Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the 2024 farm bill. The farm bill touches the lives of every person in this country no matter who you are or where you are from--rural, urban, or suburban.

That is why it is such an honor to be the southern Illinois voice on the House Agriculture Committee. I have been given the opportunity to build an incredible relationship with our farmers across my district, and I have sought their input in traveling around to meet with them where they are at. Their feedback has been critical in this process.

For me, this farm bill is a partnership with my people. Farmers and producers in my district understand the positive impact the farm bill has on rural communities.

In southern Illinois, agriculture is our second largest employer, just behind Scott Air Force Base. I am proud to serve the 10,000 producers in one of the most diverse agricultural districts in this United States.

In addition to growing staples like corn and soybeans, we are also home to a variety of specialty crops, livestock, and dairy. While each one might be different, they all share the same goal: a strong farm safety net.

Our farmers produce the food, fuel, and fiber that this Nation runs on. They play an essential role in our communities. It is only right that we support them and have their backs in times of need. That is why the farm bill exists. It is not just written for good times. It is also written for the bad.

When your crops fail, the farm bill provides a safety net. When you need a loan to save a family farm, the farm bill ensures access to credit. When your community needs an updated water system, the farm bill secures that funding.

When your rural home lacks internet access, the farm bill bridges that gap for broadband service. When you need help feeding your family, the farm bill supports healthy nutrition programs to make sure Americans don't go to bed hungry.

The farm bill has always been a top priority for me. By reinforcing crop insurance and boosting commodity reference prices, we are supporting the agricultural industries on their worst days and investing in tomorrow. This is vitally important.

Another key priority of mine is ensuring farmers not only feed folks at home but around the world. My district is blessed to be located between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. We are strategically placed to export our commodities abroad. In 2022, Illinois exports for corn and soybean totaled over $3.5 billion.

The MAP and FMD programs play a critical role in moving commodities from farmers' fields to foreign markets. However, these programs are often oversubscribed and underfunded, leaving producers at a competitive disadvantage on the global market. We need to bolster these programs, expand into new markets, and strengthen our trade relations.

Lastly, we need to establish guidelines for large solar panel projects that are eating up acre after acre of prime farmland. My constituents have had enough. We must give local communities a say in the approval process.

That is why I am pleased that my bill, the SOLAR Act, has been included in this legislation. We are giving producers the flexibility to use solar energy on their farms while setting guidelines for large projects.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to restate my support for the farm bill. The bill is a big win for our farmers. It will have a big impact across the country, and I urge my colleagues on the Agriculture Committee to support this bill as it moves through the markup process tomorrow. I hope it will receive strong support on the House floor, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3738) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 3738, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3738, as amended, offered by my friend and colleague from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).

H.R. 3738, as amended, would establish a new administration called the Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

For years, the Veterans Benefits Administration has been overburdened and overwhelmed with bureaucracy and red tape. Right now, VBA simply has too many important duties to fulfill on behalf of veterans and is pulled in too many directions.

Even with the PACT Act giving record funding to reduce backlogs and increase veteran benefits, this committee still sees poor performance from this part of the VA. Dr. Wenstrup's bill, as amended, would increase accountability and provide additional needed manpower for veterans and certain programs.

For years, we have let the VA use their own judgment on how to handle these programs. VBA is making too many decisions without notifying veterans; putting new, burdensome requirements on schools; and creating new programs that will cost billions of taxpayer dollars.

Changes are frequently made to the program with little input from Congress or stakeholders and with little recourse for schools or veterans. While the Biden administration has been especially guilty of this, it must stop, regardless of who is in the White House.

This bill on the floor today is just the beginning of our efforts to improve the delivery of benefits to veterans and their families.

I thank the VFW, SVA, DAV, and The American Legion for their support of this bill. I also thank my friend, Dr. Wenstrup, for continuing to be an advocate for this bill before he retires from Congress. I also thank my colleagues across the aisle for cosponsoring and supporting the legislation through the committee process.

The legacy of this bill will make a difference for veterans and their families. This will match the important legacy of Dr. Wenstrup's steadfast support of veterans and servicemembers as a U.S. Army veteran.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 3738, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup), my good friend and the Representative from Ohio's Second Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation to help improve the way veterans receive VA services, 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. 5914) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the processes to approve programs of education for purposes of the educational assistance programs 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 on H.R. 5914, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5914, as amended, offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden), my friend and colleague.

