[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 128 (Tuesday, November 14, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8617-H8621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AMENDING TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE, TO EXTEND CERTAIN EXPIRING 
                           PROVISIONS OF LAW

  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6314) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend 
certain expiring provisions of law and to expand eligibility for the 
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program.
  The Clerk read as follows

                               H.R. 6314

         Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
     of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN EXPIRING PROVISIONS OF LAW 
                   ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

         (a) Authority for Health Care for Participation in DOD 
     Chemical and Biological Warfare Testing.--Section 
     1710(e)(3)(D) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
     striking ``December 31, 2005'' and inserting ``December 31, 
     2007''.
         (b) Grant and Per Diem Grant Assistance for Homeless 
     Veterans.--Section 2011(a)(2) of such title is amended by 
     striking ``September 30, 2005'' and inserting ``September 30, 
     2007''.
         (c) Treatment and Rehabilitation for Seriously Mentally 
     Ill and Homeless Veterans.--Section 2031(b) of such title is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 2006'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2007''.
         (d) Additional Services for Homeless and Seriously 
     Mentally Ill Veterans.--Section 2033(d) of such title is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 2006'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2007''.
         (e) Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans.--Section 
     2066(d) of such title is amended by striking ``December 31, 
     2006'' and inserting ``December 31, 2007''.
         (f) Government Markers in Private Cemeteries.--Section 
     2306(d)(3) of such title is amended by striking ``December 
     31, 2006'' and inserting ``December 31, 2007''.
         (g) Additional Educational Assistance Allowance for Work-
     Study.--Section 3485(a)(4) of such title is amended in 
     subparagraphs (A), (C), and (F) by striking ``December 27, 
     2006'' and inserting ``June 30, 2007''.

     SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR SURVIVORS' AND 
                   DEPENDENTS' EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

         (a) Expansion of Eligibility.--Section 3501(a)(1) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended--
         (1) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (A) 
     and inserting a semicolon;
         (2) by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (B) 
     and inserting a semicolon;
         (3) by striking ``, or'' at the end of subparagraph (C) 
     and inserting a semicolon;
         (4) by striking the comma at the end of subparagraph (D) 
     and inserting ``; or''; and
         (5) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new 
     subparagraph:
         ``(E) the spouse or child of a person who at the time of 
     application by such spouse or child for educational 
     assistance under this chapter is a member of the Armed Forces 
     who, as determined by the Secretary, has a total disability 
     permanent in nature incurred or aggravated in the active 
     military, naval, or air service;''.
         (b) Conforming Amendments.--Such title is further 
     amended--
         (1) in section 3511--
         (A) in subsection (a)(1)--
         (i) by striking ``Each eligible person'' and inserting 
     the following: ``Each eligible person, whether made eligible 
     by one or more of the provisions of section 3501(a)(1) of 
     this title,'';
         (ii) by striking ``a period'' and inserting ``an 
     aggregate period''; and
         (iii) by striking the second sentence;
         (B) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``section 
     3501(a)(1)(D)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (D) or (E) of 
     section 3501(a)(1)''; and
         (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``or 
     3501(a)(1)(D)(i)'' and inserting ``3501(a)(1)(D)(i), or 
     3501(a)(1)(E)'';
         (2) in section 3512--
         (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``an eligible person 
     (within the meaning of section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title)'' 
     and inserting ``an eligible person whose eligibility is based 
     on the death or disability of a parent'';
         (B) in subsection (b)--
         (i) in paragraph (1)(A)--

         (I) by inserting after ``section 3501(a)(1) of this 
     title'' the following: ``or a person made eligible by the 
     disability of a spouse under section 3501(a)(1)(E) of this 
     title'';
         (II) by striking ``or 3501(a)(1)(D)(ii) of this title'' 
     and inserting ``3501(a)(1)(D)(ii), or 3501(a)(1)(E) of this 
     title'';

