Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill

(H.R. 7335) to improve coordination between the Veterans Health Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration with respect to claims for compensation arising from military sexual trauma, 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. 7335.

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

I rise in strong support of H.R. 7335, the MST Claims Coordination Act, introduced by Chairwoman Luria. Information is power, but access to information is empowering.

Given the traumatic nature of military sexual trauma, equipping veterans with information about the MST claims process may help to ease the apprehension that may be associated with pursuing MST claims.

The outreach materials mandated by this legislation will provide MST survivors a variety of resources on how to pursue and file claims; identify mental health resources for treatment; and contact information for the Veterans Crisis Line, should the need arise.

By improving the notification mechanisms between the Veterans Health Administration and the Veterans Benefit Administration, veteran survivors of MST will benefit from claims coordination between the administrations, which will hopefully lead to a more streamlined MST claims process and accelerated compensation decisions, and will avoid the complications that often lead to frustration among survivors.

I thank Chair Luria for offering this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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. 7335, and the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I truly appreciate the diligent work of Chairwoman Luria. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing her legislation, H.R. 7335, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6961) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve hearings before the Board of Veterans' Appeals regarding claims involving military sexual trauma, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6961, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6961, as amended, the Dignity for MST Survivors Act, introduced by Representative Mrvan.

The importance of caring for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma cannot be overstated. By virtue of the bill's name, Representative Mrvan seeks to ensure that MST survivors are given the respect and honor they deserve.

Words have meaning and power, and how we discuss MST can be retraumatizing for survivors. Careful thought must be given to the way in which the VA communicates with veterans who have MST claims. This bill takes great

care to address the language included in claims denial letters so veterans are not retraumatized when receiving what may be troubling news. This legislation requires the VA to consult with stakeholders to identify the appropriate language to include in these letters.

Additionally, the Board of Veterans' Appeals does significant work, including the processing of appeals for MST. Given the extremely sensitive nature of these claims, board members must be adequately trained to review these cases. Therefore, this legislation includes an annual training element and requires that if board members do not meet this annual training requirement, they will not be assigned MST cases.

As has been noted in other MST-related bills, the training and development of contract medical providers is essential to conducting MST compensation exams.

This bill will require these medical providers to use the most up-to- date, trauma-informed protocols while working with veterans seeking MST claims.

While it is my understanding that most MST claim exams are being outsourced to contract providers, I appreciate the changes to the introduced text that will require the same training for contract providers and in-house VA providers.

As such, I supported the amendment by Ranking Member Bost to clarify this issue during committee consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), my good friend and author of this legislation, who serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6961, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6064) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for a review of examinations, furnished by the Secretary, to individuals who submit claims to the Secretary for compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, for mental and physical conditions linked to military sexual trauma.

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. 6064.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6064, introduced by Representative Nehls.

Given the unfortunate prevalence of military sexual trauma among veterans and the broad and long-lasting impacts it can have on a survivor, it makes sense to have a neutral research party assess the adequacy of compensation examinations conducted by VA examiners to ensure we are fully addressing the needs of our veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma.

The sensitive nature of MST evaluations requires competent and compassionate care. Having a better understanding of the academic preparation and credentialing of medical and mental health practitioners will allow the VA to adjust and amend existing policy to provide more appropriate compensation examinations.

The National Academies of Science provides independent and objective research that informs public policy. To that end, an empirical review of the practitioner training associated with MST compensation examinations will strengthen stakeholder confidence in the overall process, improve customer service, and enhance claim decisions to benefit veterans who experienced MST.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Nehls for offering this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6064, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2724) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide for peer support specialists for claimants who are survivors of military sexual trauma, 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 2724, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2724, as amended, the VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act, introduced by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Delgado).

VA has provided peer support specialists for recently discharged veterans transitioning to civilian life, veterans with mental health or substance abuse issues, and caregivers of veterans.

Peer support programs have proven successful for these communities and may prove to be a beneficial tool during the claims process for survivors of military sexual trauma. Victim advocacy can serve as a bridge between survivors and the Veterans Benefits Administration adjudicators processing their cases.

Within the MST context, a highly trained peer support specialist can serve as an advocate who can provide counsel, assistance, and coordination to navigate a process that may be stress-inducing and anxiety-provoking.

If the MST claimant chooses to utilize the services of a peer support specialist, the MST claims experience may go more smoothly and potentially reduce the emotional strain on an inherently difficult process.

This bill was amended in committee with thoughtful input from Ranking Member Bost, who sought to clarify that the role of the peer support specialist in assisting an MST claimant is to act as a shepherd for the MST claimant rather than a surrogate who speaks on behalf of a claimant during proceedings. As such, a peer support specialist can provide guidance, support, and counseling and help claimants navigate a difficult and potentially retraumatizing process.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2724, as amended, and maybe, hopefully, the gentleman from Montana will allow this to go on a voice vote. I thought I would just mention that. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 4089) to restore entitlement to educational assistance under Veterans Rapid Retraining Program in cases of a closure of an educational institution or a disapproval of a program of education, 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 S. 4089.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4089, the Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act.

This legislation was introduced by Senator Durbin and passed by unanimous consent in the Senate. I also thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) for introducing this legislation in the House.

