to increase benefit amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients.

To me, the cost-of-living adjustment to veterans' compensation is more than just a rate adjustment tied to inflation. It is a quality-of- life guarantee for veterans and their families.

This annual COLA is not only a source of personal comfort for former servicemembers as they age; it assures that their survivors will not see a decline in earned benefits should the economy fluctuate and costs rise once their beloved veteran is no longer with us. I know this because veterans and their family members from all over the country relay these same exact sentiments to me.

The COLA is the continued recognition by a grateful nation of the service and sacrifice of those who have stepped up to serve. This gesture of appreciation is one of the most rewarding responsibilities of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. As chairman, I am honored to be leading this effort to express our thanks.

I would like to recognize the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs for, once again, originating this legislation for floor consideration today, and I thank Chair Luria and Ranking Member Nehls for their sponsorship and steadfast assistance to our vets.

I am pleased we are voting on this bill early to alleviate any doubt that this adjustment will be in place come December.

Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support H.R. 7846, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria). My good friend is the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7846, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7735) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to update the appraisal requirements for certain loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 insert extraneous material on H.R. 7735, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7735, as amended, the Improving Access

to the VA Home Loan Benefit Act of 2022. It directs VA to make needed improvements to the appraisal portion of the program, where some veterans have experienced delays.

The veteran home loan benefit is one of the most important transition benefits afforded to servicemembers and veterans. Over the last few years, during an unprecedented housing market, we have seen how even slight delays in the program can put servicemembers, veterans, and their families behind conventional home loan users.

The legislation from Ranking Member Bost directs VA to look internally at where these delays might be and make needed changes to make veteran home buyers as competitive as possible in a challenging buying market.

During our committee's May markup, I was pleased the ranking member supported my amendment to his legislation, which would ensure that the changes VA is directed to make to the program only improve the product for veteran home buyers without weakening home-buyer protections such as inspections and appraisals.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7735, as amended, the Improving Access to the VA Home Loan Benefit Act of 2022, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5916) to amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for the electronic request of certain records, 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. 5916, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5916, as amended. Representative Aguilar's Wounded Warrior Access Act would require VA to establish and maintain a secure, internet-based website to enable a claimant or their representative to make records requests related to VA claims and benefits.

Additionally, this bill would add a provision requiring VA to warn claimants about benefit scammers, provide a way to report potentially fraudulent activity, and provide a tool for claimants to search for accredited representation.

Currently, to make records requests related to VA claims and benefits, veterans or designated representatives must submit a Freedom of Information Act, otherwise known as a FOIA, or a Privacy Act Request.

Submitting this form followed by waiting for it to upload into the individual's electronic claims file, and then waiting action on the request can be very time-consuming and can negatively impact a claimant's ability to understand what records VA is evaluating and what information could better assist in a claim's positive adjudication.

Establishing and maintaining a secure, internet-based website to enable a claimant or their representative to make requests related to VA claims and benefits would modernize this essential process and assist in more timely, positive claim outcomes.

This bill would also add another tool in the toolbox for veterans when navigating the complexities of the claims process and will help veterans gain a little more autonomy over their claim.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5916, as amended, the Wounded Warrior Access Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8260) to amend title 38, United States Code, to shorten the timeframe for designation of benefits under Department of Veterans Affairs life insurance programs, to improve the treatment of undisbursed life insurance benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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. 8260, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8260, as amended, the bipartisan Faster Payments to Veterans' Survivors Act, will result in important help for the surviving family members of recently deceased veterans. Families often face financial hardship when a veteran life insurance policyholder dies, making timely payment of these VA benefits is therefore essential.

The VA does an admirable job of quickly paying the vast majority of beneficiaries upon the death of a loved one. Yet, in other cases, for a variety of reasons, VA is unable to determine the identity or location of a surviving spouse, child, or family member. At the end of the fiscal year 2020, the Department owed more than $150 million in undisbursed life insurance proceeds to nearly 15,000 survivors. Approximately 10 percent of this money had been owed for more than 5 years.

This legislation, introduced by Representative Chris Pappas ensures that VA will make the necessary improvements to expedite these life insurance payments with a goal of disbursing all unpaid benefits within 2 years.

