Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Marta Macias Brown, a longtime public servant, community leader, and beloved constituent of mine.

I had the privilege of knowing Marta way before I took office and started representing a portion of Marta's late husband's district, the former Congressman George E. Brown, Jr., whose portrait hangs as a former chairman in the Science Committee room.

Marta dedicated her career to advocating for social justice, women's rights, and high-quality education for students. She used her voice to eliminate barriers and create spaces for marginalized groups.

She was a proud Latina. She co-founded one of the first Spanish publications in the Inland Empire called El Chicano, to share important news with our community.

Marta spent her life uplifting and empowering others, and anyone who knew her or knew of her could easily speak to the love that she had for her community and the commitment she embodied for equality.

To the Macias Brown family and all those who knew, loved, and respected her, I offer my deepest condolences. Marta's legacy will always be cherished.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 860, I call up the bill (H.R. 1836) to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the time during which members of the Armed Forces serve on active duty for training qualifies for educational assistance under the Post- 9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the 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 insert extraneous material on H.R. 1836, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1836, as amended, Representative Levin's Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2021.

This bill is a long-needed fix to the unequal treatment of members of the Guard and Reserve for GI Bill purposes. Under current law, guard and reservists do not accrue education benefits the same as their Active-Duty counterparts, even when they are carrying out the same duties and taking on the same risks.

We live in a new age of national defense where we utilize the total force concept with an operational reserve, not a Strategic Reserve. We rely each day on guard and reservists to protect and defend our country. As we observed the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, we were reminded of the brave Guard and Reserve troops who deployed to protect Congress, our staffs, and the foundation of our democracy.

We continue to rely on our Reserve components throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to activate and support public health response efforts across the country. The National Guard has been utilized at unprecedented levels in recent years.

Over the past 2 years, our Reserve components have fought wildfires, responded to protests, assisted with the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and even helped Afghan refugees settle in the United States.

It is time the Guard and Reserve benefits reflect the key work they are doing and the need for equity across the total force. It is time for every day in uniform to count.

The cadence of activations for guard and reservists has increased significantly over the last 5 years, and with that comes the need to meet mission readiness standards.

To prepare for the critical role they fulfill in our national defense, guard and reservists must frequently train, which means more days in uniform, more days away from their civilian life, and more days away from their families.

The GI Bill is both a recruitment and transition benefit to help servicemembers transition into civilian life and close the opportunity gap with their civilian peers.

Now, the Guard and Reserves need this more than ever as they are constantly transitioning between military, civilian employment, and family life, facing continuous disruptions.

This legislation rectifies the disparity and ensures that members of our Reserve forces know that every day they commit to our Nation counts, and that they will have the education benefits waiting for them when they fulfill their commitment.

In both this and the 116th Congress, we reformed and updated the Post-9/11 GI Bill to ensure students who are eligible have easy access to a high-quality education.

We have implemented strong student protections and we are holding bad acting institutions accountable when they fail to meet standards we set for veteran education.

Now, if servicemembers can step up and do their part day in and day out

while holding down civilian jobs and squeezing in time to take care of their families, then the least we can do here in Congress is to get out of the way of the solution.

Now, there are troubling reports of upticks in suicide among our guard and reservists.

One of the best ways we can address veteran health, mental health, and ultimate veteran suicide is by providing veterans with support and a pathway to a successful civilian life.

H.R. 1836, as amended, will give guard and reservists access to the opportunities that post-secondary education and training provide and improve their reintegration into civilian life.

This legislation is fully paid for and uses loan fee provisions that this Congress and prior Congresses have supported. In addition, even the Republican substitute uses the same offsets.

Besides just being the right thing to do, investing in equitable GI Bill benefits for guard and reservists will provide more than a tenfold return to our country.

Who are we to stand in the way of an educational benefit that will not only make our country stronger, but will benefit our military by having military servicemembers and our guard and reservists who are even more able to do their jobs on behalf of our national defense? I can't wait to see what our servicemembers will do with this opportunity, and I know it will make our country a better country.

This legislation is endorsed by numerous VSOs, including the American Legion, the VFW, the Student Veterans of America, the National Guard Association of the United States, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, and Reserve Officers of America.

Mr. Speaker, I insert in the Record letters of support and statements from the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Guard Association of the United States, Military-Veterans Advocacy, and the Reserve Officers of America.

The American Legion,

Washington, DC.

Tomorrow we are expecting the House to take votes on H.R.

1836, the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act. The American

Legion supports this bill as our signature education priority

for 2022, and we strongly urge Representative Valadao to

stand for DC's National Guard troops and support its passage.