Mr. Speaker, during the most difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and President Biden worked together to pass the American Rescue Plan into law, one of the most significant investments in American workers and the American economy since the New Deal.

The Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program, which was included in the American Rescue Plan, created a new program to retrain and employ unemployed veterans.

Since passage, over 5,000 veterans have used this program, many to great

success. However, not every veteran has had the same experience. Some have been subject to school closures, which risk robbing them of this one-time benefit. For example, in Illinois, more than 300 veterans were scammed by a for-profit school that took their money and abruptly closed its doors.

This legislation restores these education benefits to veterans defrauded by schools and gives these veterans a second chance to gain new skills in a booming labor market.

I thank the Senate for getting this bill to us so quickly and Senator Durbin and Congressman Danny K. Davis for their leadership.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), my good friend who serves as a subcommittee chair on the Ways and Means Committee and is a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in passing this important legislation. I remind my colleagues that it was sent to us by the Senate by unanimous consent, and we can express that same sense of unanimity by allowing this bill to pass on suspension by voice vote. The Senate has indicated unanimity. As my colleagues well know, to even get to the floor requires a 60-vote super majority.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to my friend from Montana, the Big Sky State, have a big heart as well as be from the Big Sky State. To my colleague, the ranking member, I take to heart your consternation over a $6 million non-offsetted cost, but I will remind you of a $2 trillion tax cut which was not offset.

So we will wring our hands over $6 million for our veterans but yet, look the other way when $2.9 trillion is blithely moved through this Chamber with nary a hearing. I plead to a big heart in this institution that we may get through these votes quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support S. 4089, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6052) to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to require the employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive training developed by the Inspector General of the Department on reporting wrongdoing to, responding to requests from, and cooperating with the Office of Inspector General, 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. 6052.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6052, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act of 2021.

The VA's Office of Inspector General performs important oversight and investigations into a broad range of programs and spending by the Department.

Its work informs our committee's own oversight and has often formed the basis of our legislation. However, the Office of Inspector General relies on VA employees as a key source of information.

The better employees are at communicating with the OIG, the more effective the OIG is in carrying out oversight. That is why this bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Underwood and McKinley is so important.

Their bill requires all VA employees to undergo training developed by the OIG relating to reporting wrongdoing, responding to OIG requests, and cooperating with OIG investigations.

This legislation is supported by The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), the brilliant gentlewoman, my good friend, and author of H.R. 6052. She serves on the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6052, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2533) to improve mammography services furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 S. 2533.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2533, Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act, or MAMMO Act, introduced by Senator Tester.

This bill vastly improves the Department of Veterans Affairs' mammography services by updating policies and directives to ensure VA is not only following best practices, but also using the most advanced medical, diagnostic equipment and testing to aid in early detection and prevention of breast cancer.

Mr. Speaker, timeliness matters. By ensuring VA is using the best practices and most up-to-date technologies, we will help decrease the risk that women veterans--a group that is nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer than their civilian counterparts--are misdiagnosed, or undiagnosed, for breast cancer.

Access to reliable mammograms at VA facilities is imperative in order to detect tumors years prior to physical touch detection. A veteran that receives an early diagnosis will have stronger treatment options and an increased likelihood of survival.

It is important to note that women are not the only veterans susceptible to breast cancer, men are increasingly at risk, too. This bill addresses the needs of male veterans who may require prompt breast cancer screening services.

In addition, this legislation calls on VA to collaborate with other Federal partners, such as the Department of Defense and the National Cancer Institute to enhance research and care for women veterans suffering from breast cancer.

The MAMMO Act has broad bipartisan support, and I thank Chairwoman Brownley for her steadfast leadership on this issue and for introducing the House companion of this legislation with Dr. Miller-Meeks.

Additionally, numerous veteran service organizations, such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,

Wounded Warrior Project, and The American Legion have voiced robust support for this legislation.

We cannot wait any longer to pass this critical piece of legislation. The MAMMO Act is essential for VA to provide high-quality, lifesaving care that veterans have not only earned but deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2533. In the last vote, the gentleman from Montana went out of my line of sight, and I thought we were going to pass this on suspension. I plead with him, let MAMMO go, let MAMMO pass on voice. By allowing us to pass it on voice, everybody says ``yes.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2102) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mammography screening for veterans who served in locations associated with toxic exposure.

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 S. 2102.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 2102, the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environments Act, or SERVICE Act, introduced by Senator Boozman.

I applaud Dr. Miller-Meeks and Chairwoman Brownley for their initiative on this urgent issue and for introducing the House companion.

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that any veteran who was deployed in support of a contingency operation in specified locations during defined periods is eligible for a mammography screening by a VA healthcare provider. The specified locations are theaters of operations where burn pits are currently--or were previously--being used.

This bill also requires inclusion of other locations and time periods as determined by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.

Additionally, the SERVICE Act requires a report that compares breast cancer rates for veterans deployed to the specified locations, comparing data to other members of the Armed Forces who were not deployed during that period, and to the civilian population.

Many of us here today were lucky enough to have had the honor of meeting Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas; a fierce advocate, loving wife and mother, and an exemplary Marine Corps veteran, who served near a burn pit in Fallujah. Kate passed away last month after battling stage IV breast cancer.

She gave her last days to her fellow veterans, fighting for the passage of comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that would provide potentially lifesaving care crucial for similarly exposed veterans.