         (ii) in paragraph (1)(B), by adding at the end the 
     following new clause:
         ``(iii) The date on which the Secretary notifies the 
     member of the Armed Forces from whom eligibility is derived 
     that the member has a total disability permanent in nature 
     incurred or aggravated in the active military, naval, or air 
     service.''; and
         (iii) in paragraph (2), by striking ``or (D) of this 
     title'' and inserting ``(D), or (E) of this title'';
         (3) in section 3540, by striking ``and (D)'' and 
     inserting ``(D), and (E)'';
         (4) in section 3563, by striking ``each eligible person 
     defined in section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title'' and 
     inserting the following: ``each eligible person whose 
     eligibility is based on the death or disability of a 
     parent'';
         (5) in section 3686(a)(1), by striking ``or (D)'' and 
     inserting ``(D), or (E)''; and
         (6) in section 5113(b)(3)(B), by striking ``or (D)'' and 
     inserting ``(D), or (E)''.
         (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to a payment of educational 
     assistance for a course of education pursued after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Buyer) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, today I rise and urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 6314, 
a bill that would extend several existing Department of Veterans 
Affairs benefits provisions.
  This bill will extend these provisions of health care services to 
veterans exposed by chemical and biological testing under Projects 112 
and SHAD, and treatment and rehabilitation programs for seriously 
mentally ill and homeless veterans until December 31, 2007. The bill 
would also extend VA's homeless grant and per diem programs until 
September 30, 2007, and extend additional services for mentally ill and 
homeless veterans until December 31, 2007. It would extend VA's 
Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans, as well as the program which 
is providing government markers in private cemeteries until that date.
  The work/study provisions of the legislation allowing veterans to 
assist VA and other government agencies would be extended until June 
30, 2007. The work/study program is an increasingly popular benefit 
that provides veterans with an alternative use of their GI Bill if they 
choose not to go to college.
  The bill also provides education benefits for the family members of 
severally injured veterans who are undergoing long-term convalescence 
while on active duty. Spouses and children of servicemembers who are 
determined by the VA to be permanently and totally disabled due to a 
service-connected cause or causes would be eligible to receive Chapter 
35 education benefits while the servicemember is still on active duty 
while undergoing treatment. This Chapter 35 provision would enable 
spouses and dependent children of severely wounded servicemembers to 
access their Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits while the 
servicemember is going through extended convalescence prior to 
discharge.
  Under the current law, these beneficiaries must wait until the member 
is discharged, and since the spouses of these members most often become 
the primary breadwinner, I believe it is important to give them as much 
of a headstart as possible on becoming more competitive in the job 
market. The amount of the benefit remains the same.
  I thank the Blinded Veterans Association for bringing this important 
issue to the attention of myself and members of the committee. We met 
with Army Sergeant 1st Class Jeffrey Mittman and his wife Christine. 
Sergeant 1st Class Mittman was blinded by an IED and is undergoing 
extensive rehabilitation and facial reconstruction.
  Madam Speaker, this young soldier is articulate, has a very positive 
outlook on his life and is truly an inspiration. One look at his wife 
and you can immediately pick up the burdens she is bearing in caring 
not only for her husband, but also for her children. His wife Christy 
is a model of the love and support that she is providing to her husband 
as they face these challenges together. In fact, I think of this as the 
Christine Mittman provision, a provision not only that would help 
Christy, but also other spouses lessen the financial stress.
  So, in essence, while Christy is providing leadership and mentoring 
for her children, caring for her husband instead of waiting until he 
completes all of the facial reconstruction and rehabilitation 
necessary, she can start her educational opportunities now.

