[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 147 (Tuesday, November 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: November 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               VETERANS' BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1994

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. Y. TIM HUTCHINSON

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, October 7, 1994

  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
pending measure, H.R. 5244, an omnibus bill that embodies a compromise 
we have reached with our counterparts in the Senate on H.R. 4386, the 
Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1994. This is a comprehensive 
piece of legislation that includes a number of initiatives that have 
been considered and approved by both the House and the Senate.
  Most importantly, H.R. 5244 would authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to provide compensation to veterans suffering from illnesses 
attributed to service in the Persian Gulf war and would establish an 
outreach program to Persian Gulf war veterans and their families to 
inform them of ongoing research activities as well as the services and 
benefits to which they are entitled. The compromise agreement would 
also authorize further research activities on the health risks and 
effects of military service in the Southwest theater of operations 
during the Persian Gulf war.
  As the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on 
Education, Training and Employment, I was especially pleased with the 
provisions outlined in title VI, Education and Training Programs and 
title VII, Employment programs. Title VI closely reflects H.R. 4768, 
the Veterans' Education and Training Act of 1994 which expands and 
improves education and training programs provided for veterans. In 
particular, this title would make permanent the VA's authority to 
approve educational assistance benefits for vocational flight training 
and would increase the maximum amount made available to State approving 
agencies by $1 million.
  Also noteworthy is a provision to amend the Service Members 
Occupational Conversion and Training Act of 1992 [SMOCTA] to allow for 
a training period longer than 18 months. This will benefit both 
veterans and employers alike and will improve the program's 
flexibility.
  Title VII of the compromise is derived from H.R. 4776, the Veterans' 
Employment Act of 1994. Some of the important provisions of this title 
would require certain Federal contractors to list all of the openings 
associated with their Federal contract with the appropriate local 
employment service office and would encourage more people to pursue 
employment in this field by requiring that Disabled Veteran's Outreach 
Program specialists [DVOPS] be compensated at rates comparable to those 
paid other professionals performing essentially the same duties.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank Chairman Montgomery 
and the ranking Republican member for their hard work on this bill, 
particularly with respect to the education and employment provisions 
which ensure that all possible steps are taken to provide our veterans 
with the education, training and employment opportunities available to 
them. I urge my colleagues' strong support of H.R. 5244.

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