While I support this important and timely legislation, I also stress the urgency of passing the Honoring our PACT Act. It is time for our country to make good on its promise to toxic-exposed veterans.

It is up to us, Members of Congress, to fight for our Nation's veterans as they have fought for us. Our Nation's veterans do not have time to wait.

I support S. 2102, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in passing this important piece of legislation, the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am outraged.

I am outraged because, in 2022, women are still fighting for their reproductive rights.

I am outraged that women do not have autonomy over their bodies. Their bodies belong to them, not Supreme Court Justices, not politicians, and not anyone else.

I am outraged that, despite the fact that the majority of Americans support legal abortion, the Senate has voted against the bill that codifies Roe and protects access to abortion.

What these political hacks on the Supreme Court and politicians do not realize is that striking down Roe v. Wade will not end abortion. It will simply end safe access to abortion, and women's lives will be at risk.

If you are not equally enraged, you are not paying attention.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I am pleased to support this amendment by the gentlewoman and Congressman Rouzer.

It will require DOD to submit to Congress a report on sources of PFAS on military installations other than aqueous film-forming foam and providing recommendations regarding whether to expand registry eligibility to individuals exposed to PFAS from other sources.

The PFAS data gathered by this amendment will be a tremendous value as VA, DOD, and other agencies across our Federal Government continue their research related to this important matter.

Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes''.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the amendment introduced by Representatives Ruiz, Ryan, and Gonzalez-Colon.

Madam Speaker, I want to take my 30 seconds to just say how much this bill, the Honoring our PACT Act, rests on the work, passion, and energy of the gentleman from the neighboring district in Riverside County, which we both have the honor to represent.

Dr. Ruiz has brought his tremendous knowledge as a doctor, somebody with three medically-related degrees from Harvard University--the first Latino to do so. I can't say enough about the work that he has done to make this possible, and we all are grateful.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of Congressman Ryan's bipartisan amendment.

Let me just say that the PACT Act is something that this Congress must do, and the Republican substitute is simply what we, this Congress, can get away with. We cannot simply rest on what we can get away with.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 950, I call up the bill (H.R. 3967) to improve health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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. 3967, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3967, as amended, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2021.

When we sent our servicemembers into harm's way, we made a pact to care for them when they came home. But for too long, Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs have been slow to accept responsibility and cost of that care, citing high costs or lack of absolute, scientific proof of illness connections to service. The result is a disability claims process that is cumbersome and places the burden of proof for toxic exposure on veterans themselves.

Every day more and more veterans speak out about exposure to environmental hazards and other toxic substances during their military service.

Recently, I put out a call encouraging toxic exposed veterans to share their experiences with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. We heard from thousands of veterans in 49 States. These reflections are very powerful, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to share some of them with you now.

Navy veteran Ed described how toxic exposures overwhelmed his senses. He wrote: ``You could not escape the jet fuel. You could see it, smell it, and taste it.''

I heard from Marine veteran Mike who said: ``Even when we weren't actively engaged in dumping items into the burn pit, we were still exposed.''

Air Force veteran Christopher R. described his dealings with VA stating: ``I continue to be rejected because they say that it is impossible to prove that it is service related. I never worked with chemicals before my service or since. I feel like a nuisance to the VA health system.''

I heard from a widow of Army veteran Austin Monk who said: ``No wife should have to bury her 22-year-old husband because of his exposure to unsafe conditions while in service to his country.''

These stories are heart-wrenching and frustrating. Our veterans are fighting their own government to grant them the care and benefits they have earned.

We should be outraged listening to these stories, and it should be clear how urgent passing the Honoring our PACT Act is for our veterans. Veterans and veterans service organizations agree.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from more than 42 veterans service organizations.

February 24, 2022.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker,

House of Representatives.

Hon. Kevin McCarthy,

Minority Leader,

House of Representatives.

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy: On behalf

of the American service members and veterans we represent,

the undersigned representatives of our respective Veterans

and Military Service Organizations call on the House to

expeditiously consider and pass into law the Honoring Our

PACT Act (H.R. 3967).

Throughout our history, and most recently over the course

of more than 20 years of war in the post-9/11 era, service

members and veterans suffered prolonged exposure to dangerous

toxic substances, such as burn pits that destroyed trash,

medical and human waste, chemicals, and fuel, in and around

the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and other places. Of

the hundreds of thousands of our members who have suffered

these exposures, many have returned home sick (or would

become ill), and many have also died of their injuries.

Collectively, we have spent years educating Congress,

national leaders, and the public on the enormous scope of the

injuries faced by our community. There have been small-scale

measures to boost education, training, research, and outreach

to begin to address the problem. Over the last several years,

many of our organizations have worked together to assemble

the components of comprehensive toxic exposure legislation

that provides VA health care, a new process to determine

future presumptive conditions, and provide overdue disability

benefits to thousands of veterans from all wars and eras

suffering from toxic exposures.

There have been a number of bills introduced in the House

that address different aspects of the toxic exposures puzzle,

however the Honoring Our PACT Act is the only bill that

provides a truly comprehensive solution. Although many of us

have supported some of these other burn pits and toxic

exposure bills, none of them provides a complete and lasting

solution for veterans who are or may become ill as a result

of toxic exposures. Consequently, when the Honoring Our PACT

Act is brought to the floor for consideration, if any such

legislation is offered as an amendment or motion to restrict

or substitute, rather than supplement, the underlying bill,

we would urge all members to oppose such amendments or

motions.