[[Page H8618]]

  I think this is the right thing to do. We all know he is going to be 
100 percent disabled. She wants to become a nurse, so let's give her 
and others who are likewise situated to have these opportunities.
  Madam Speaker, the committee is currently also undergoing bipartisan 
negotiations on a number of bills, not only with my House counterparts, 
but also with the Senate counterparts.
  Among these bills are H.R. 3082, the Veterans Small Business and 
Memorial Affairs Act of 2006. It passed the House on July 24, 2006. We 
have informally been discussing provisions since July 28. The bill 
improves the status of veterans and disabled veterans small businesses 
when competing for contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
It allows Tribal government to participate in the VA's State Cemetery 
Grants Programs, authorizes the VA Secretary to provide the family of a 
veteran interred in a private cemetery with government markers, which 
we are doing now. It also requires the Veterans Employment Training 
Service, otherwise known as VETS, to establish nonmandatory guidelines 
for disabled veterans outreach programs. There are a lot of things in 
this bill, and I am hopeful we are going to get this done and 
negotiated.
  There is another bill, H.R. 4061, the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Information Technology Management Improvement Act. It would centralize 
VA's IT organizational structure so that it reports directly to the 
Department's chief information officer.
  Ultimately, the bill would empower the CIO with the authority over 
the IT budgets, equipment and personnel. While the House passed this 
bill with widespread bipartisan support, and I appreciate the 
leadership of Mr. Filner and others on this legislation, the Senate is 
even yet to take action on that bill.
  There is another bill, H.R. 5815, the Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Facility Authorization Act of 2006, that would ensure that we 
will efficiently provide the right facilities with the right places for 
veterans' health care. Given the current veteran population and those 
which we can expect in the coming years, it would authorize $2.5 
billion for major implementation projects and $51 million for 
facilities leases. This is an important bill, and we are getting close 
on these negotiations.
  We have another bill, H.R. 5835, the Veterans Identity and Credit 
Security Act, as amended. This bill requires notification to Congress 
and individuals in the event of a data breach. All of us Members 
understand and remember the data breach.