The bill is cosponsored by more than 40 Members on both sides of the aisle, and it has the support of a half-dozen veteran service organizations, including the VFW, America Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, Modern Military Association of America, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Pappas for his work and urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend who serves as chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 8260, as amended, the Faster Payments to Veterans Survivors Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 4458) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the process by which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines whether an educational institution meets requirements relating to the percentage of students who receive educational assistance furnished by the Secretary, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 8656) to designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka, Indiana, as the ``Jackie Walorski VA Clinic'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise to today to honor Lana Abbasi, a dedicated member of my team who has recently announced her plans to return home to California to join the private sector. Since October 2017, Lana has loyally served the constituents of the 41st Congressional District, where she has worn many hats as a field representative, press secretary, and now communications director for my office.

Lana has been an invaluable asset to the institution of Congress and my team, and we are deeply saddened by her departure. During her tenure, Lana has elevated the values of my constituents and their needs through influential media strategies on numerous topics that have brought national recognition to the Inland Empire.

Lana's work to deliver timely information to constituents regarding COVID-19 in the face of a global pandemic was vitally important to the health and well-being of thousands of people in the Inland Empire. Her messaging and outreach on other issues such as the treatment of our veterans, the future of work, and federal investments in local projects were also imperative.

Madam Speaker, I am incredibly honored to have had Lana as a member of my team. Her contributions to my office and the constituents of California's 41st District will be forever celebrated through her service and her work. Lana's quick wit and impeccable fashion sense will be missed in the office each day, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment, which would correct a decades-long gap in VA's Allied Beneficiary Program by extending this program to South Korean veterans now living in the United States who served alongside the United States during the Vietnam war.

For 63 years, veterans of allied forces from World Wars I and II have been able to enroll in VA healthcare. The U.K., Australia, France, New Zealand, and Canada have had reciprocal agreements with the United States, reimbursing the VA for care provided to their veterans and vice versa.

In the 1970s, Congress also made veterans of the Czech and Polish Armed Forces who have been American citizens for at least 10 years eligible for VA healthcare. However, neither the Czech Republic nor Poland have reciprocal agreements with the United States, so VA is not reimbursed for the care provided to these veterans.

Yet still today, veterans of the Republic of Korea who fought alongside us in the Vietnam war and then went on to become citizens of the United States are denied what their European counterparts already have: access to veteran-centric, high-quality care from VA.

Over 300,000 Koreans fought alongside the United States in Vietnam. Thousands went on to build lives here and

become citizens, but today only 300 of these veterans are still living.

However, despite their service as our allies in the Korean military, these Korean Americans are not recognized as U.S. veterans in theory or in title and are therefore not granted access to VA services under the law. They are also not covered by the Korean healthcare system while living here in the United States.

Once they are naturalized United States citizens, they are recognized by South Korea as foreign nationals, with no benefits available to them in the United States. This is the decades-long inequity that this amendment would seek to address. This amendment is about supporting naturalized United States citizens as much as it is about sending a clear message to our allies abroad: If you serve alongside us in times of war, we will have your back.

This is important not only to provide vital healthcare to veterans here in the United States but also to instill confidence in our country as an international partner and ally. Three hundred Korean Vietnam veterans, now Americans, are asking this country to respect their service as fully as we respect the service of our European allies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend, the ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, implying that he would be supportive of this if we included other categories and other cohorts of veterans in a similar place. I go along with that.

I would be willing to work with the ranking member to address these other cohorts because I believe that we need to extend this particular offer to these others, but there is no reason for us not to act on this particular amendment because we have these 300 now-naturalized Korean- American citizens who served with us in the Vietnam war who have critical health needs.

Let us take care of these veterans now, but I pledge to work with the ranking member to address the other categories of naturalized American citizens who have served in a similar vein as our Czech Americans, our Polish Americans, and all of our other American allies.

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I just urge that all Members of Congress support this amendment. The ranking member and I can work on the other classifications, other classes of veterans.

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill (S. 3373), as amended, to improve the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant and the Children of Fallen Heroes Grant, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on S. 3373, as amended.

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

Madam Speaker, I stand before this Chamber in support of S. 3373, as amended, which is now the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022.

This measure addresses a technical drafting error in the Senate amendment to my PACT Act. As you know, the PACT Act passed the House with strong bipartisan support in March of this year.

Today, despite the current rancorous political debates taking place across America, this Chamber has the chance to help the country heal after 20 years of war.