Our organizations call on the House to pass the Honoring

Our PACT Act without further delay, to finally provide those

who have laid their lives on the line for all Americans with

the health care and benefits they need and deserve.

Sincerely,

Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Association of

Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Army Aviation

Association of America, Burn Pits 360, California Communities

Against Toxics, Cease Fire Campaign, Commissioned Officers

Association of the USPHS, Disabled American Veterans (DAV),

Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, Enlisted

Association of the National Guard of the United States

(EANGUS), Environmental Working Group (EWG), Fleet Reserve

Association (FRA), Gold Star Wives of America, GO2 Foundation

for Lung Cancer.

Green Beret Foundation, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of

America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Service

Women's Action Network (SWAN), Military Chaplains

Association, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA),

Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Military-Veterans

Advocacy, Minority Veterans of America, National Association

of County Veterans Service Officers, National Military Family

Association (NMFA), National Veterans Legal Services Program

(NVLSP), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Non

Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA).

Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Reserve Organization

of America (ROA), Student Veterans of America (SVA), Task

Force Dagger Foundation, The American Legion, The Enlisted

Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

(TAPS), United Soldiers and Sailors of America, United States

Army Warrant Officers Association, Veteran Warriors, Veterans

of Foreign Wars (VFW), Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness,

Vietnam Veterans of America VVA), Wounded Warrior Project

(WWP).

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Nancy Pelosi, our Speaker, for her commitment to bring this bill to the floor. After years of diligent input from my colleagues, our staff, VA, VSOs, and toxic- exposed veterans themselves, I am confident that we are bringing the best possible version of this bill up for a vote.

The administration agrees and has stated that it ``strongly supports'' this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Statement of Administrative Policy for H.R. 3967.

Statement of Administration Policy

H.R. 3967--Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT)

Act--Rep. Takano, D-California and 100 cosponsors

The Administration strongly supports H.R. 3967, which would

expand veterans' access to health care and benefits to

address the health effects of harmful environmental exposures

that occurred during military service.

The President believes that our Nation has only one truly

sacred obligation: to properly prepare and equip our service

members when we send them into harm's way and to care for

them and their families when they return home. Far too often,

military service comes with a cost, and we owe it to our

veterans and their families to address these consequences

comprehensively. Unfortunately, it has taken decades to

understand the deleterious effects of environmental

exposures--leaving too many without access to the benefits

and services they need.

H.R. 3967 would make changes to the definitions for who is

eligible for VA health care based on presumed toxic exposure

during military service, including from burn pits, radiation,

or other environmental conditions. H.R. 3967 would also make

changes to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA's) process

for determining presumptive service connection and mandate

several research studies related to military related

environmental exposures. It would also establish new

registries related to exposures, which would provide new data

on the long-term impacts from environmental exposures. H.R.

3697 also would allow a Federal cause of action related to

contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and

establish training requirements for health providers, and

require an outreach plan to educate veterans about their

eligibility for benefits and services related to toxic

exposure.

The Administration looks forward to working with the

Congress to enact this legislation and ensuring it is

effectively implemented. We must address the toxic legacy of

environmental exposures sustained by veterans during their

military service and fulfill our sacred obligation to our

veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We must

also ensure that VA has the resources it needs to implement

this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from The Independence Fund.

The Independence Fund,

February 23, 2022.

Hon. Mark Takano,

Chair, House Committee on Veterans Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Mike Bost,

Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost: The

Independence Fund endorses the Honoring Our PACT Act (H.R.

3976) and urges its quickest adoption by the full House of

Representatives. We further urge the House to engage the

Senate with an appropriate legislative vehicle to get a

House-Senate conference started as soon as possible to work

out a final legislative solution this spring.

The Independence Fund's been proud to join with Wounded

Warrior Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,

and numerous other veteran organizations through the Toxic

Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition since

August of 2020 and the initial introduction and Senate

passage of the Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM)

Act of 2020 (S. 4393) and has applauded the serious and

intensive work the House Committee on Veterans Affairs

undertook over the last 16 months.

Now, with the potential House passage of H.R. 3967, we

commit to engaging the Senate to pass this bill as soon as

possible, and if necessary, proceed to a Conference Committee

as soon as possible to ensure this bill can be enacted in

this Session of Congress. We will also urge the other veteran

and military serving organizations with which we work to join

us in such an effort collectively.

A veteran The Independence Fund serves, Nick Ooley, joined

the Army in 2007 and deployed to Iraq the following year.

Today, he is unable to run, jog, or even play basketball with

his 11-year-old son. As he details, ``Burn pits were all over

the place. We did convoy security, so we would travel to Al

Taqaddum, Ramadi, Fallujah, Baghdad, all over the place. When

we would drive through or get stationed in those areas, we

would be breathing this smoke all the time. The smoke would

be so thick during the day that the lights would come on like

it was dark.'' But with 78% of all disability claims related

to toxic exposure denied by the VA, disabled veterans are

denied the help they desperately need and deserve.

While The Independence Fund will always support disabled

veterans like Nick through our disabled veteran assistance

programs, the presumptive condition relief and mandated

health care provided in The Honoring Our PACT Act will be a

crucially needed lifeline for these veterans who have given

so much in the defense of our country. We salute your

leadership on this issue and stand ready to assist however we

can in making this the law of the land.

