[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     VETERANS' BENEFITS ACT OF 1997

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Sunday, November 9, 1997

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 714, 
the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1997. I very much appreciate the efforts 
of Chairman Bob Stump and Senior Democrat Lane Evans for their 
assistance in moving this bill forward this year. Subcommittee Chairman 
Jack Quinn and Senior Democrat Bob Filner also deserve special 
recognition for their assistance and support. Senator Daniel Akaka of 
Hawaii and Congressman Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii also deserves special 
recognition for introducing this legislation and the companion bill in 
the House, H.R. 2317.
  Even though we are continuing to reduce the size of our military 
forces, we have a sizable number of veterans who served this Nation 
both in times of war and peace. Many of these veterans now suffer from 
physical injuries or mental illness directly attributable to their 
military service. Today's legislation will provide further assistance 
to these individuals who sacrificed so that we may all enjoy our 
liberties.
  Mr. Speaker, of particular importance to the veterans in my 
congressional district is section 201 of this legislation, which 
extends and improves the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program.
  It was only 5 years ago with the implementation of the Native 
American Veterans Housing Pilot Program that there has been a mechanism 
for the U.S. veterans residing in American Samoa to obtain home loans 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs. It took about 2 years for 
the Department and the American Samoa government to work out an 
agreement implementing the law.
  To the credit of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 48 American 
Samoan veterans were able to obtain loans under the pilot program and 
they are now either living in those homes or the homes are under 
construction. The Department has not had to repossess any of these 
loans because of a lender default. The pilot program has been equally 
successful for native Hawaiians living on Hawaiian homelands.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the authorization for the pilot program 
expired on September 30, 1997, and since that time, veterans in Samoa 
are again left with no VA home loan program in operation. The prompt 
action by the Senate and today by the House will renew this necessary 
authorization for the VA to begin again making home loans in American 
Samoa.
  While the bill has met with considerable success in Samoa, many of 
our American Indians living on reservations in the continental United 
States still are not eligible for loans under this program. I am 
pleased that we are able to achieve agreement on the outreach 
provisions, which should be of some assistance.

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