                              {time}  1130

  And we had extensive oversight on the committee. Mr. Filner and I 
were able to lead over eight hearings in a 6-week time frame, and we 
are perfecting change in our cooperation with the administration. This 
is a good bill and I am hopeful that we can get this bill done.
  This bill also included a scholarship and loan repayment program to 
provide the Secretary with a recruitment and retention tool to attract 
qualified people in the areas of information technology and management 
so they can work in these security areas. As I said, this bill received 
widespread bipartisan support here in the House and I am most hopeful 
that we can move to the Senate and achieve our work
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am also pleased to rise in support of H.R. 6314, which would, as we 
have heard, extend expired and expiring authorization for the 
Department of Veterans' Affairs and expand eligibility for survivor and 
dependent educational assistance.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), the chairman 
of our committee, and my other colleagues for working together on this 
very important legislation. I also would like to remind us all of the 
work of Ranking Member Lane Evans. His integrity, leadership, and 
advocacy for veterans will be missed as we move into the next session 
of Congress.
  This bill extends important authorities for the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to take care of our veterans. From 1962 through 1973, 
the Department of Defense conducted biological and chemical warfare 
tests on active duty servicemembers. These tests were known as Project 
112 and Project SHAD. The Department of Defense has acknowledged that 
it did not keep patient care records to archive health effects of the 
tests nor did they get, I am sure, informed consent on these tests.
  Just recently, in 2003, in response to concerns from veterans that 
their illnesses may be a result of these exposures, Congress did act. 
We authorized the VA to provide priority care to veterans who 
participated in these tests and did not require them to provide medical 
evidence that any of the illnesses are attributable to the testing.
  This legislation before us today does the right thing for these 
veterans. It would extend the VA's authority to provide priority care 
for them through the end of next year.
  I am disappointed that we have not extended VA's authority to give 
priority care to veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. Just like 
those veterans who were subject to Project 112 and Project SHAD tests, 
veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and probably got cancers and 
other maladies as a result deserve priority care, which may be a result 
of this exposure. They have provided service to the Nation. They were 
not given full information. They deserve our help and care today.
  The administration has requested that we extend VA's authority with 
respect to veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and I will work certainly 
in the next Congress to pass that extension.
  The bill today also helps the over 200,000 male and female veterans 
who each night are sleeping in a doorway, under a bridge, in an alley, 
a box, a barn, a car, or a homeless shelter. Through a network of local 
nonprofit or public agencies, VA's grant and per diem program for 
homeless veterans offers homeless veterans a safe haven that is free of 
drugs and alcohol.
  Last year roughly 300 programs across the Nation were able to give 
14,000 homeless vets the help they needed to recover, rehabilitate, and 
obtain the skills necessary to reintegrate back into society. This 
legislation means that the VA can continue to support these hundreds of 
community shelters. But let me remind us all, as I will continue to do 
next year, that this covers barely 5 percent of the homeless veterans. 
We owe as a Nation help and care to the almost 200,000 others that 
remain on the streets tonight.
  This bill extends the authority to treat seriously mentally ill and 
homeless veterans. More than one out of three veterans returning from 
Iraq and Afghanistan who have turned to the VA for health care has 
received an initial diagnosis for a mental health disorder. Many more 
have such a disorder but did not come to the VA. Many did not check the 
boxes that would indicate this because they just want to get home to 
their families. We have a lot of work to do in this country to help 
those with mental health disorders.
  This bill, though, will ensure that the VA has the authority it needs 
to provide our recent veterans, as well as veterans from previous 
conflicts, with this mental health care that they need.
  As the chairman said, this legislation also extends certain work 
study opportunities for veterans who are students through June of 2007. 
Helping veterans who are attending college or vocational training to 
earn while they learn makes good sense. This bill will allow veterans 
who are students to receive work study allowances for working at VA 
hospitals and domiciliaries, at State veterans homes, and at national 
and State veterans cemeteries. While I am disappointed that we could 
not extend authority for this program beyond next June, I am glad that 
this legislation will allow veterans who are participating in this 
program to continue through the end of their academic year.
  A small number of permanently and totally disabled servicemembers are 
kept on active duty status to help them recover and rehabilitate from 
their injuries. When these servicemembers are discharged, their spouses 
and dependent children are then eligible for VA's educational 
assistance program. This bill, though, accelerates eligibility in cases 
where a disability rating of permanent and total disability is delayed 
because the servicemember has not officially yet been discharged from

[[Page H8619]]