All 50 states have activated components of their National

Guard in response to unforeseen challenges over the past two

years. From protecting borders to delivering pandemic aid and

supporting local law enforcement our National Guard and

Reserve troops have responded to new challenges like never

before. Often, they are leaving both their families and

civilian employers for an extended amount of time sometimes

taking a sizeable pay cut with them. Yet despite all we ask

of them, too often they are denied a cornerstone benefit for

our nation's veterans: the GI Bill.

This is because servicemembers are activated under non-DNE

title 32 orders which VA statutes currently don't recognize

as valid ``active duty'' time. H.R. 1836 would fix this

disparity by expanding access to the Post-9/11 GI Bill for

servicemembers activated under Title 32 orders towards

benefits eligibility.

The American Legion urges support for H.R. 1836.

Thank you and happy to answer any questions.

John Kamin,

Legislative Associate, Legislative Division.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Leader Steny Hoyer for considering this legislation today, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure every day a guard or reservist spends in uniform counts toward earning vital GI Bill benefits.

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

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

Before I yield to my distinguished colleague, I am going to make a few remarks in reference to what the ranking member said.

I will first say that the bill has been in the public for more than 2 years. In fact, the committee held a Guard-and-Reserve-only benefits hearing just over a year ago to review the disparity in these benefits, and we have worked closely with the stakeholders, as evidenced by the numerous numbers of VSOs whose support letters I entered into the Record earlier. And we also worked with the minority to ensure that this bill achieves the aims that we intend.

We have also worked closely with the Department of Defense and VA to ensure all Guard and Reserve members are covered.

The VSOs have been asking for this reform, and that is why we stand with them in support of H.R. 1836.

Now, moreover, it is not accurate to say that before the Rules Committee yesterday I characterized the $2 billion cost of this bill, which is paid for, as insignificant. I merely compared it to the idea that we should use this bill as part of an offset for the $300 billion or so that we are going to need for toxic exposure. And I thank the ranking member for joining together in trying to find a solution for our toxic-exposed veterans.

However, that $300 billion, I know we are going to figure out how to take care of that. It is really not a choice; it is a moral obligation we have to those veterans that were exposed to burn pits. It is not a choice. It is a cost of war, and we have got to rise together as a body. We found $30 billion willy-nilly to add to the National Defense Authorization Act. We will find the $300 billion. We don't need to be nickel and diming our reservists and our Guard units and deny them the days that should count toward their GI Bill benefits because they are doing every bit the same sort of readiness training that our Active- Duty servicemembers are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), my good friend and chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity who is also the author of this very impressive bill.

Mr. Speaker, there are plenty of instances where training time and readiness training has counted towards the GI Bill. We talk about the basic training that reservists and Guard unit members go through. That has counted toward the GI Bill. And if there is a worry about the Federalization, Federal dollars already pay for the training days that we are seeking for the Guard unit members and the reservists to get credit for.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan),

my good friend, member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology and Modernization.

Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a member of the committee who also serves as the chair of our Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies in Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, there has been an honest reckoning and an honest assessment by the CBO, and this bill is paid for according to the rules, the same rules that my Republican counterparts observe.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), a member of the Financial Services Committee, where he is chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bowman), my good friend who serves on the Education and Labor Committee with myself and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, it is my esteemed honor and privilege to yield 1 minute to a champion and staunch advocate who is unparalleled in her support for our Nation's 22 million veterans. This Congress with her support we have continued to preserve the sacred trust of our men and women in uniform and the 200,000 servicemembers who become veterans each year.

Mr. Speaker, of course, I am referring to the Speaker of this great House from the great State of California, my own State.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

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

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

The issue of how servicemembers are disciplined for refusing to take the vaccine has already been addressed in the National Defense Authorization Act. It already states plainly that there could be a general discharge, or an other-than-honorable discharge, or an honorable discharge. So there is, it seems to me, an irrelevance or it is unnecessary, this proposed MTR. So we already have a solution that has been agreed to in the Armed Services space and jurisdiction.

That being said, I do not have any further speakers, I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I will, in closing, say that the minority has not raised a substantive argument, a serious argument against the substance of this bill. This is a good, good piece of legislation, one that is agreed to and supported by numerous veterans service organizations.

To the issue of and to the objection raised by the minority over a lack of process and a lack of regular order, this is simply not true. We have had ample opportunity for the minority to have input in numerous hearings related to this topic.