This bill, as amended, would improve the information schools are required to give individuals regarding their GI Bill benefits.

Right now, schools are required to give an estimated cost of education to anyone using the GI Bill. However, there are cases where the school cannot accurately estimate the tuition and expenses for that year.

This could cause veterans to pick a school based off incorrect information that might harm them financially in the future.

Now, I support getting veterans all the information they need to make the right decision about their education. I do not support schools being forced to give a favorable financial estimate before the student enrolls.

This bill would also ensure that schools have a central place to find information to train their staff in charge of helping student veterans use their benefits.

Finally, this bill, as amended, would improve opportunities for veterans wanting to get commercial driver's licenses.

I thank my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards), as well for his work on key provisions of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5914, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden), the sponsor of this legislation. I appreciate the fine job he has done coming forward with this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards) who has a portion of this bill as well.

Madam Speaker, once again, I encourage Members to support this legislation and to help our veterans get the most out of their GI Bill benefits.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4016) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the repayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of benefits misused by a fiduciary.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4016 as offered by Representative Connolly. This bill would ensure that VA's fiduciary program is managed effectively so that our Nation's most vulnerable veterans receive the benefits they earned.

The VA appoints fiduciaries for veterans who are unable to manage their VA benefits. A fiduciary misuses a veteran's VA benefit when they spend a veteran's benefit on anything other than the veteran's care and welfare. However, before a veteran who is a victim of misuse can be made financially whole, the VA is required to determine whether the misuse was as a result of VA negligence, but VA does not monitor whether these negligence determinations are being made in a timely way. This bureaucratic red tape has resulted in long wait times for veterans to recoup their misused benefits. Some veterans have passed away before recouping their misused benefits. We must ensure the VA promptly makes whole any veteran who was a victim of misuse by a fiduciary.

H.R. 4016 would ensure just that. It would prohibit VA from withholding repayment of misused benefits because the VA is still working on a negligence determination.

It would also require the VA to establish methods to ensure that negligence determinations are made in a timely way. Veterans deserve to receive their benefits without bureaucratic hurdles and unnecessary delays.

Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4016, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1767) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that educational assistance paid under Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance programs to an individual who pursued a program or course of education that was suspended or terminated for certain reasons shall not be charged against the entitlement of the individual, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1767, as amended.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1767, as amended, introduced by my friend and colleague Representative Ramirez from my home State of Illinois.

The bill on the floor today is the result of good, bipartisan work to improve the lives of veterans. I am pleased that Representative Ramirez was willing to work with me and make the changes that I believe were necessary to get this bill moving forward.

H.R. 1767, as amended, would restore the GI Bill benefits to student veterans who were harmed by misrepresentation or fraud of an educational institution.

The GI Bill is one of the very best benefits a veteran earns for their service. No veteran should be unable to use their benefits to receive an education because a fraudulent school stole their GI Bill. However, adequate due process to ensure a fair system for both veterans and schools is necessary.

This Congress, we have seen the Biden White House weaponize the Department of Education and use student loans for political gain. Their decision to act without listening to Congress or the courts will cost American taxpayers billions of dollars. We cannot let the VA become another Department of Education, despite there being some people who would like to see that happen.

For this reason, H.R. 1767, as amended, would provide schools with a route for due process and appeal. Let me be clear: A school found guilty of fraud would still have to repay the entitlement, even with the additional due process provisions we have included in the bill.

This proposed solution would rely on VA to make decisions about schools participating in the GI Bill program rather than leaving the decisionmaking process to an entirely different agency.

I thank the broader veteran community for their support of this bill, as amended. I also thank my colleague Representative Ramirez and the minority staff for helping us to get this bill into a good place.

Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 1767, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, once again, I encourage all of our Members to support this bill, as well as the other bills we have moved here tonight.

Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member and staff on both sides of the aisle for the work they have done, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 21 minutes p.m.), under its previous order and pursuant to House Resolution 1172, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 10 a.m., as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Donald M. Payne, Jr.

Thereupon (at 8 o'clock and 21 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 10 a.m., as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honorable Donald M. Payne, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the service of one of our staffers on the VA Committee.

Ms. Christine Hill has dedicated decades of her career to this Nation's servicemembers, veterans, and their families.

She got her start in Congress as a military legislative assistant for Elizabeth Dole before being appointed and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the VA Assistant Secretary for congressional and legislative affairs in the Bush administration.

Christine then went on to advocate for veterans in the VSO world until we were able to bring her here to the committee where she has served as the Subcommittee on Health staff director for over 10 years.