military service. I am proud and I am grateful that this legislation 
will help families of these very severely wounded veterans by providing 
early education benefits.
  I appreciate the chairman's enumerating other bills that need to pass 
through the Senate. As he said, a lot of good things are waiting. And 
this is one of them. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6314
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend Mr. Filner for his 
comments.
  You are absolutely right. We have a lot of good work product that 
hopefully we can get done.
  At this point I would like to yield 2 minutes to a friend of 
America's veterans, the Honorable Michael Bilirakis. Michael will be 
retiring and leaving us here at the end of this Congress, and his work 
and leadership will be missed.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BUYER. I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I don't know if this is the last statement 
that Mr. Bilirakis will make on the floor, but I just want to say how 
much we all appreciate your work. We are looking forward to another 
Bilirakis joining us. But your advocacy on areas such as no offsets 
between pension and disability that we call concurrent receipt, you 
kept that issue alive and made sure that we would do justice. So we 
want to thank you for that. And we want to thank you for the civility 
that you have exhibited through your whole career and especially on 
this committee, which sometimes especially this gentleman needed.
  So we hope that you have a good retirement, Mr. Bilirakis. We will be 
missing you, but we really appreciate your service to this committee 
and to this Nation.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. We will have one 
more opportunity, I am hopeful, to speak about Mr. Bilirakis' efforts.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I thank you, Bob, for those kind comments and also the 
chairman.
  I do rise in support of H.R. 6314, introduced by the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs chairman, Steve Buyer.
  For the past 24 years, Madam Speaker, I have had the pleasure of 
serving in this body and also the honor, true honor, of being a member 
of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. During that service I have 
helped create and advance numerous programs that benefit our Nation's 
veterans. This Congress, as chairman of the committee's Subcommittee on 
Oversight and Investigations, I have monitored and scrutinized billions 
of dollars of programs and projects that benefit veterans.
  Today I stand before you and ask that we extend expiring provisions 
of current law that provide health care, housing, educational, and 
other assistance that help veterans and their families. By supporting 
H.R. 6314, we will ensure the continuation of many of the programs and 
benefits that our Nation's veterans have earned.
  H.R. 6314 is an important bill that is truly worthy of our full 
support. I urge my colleagues to continue meeting our obligations to 
our Nation's defenders by approving this measure.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maine (Mr. Michaud).
  Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his 
time. I also want to thank Mr. Bilirakis for his time here working in a 
strong bipartisan manner on veterans issues.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6314. I commend the 
chairman of the committee, Steve Buyer, for his work on this 
legislation. This bill does deserve bipartisan support.
  As a member of this committee and as citizens, we are united in our 
dedication to address the needs of veterans and their families. 
Ensuring that the Department of Veterans Affairs has the authority and 
resources to provide veterans with the medical care and benefits they 
have earned is a mission that we will continue in the next Congress.
  H.R. 6314 is an important bill with a number of must-pass provisions. 
This legislation improves transition assistance for severely disabled 
service personnel. It is important that we do all we can to help the 
individuals and their families to regain their independence and 
economic security. This legislation also puts VA's specialized programs 
for homeless veterans on a more secure footing.
  I am proud that this Congress is acting to extend the soon-to-expire 
authorization of VA's grant and per diem program for homeless veterans. 
I am glad that we are extending the authorization for VA's treatment of 
severely mentally ill veterans. By acting to reauthorize these 
fundamental VA programs, we give veterans and their families hope for 
recovery and having a better life.
  Extending the authorization for these programs until the end of 2007 
is an important first step, but it is not enough. In our great Nation, 
it is unacceptable that even one veteran should be homeless or go 
hungry. I am shocked that last year the VA's health care program for 
homeless veterans served nearly 600 veterans who returned from Iraq and 
Afghanistan. It is troubling that more than one in three returning 
veterans who come home to the VA for medical care has received an 
initial diagnosis for a mental health disorder. Homeless veterans and 
those with psychological wounds should not be left behind. They have 
served our Nation and deserve a rich and full life. In this Congress I 
introduced legislation to improve VA's capacity to help homeless 
veterans recover, rehabilitate, and return to a full life in our 
society. I plan to reintroduce my bill in the next Congress to help 
homeless veterans. We must keep the faith that we can end homelessness 
among veterans.
  This September, the Health Care Subcommittee heard about how 
posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are emerging 
concerns for veterans from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I support 
H.R. 6314 because it helps keep our promise to veterans with these 
injuries. The Committee on Veterans' Affairs and this Congress must 
continue to address veterans' mental health care needs in the future. 
Next Congress I plan to reintroduce an updated version of Ranking 
Member Lane Evans' comprehensive bill on mental health. Lane Evans has 
been a great leader and mentor. His legacy is measured in the millions 
of veterans and their families who have benefited from his 
determination to fight for the needs of veterans. I will deeply miss 
him and so will this institution.
  I also want to thank Chairman Brown for his work in a bipartisan 
manner on issues dealing with veterans affairs. I enjoyed his service 
and will look forward to working with him in the upcoming Congress.
  Madam Speaker, this is a good bill. I want to thank Mr. Filner for 
his leadership on this legislation as well.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6314.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the 
First District of South Carolina, the chairman of the Health 
Subcommittee, Henry Brown.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for 
yielding this time.
  Let me begin by thanking our esteemed committee chairman, Mr. Buyer, 
for his hard work in this Congress. Under his leadership this committee 
has fought to do what is right for veterans. And I would like to also 
extend my thanks to Mr. Michaud, what a great gentleman, the ranking 
member of the Health Subcommittee. It has been a real pleasure in 
working with him.
  And, Mr. Filner, we certainly appreciate your leadership on this 
committee. It has been great working in a nonpartisan fashion. We have 
always said when you come into that committee room, veterans is a 
nonpartisan issue, and it is great working in a nonpartisan fashion. I 
look forward to next year.
  I especially want to applaud Chairman Buyer's willingness and 
attempts to look outside the box and push forward new and innovative 
initiatives to keep pace with the emerging health care needs of those 
who have faithfully served this country. The chairman has championed 
opportunities to improve the quality of the care delivered to our 
veterans through collaborative partnerships.