Very Respectfully,

Bob Carey,

Executive Vice President,

Advocacy & Strategy.

Mr. Speaker, it is now time for the Members of this body to answer a simple question: Am I willing to support our troops and honor our Nation's promise to them?

This bill addresses the true cost of war, and opposing it would be a vote against our servicemembers and veterans. Such a vote would be inconsistent with the thank-yous and patriotic displays so many of my colleagues offer on Veterans Day. Veterans want action, and they deserve our action.

We made a promise to deliver comprehensive toxic exposure legislation, and I intend to keep that promise.

The Honoring our PACT Act will address the full scope of issues affecting toxic-exposed veterans' access to VA care and benefits while reforming VA's presumptive decisionmaking process. It will expand VA healthcare eligibility for over 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits and establish a presumption of service connection for over 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers. There is no other toxic exposure legislation in Congress like this one in scope or in soundness.

Before I close, I must emphasize something essential. We cannot renege on our responsibility to toxic-exposed veterans because of any perceived sticker shock.

Cries for offsets and pay-fors did not stop Congress from passing a $1.9 trillion tax cut for corporations and the wealthy in 2017. Over the past 20 years, Congress and our country made the choice to spend trillions on other priorities while sending servicemembers into harm's way at the cost of $6.4 trillion.

We know that this Congress is willing to find money when it wants to, as it recently demonstrated by adding $25 billion to the last National Defense Authorization Act. 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 will not stand by and be lectured about fiscal responsibility when we have a moral obligation to America's veterans. And the time to meet that obligation is now.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), a person who has done more for veterans in modern times than any other leader of this body.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), my good friend, who serves as the chair of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the esteemed majority leader of this House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend who serves as chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend and cosponsor of H.R. 3967. She is the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and also a veteran herself and former commander of a naval surface ship.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), my good friend who serves as chair of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz), my good friend and neighbor in California, someone who has authored a great big section of this bill on our presumptives, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and an active member on the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), my very good friend who serves as a subcommittee chair on the Appropriations Committee and also a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas

(Mr. Castro), my good friend who serves on the Education and Labor Committee and is a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and is a subcommittee chair on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Hayes), my very good friend who serves on the Education and Labor Committee with me and as is the subcommittee chair on the Agriculture Committee.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel), my good friend who is a valued member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, serving on the Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Meng), my very good friend who serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas), my good friend who serves on the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the State of California (Mr. Ruiz), my good friend and colleague, the author of the provisions on the 23 presumptions.

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

Mr. Speaker, to give the final words on the underlying bill, the PACT Act, on my mind is a constituent, a Vietnam veteran named Zack Earp, a distant relative of the great Wyatt Earp.

Zack sacrificed mightily on behalf of our country, and his body trembles today from Parkinsonism, one of the presumptives that got added during the blue water Navy debate. And I was happy to lead the final charge on getting the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act across the finish line.

But do you know what? Passage of that bill and its signage into law finally brought justice to our Vietnam veterans who served on naval surface ships on the territorial waters of Vietnam. It was 40 years late, justice 40 years late.

Mr. Speaker, I vowed that this would not happen again. To pass half measures, one-tenth measures, or one-half of 1 percent measures, which is what the minority proposes to do today, as a substitute for a comprehensive bill is simply repeating the history of what we did to our Vietnam veterans. Burn pits are this generation of veterans' Agent Orange.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my friends that we cannot repeat that history. We owe our Vietnam veterans that implicit promise that we would not repeat the history that was done to them.

As for the cost, I hear the other side competing with the President. Let us send more billions of dollars to Ukraine. And I, myself, would support a robust response to Ukraine in terms of money, but where is that same sense of one-upmanship when it comes to taking care of the veterans here in America?

People are falling over each other in this Chamber to get more money to Ukraine. That is the right thing to do, but it is also the right thing to do to take care of our veterans and to finish the unfinished business.

Finally, the science, I am glad to see science is being taken so seriously by the minority after we have seen skepticism about vaccines, skepticism about climate change. Suddenly, we are looking for scientific absolutism about our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my friends, the science is there. Let's get this done. Let's pass the PACT Act today with a big bipartisan vote.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 3 of House Resolution 950, I rise to offer 23 amendments en bloc to H.R. 3967.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan en bloc of amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Ms. Bush), my good friend who serves on the Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger), my good friend who serves as a subcommittee chair on the Agriculture Committee and as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), the distinguished subcommittee chair of the Appropriations Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting these 23 amendments en bloc, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to Ranking Member Bost's substitute offered in his absence by Representative Miller-Meeks.

I want to be clear about what this substitute is and what it is not. The ranking member has offered this amendment as the solution to addressing toxic exposure. But it is not that. The substitute amendment is the exact text of a Senator Tester bill which is meant to be the first part of a three-part effort in the Senate.

What Senator Tester has proposed, is doing in three phases what we have done in the PACT Act together. Yet my colleague from Illinois and my colleague from Iowa have taken the work of the Senate without intending to do

any more. This is it. They are representing this as the complete solution which amounts to really a bait and switch.