And as to the concern over recruitment and retention of our Active- Duty Forces, I will remind my esteemed ranking member, or the esteemed ranking member, for whom I have great admiration for his own service and the service of his family in the military, that we turned to the Guard and Reserve in greater and greater dependence in the post-9/11 era. And because we were able to turn to them, we did not have to have discussions about a draft.

We had issues recruiting folks for our military in the early aughts to the numbers that we needed, and we had to turn to the Reserve and the Guard. So we need good incentives and great retention incentives for our Guard units and our Reserve units all across this country because we aren't going to depend on them less. In fact, we are going to depend on them more.

And the tempo of the training, all we are saying is that the readiness training they undergo is no less than the readiness training of our Active-Duty troops. Regardless of whether they knew or didn't know at the beginning when they signed up as reservists or guardsmen, they deserve to have every day count.

Now is the time for Congress and this House to say that every day of readiness training should count toward GI bill eligibility.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Ross, Gonzalez- Colon, Moore, and Bowman amendment, and I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, there is no way better way to connect veterans with medical care and services than first making sure that they are aware of the care that they have earned with their service.

The Ross amendment makes sure that VA informs our veterans of this care they have earned just as they are entering civilian life.

The first months are crucial in a veteran's transition out of the military, and the Ross amendment ensures that veterans are aware of what kind of care and support they can access and how they can access it.

I urge all of my colleagues to support the Ross amendment.

Madam Speaker, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to highlight for the sponsor of this amendment, Representative Moore, and all Members, just how severely this amendment would harm National Guard and reservists from their States and districts.

Congressman Moore represents the great State of Alabama. Despite being the 24th most populous State in the Union, Alabama has the 12th largest National Guard in the Nation by number of servicemembers. Among the units in the Alabama National Guard that the Moore amendment would shortchange by eliminating training days--and I say training days are also readiness days--is the Alabama 20th Special Forces Group.

Members from this group, and units like it, must complete roughly 2 full years of training, from basic training to completion of the arduous and highly competitive Special Forces Qualification Course, just to be qualified as Special Forces Green Berets.

In order to maintain a high level of readiness and be ready to deploy when our Nation calls on them, these servicemembers must constantly attend additional training to maintain certifications and proficiencies critical to their jobs as reservists.

To be clear, this training is conducted at Active-Duty schools right alongside their Active-Duty counterparts, yet guard and reservists don't receive the same credit for the days they are in uniform, despite maintaining the exact same readiness requirements.

Readiness matters. Consider this: In 2013, reservists spent 87,000 days on title 32 orders, which is how the Reserve Force assists with floods, hurricanes, and other significant events. However, in 2021, that number had grown to 9.5 million days.

This amendment would continue to uphold this unequal policy and prevent members of the Alabama 20th Group from accruing days of service for training. Training is another word for readiness.

Some States and servicemembers from units like Alabama's 20th Group carry a heavier burden, but this example is not unique to Alabama. All across the country, Guard and Reserve members from every State put their civilian lives on hold in defense of our Nation. They give much of themselves, their sweat, blood, and sometimes even the ultimate sacrifice in service. Whether during training or deployment, they deserve the same benefits for their days in service. They have earned it.

Finally, I would also note that the Moore amendment uses the same IRRRL rate change found in H.R. 1836, which we agree is a fair update to the IRRRL program.

Let's be clear: A vote for this amendment is a direct statement to our Guard and Reserve servicemembers that you don't think their days in service are equal to those of their Active Duty counterparts.

Representative Moore served in the National Guard, and I thank and commend him for that service. Now, I know that he is a humble man, like most of our servicemembers, but I think his days in service should be honored and given their due credit. I know he may have participated in ROTC, but if his education wasn't fully paid for by that program, then I think he should be given credit for his National Guard service for GI Bill eligibility.

Madam Speaker, I urge Representative Moore to reconsider his submission of this amendment, and I urge all Members to oppose the Moore amendment.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?

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

Madam Speaker, let me just say there is nothing commonsense about this amendment. Injustice to our reservists and our Guard units is not common sense. Unfairness to our guard and reservists is not common sense.

To say that this is a fiscal burden to our Nation, who depends on our guard and reservists in natural disasters and who our Nation will rely on even more in the future, that is not common sense.

Madam Speaker, it is time to make every day of readiness training that our reservists and our Guard unit members perform count toward their GI Bill eligibility.