[[Page H8620]]

  Collaboration is becoming increasingly essential in delivering health 
care across the Nation.

                              {time}  1145

  So long as we remain true to the distinct identity of the VA, and so 
long as we ensure the continued quality associated with VA care, VA 
collaboration on joint ventures with extensive medical university 
affiliations and the Department of Defense can be mutually advantageous 
for all organizations.
  I am hopeful that the diligent and bipartisan work of the committee 
and its jurisdiction over VA construction matters will carry into the 
next Congress. The bill we are considering today will extend certain 
expiring provisions of law administered by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs. The legislation includes provisions to extend the authority 
for the grant and per diem assistance programs for homeless veterans 
and programs for the treatment and rehabilitation for seriously 
mentally ill and homeless veterans.
  The VA is the Nation's largest single provider for integrated and 
specialized services for homeless veterans. On behalf of the homeless 
veterans who need and depend on the services in achieving successful 
outcomes, it is our duty to assure that the continuity of these 
services is not interrupted.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this 
legislation.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Nevada (Ms. Berkley), who is a staunch advocate for the veterans 
throughout her State, and who is the ranking Democratic member of the 
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I also would 
like to thank Chairman Buyer, Ranking Member Evans, who we will miss 
very much, and Acting Ranking Member Filner for moving forward on this 
bill.
  I am supporting this legislation, but I feel that I need to make note 
of the fact that several of the provisions important to our veterans 
and their families have already expired. This should not have been 
allowed to happen.
  In addition, there are other provisions that will expire before the 
end of the year. I want to particularly mention a provision in this 
legislation which extends through December 31, 2007, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs authority to provide a grave marker or headstone when 
a veteran is buried in a marked grave.
  Veterans who served our country honorably should not lose their 
eligibility for recognition in death merely because the grave in which 
they are buried has a nonmilitary marker. I have a long record of 
interest in providing the burial benefits provided to our Nation's 
veterans, and this provision is truly a step in the right direction. We 
ought to make it permanent.
  I joined Chairman Miller in introducing legislation to extend this 
authorization. Although the VA and Members on both sides of the aisle 
supported making the authorization permanent, the committee was not 
able to fund the cost of a permanent authorization. I hope that we will 
be able to do so in the next Congress.
  Eligibility for a headstone or a marker should not depend on whether 
a VA marker is provided before or after the placement of a private 
marker. As I stated, I am supporting this legislation, but I must make 
note that there are a number of other matters which should be acted on. 
I am especially disappointed that lease authorization for four clinics 
in Las Vegas on leases that will soon expire is not included, and it is 
going to have to be in order to provide health care to the veterans 
that live in southern Nevada.
  Las Vegas' veterans are forced to rely on a string of clinics as the 
community awaits a new VA medical complex to be completed. It is at 
least 3 years out from being completed, even though we did break ground 
in October, which is a step in the right direction.
  I have got 80-year-old veterans standing in 110-degree temperature 
going from clinic to clinic in order to get their health care needs 
met. That is why we are getting a full-service VA medical complex. But 
the fact is we need four leases approved by the end of the year. I hope 
