[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 172 (Sunday, November 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                H.R. 2297, VETERANS BENEFITS ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 20, 2003

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2297, the Veterans 
Benefits Act of 2003, contains myriad benefits for our nation's 
veterans, many of which are long overdue. The bill builds on education 
benefits by expanding the Montgomery GI Bill program, a successful 
program that will now include educational assistance for on the job 
training in certain self-employment programs. It also increases monthly 
educational benefits for spouses and dependent children of veterans 
with permanent total disabilities, or who have died as a result of 
combat.
  Among the housing benefits in the bill is a provision allowing 
remarried surviving spouses of veterans to be buried next to the 
veteran in a national cemetery, based on the original marriage. A 
prohibition on remarried spouses burial eligibility is unfair to many 
of the dedicated spouses who have faithfully supported their veterans 
for years. I was a cosponsor of the original bill for this measure and 
support its passage.
  The section of the bill relating to benefits for former Prisoners of 
War contains a provision that will add cirrhosis of the liver to the 
list of presumed service-connected disabilities for former POWs. It 
also eliminates the unfair requirement that a POW must be held for at 
least 30 days to qualify for presumption of service-connection for 
certain disabilities, such as psychoses and states of anxiety. We owe 
it to our former POWs to repay them for what they have been through as 
much as we possibly can, and this provision is a step in that 
direction.
  Yet another beneficial provision in this bill is the extension for 
six years of the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. As a 
representative in a state with over 9,000 Native American veterans, and 
with over 17,200 Hispanic veterans in my district alone, I fully 
support this provision and believe it is a necessary step to the 
continued service to all minority veterans.
  Another provision in the bill provides federal contracting officials 
the discretionary authority to award sole source contracts to small 
businesses owned by service-disabled veterans. I am pleased that the 
Senate took out the ``notwithstanding any other provision of law'' 
phrase that was in the original version of H.R. 1460, from which the 
language for this provision of H.R. 2297 was taken. The language 
included in the original version of H.R. 1460 was very harmful to the 
8(a) small business contract program, a program that benefits minority-
owned small businesses all across this country. As a member of both the 
House Veterans' Affairs Committee and House Small Business Committee I 
worked to forge a suitable compromise that would ensure increased 
contracting opportunities for veteran-owned small businesses, while not 
harming the 8(a) program that has helped provide economic opportunity 
for minority entrepreneurs. With the help of the Chairmen and Ranking 
Members of both committees, we were able to unanimously pass an amended 
version of H.R. 1460.
  Unfortunately the unanimously passed version of H.R. 1460 is not what 
is included in H.R. 2297 today, but neither is the originally damaging 
language of H.R. 1460 included in this bill. I do have remaining 
concerns about the effect of the included contracting provision on the 
8(a) and other small business programs, but considering the numerous 
important provisions for our nation's veterans contained in this bill, 
I will vote in favor.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me say that I strongly support increased 
opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs. In fact, with the support of 
Congresswoman Sue Kelly, I recently introduced H.R. 3483, the Seeds for 
Soldiers Act, to establish a loan program and a vocational 
rehabilitation program for veterans. As a member of the House Veterans' 
Affairs Committee, I strongly support strengthening benefits for our 
Nation's veterans, who have fought so bravely to protect our country. I 
support the passage of H.R. 2297 and look forward to continuing work in 
the House Veterans' Affairs Committee to support our Nation's heroes.

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