The GI Bill, as Speaker Pelosi has said, did amazing things for this Nation in the post-World War II era. That same amazing contribution of our reservists and our guardsmen will continue.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to vote against this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate a dedicated professional with the Department of Veterans Affairs on the occasion of his retirement. Mr. David Ballenger is an exemplary public servant who has demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism serving our nation's veterans. He has served with the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than 17 years. His career in public service is a testament to the importance of selfless service.

For the last 10 years, Mr. Ballenger served as the Director of the Legislative Team in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at VA. He has been involved in a remarkable breadth of important matters spanning VA's health benefits, memorial functions, human resources, information technology, and real property. In this capacity, he has been the conduit between Congress and VA, providing technical assistance on multiple pieces of landmark legislation including the VA MISSION Act, the Forever GI Bill, the VA Disability Appeals Modernization Act, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, the Veterans' COMPACT Act, and the Deborah Sampson Act. He also spearheaded the Department's legislative proposal submissions.

As Mr. Ballenger embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that he will recall, with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, the outstanding contributions he has made to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Congress, and veterans of the United States. May his life be filled with health and happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5545) to extend certain expiring provisions of law relating to benefits provided under Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs during COVID-19 pandemic, 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. 5545, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5545, as amended, the Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act, or the REMOTE Act. This bill is an urgent extension of flexibilities for student veterans using their educational assistance benefits as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on.

H.R. 5545, as amended, extends the Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 through the spring 2022 term.

When my Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law in April 2020, I am not sure many of us would have foreseen that 19 months later the COVID-19 pandemic would still affect everyday life for veterans and their families across the country.

And since then, we have extended these flexibilities for student veterans three times as the pandemic remains a public health emergency throughout the country and the world. Still, many college students remain unable to return to campus.

H.R. 5545, as amended, would extend remote learning waivers for student veterans through the spring 2022 term and ensure they will continue receiving full housing benefits despite not taking on-campus courses.

We have been negotiating this bill with the minority for months and, while this bill is not the exact version that I would prefer, student veterans are simply too important to let these benefits lapse.

A majority of students have already enrolled in their spring classes, having signed up as early as this past October or November. They selected their classes with the hope that we, in Congress, would act to extend these flexibilities through the spring term. We cannot wait any longer to pass this critical piece of legislation for our student veterans.

New cases of the virus are up. There is a new variant, leading some States to declare a new state of emergency, and it is clear, COVID-19 is not behind us. The emergency persists, and we cannot walk away from our duty to assist student veterans now.

Without this legislation, student veterans who planned and started out the school year remotely--reasonably thinking they would be able to stay in status for the entire school year--will have to figure out a plan to get back to taking on-campus classes in order to receive their monthly allowance for housing.

This legislation is to address this specific emergency now. This is not setting precedent for any future emergencies, nor is it setting a standard for treating future education terms impacted by COVID-19.

Should we have to extend these provisions again next year, we should use the same emergency designations we have used three times in the past. We know these provisions are not for new benefits. They are to maintain existing benefits and existing spending.

Additionally, this bill ensures student bodies at U.S. universities remain diverse and allows for the continued recruitment of foreign students. It also simplifies the verification process for tuition reimbursement for certain educational institutions to minimize unneeded paperwork for student veterans.

Student veterans should be able to focus on their studies, not on whether they are going to receive their earned VA benefits. And that is why I introduced this bill, with my House Veterans' Affairs Committee colleagues, Representative Trone and Representative Mike Levin, to ease the burden on student veterans during these persistently uncertain times.

Now, this legislation is endorsed by numerous VSOs, such as the Student Veterans of America, the American Legion, the VFW, American Council on Education, Tragedy Assistance for Survivors, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the National Association of Veterans' Program Administrators, and countless others.

Finally, the legislation includes an additional provision from Representatives Lamb and Mann. The text of this section of the bill would help the Department address diversity and equity within the workforce. It removes a 1997 law that limits the number of VA counselors who can advise employees on equal employment opportunity issues.

VA has roughly doubled in size since 1997, and VA requested for this limit to be removed to allow the Department to hire additional counselors to support the needs of a growing workforce and help ensure that VA is a welcoming place for all employees.

I wish to thank Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer for bringing this legislation to the floor; and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure student veterans are able to access the benefits they have earned and continue their studies during the spring semester.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), my good friend and the author of H.R. 5545, as amended. He is a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and an active member on the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work and cooperation of the ranking member, and I appreciate that he stands squarely behind this legislation.

What is at stake at the very end of this year is the housing of our Nation's student veterans, numbering in the tens of thousands. We need swift passage of this bill and the companion bill in the Senate.