we are going to do that before we recess for the year.
  As I stated, Madam Speaker, I do support this legislation. I urge all 
of my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Ms. Berkley, I want to thank you for your leadership on this bill. 
Thank you for working with Nancy Johnson, Jeb Bradley. This symbol of 
honor and remembrance is very important. I want to thank you for that.
  Also I want to embrace your words regarding the leases. In the 
construction bill we have a number of leases, and we need to complete 
our work. And so I embrace your words. I call on you for your help. The 
Senate has not been as helpful. You know that is a continuous body over 
there. We do not know how it is about to be reorganized. We have a lot 
of our work that needs to be done over the last 2 years, and we cannot 
let this construction bill die on the vine. We have to complete that 
work.
  If we do not re-up these leases, it is going to cost the Federal 
Government more money because there are penalty clauses that will go 
into effect, and we cannot and should not let that happen.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. BUYER. I yield to the gentlewoman from Nevada.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Well, I want to thank you, Chairman Buyer, thank you for 
coming to Las Vegas and feeling my pain by the end of the day and 
appreciating how seriously impacted my veterans are.
  I can assure you that I will do everything I can to urge the other 
body to move in an expeditious way, because you are quite right, we 
cannot let these leases expire. Thank you very much for your support.
  Mr. BUYER. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlewoman for her 
leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Ginny Brown-Waite).
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as vice chairman of 
the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I rise with 
very mixed emotion. I am certainly happy that Chairman Buyer is 
bringing this important bill to the floor that will extend several 
worthy veterans programs and add a new provision that will improve 
education opportunities for the spouses and dependents of our severely 
wounded veterans.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill in a bipartisan manner. 
However, I am disappointed that to date negotiations with the other 
body on Chairman Buyer's package of veterans initiatives, which was 
very, very bipartisan, has produced only limited progress. And there is 
a real possibility that many good provisions passed by both the House 
and the other body might not become law.
  These bills include improvements to VA medical care, hospital 
construction and maintenance projects and a wide range of veterans 
benefits. From my subcommittee's perspective, important improvements 
include small business and employment legislation that is widely 
supported by the administration and the veterans community.
  For example, our legislation will improve the competitive status of 
veterans and disabled veteran-owned small businesses seeking to win VA 
contracts. As the Members know, Public Law 106-50 and Executive Order 
13360 direct Federal agencies and departments to award at least 3 
percent of Federal contracts to service-disabled veteran-owned 
businesses, service-connected veteran-owned businesses.
  To date the only department to make that goal was the Department of 
State in fiscal year 2004. This is an unacceptable record for a nation 
whose armed forces are engaged in hostilities as we speak. One of our 
bills, H.R. 3082, will help rectify that shortfall in at least the 
Veterans Administration Department.
  The small business provisions of H.R. 3082 would provide VA 
acquisition staff additional tools that would give veterans and 
service-disabled veteran-owned businesses priority in many VA contract 
competitions.
  The bill would also ensure that surviving spouses who retain control 
of those businesses after the veteran owner dies continue to enjoy 
status as a service-disabled veteran-owned business for up to 10 years.
  In short, at least at the VA, the veteran business owners will be 
treated