We have an opportunity to make good on the promise we made to our servicemembers when our country sent them into harm's way: that we would take care of them and pay for that care when they come home.

For too long, veterans have faced an uphill battle to prove that the rare illnesses and cancers they were experiencing stemmed from their time in the military.

For too long, Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs have been slow to accept responsibility and cost of that care, and for too long the United States has not made good on our promise to our veterans.

But today, I make a plea for unity so that we may right this wrong and make good on our commitment to honor our pact with America's veterans. Today, we can finally recognize toxic exposure as a cost of war.

In the past, we saw Vietnam war veterans living with the effects of Agent Orange, fighting the VA for the care and benefits they were due. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act was signed into law in 2019, but it came nearly four decades too late. This bill could have been passed 2 years earlier when my friend, then-Republican chairman, Dr. Phil Roe, was leading this committee, but two Senators held up that bill. During that needless delay, many veterans succumbed to their illnesses, and their families were not compensated. Now is our chance to make amends for that.

There is absolutely no reason for veterans and their survivors to fight the VA for the care and benefits they have earned through their service. Never again should veterans be made to suffer the indignity of fighting their own government.

After Blue Water, I vowed that we would never again fail to live up to our promises to our veterans. That is why, at the beginning of the 117th Congress, I made addressing the effects of toxic exposure my top priority as chairman.

Throughout our history, America has cast aside party affiliation on behalf of veterans, coming together to pass landmark legislation to properly recognize those who have served, such as in 1944 when Congress passed the GI Bill. The GI Bill was transformational for a generation of veterans. By 1956, nearly 8 million veterans had used the GI Bill's education benefits and millions more still benefit from it today.

We have an opportunity to make a generational impact today. The PACT Act will directly affect one out of every five veterans, or 3.5 million people. It will also send a strong message to future generations of veterans that America will take care of them when their service ends.

The way this country has dealt with toxic exposure has been piecemeal and inadequate. President Biden recognizes this, too. Shortly after he was sworn in, I met with the President about our shared priorities for veterans. Upon learning of my goal to pass comprehensive legislation to help toxic-exposed veterans, the President leaned over to me and talked about his son, Beau, who served near burn pits in Iraq and Kosovo.

It might be hard for most Americans to imagine what a burn pit looks like because they are illegal in the United States. Picture walking next to and breathing fumes from a burning pit the size of a football field. This pit contained everything from household trash, plastics, and human waste to jet fuel and discarded equipment burning day and night. Beau Biden lived near these burn pits and breathed the fumes that emanated from them.

President Biden believes that constant exposure to these burn pits, and the toxic fumes they emitted, led to Beau's cancer and early death. It was during that meeting when I knew I had a partner in President Biden.

At the State of the Union, President Biden called on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to comprehensively address the effects of toxic exposure and improve the delivery of benefits for toxic-exposed veterans. I cannot thank him enough for throwing his support behind this effort and placing those who have served our country at the center of his unity agenda.

To my colleagues who previously voted ``no'' on the PACT Act in March, I ask you the same question I asked you then: Are you willing to support our troops and honor our Nation's promise to them? Or will you allow naked partisanship to once again deny our veterans the care they deserve?

Just this Congress alone, every single Democrat in this body voted to make sure each day in uniform counts toward GI Bill benefits. Every single Democrat voted to ensure a smooth transition from Active Duty to civilian life. Every single Democrat voted to honor our pact with toxic-exposed veterans. There is no question as to where Democrats stand on prioritizing America's veterans. We are backing up our thank- you with concrete action.

Frankly, all the bills that I mentioned should have passed with unanimous support. If the American people knew the context of these bills and knew the content of them, they would demand unanimous support from this Chamber.

But I take this moment now to recognize my Republican colleagues in this Chamber who put keeping our promise to veterans above partisanship. I thank the Republican cosponsors of this bill, Representatives Fitzpatrick and Cline.

Further, I recognize the 34 Republicans who in March showed their support for veterans by voting ``yes'' on final passage, including Veterans' Affairs Committee members, General Bergman and Representative Mace. I also recognize the commitment of Representatives Bilirakis and Kinzinger, who do not serve on this committee, but demonstrated early leadership by supporting this legislation. I am also glad to see my colleague, Ranking Member Bost, finally stand in support of this bill today.