This substitute amendment would strike the entire PACT Act and replace it with an expansion of existing healthcare eligibility for combat veterans from 5 to 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this provision will impact roughly 16,000 veterans over the next 10 years. This is laudable, but let's talk about the math.

Over the past 20 years, 3.5 million servicemembers deployed to areas where they may have been exposed to toxic substances. So the ranking member's amendment would leave behind over 3.4 million veterans.

This is not even a half measure, this substitute, this replacement, that they offer. It is not even one-tenth. It is one-half of 1 percent, a one-half of 1 percent solution compared to the comprehensive bill that we need.

The policy of this amendment is something we agree on. We should enhance eligibility for combat veterans which is why we included the language in the bill before you today, Mr. Speaker. However, it only covers less than half a percentage point of the number of veterans who would be covered under PACT.

My colleague is asserting that less than one-half of a percentage point is enough to be done and then walk away?

The math does not add up, and veterans know it. That is why over 42 veterans service organizations are supporting the PACT Act. Again, I reference the letters previously inserted into the Record.

During the President's State of the Union Address last night, he highlighted the importance of this topic citing his own family tragedy and the loss of his son, Beau, to brain cancer after his military service. He called on Congress to ``pass a law to make sure veterans devastated by toxic exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan finally get the benefits and comprehensive healthcare they deserve.''

Let me repeat that: pass a law to make sure veterans devastated by toxic exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan finally get the benefits and comprehensive healthcare they deserve.

The Bost substitute is far from comprehensive. In fact, it is a fraction of what our veterans have earned and deserve.

It is time we honored our pact to our veterans. That is why I implore my colleagues to reject this incremental measure and join me in supporting the only comprehensive toxic-exposure legislation that delivers on our sacred promise, the PACT Act.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), who is my good friend and who serves on the Budget Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and as the chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on the Judiciary Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the chair of the Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Brownley-Miller-Meeks amendment. Women who have served in the military are 20 to 40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who have never served. It is believed that it is due to exposure to radiation and other carcinogens while serving. It is therefore critical that VA ensure all veterans who have served in locations associated with toxic exposure have access to prompt, high-quality breast imaging services to detect breast cancer early.

This amendment would ensure just that. Any eligible veteran who was deployed and exposed to burn pits and airborne hazards would be eligible for mammography screens by the VA. These screenings will save lives.

Furthermore, it requires VA to submit a report to Congress on the rates of breast cancer among those veterans deployed to such toxic environments and compare those rates against their veteran peers who were not exposed, as well as the civilian population.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Willie Lee Moses, a constituent of mine and a woman known to her community as the ``Mayor of Good Hope.'' The dedication that Mrs. Moses has to her community has made a profound difference in the Inland Empire, and it is my honor to recognize her work.

The impact of Mrs. Moses' work is difficult to overstate. Born in northern Louisiana, Mrs. Moses and her husband settled in Perris in 1957 and immediately became active members of their community. Besides being a mother of five and an employee of Perris School District for over two decades, Mrs. Moses was also elected as the president of multiple Parent Teacher Associations at various schools and served in union leadership as a job steward for fellow school district employees. An avid organizer, Mrs. Moses ran voter registration drives, worked on political campaigns, and was a leader in the area's first Human Relations Commission, which worked to facilitate dialogue on race relations among the community of Perris Valley. The Moses Schaffer Community Center now bears her name, recognizing the tireless work she did in support of the construction of critical infrastructure that enabled her city to thrive.

Mrs. Moses' generosity is well-known in the City of Perris. For 35 years, Mrs. Moses coordinated a free food program to ensure that low- income seniors always had resources to turn to. Over the decades, her family room has served as a gathering place for friends and neighbors, including the many years that she hosted meals for those stationed at the March Air Reserve Base with nowhere to go for the holidays. Her tireless work emulates her trailblazing spirit--she was often the first African American in the leadership positions she took on, and her commitment to civil rights and civic duty has forever changed the Inland Empire community for the better.

Mrs. Moses has done more for her community in her 100 years than many could achieve in several lifetimes. It is with gratitude that I wish her a very happy birthday and thank her for her leadership and vision. Her example has set a high bar for all of us in public service, and I am honored to have her in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to the late, former Congressman Esteban Torres, a devoted and beloved Chicano civil rights champion. I knew Mr. Torres in the 1990s during my first campaigns for Congress. I was honored by his support of my early campaigns and benefitted greatly from his counsel and his goodwill. We should all find inspiration in his rise from very humble beginnings to becoming a highly respected and influential Member of Congress. Indisputably, Mr. Torres was a trailblazing Latino leader and immigration advocate, who opened the space of greater diversity and representation in California politics for all people.

Mr. Speaker, I salute the life of a Korean war veteran, labor leader, community development executive, diplomat, and Member of Congress who continued to make a difference in his retirement.

To the Torres family and all those who have been inspired by him, I offer my deepest condolences.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Lulamae Clemons, a champion for social justice and a longtime Riverside community activist.

I knew Lulamae in the 1980s when I was getting involved in the Greater Riverside Urban League. To this day, I remember her graceful yet determined presence and her efforts to advance racial equality in our community.

Lulamae was a true pioneer. She devoted herself to her community and was persistent in her fight for quality education and fairer housing.

As the first Black administrator hired by the Riverside Office of Education and vice president of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Lulamae empowered minorities and broke barriers.