[[Page H8621]]

fairly and enable the VA to set a standard for other Federal agencies. 
Mr. Speaker, the bill also makes several other improvements to the 
employment programs operated through the veterans employment and 
training service at the Department of Labor.
  I am especially pleased that H.R. 3082 includes provisions of a bill 
I introduced to improve licensing and credentialing of veterans based 
on skills and experience they gained during their military service.
  Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, this is an excellent bill. We need to 
pass it and make sure that the Senate gets the message loud and clear.
  Mr. BUYER. I thank the gentlewoman for her contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, I would now like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, the Honorable Tim Murphy.
  Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important bill the House is 
now considering to extend a lot of critical services to veterans. I 
really on behalf of veterans am grateful for the work you have done on 
this.
  Because of this type of bill, it cannot be amended, I would like to 
bring to your attention an issue that, Mr. Chairman, you and I have 
discussed, that we all remain very concerned about. That is the 
security breaches of veterans' personal records.
  And if we are not able to pass a bill at this time, perhaps in the 
coming weeks or at least next year, we really need to be dealing with 
some of the issues, such as on November 2, a laptop containing 1,600 
veterans records was stolen from a Manhattan hospital.
  In August a desktop computer was stolen that had 38,000 veterans 
records, that had detailed records from the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia 
hospital areas.
  Back in May we knew about another laptop computer that contained the 
personal records of 26 million veterans. I had introduced a bill, H.R. 
6109, the Stop Endangering the Records of Veterans Act, or the SERV 
Act, in September which would require the VA to encrypt all data. I am 
pleased they are doing that now.
  But we also need to have some teeth in this and make sure that those 
who do not properly protect veterans records, that there are penalties 
for them, criminal penalties if need be, if through their neglect or 
carelessness or direct action they cause a veteran's records to be 
stolen and cause harm from identity theft and just the problems that go 
with having medical records released.
  Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that you are so concerned about these 
veterans issues. I don't know if there is time left in this session to 
deal with these issues. But I hope we can at the very least take this 
up in the next session. Veterans know that you, Mr. Chairman, have 
worked so diligently to protect them on so many issues. I look forward 
to continuing to work with you on these issues, that we can work for 
our veterans' safety and peace of mind in the future.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I thank the 
chairman for bringing us this legislation of must-pass authorizations 
and extensions, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Filner for his cooperation on this bill and 
other bills. Mr. Filner, we have got the CIO bill, we have got the 
cyber security bill. The Senate sent us two health bills, a benefit 
bill and we have got the construction bill. So all of these are in 
negotiation with the Senate. It is hard work. It represents 2 years of 
effort.
  Recalling the recent words of my esteemed colleague, Nancy Pelosi, 
with the creation of this new theme of a bipartisan way for all 
Americans, let's embrace it. Let's get our work done. We enjoy 
bipartisanship on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, and I wish other 
committees could see how well we have worked together over the years. I 
call on leadership of everyone here in the House in dealing with these 
bills here on veterans affairs to complete our work on behalf of our 
Nation's veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I also call upon the Senate leadership to finish our 
legislative negotiations. Let's complete our work. Let's not forget our 
veterans and their families. And, Mr. Speaker, I also call upon the 
leadership of the veterans service organizations and the military 
service associations to encourage the Senate leadership to finish our 
negotiations and again finish the work that we had started on behalf of 
this Nation's veterans and dependents.
  These warriors fought for our freedom. The least we can do is 
complete our work and provide for them the best care and benefits 
possible. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing 
this bill to the floor today.
  Included in H.R. 6314 is a provision to extend, through December 31, 
2007, a program that provides government markers for veterans who are 
buried in a private cemetery.
  The current five-year authority, which was effective for deaths that 
occurred as of September 11, 2001, expires on December 31st of this 
year.
  Prior to this authority, if a veteran was buried at a private 
cemetery and the family purchased a private headstone, the veteran was 
ineligible for a government marker.
  I want to recognize Representative Nancy Johnson, who has been 
championing this cause for over 5 years.
  I appreciate her working with my Subcommittee to ensure that veterans 
and their families continue to have access to symbolic expressions of 
remembrance.
  Mr. Speaker, as the 109th Congress comes to an end, I want to 
recognize Representative Jeb Bradley, the Vice Chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, and Ms. 
Shelley Berkley, the ranking member, for their active participation on 
the Subcommittee. We accomplished quite a bit over the past 2 years and 
I thank them both.
  I also want to thank the Subcommittee staffs on both sides of the 
aisle--Paige McManus, Chris McNamee, and Mary Ellen McCarthy.
  Finally, on behalf of the Subcommittee, I commend Chairman Buyer and 
Ranking Member Evans for their bipartisan leadership of the House 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill before us.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I have no furthers requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6314.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

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