Christine has helped advance dozens of bills supporting veterans and their families, most notably: giving veterans greater control over the healthcare that works for them through the Choice and the VA MISSION Acts, expanding mental health care and support through the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, fighting for toxic-exposed veterans to get them the healthcare and benefits they have earned through the PACT Act, and so many other landmark pieces of legislation.

It is important to note that she only began her impressive civilian career after a full 20-year career in the United States Air Force. Christine's entire life is marked by service, and she, without question, represents the best that America has to offer.

A graduate of the Air Force Academy, Christine held numerous positions as a KC-135 navigator, flying combat support during Desert Storm. Christine was handpicked to become the first woman assigned to fly the B-1B bomber and concluded her military career at the Pentagon, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

You would never guess any of these things about Christine. She is one of the kindest, most humble people I have ever met, and she has been an absolute pleasure to work with during my time leading this committee. She is a dear friend of mine, and she will be sorely missed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Christine. I want her to have a wonderful life in the things she pursues from here on out. This Nation thanks her for the job she has done both in the military and for this institution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cris Edwards of Olney, Illinois, for being named a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Cris is the principal for Richland County Elementary School, which serves nearly 1,000 rural students. The elementary school's mission is to ``develop respectful, responsible learners and leaders.'' Under Cris Edwards' watch, that mission is being fulfilled.

Her devotion is recognized by students, parents, and teachers alike.

The school was given the high honor of ``Legacy School'' by the Leader in Me program. They host ``High Five Fridays'' to build connections in the community. And they launched a mobile library in an old school bus to deliver books in the summer.

Cris has earned her status as a National Distinguished Principal, just as she has earned her new position as the incoming president of the Illinois Principals Association.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Cris Edwards for all she has done to provide a positive learning environment for Richland County schoolchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Cris Edwards of Olney, Illinois, for her being named a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

Cris is the principal of Richland County Elementary School, which serves nearly 1,000 rural students. The school's mission is to develop respectful and responsible learners and leaders. Under Cris Edwards' watch, that mission is being fulfilled.

Her devotion is recognized by students, parents, and teachers alike.

The school was given the high honor of a legacy school by the Leader in Me program. They host High Five Fridays to build connections in the community, and they launched a mobile library in an old school bus to deliver books in the summer.

Cris has earned her status as a National Distinguished Principal just as she has earned her position as the incoming president of the Illinois Principals Association.

Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Cris Edwards for all she has done to provide a positive learning environment for Richland County schoolchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 848) encouraging the connecting of members of the Armed Forces in the United States to support structures necessary to transition from the battlefield.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 848.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 848, and I thank my fellow veteran, Representative Van Orden, for his leadership on this resolution.

As the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I believe that we should celebrate the service of our veterans every day, not just like we did this weekend for Veterans Day. Every day, I am grateful to our veterans for their service to our country.

That is why this resolution is so important. Too many of our veterans are suffering in silence. Too many of our veterans are struggling to find their way. We owe it to them to do our part and reach out to let them know they are not alone.

This resolution encourages all Americans to connect with the persons in their lives who have served and offer a listening ear. Representative Van Orden's resolution implores all Americans to help servicemembers and veterans find solutions and treatment for the wounds of battle that may not be visible. This resolution also highlights the importance of taking care of our brothers and sisters in arms before, during, and after their service.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to my colleague for introducing it, and I urge all Members to support it.

To any veteran who may be watching, please reach out to talk. Hope and help are available by dialing 988 and pressing 1. We need you, and we want to help you.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, while I understand the concerns of the minority, I would remind the minority that both sides of the aisle on this committee are committed to this legislation. The Colmery Act and reducing veteran homelessness is a priority for us, and now that the House is back in business, I hope to see it on the floor very soon.

Mr. Speaker, if 208 Democrats had put their country first and not voted for the chaos of the 3 weeks of being without a Speaker, then maybe they have a complaint. Nonetheless, now, because of that chaos, maybe we would have already had these things picked up. I disagreed.

I look forward to working with both leadership and the minority to pass it out of the House with bipartisan support.

Mr. Speaker, I also respectfully remind the ranking member that Speaker McCarthy's proposal to increase the grant per diem rate during the COVID pandemic would have helped address this problem. However, Democrats, who were in the majority at the time, made us reduce the rate and put veterans homelessness providers in the situation we are in today with GPD. Rates are not in line with rising inflation.