I urge all Members of the House to support this bill, and I urge our Senate colleagues to act on this expeditiously.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5545, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today in support of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs contribution to the Build Back Better Act of 2021.

The committee has an important responsibility to advance measures that support veterans and honor their service and sacrifice, as well as that of their families, caregivers, and survivors.

Last week, we celebrated Veterans Day. The Build Back Better Act is the perfect way to continue to show our gratitude with concrete, meaningful investment for all veterans.

By making this critical investment at the VA, we can start rebuilding VA's capacity in terms of brick-and-mortar infrastructure, human capital, and support structures that serve our Nation's veterans.

Now, I have a difficult time believing my colleagues across the aisle think that veterans are unworthy of this investment. The fact is, veterans from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Beaufort, South Carolina, and from Columbia, Missouri, to Clarksville, Tennessee, are among the districts that stand to gain directly from these resources.

The most important piece of this legislation is the $1.8 billion for medical facility leases that fixes a longstanding backlog of lease authorizations. Take a look at VA's budget book, at the leases that are on that list. You will see it largely benefits Republican districts. Do my Republican colleagues not want VA facilities and clinics in their districts? I don't believe that for one moment. I know that they will attend the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, though, when this bill is passed into law and issue press releases when these facilities are open.

Voting against this legislation would not only mean turning our backs on our most sacred promise to our Nation's veterans, but it would be a striking departure for many of my Republican colleagues who have long advocated for these investments.

As demand for care and services at VA continue to grow, the lack of purposeful, usable clinic space will hurt veterans, including women veterans, because clinic spaces are not designed for them. A lack of access to healthcare providers will hurt veterans because we simply don't have enough providers in this country. Making investments in the next generation of healthcare providers is just common sense.

I will end by saying nearly three-fourths of the American people agree that it is time to update VA's infrastructure. The Build Back Better Act gives us the framework to do just that.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Newman for yielding. It is a great honor to be here today under such somber circumstances.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance and Transgender Awareness Week. It is with a heavy heart that I recognize that this has been the deadliest year on record for our transgender sisters, brothers, and siblings. I want to share with you the names of three individuals that we lost in my home State of California. I grieve with the families, loved ones, and communities that lost these young people far too early for no reason other than hate.

Rayanna Pardo, age 26, was a beloved daughter and sister living in East Los Angeles who left behind a family and community that loved her deeply. She was lost in March of this year.

Natalia Smut, age 24, was a celebrated drag artist from Milpitas, California. She gave captivating performances and had a courageous and creative spirit, and she was described by those who knew her as a jewel in her community. She was lost in April.

Poe Black, also known as Oliver Jackson and Legion, was an indigenous, trans-masculine and two-spirit activist and artist. He was a tireless advocate who used his social media platform to support various social justice causes, including by documenting his transition to educate and inspire his followers. He was lost in May.

Each of these young people leaves behind a network of family, friends, and community upon which they have made an indelible impression. I join their communities in honoring their light and legacy and share in the grief that they were taken from the people who loved them.

It is in remembrance of these three individuals that I say this: Transgender Week of Awareness cannot only be about awareness. It also must be about action.

We cannot pretend that the rhetoric heard here in this Chamber and in statehouses across the country does not have a direct impact on the lives of transgender people. This year, we have seen the introduction of over 100 anti-trans bills in State legislatures, whipping up a moral panic around the identities of adults and targeting children.

The dehumanizing debates over whether an individual should have control over their own body, whether they should be allowed to compete on the athletic field, whether they even exist, these arguments all connect directly to the types of attacks that killed Rayanna, Natalia, Poe Black, and so many more.

It is not enough to only recognize the devastating statistics. We must also make policy decisions that recognize transgender people for who they are.

Who are they? They are loved ones, community members, family members, individuals who add depth and richness to our society and are defined by far more than statistics, hatred, or bigotry.

So this Transgender Remembrance Day, remember those who were lost by making noise. Raise your voice against the persistent and dangerous misinformation about transgender identity. Raise your voice in celebration of loved ones, friends, family, and community members who are transgender.

Raise your voice to support the next generation of transgender and nonbinary young people so that they may recognize the great beauty and joy in their identity rather than living in fear or shame.

Now, we cannot bring those who have been lost back to their loved ones, but we can play a role in ensuring that other friends, families, and communities do not have to suffer a loss like Rayanna's, Natalia's and Poe Black's communities did. So I call on my colleagues this year to turn awareness into action because making policy that centers on safety, equity, and prosperity for transgender people should not be an effort that lasts only a week, but it should be all year round and throughout the rest of our lives.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4591) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress periodic reports on the costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization program, 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. 4591, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4591, the VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021, as amended.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has struggled to produce reliable cost estimates and reporting on the infrastructure needs associated with its $16 billion electronic health record modernization project. This bill is a good governance measure which will enable Congress to conduct better oversight and hold VA accountable for its spending.