Lulamae understood the preciousness of civil rights, equality, and opportunity for all.

To the family of Lulamae Clemons and all those who knew, loved, and respected her, I offer my deepest condolences. Her legacy will continue to live on.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 860, I call up the bill (H.R. 4673) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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. 4673, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4673, as amended, my bill, the Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition, or EVEST Act.

I have made suicide prevention a top priority for the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Last Congress, we passed bipartisan, bicameral mental health legislative packages, including the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Improvement Act and the Veterans COMPACT Act. This Congress, we continued this work by passing the Sergeant Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act into law, but there is always more to do.

EVEST builds on our work and finally closes one of the most glaring gaps for veterans being able to successfully access high-quality VA health services, the enrollment process. We shouldn't be trying to hide VA care from those who earned it.

We know that the months following transition out of the military can be very stressful and particularly risky for new veterans in terms of mental health. With the EVEST Act, servicemembers will be automatically enrolled in VA care during their transition out of the military, with the choice to opt out. This helps simplify the process and prevents veterans from potentially missing out on lifesaving care. It also keeps veterans from having to opt into VA care later and attempt to navigate a new bureaucracy all on their own.

The symptoms of PTSD can be significantly improved in veterans who receive prompt mental healthcare. A 2014 study led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center looked at nearly 40,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who received VA mental

healthcare between 2001 and 2011 and had a post-deployment diagnosis of PTSD. They found that veterans who sought and received care soon after the end of their service had lower levels of PTSD upon follow-up a year after they initiated care. Each year that a veteran waited to initiate treatment, there was about a 5 percent increase in the odds of their PTSD either not improving or getting worse.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the study from the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

[From Psychiatric Services, Dec. 2014]

Timing of Mental Health Treatment and PTSD Symptom Improvement Among

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

(By Shira Maguen, Ph.D.; Erin Madden, M.P.H.; Thomas C. Neylan, M.D.; Beth E. Cohen, M.D., M.A.S.; Daniel Bertenthal, M.P.H.; Karen H. Seal,

A smooth care transition from DOD to VA can help support veterans as they adjust to the next phase of their lives and provide easy access to healthcare should any challenges arise.

Everyday Americans find it difficult and frustrating to sign up for healthcare. Now, imagine that you have just come off Active-Duty military service where, for years you were told when and where to show up for your healthcare. You probably heard something about VA services during your transition assistance program but, frankly, you were focused on everything you had to do to finalize your separation from the military and possibly looking for new employment and relocating your family.

Now, after having separated from the military, you are a veteran, and maybe for the first time you have to figure out how to check your eligibility for VA healthcare and navigate the system while potentially also facing some new stress in your personal and family life. This is completely avoidable with EVEST, which simply enrolls you in the VA healthcare for which you are already eligible, ensuring that when you need VA, there aren't any unnecessary roadblocks to seeing a doctor.

Now, let me say that again. This legislation has nothing to do with a veteran's eligibility, nor does it change VA standards or who is eligible. It only connects eligible veterans to VA care faster and easier.

We know that veterans are much more likely to use VA services and care when the process to enroll is simple, and we know that VA care is world class. EVEST is a straightforward tool that will allow us to simplify the transition process and take steps toward preventing veteran suicide.

Automatic enrollment is something policymakers and veterans service organizations and stakeholders have been trying to advance for years, and with EVEST it will finally become a reality.

Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans have formally endorsed this legislation. The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, the American Federation of Government Employees, the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute, and the American Psychological Association also support EVEST.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from the Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute.

Nurses Organization of

Veterans Affairs,

January 14, 2021.

Chairman Mark Takano,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Takano: On behalf of the nearly 3,000 members

of the Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA) we

would like to offer our strong support for your bill, H.R.

4673, Ensuring Veterans' Smooth Transition Act (EVEST).

As nurses, caring for Veterans is our number one priority.

Your bill will provide Veterans with the option of enrolling

in VA healthcare during the critical months following their

transition to civilian life and ensure servicemembers

separating from active duty receive the critical health care

to which they are eligible.

Your bill will also help eliminate barriers to care--

including those who may not know they are even eligible to

receive care at VA. It will also help to assure the Veteran

that they are not alone in seeking care for any physical or

mental health condition acquired during their military

service.

Offering automatic enrollment with an opt out will help to

lessen the burden of navigating the VA healthcare system at a

time when they are dealing with many challenges as they

transition to civilian life.

NOVA believes that most Veterans will find care provided

them within the VA is suited to their individual and complex

needs and cannot be matched in the private sector. Many

providers at the VA are Veterans themselves so they

understand what it means to serve and are trained to provide

a Whole Health approach to the Veteran patients' health and

well-being.

Thank you for your leadership on this issue and your

continued support for Veterans and the healthcare

professionals who care for them.

Sincerely,

Taryn-Janae Wilcox-Olson, MHS, RN,

President, Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA).

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer for considering this legislation today, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this vital legislation to increase access to care and ensure a smooth transition to civilian life for veterans.

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

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

I reiterate that we should not be hiding the care that our veterans have earned. Let me quickly say that this bill has been in the public domain for 2 years. It was reintroduced last summer, and the minority had over 6 months to talk with us and the VA about it.

Furthermore, the committee has held six hearings on suicide prevention and transition since 2019. The common sense of this bill shines through.