Moreover, in June, an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 84 Senators voted in favor of the PACT Act in the Senate. This proved the value of the cause and showed that it had momentum, so the trajectory of this effort is clear.

But here is also a very rare situation where there is a chance for redemption. For those of my Republican colleagues who previously hesitated, sat on the sidelines, or chose politics over veterans, you get a second chance to do the right thing. There is no reason why this time this measure should not garner at least 400 votes in this Chamber.

Why is it that a Republican leader and Republican whip, who aspire to be in the majority but do not show the fortitude to govern, are continuing to oppose this bill and are asking you to do the same? Do not let them stand in the way with unconvincing arguments about budgetary constraints when the true cost of war, the human cost of war, is abundantly clear.

For example, as the House considers the National Defense Authorization Act this week, a bill that authorizes $838.8 billion, spending which I believe could be justifiable, I am reminded of the stark reality of how this Congress approaches Federal spending.

It has become a battle of defense spending versus everything else. That everything else includes veterans, schoolchildren, the elderly, and our constituents. I vigorously object to veterans being pitted against their fellow Americans to fight for funding. Do

we really want to support veterans by limiting school lunches for children? Do we support veterans by limiting help for seniors? You can be damn sure our veterans didn't sign up to serve our country, watch their families make sacrifices, or go to war far from home so Members of this body could perpetuate a false choice that pits Americans against one another.

The right choice, the choice we are going to make today, is simple: Recognize toxic exposure as a cost of war, period.

Using hypocritical arguments about fiscal responsibility as a reason to oppose this bill when the truth of the moral responsibility of caring for our veterans is made crystal clear, is not consistent with American values. Make no mistake: When our country goes to war, we don't nickel and dime the Department of Defense, and we shouldn't try to pinch pennies when it comes to covering the care for toxic-exposed veterans.

We don't hear these arguments about needing offsets when we are asked rightly to support more body armor or protection from IEDs. This Congress steps up to the plate to provide our servicemembers with what they need to fight our wars. So why are Members of this body arguing that we need to scrounge around to find money for our veterans? It is time for Congress to fully support toxic-exposed veterans as they fight the rare cancers and illnesses after returning home.

Now, I must express dismay also about the procedural steps we must now undertake because a single Senator is preventing the Senate from quickly fixing the technical issue in this bill. This Senator, already having watched the bill pass the Senate the first time with strong support, knowing the veteran sacrifice behind it, and the blood, sweat, and tears shed by the veteran community to finally get this done, chose instead to object because he doesn't like the funding mechanism in this bill.

His position is the losing one, it was the losing one, and he has held up this bill for no other reason other than sour grapes; and to what end is unclear when veterans suffer in the meantime. Therefore, we Members of the House must take this route to push forward and do what we know is right.

The Honoring our PACT Act would not have been possible were it not for the veterans who selflessly shared their stories, their pain, and their trauma, opening the eyes of their fellow Americans to the realities of being exposed to toxic substances.

Throughout this process, I have met many toxic-exposed veterans whose sacrifice and courage continued long after they hung up their uniform. I am forever humbled by the courage of Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran who served near a burn pit in Fallujah who later fought the VA for 3 years to get the care she needed.

I am sorry to say she passed away this spring, but not before selflessly fighting for a comprehensive bill that would aid over 3.5 million veterans like her living with the effects of toxic exposure, a bill that she herself would not benefit from. We also honor the valor of Wesley Black, Heath Robinson, Jennifer Kepner, and so many others who are no longer with us.

This bill would also not have been possible without the support of over 40 veteran service organizations. Each of these organizations understand that toxic-exposed veterans are still in the heat of battle. I thank them for their impact and advocacy for the Honoring our PACT Act.

I also thank my staff, who worked tirelessly to listen and engage with advocates and stakeholders and spent countless hours drafting and redrafting this bill to get it right.

I also thank Speaker Pelosi for always being a tireless advocate for veterans, along with Majority Leader Hoyer.

I also thank Senate Majority Leader Schumer for his work with Senators Tester and Moran and the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee to pass this bill.

I also point out that Jon Stewart and John Feal kept us accountable.

Most importantly, to the families of veterans who tragically lost their lives as a result of being exposed to toxic substances during their time in service, I thank you for your sacrifices.