It is essential that we ensure that taxpayer funds meant to serve veterans are being used properly and that VA is maintaining detailed records of its IT and physical infrastructure expenditures. We owe that to the veterans who get their care from VA and to the American taxpayer.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4591, as amended, which was unanimously supported in committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), who is my good friend and a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4591, the VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021, 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. 5516) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership program of 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5516, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5516, the VITAL Assessment Act, as amended, which is sponsored by our newest House Veterans' Affairs Committee member, Congressman Ellzey.

This bill requires that VA submit a report on the Department's Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership, or VITAL program. VITAL is designed to support student veterans in their academic settings, and it is a key component of VA's work to ensure that veterans thrive after completing their military service.

VITAL is a longtime program at VA, and this report will provide a timely

opportunity to examine outcomes for student veterans and academic institutions supported by VA.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5516, the VITAL Assessment Act, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am prepared to close. 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 ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5516, 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. 2433) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take actions necessary to ensure that certain individuals may update the burn pit registry with a registered individual's cause of death, 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. 2433.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the passage of Representative Ruiz's Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act.

As the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and our Senate counterparts close in on providing much-needed, comprehensive assistance to veterans exposed to burn pits and other airborne hazards, this measure from Dr. Ruiz is an important step in the right direction.

As VA continues to study the effects that burn pit and other airborne hazard

exposures have on our veterans, the collection of data is critical. Without data, important patterns are not identified, and decisive conclusions cannot be made.

This bill ensures that VA researchers and their partners will have more information to evaluate as they strive toward final determinations on issues and additional presumptive service-connected conditions.

VA's burn pit registry is for veterans and servicemembers who may have been exposed to airborne hazards caused by open burn pits while deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, New Dawn, Iraqi Freedom, or Enduring Freedom. Through this registry, veterans may report on their symptoms or illnesses, providing researchers with invaluable information used to determine potential links between veterans' exposures and their current health conditions.

The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act will strengthen this registry by authorizing a designee of a registered veteran or an immediate family member to update the registry with the veteran's cause of death.

While this additional information can no longer assist those who sadly pass away as a potential consequence of burn pit exposure, their cause of death data may someday assist their fellow veterans. This will be an honorable and incredibly valuable last act of service.

So, Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the passage of the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act, H.R. 2433, 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 of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2433, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4626) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require an independent assessment of health care delivery systems and management processes of the Department of Veterans Affairs be conducted once every 10 years, 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. 4626, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4626, as amended, the VA Assessment by Independent Measures Act, or VA AIM Act.

This bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with one or more private-sector entities to conduct independent assessments of its healthcare delivery systems and management processes once every 10 years.

This bill would make permanent an independent assessment process that is nearly identical to the one that was mandated by the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.

Among other things, the review would examine VA patient demographics and healthcare needs now and in the future; the accuracy and reliability of the models used to project VA's healthcare budget; veterans' access to healthcare through community providers and other Federal facilities; VA's healthcare appointment scheduling processes; and VA's process for determining its staffing needs and recruiting and retaining clinical staff.

I am pleased that Ranking Member Bost and Representative Bergman were open to incorporating my feedback when this bill was considered by our committee this summer. We added a provision to the bill that requires VA to submit to Congress a report outlining the feasibility and advisability of implementing any recommendations made through these independent assessments. This will help us hold the Department accountable for improving its delivery of the healthcare benefits our Nation's veterans have earned.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4626, as amended, the VA AIM Act, 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 am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing this important piece of legislation, H.R. 4626, 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. 5603) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish protections for a member of the Armed Forces who leaves a course of education, paid for with certain educational assistance, to perform certain service, 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. 5603, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5603, as amended, the Protections for Student Veterans Act, introduced by Representative Underwood.

This bill amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which provides broad protections for Active Duty, reservist, and National Guard servicemembers during deployments.

H.R. 5603, as amended, enhances protections for members of the Armed Forces who must suspend their education to fulfill military orders.

Many States, including Illinois and Washington, have stronger student protections for servicemembers than those that exist at the Federal level. There are currently few Federal protections for members of the armed services who are enrolled in higher education when they receive Active Duty orders. These servicemembers can be held liable to repay tuition and may also receive failing or incomplete grades as a result of suspending their education for military duty.

