[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 149 (Thursday, November 1, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11317-S11318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--S. 739

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to Calendar No. 191, S. 739, the Homeless Veterans Program 
Improvement Act; that the committee-reported substitute amendment be 
agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read three times, passed, and the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action 
or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object, I could not hear the 
request.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. I say to my colleague from West Virginia, I am trying 
to move matters along as well.
  The VA reported that there were 345,000 homeless veterans in 1999. 
That was 34 percent higher than in 1998. The bill has been reported out 
of committee by Democrats and Republicans alike with unanimous support, 
I say to all my colleagues.
  It is an annual authorization of $50 million for the Department of 
Labor program called HVRP, which does provide money to nonprofits to 
help train homeless veterans.
  The second part supports community-based organizations which provide 
needed social service programs for veterans.
  The last piece sets up comprehensive homeless centers in the 
country's major metropolitan areas. That can be substance abuse 
counseling, job counseling, and assisted housing.
  This is the same bill that is moving in the House. This is my third 
or fourth time, colleagues, that I have come to this Chamber to ask 
unanimous consent to pass this bill.
  Veterans Day is in the next week or so. We have men and women in 
harm's way. It is hardly any way to say thanks to veterans not to pass 
this piece of legislation.
  My guess is that over a third of the adult males who are homeless in 
this country are veterans; many of them are Vietnam veterans. I do not 
know why in the world this bill is being blocked. I do not know who has 
put on an anonymous hold. This is my third or fourth time requesting 
that we pass this bill.
  Therefore, one more time, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Senate proceed to Calendar No. 191, S. 739, the Homeless Veterans 
Program Improvement Act, with the support of Secretary Principi as 
well; that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to, 
the bill, as amended, be read three times, passed, and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or 
debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the 
Senator from Minnesota is a good friend of mine, and I happen to be the 
only Republican in the Chamber. There is a Republican objection. I do 
not know who that Republican is, and I can maybe find out for the 
Senator. But I have to object for a Senator on my side, as long as I am 
in this position of being the only Republican Senator in this Chamber. 
So I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, just one more minute.
  I say to my colleague from Iowa, I absolutely understand why he has 
to object. He is not speaking for himself. I know he is objecting on 
behalf of someone who is anonymous. I am positive the Senator from Iowa 
would be the first to support this legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter, which is signed 
by AMVETS, the Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of 
America, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, which 
basically was addressed to Senator Lott, saying, move this bill, take 
objections off, be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:
                                                 October 25, 2001.
     Hon. Trent Lott,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Lott: On behalf of the co-authors of The 
     Independent Budget, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, 
     Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Veterans of Foreign 
     Wars, we are writing to you, as Minority Leader, to urge you 
     to work with your colleagues to remove holds that have been 
     placed on two pieces of legislation that are important to our 
     Nation's veterans.
       These two measures, S. 1188, the ``Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Nurse Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Act of 
     2001'' and S. 739, the ``Heather French Henry Homeless 
     Veterans Assistance Act,'' are vital pieces of legislation to 
     the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. With 
     American servicemen and women on guard at home and abroad, we 
     find it difficult to believe that some Senators are placing 
     roadblocks and resorting to delaying tactics on passage of 
     legislation of such great benefit to seriously disabled 
     veterans who have also served their country with distinction. 
     These measures have almost universal support. It is time that 
     they be brought up, and voted upon.
       We thank you, in advance, for your assistance in this 
     matter.
           Sincerely,
     Joseph A. Violante,
       National Legislative Director, Disabled American Veterans.
     Richard B. Fuller, National Legislative Director, Paralyzed 
     Veterans of America.
     Rick Jones,
       National Legislative Director, AMVETS.
     Dennis Cullinan,
       National Legislative Director, Veterans of Foreign War.

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Let me also say to my colleague from Iowa--and this is 
not aimed at him--as I have said, this is the third or fourth time I 
have come to the floor asking unanimous consent that we pass this 
legislation. I would

[[Page S11318]]

appreciate it if whoever has an anonymous hold on this bill would be 
willing to step forward. But I want to make it crystal clear to the 
minority leader, and other colleagues, that I have a hold on every 
piece of legislation from the other side of the aisle that is not 
emergency legislation. I have a standing hold on all of your 
legislation.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, before I speak on another subject, I say 
to the Senator from Minnesota, I hope he knows my practice; when I put 
a hold on a piece of legislation or an individual, I put a statement in 
the Record as to why I have put on that hold, so you know that it is 
Senator Grassley who has a hold on that item. I do not approve of 
Senators putting holds on legislation and not doing it that way. But, 
on the other hand, I am doing it for whoever that anonymous person is.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. I thank the Senator for his courtesy. I know that 
about him. And I say to the Senator from Iowa, with a twinkle in my 
eye, I am not putting any anonymous holds on any other legislation he 
is trying to move. I made it clear on the floor of the Senate, I am 
putting a hold on all of it unless it is absolutely an emergency.

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