And let me also add that regarding the capacity of VA--and I am glad that the ranking member has entered the statement of administrative support into the Record; that statement clearly says and declares the administration's support and its willingness to work with the administration.

Data shows that VA enrollment has been going down in recent years, and while new enrollment hovers around 400,000 per year, it used to be double that, around one million per year, and using current assumptions, VA projects veteran enrollment in VHA to remain relatively steady from 2019 to 2029.

I am very confident about VA's ability to absorb the additional veterans that will take advantage of VA's world-class healthcare.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), my good friend and a member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization.

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

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

I want to add that, in response to the esteemed ranking member, VA formally supports this legislation and has been discussing auto enrollment for years.

VA has already been working to make transition into VA healthcare smoother with Solid Start and will soon have data showing that warm handoffs have a positive impact on veteran outcomes without overwhelming the VA system.

In response to the criticism that VSOs have not had input, I want to point out that VSOs, including Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans, have already formally endorsed EVEST. Why? Because the common sense of this legislation shines through.

All VSOs have had a chance to weigh in, and many did. The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, the American Federation of Government Employees, the Veterans Health Policy Institute, and the American Psychological Association also support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa), my good friend and a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee who now serves on the Agriculture Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and House Judiciary Committee.

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

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

Let me say that the amendments that we are considering to this bill today, which I consider friendly, will address many of the ranking member's concerns about the reaching out.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes), my good friend who serves on the Financial Services Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

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

Mr. Speaker, let me just say, in response to my friend, the esteemed ranking member, that his MTR, which would delay implementation in order to avoid harm to our veterans, dare I say that the harm is in the delay.

I am reminded of a quote from the VFW's Pat Murray that we had at yesterday's roundtable on toxic exposure: Our pay-for for this bill and our pay-for, frankly, for all that we do for veterans was the ticket that we sent servicemembers overseas to serve. I repeat: Our pay-for was the ticket we sent servicemembers overseas to serve.

And a little further discussion on the pay-for issue: The Congressional Budget Office does not estimate that this bill will increase mandatory spending and does not require an offset. These are the rules we play by.

Again, we are not creating new eligibility here. The only cost of this bill is veterans seeking care that they are already eligible for. We are all better off when veterans are seeking the care that they need, and we should not be hiding that care for which they are eligible.

Automatic enrollment in VA healthcare for eligible veterans is a long-needed suicide prevention tool. We cannot put a price tag on protecting the health and safety of our veterans. Many of these veterans would go on to use VA healthcare even if they are not automatically enrolled, and the minority does not give a compelling reason why we should hinder or make that process more difficult for our veterans.

Again, I repeat, we should not be hiding the care for which our veterans are already eligible.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me in passing H.R. 4673, as amended, and I anticipate we will see a big bipartisan vote today.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 5 of House Resolution 860, I rise to offer the four amendments en bloc to H.R. 4673.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of these en bloc amendments. Seamlessly connecting veterans with the benefits and care they earned through their service is paramount to the transition process.

The Delgado amendment No. 1 makes sure that VA can easily notify veterans regarding care and services through mass texting. As technology and communication methods improve, so should how VA uses those capabilities to easily inform veterans of their benefits. Texting eligible veterans to tell them they have been auto-enrolled in VA healthcare is an effective, simple way to increase awareness of the care available to them.

The Delgado amendment No. 2 requires GAO to submit a report to determine the best methods to notify veterans regarding their automatic enrollment in VA healthcare. This amendment will strengthen the underlying bill and inform best practices for how VA can ensure veterans have the information they need regarding their access to care and services.

Getting information to veterans in an effective manner is crucial to their transition into civilian life, and the Delgado amendment No. 2 will help improve how VA communicates an eligible veteran's enrollment in VA healthcare so they can easily access the care they need.

The Hayes amendment requires that VA notify veterans who opt out of automatic enrollment that they may elect to enroll at a later date. We understand there will be some veterans who opt out for auto-enrollment for a variety of reasons, but it is our duty that they know that the VA will be waiting for them if their future needs change.

Ensuring VA adopts and scales best practices related to auto- enrollment while also learning from any issues that arise during its rollout is important to the long-term effectiveness of the aims of H.R. 4673.

The Tlaib amendment requires the VA to submit a report a year after the first veteran is auto-enrolled in VA healthcare to preserve lessons learned from the rollout. This report will help improve auto-enrollment for both the VA administrators implementing the program and veteran users alike.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), my good friend who serves on the House Committee on Armed Services as chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Committee on Education and Labor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib), my good friend and author of this amendment. She serves on the Financial Services Committee, the Natural Resources Committee and the Oversight and Reform Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), my good friend and member of the Financial Services Committee where he is chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close. I ask all my colleagues to support me in supporting these four amendments.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Escobar amendment to H.R. 4673.

Mr. Speaker, seamlessly connecting veterans with the benefits and care they have earned through their service is paramount to the transition process. The Escobar amendment extends the automatic enrollment in VA healthcare to eligible veterans discharged within 90 days before enactment of the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, many of the 175,000 veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn are unaware of their eligibility for 5 years of VA healthcare upon separation. Automatically enrolling recently separated eligible veterans into VA healthcare will support our aim to prevent veteran suicides and improve their access to care during their transition to civilian life.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Escobar amendment.