We have been very successful in making smart investments in the VA program in recent years to reduce veteran homelessness. I agree with the minority that now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. I will agree with them on that.

Important legislation, such as Representative Chavez-DeRemer's bill, is one of the best ways to build our success and get veterans housed, which is why we are not going to stop improving these programs now.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I will get back to the resolution we have in front of us.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Van Orden), who is the sponsor of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, the ranking member knows that H.R. 542, the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act of 2023 has my full support, but in spite of the incredible efforts to get a realistic CBO

score, the bill still comes with a cost and the cost is one that we need to resolve, along with the Toxic Exposure Fund, or the TEF issue.

We are working closely with our Senate counterparts to get this bill and several other high-priority pieces of legislation through both Chambers by the end of the year, and you know that I support them.

Mr. Speaker, let me talk about the resolution that is in front of us. I do know and understand that this is an excellent bill, and I encourage all Members to support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 593) to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, as the ``John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, and Frankie Smiley VA Clinic.''

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 593, a bill to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Hinesville, Georgia, as the John Gibson, Dan James, William Sapp, Frankie Smiley VA Clinic.

I would take a moment to tell each of these Americans' stories of service.

John Gibson was born in Riceboro, Georgia, and later joined the Marine Corps where he rose to the rank of private first class. He deployed to Vietnam in 1967, served 100 days in-country, 65 of which were in combat. He was killed by small arms fire on February 7, 1968, in Quang Nam, South Vietnam, during the Tet Offensive at just 21 years old.

Dan Ninkey James was also a native of Riceboro, Georgia, and deployed to Vietnam in 1968. He was an SP4 in the Army's 25th Infantry Division. While in Vietnam, out of a total of 100 days in theater, he also saw 65 days of combat. Dan James was killed in action by small arms fire on December 29, 1968, in Hua Nghia, South Vietnam. He was recently married and was just 20 years old.

Their fellow Georgian, William Edward Sapp, was born on March 12, 1943. He joined the Army's 4th Infantry Division during the war, reaching the rank of SP4. While deployed in Vietnam, he served 114 days in combat out of a total of 175 days in theater. William Sapp was killed in action on June 7, 1968, in Kon Tum, South Vietnam, at the age of 25.

Last, but certainly not least, Frankie Lee Smiley was born in Miami, Florida. He joined the Marine Corps and rose to the rank of lance corporal in the 1st Marine Division.

He deployed to Vietnam in 1968. He served 205 days in theater, with 133 days of combat. Lance Corporal Smiley was killed by small arms fire on August 25, 1968, in Quang Nam, South Vietnam, at the age of 24. He is buried in Cay Cemetery in Dorchester, Georgia.

All of these men rose to the call of the Nation and made the ultimate sacrifice. All of these men were 25 years old or less. To give your life for your country at the dawn of your life is an incredible sacrifice and one we can't forget. By naming the clinic after these men, they will continue to be remembered and honored in the place they called home.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Buddy Carter for introducing this bill and his work in making this happen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 593, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), a very close friend.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, let me say that, as the chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, along with working with the leadership, several times during this time here since January, certain things have been said: One, that we were going to cut funding for veterans back whenever the caps were increased, and that proved out that we did not do that.

I have told the ranking member and the Democrats who work with the committee that these two bills are vitally important, but we must be wise. We must move forward, and we must make sure they get across the threshold.

Now, also know this: On Elizabeth Dole, I want the bill. As my colleague from the other side of the aisle made a statement, she loved working with Elizabeth Dole. Well, I am going to tell you, I have been working with Elizabeth Dole for about 30 years on most things that she brought up back when she was a Senator, back when her husband was running for President.

We are going to be working to try to figure it out. It was said from the other side of the aisle that the CBO score came back, but there is still a cost. That cost has to be calculated.

I explained, when we passed the PACT Act, that there was a problem, not that we weren't going to provide exactly everything that the PACT Act said, but the TIF had some language problems that actually double- counted some of the things we are providing for our veterans already.

Now, if someone will work with me, let's get this working with this side of the aisle and across the rotunda to try to figure this out so that we can make sure we can provide all of these other things that we want to provide.

As far as the fact of how fast we brought them forward, let me say this: Whether you want to admit it or not, when the other side of the aisle joined with the eight to remove the Speaker of this House and then caused the chaos that occurred for 3 weeks, that is 3 weeks we have lost and can't get back. We are going to work very hard to try to get it back, and we are going to try to pass everything that they have talked about.

