[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 42 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   AUTHORIZING ESTABLISHMENT OF FACILITY AT HINES, IL, FOR TEMPORARY 
       ACCOMMODATIONS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF SEVERELY ILL CHILDREN

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1617) to authorize the establishment on the grounds of the 
Edward Hines, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL, 
of a facility to provide temporary accommodations for family members of 
severely ill children being treated at a nearby university medical 
center.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1617

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT FOR USE OF 
                   PROPERTY AT EDWARD HINES, JR., DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS HOSPITAL.

       (a) In General. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter 
     into a long-term lease or similar agreement with the 
     organization known as The Caring Place at Loyola, Inc., a 
     not-for-profit organization operating under the laws of the 
     State of Illinois, to permit that organization to establish 
     on the grounds of the Edwards Hines, Jr., Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois, a facility to 
     provide temporary accommodations for family members of 
     severely ill children who are being treated at the Loyola 
     University of Chicago Medical Center and other hospitals.
       (b) Conditions.--An agreement under subsection (a) shall 
     ensure that there shall be no cost to the United States as a 
     result of the property use authorized by that subsection and 
     may permit the use of the property without rent.

  THE SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery], will be recognized for 20 minutes, and 
the gentleman from Arizona [Mr. Stump] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery].
  (Mr. MONTGOMERY asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)


                             general leave

  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks, and include extraneous matter, on H.R. 1617 and the next 
veterans bill which we will consider today, H.R. 4013.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Mississippi?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1617 would make it possible to set up a Ronald 
McDonald House at the VA hospital at Hines, IL.
  This facility would provide a temporary place to stay for parents of 
severely ill children being treated at the Loyola University of Chicago 
Medical Center.
  I want to thank the author of the bill, the gentlewoman from 
Illinois, Mrs. Collins, for introducing this worthy legislation. I am 
pleased to join her and all members of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs in support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Illinois [Mrs. Collins].
  (Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak in 
support of H.R. 1617, which would authorize the Caring Place at Loyola, 
Inc. to use a vacant piece of property on the campus of Edward Hines, 
Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital for a facility to provide 
temporary lodging for family members of severely ill children being 
treated at Loyola University of Chicago Medical Center and other 
hospitals. The Caring Place at Loyola, Inc. is an Illinois not-for-
profit corporation which has identified the need for such a facility 
close to Loyola University Medical Center. Because of its location, 
unused status, and Hines officials' willingness to make it available, 
the property on the grounds of the VA hospital is ideal for this 
project.
  This undertaking will be of no expense to the Federal Government 
because its entire cost of $3.5 million will be raised from private 
funds. Interested citizens, as well as hospital administrators, 
doctors, and nurses at Loyola Medical Center and the surrounding 
communities are working diligently as we speak to raise the funds 
needed to build this 15-room structure.
  Initially, the organizing committee for this project had hoped to 
accomplish a long-term lease agreement for the establishment of this 
facility through administrative action by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, but they were advised by the Department that they needed to 
pursue this legislation and that is the reason for our bill today.
  In his letter endorsing this project, Secretary Jesse Brown of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, called it ``* * * a much-needed service 
* * * a good example of a successful joint public-private venture that 
benefits the community at no out-of-pocket cost to the Government.''
  By establishing the Caring Place at Loyola we can help relieve the 
psychological and physical stress suffered by the families of children 
being treated for the most serious medical conditions. In many cases 
the physical presence and care of loved ones is as important to the 
healing process as the treatment plan or medicine regime that these 
children are receiving. To a severely ill child there is no substitute 
for his or her mother and father. This bill will provide a place for 
these families to stay nearby so that they can be with their loved ones 
when they are needed most.
  I would like to thank Chairman Montgomery, Ranking Member Bob Stump, 
Subcommittee Chairman Rowland, and the other members of the Committee 
on Veterans Affairs for their positive and nonpartisan support for this 
project effort. Certainly, I speak for the many volunteers and the 
future families who will use this facility. Mr. Speaker, I urge my 
colleagues to join me in voting for this simple but necessary 
legislation.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1617, a bill to 
establish a Ronald McDonald House at the Hines VA Medical Center in 
Illinois.
  I would like to join Chairman Montgomery in applauding Congresswoman 
Cardiss Collins for introducing this important legislation and I will 
yield to the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health 
Care, Chris Smith, for an explanation of the bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1617.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from New Jersey [Mr. Smith], the ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Hospitals and Health Care.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1617, 
a bill which will authorize the establishment of a Ronald McDonald 
House at the VA Medical Center at Hines, IL.
  Most of my colleagues are familiar with these houses as they are 
available at many private-sector medical centers throughout the 
country. Their purpose is to provide temporary housing for the parents 
of seriously ill children who are undergoing medical treatment. What is 
envisioned in H.R. 1617 is that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs would 
enter into a long-term lease with the caring place at Loyola, Inc., to 
establish and operate a Ronald McDonald House on unused grounds of the 
Edward Hines, Jr., VA Medical Center. The Ronald McDonald House 
authorized by this measure would provide housing for the families of 
children being treated at the Loyola University of Chicago Medical 
Center which is adjacent to the Hines VA Medical Center.
  This House will provide a much needed service to the community served 
by these medical centers at no cost to the Federal Government. The VA 
does not use and has no plans to use the site on which the Ronald 
McDonald House would be located.
  Mr. Speaker, I know of no objections to passage of this bill and I 
urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
  Mr. Speaker, again I want to congratulate the gentlewoman from 
Illinois [Mrs. Collins], for this excellent legislation. As the 
gentlewoman said, this is private, public, and veterans programs 
working together. That is what it is all about, to help all people in 
the different communities.
  Also, Mr. Speaker, we have at the desk these blue sheets that explain 
this bill and the next bill that we will take up.
  I would also like to mention of the loss of our American soldiers and 
others in that tragedy that happened in northern Iraq. These American 
soldiers could have had up to $200,000 of veterans life insurance. I 
hope they did. I hope they had the maximum, because certainly that 
would help the families to adjust and to carry on with life at this sad 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] that the House suspend the 
rule and pass the bill, H.R. 1617.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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