I hope we can all agree that this is an unfair penalty to those members of the Armed Forces who are preparing for their future through education while also serving our country.

The protections proposed in this bill would cover unexpected withdrawals due to military orders and can provide restoration of benefits and reimbursements for classes.

This bill takes the best practices from around the country to make sure student veterans aren't left with debts or incomplete classes outside their control due to military orders.

This legislation is supported by numerous VSOs, including Student Veterans of America.

I thank Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation to protect GI Bill benefits for servicemembers fulfilling their duty to our country.

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

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

I am distressed that the ranking member has chosen this particular moment to inject comments about the REMOTE Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), and to imply that there is obstruction in taking action to help our veterans, our student veterans, with their housing allowances--which we took action on during the pandemic, which still we are not completely out of yet. I would argue that we are still in a national emergency. We are seeing COVID infections rise in Europe, and we are seeing vaccine resistance and hesitancy in many parts of the country, which still necessitate the need for a policy which allows for student veterans to still get their housing allowances while they are taking classes virtually.

I will remind the minority that three times under the Trump administration, we passed something like the REMOTE Act, the authority to allow student veterans to receive their housing allowances while taking virtual classes. They were not in residence at the school where they would do in-person learning. We allowed this three times under emergency spending. Why? Because emergency spending fits the moment. And it still fits the moment. This nonsense about we have to pay for something that should be an emergency is nonsense.

I recall times on this floor when we had Members arguing that we should not pay for the damage done for hurricanes in one State because it didn't happen to the rest of the States, that we need to find a pay- for for hurricane damage in this country and for certain other kinds of natural disasters.

A pandemic is a type of natural disaster. In this case, it has killed 700,000 Americans. I would argue that we saved lives, and we relieved a lot of suffering of our veterans who would have been turned out in the streets if we did not give them this housing allowance.

And now at the eleventh hour when we intended to bring Representative Trone's bill to the floor, suddenly we had to meet a pay-for demand of the

minority, and to set a precedent for future disasters that we would have to have this very argument.

Instead of the precedent being that we spend emergency funds for emergency situations, we now are in a situation where the minority is arguing a ridiculous ideological argument about how we pay for things during a time of a national emergency.

I am disappointed that the minority has brought up its objections and also sought to use my University of California, Riverside as part of this pawn. I just received a message from my chancellor correcting the position that they took on their public letter. They are the only university to submit such a detailed letter regarding the pay-for. No other university has sought to take that position. I have questions as to how my university reached a point where they issued such a letter so that it could be used on the floor. I now have a correction that was issued to me just hours before.

This is about America's veterans, and this is about serving America's veterans during an emergency situation in which 700,000 Americans have already died. I want to keep those veterans safe. I want to keep them in housing. And, yes, I believe it is appropriate to keep the precedent of using emergency funding and not have this silly political gamesmanship over the pay-for.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will just reply that it is political gamesmanship. I hate seeing universities used as pawns in this game. I hate seeing our student veterans being used as pawns.

What is at stake here is the principle, the precedent that this Congress will pay for emergencies out of emergency funding. The need to help our veterans, who must take their classes remotely, pay for their housing because of the national emergency that we are still in, is part of a precedent that we need to preserve.

This is not a political game to me. This is about protecting our veterans. This is about protecting our Nation in the future.

The idea that when a national disaster, whether it occurs in the form of a hurricane, an earthquake, or some other calamity like a pandemic that has killed 700,000 Americans, that the principle stands that that is an emergency and that we as a Nation stand together as one American from whatever State we are in to help an American in another State, even though that disaster didn't happen in that State. But this disaster was omnipresent throughout our country. I don't understand the logic.

Mr. Speaker, 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 this very important legislation, H.R. 5603, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 796) to codify maternity care coordination programs at 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 insert extraneous material on S. 796.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 796, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021, sponsored by Senator Tammy Duckworth. The House companion to this bill, H.R. 958, was championed by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) and unanimously passed the House this past May.

The Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021 will codify the maternity care coordination program that the Veterans Health Administration first established in 2012 and updated in a November 2020 policy directive. This will help ensure that veterans across the Nation receive high- quality, culturally competent healthcare throughout their pregnancies and immediately afterward.

The majority of veterans' maternity care is delivered by a contracted network of non-VA community providers. However, many veterans have coexisting medical or mental health conditions for which they receive ongoing care from VA providers. This means it is absolutely critical to ensure pregnant veterans' care is coordinated among all healthcare professionals involved in it. Such information sharing is crucial for patient safety and positive health outcomes--for parents and newborns.