This legislative effort will help our veterans heal, and it offers hope that our country can do the same. It sends a message to all Americans that their Government will not allow their grievances to go unaddressed. It acknowledges the suffering endured by our Vietnam war veterans and demonstrates to them that we have learned from our mistakes and that their struggle and their suffering was not in vain.

We are setting a new standard with the PACT Act. We are telling our veterans: The burden of proof is not on you. Because of your sacrifice to our country, this Congress and the American people are giving you the benefit of the doubt that you have earned.

Let's pass this bill and ease the anxiety in the minds of our veterans who are living with cancer or other illnesses and terminal diseases and let them know that their families are going to be taken care of. I believe this is what the American people want and what everyone in this Chamber should want. It is what our veterans deserve, and it is the right thing to do.

Madam Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to honor their pact with the veterans by voting ``yes'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I certainly welcome the support of the ranking member on this bill.

May I inquire as to the time remaining in debate.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend who is the chairwoman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), my good friend who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization and on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, nothing could be more important or a higher priority in defense of our Republic than to address the unaddressed grievances of our veterans. We are keeping our promise to our veterans. We are saying today that doing so is a cost of war.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and active member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin), my good friend who serves on the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman.

Madam Speaker, I welcome the support of the gentleman from Montana.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz), my good friend and member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, where he is an active member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), who is my good friend. He is an active member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and serves on the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) who has been a tremendous supporter of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I so welcome the support of the gentleman from Florida. He got it right the first time. He voted ``yes'' the first time. I know he is going to vote ``yes'' the second time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), my good friend who serves on the Education and Labor Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the even begrudging ``yes'' vote from the gentleman from Georgia. I will just say there is no budget gimmick here. This vote is going to unite America. It is going to heal America.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), my good friend who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

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

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

I am delighted that the ranking member is offering his support for this bill. I accept that support, but I do not accept his objections.

This bill, I mean, yes, I do say that we are creating entitlements. But the entitlements we are creating are 3.5 million veterans eligible for healthcare, veterans that were exposed to toxic substances. We are conceding exposure to them. We are making it possible for them to not have to fight their government.

Yes, we are creating entitlements with our 23 presumptive illnesses. It is going to mean that those veterans are entitled to benefits, and their families will be entitled to benefits, so those veterans that are suffering from terminal illnesses are not going to have to worry about their families being without resources after they pass.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in finally doing what is right and passing this very important piece of legislation, S. 3373, as amended. I hope we get 400 votes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 42) authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol on Thursday, July 14, 2022, for the lying in honor of the remains of Hershel Woodrow ``Woody'' Williams, the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient for acts performed during World War II, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendment of my friend and colleague, Congressman Lieu, that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs and community partners to address the needs of homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area by authorizing the use of innovative funding streams.

Currently, the VA's West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 restricts funding. Any Federal revenue generated from leases on the West Los Angeles VA campus may be used only for the renovation and maintenance of land and facilities.

This means that while the VA can use proceeds from the leases to pay for things like running utility lines, they cannot use funds for the supportive services that veterans residing on the campus need.

Los Angeles has the largest homeless veteran population in the country, with close to 10 percent of all homeless veterans across the U.S. residing there.

The West LA VA hospital campus provides an enormous opportunity to provide shelter and support for those who have served our Nation, but face hard times, by building a supportive community for veterans.

We have made great strides at the West LA VA campus to address veteran homelessness, but there is still so much more that needs to be done.

Specifically, this amendment will ensure that the West LA VA is able to collect $25 million from the Los Angeles Purple Line Metro easement and put that money toward housing and supportive services for homeless veterans.

Funds from easements and other use agreements at the West LA VA should be returned to the campus and used for those who served our country in the Armed Forces. This is simply common sense.

Last November, I visited the West LA VA campus with VA Secretary McDonough, Congresswoman Brownley, Congresswoman Bass, and Congressman Lieu, who is leading this amendment.

During that visit, we learned about how the VA campus was transitioning the care, treatment, and rehabilitative services, or CTRS, from using tents to small innovative shelters.

Madam Speaker, this provides a much more supportive living situation for those veterans trying to escape homelessness.

Currently, there are roughly 105 veterans residing in these innovative shelters, and over 550 unique veterans have been admitted to the program--it has proven to be a successful model for getting veterans connected to VA resources and quickly moved into permanent housing or treatment programs.

