[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 129 (Friday, August 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996

                                 ______


                               speech of

                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 2, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2127) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
     Services, and Education, and related agencies, for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 1996, and for other purposes:

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Mr. Istook and Mr. McIntosh 
for the cooperation and assistance they have given the Veterans' 
Affairs Committee on the portion of the bill which would prohibit the 
use of Federal grants for political advocacy.
  Veterans service organizations have raised concerns about this part 
of H.R. 2127.
  They believe it could be interpreted to apply to space and office 
facilities which the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] is authorized 
by law in title 38 to furnish to veterans groups.
  These groups use the VA space and office facilities to provide 
individual veterans free representation on their disability 
compensation claims.
  This is an important public service having nothing to do with 
political advocacy or Federal grants.
  I have worked closely with Mr. Istook and Mr. McIntosh to assure the 
veterans service organizations that there is absolutely no intent to 
include space and office facilities authorized under title 38.
  Mr. Istook and Mr. McIntosh have further assured the veterans service 
organizations and me that they will either amend the bill or work in 
conference for more specific language.
  Then there will be no question whatsoever that veterans can continue 
to receive free assistance from veterans service organizations on 
claims related to their military service.
  The bill also has an express exclusion covering the Pro Bono 
Representation Program of the Court of Veterans Appeals.
  Ths program enables individual veterans to obtain legal 
representation on their claims which have been appealed to that court.
  This program does involve a small amount of Federal grant money, but 
is not funding political advocacy, and the bill exclusion was drafted 
accordingly.


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