The ranking member quoted some Scripture, so let me quote some, and then I am going to shift to something else. Proverbs 29:11 said: A fool gives full vent to his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.

At this time, I am going to hold those feelings back about the things that were said. Let me say that what we are really talking about here is the naming of a CBOC for four amazing people who made a sacrifice.

For those of us with more gray hair who have seen the nightly news when we sat around the dinner tables back in the time when these valiant soldiers and marines fell, we remember what it was like to see Walter Cronkite come on and give a list of where the battles had been and a list of how many people were dead, how many were wounded, where the next battle was looking like it was going to come up.

Later on, right after you followed up with your local news, there was a list of young servicemembers who wouldn't be coming home, at the local level.

Good heavens, with that war for the first 13 years of my life, I thought you were born, raised, got out of high school, and then went to Vietnam. If you survived Vietnam, you could actually go home and live a real life. These guys didn't get the chance to do that.

Mr. Carter has worked very hard on making sure that we are going to name this in tribute to them, as we should.

I will still continue to have the other debates and discussions. I am sorry we had to do that now, that we had to at the sacrifice of what we were debating here, that all of this floor time couldn't have been given to those four heroes.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support the gentleman's resolution and this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the impact our veteran community has made on the United States' economy. Our Nation owes our veterans a debt of gratitude.

As a Marine Corps veteran, I am proud to lead a resolution with my friend and the VA Committee Ranking Member, Mark Takano, to designate this week as Veterans Employment Week.

Military service provides a unique and valuable experience that equips veterans with a range of skills and qualities that can easily transfer into the workforce.

Through their service, veterans learn discipline, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and resilience, among other skills.

These skills are highly sought after by employers across various industries and can be leveraged to excel in a wide range of careers.

Additionally, veterans often bring a strong work ethic and a sense of duty that can contribute to a positive and productive work environment. Hiring veterans not only benefits the individual, but also organizations as a whole.

Without veterans in the workforce, America would not be a world leader in innovation and economic growth.

I am so grateful to the men and women who have served our country and continue to serve with their participation in the economy.

Mr. Speaker pro tempore, pursuant to clause 7 of rule XX, I move a call of the House.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Rollcall No. 417, and ``yea'' on Rollcall No. 418.

Mr. Speaker, September is National Suicide Prevention Month. The CDC data shows that nearly 50,000 Americans died by suicide last year--an increase of 2.6 percent nationwide.

Our veterans are at special risk. The risk of suicide for veterans is 57.3 percent higher than nonveterans, and 17 veterans are still lost to suicide every single day. In the 21st century, four times more servicemembers and veterans have died by suicide than have died in military combat.

We can and must put an end to this crisis. We can do it with fast access to care, innovative mental health services, and continuing to strengthen the VA's partnership with our community-based organizations.

The Veterans Crisis Line plays a vital role in suicide prevention. Veterans and their families can talk safely and anonymously with a trained crisis counselor. This type of access is proven to save lives.

We have a sacred obligation to those who defended our country. In this Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, please reach out to anyone who you might think would be struggling. Remember, you can dial 988 on your phone and press 1. Let me say that again. You can dial 988 and press 1 on your phone. You are not alone. We have access to help for you.

Honoring William ``Bill'' Black

Mr. Speaker, the picture before you here is the Honorable William ``Bill'' Black, who I served with in the State legislature. He passed on September 9, and I wrote these words September 9 when I learned God had called him home. He was a close friend and a mentor.

William ``Bill'' Black. You, my friend, could teach the unteachable because you were truly a teacher. You always did it with respect. You were a great orator. You could deliver the message that you wanted and needed to convey that everyone who was listening could understand, whether you were the most educated scholar or just an average person from the street.

In your own words, you would always put the cabbage down where the hogs could eat it. You did it through a story of life experience or a story of someone else's life experience. You used your ability to communicate to benefit your students, your constituents, and your colleagues to make your community, your State, and your country a better place.

As a legislator, you knew and understood that every word, dot, and comma was important and would have an effect on generations to come. Because of this, you stood boldly in the gap of what is political gamesmanship and true statesmanship. Thank you for being the statesman that you were.

Your tutelage, your ability to deliver your message through communication, and your understanding of the legislative process has made your community, your State, this country, and me a better person because of who you were.

I will miss you, my friend. Thank you for all you have taught me. I love you, William, and I will miss you so.