The change Congressman Lieu's amendment will make is especially significant.

VA has determined that under current law it is restricted from using funds from its leases and easements to pay for critical improvements for veteran safety and well-being, like security for CTRS.

This amendment would also free up funding for permanent supportive housing to be built on the campus, which means more veterans will be off the streets and into a home to call their own with the VA care that they need close by.

Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs, one of my top priorities has been to curtail unethical conduct aimed at the men and women that have worn the uniform of our Nation. The Cicilline/Takano amendment offered to H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 is another means to that end. This amendment would prohibit the enforcement of forced arbitration clauses in contracts covered by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

SCRA was created to extend important financial protections to military service personnel who are currently serving on active-duty and often targeted for exploitation. These protections can range from prohibiting lenders from repossessing cars and foreclosing on homes while servicemembers are actively deployed. Despite the protections granted in SCRA, corporations and big banks have been consistently targeting servicemembers and their families through the deceptive use of forced arbitration clauses. Forced arbitration has undermined the rights of servicemembers for years by forcing them to waive their ability to seek remedies through the courts. More often than not, these clauses are buried in the fine print of lengthy employment contracts.

This amendment will expand these protections to remove a common tool used in an exploitation that has become all too common. Those who serve in our military are inherently at a disadvantage against aggressive lenders as the nature of their service makes it difficult to seek fair resolve in any claims. Lenders are acutely aware of this unique disadvantage of servicemembers and many seek to take full advantage.

This prohibition on forced arbitration clauses would protect countless men and women from predatory lenders while deployed. Our servicemembers protect us both at home and abroad, and it is time we safeguard their rights against predatory lenders and others who shamelessly seek to exploit members of our military. I am hopeful that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will vote in favor of this amendment, and I thank Congressman Cicilline for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pell Grant Program.

Fifty years ago, Congress amended the Higher Education Act by creating the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant to provide direct financial aid to low-income students so that they would have the same opportunities and the same access to higher education as others.

Since then, the Pell Grant has been a cornerstone investment in the lives and futures of nearly 80 million students across the country.

In my district, more than $123 million in Pell grants have been awarded to students just last year. Think of the difference that has made.

As a former educator myself, I know that cost is one of the largest barriers to higher education, and here in Congress I will continue to do everything in my power to support the Pell Grant Program and ensure it continues to break down that very barrier.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule, which would deem and pass a resolution condemning great replacement theory and white supremacy.

The recent mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, that claimed the lives of 10 Americans was committed by a self-described white supremacist who referenced great replacement theory in a manifesto.

The perpetuation of xenophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism by rightwing extremists who believe in a grand conspiracy theory that minorities, somehow facilitated by Jews, are actively seeking to diminish the political and cultural power of White voters must be condemned.

Notably absent is the condemnation of our leaders on the right, who refuse to speak out against this senseless violence and call it what it is: hate speech meant to divide us and not unite us.

This departure from logic and reason, and cozying up to fear, is leading people to violence and extremism in communities all across this country, and it must be stopped.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5738) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require a lactation space in each medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5738, as amended.

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

I rise in strong support for H.R. 5738, as amended, the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act introduced by Chairwoman Luria. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that each Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center contain a hygienic lactation space that is not a bathroom.

This legislation requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide essential spaces to serve nursing individuals and veteran mothers which are shielded from view, contain a chair and work surface, are free from intrusion, and are accessible to disabled individuals. These spaces should also be easy to locate with clear, identifiable signs, and readily available for veteran moms.

This bill is endorsed by numerous veterans service organizations including the National Veterans Legal Services Program, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Women veterans make up the fastest-growing community within the veteran population. In order to adequately meet their needs, VA needs to provide culturally competent care and resources to ensure they will feel comfortable when they seek care at a VA facility.

This legislation, which ensures safe, dedicated spaces for lactation, further advances VA's mission to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment at its facilities.

Women veterans face many challenges accessing essential VA care benefits. The Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act ensures VA eliminates barriers that may discourage veteran moms from utilizing those benefits.

A vote in support of this bill is a vote for women veterans and shows our dedication to ensuring VA delivers equitable and safe spaces for veteran moms.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend, author of H.R. 5738, and the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing this very important legislation, H.R. 5738, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.