In addition to codifying VA's maternity care coordination program, S. 796 will require the Department to provide training for community providers on the unique needs of pregnant and postpartum veterans and on behavioral health conditions related to service in the Armed Forces.

Today, women veterans are the fastest growing cohort in the veteran population, and more than 40 percent of women veterans using VA healthcare are of reproductive age. Black women serve in higher numbers and represent nearly one-third of women using VA for their healthcare.

In the population at large, Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native moms die from pregnancy-related complications at approximately three times the rate of White, Latina, Asian American, and Pacific Islander women, regardless of income or education levels.

However, little is known about whether pregnant and postpartum veterans have better, worse, or equal rates of maternal mortality compared to nonveterans. That is why S. 796 also mandates a U.S. Government Accountability Office study on maternal mortality and morbidity among pregnant and postpartum veterans, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes for veterans.

Last year, approximately 6,000 veterans using VA became new moms. Moms who have served our Nation exemplify strength and resilience. Supporting moms means ensuring gender equity, and that begins with healthcare equity. I therefore ask my colleagues to join me in supporting final passage of S. 796, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021.

Mr. Speaker, 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 of my colleagues to join me in passing this important piece of legislation, S. 796, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act of 2021, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4233) to amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish Vet Center readjustment counseling and related mental health services to veterans and members of the Armed Forces using certain educational assistance benefits.

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. 4233.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4233, the Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act from Congressman Murphy.

We all know that student veterans may face challenges as they begin this new phase of their lives following military service, and we want them to be able to seek and find support at vet centers.

We also encourage VA to continue monitoring the need for increased funding, staffing, and resources for vet centers as a result of demand for these services.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4233, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4233, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 147) to amend titles 10 and 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to transitional services for separating members of the Armed Forces and educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary 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 to insert extraneous material on H.R. 147, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 147, the Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education Act, or BRAVE Act, as amended.

This bill increases access to information regarding registered apprenticeships for veterans. Registered apprenticeships are an important component of our workforce system. They provide on-the-job training with an employer that teaches workers the practical and theoretical skills they need to succeed in a field, all while earning a paycheck.

The Department of Labor validates registered apprenticeships to ensure that participants are receiving high-quality instruction and training.

At the end of their program, apprentices receive a national, industry-recognized credential in their field.

This bill would require the Department of Labor to improve access to registered apprenticeships for transitioning servicemembers and veterans by maintaining a searchable website that connects them with employer programs that are endorsed by VSOs and other veteran-specific groups.

Registered apprenticeships provide a unique pathway into in-demand, high-quality jobs, and the BRAVE Act will make it easier for veterans to learn and earn when training for their careers.

This legislation is supported by numerous VSOs, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

I thank Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer for bringing this legislation to the floor, and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support this legislation to improve employability for veterans through apprenticeships.

I also thank Chairman Adam Smith of the House Armed Services Committee, who has agreed to forgo committee action on H.R. 147, as amended, so that it can be considered on the floor today.

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

House of Representatives,

Committee on Veterans' Affairs,

Washington, DC, November 15, 2021.

Hon. Adam Smith,

Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Smith: I write concerning H.R. 147 as amended,

the Bringing Registered Apprenticeships to Veterans Education

Act or the BRAVE Act. I appreciate your willingness to work

cooperatively on this legislation.

I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the

jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services under House

Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 147

to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that

the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does

not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters

contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I

will also support the appointment of Committee on Armed

Services conferees during any House-Senate conference

convened on this legislation.

Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is

included in the Congressional Record during floor

consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your

cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to

continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the

legislative process.

Sincerely,

Mark Takano,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Norcross), my good friend and the author of this legislation. Congressman Norcross serves on the House Armed Services Committee; Education and Labor Committee; and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 147, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3730) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs an Advisory Committee on United States Outlying Areas and Freely Associated States, 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. 3730, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, H.R. 3730, sponsored by Mr. Sablan and Mrs. Radewagen, which would create an advisory committee on veterans living in outlying areas and freely associated States, including island territories.

The advisory committee would have a variety of members, including experts from the covered geographic areas. The Secretary will be able to consult regularly with, and receive the input of, this advisory committee regarding the administration of benefits and VA programs. Once established, the advisory committee will report annually on the needs of the covered veterans and provide much-needed recommendations.

This bipartisan legislation is supported by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Minority Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan), my good friend and valued member of the Committee on Veteran Affairs, who serves on the Health Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 3730, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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