[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8823-H8829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERANS PROGRAMS EXTENSION ACT OF 2006
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 6342) to amend title 38, United States Code, to
extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs, to expand eligibility for the Survivors' and
Dependents' Educational Assistance program, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 6342
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans
Programs Extension Act of 2006''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Extension of certain expiring provisions of law administered by
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 3. Expansion of eligibility for Survivors' and Dependents'
Educational Assistance program.
Sec. 4. Deadline and permanent requirement for report on educational
assistance program.
Sec. 5. Reauthorization of biennial report of Advisory Committee on
Women Veterans.
Sec. 6. Parkinson's Disease research, education, and clinical centers
and multiple sclerosis centers of excellence.
Sec. 7. Authorization of major medical facility leases.
Sec. 8. Technical and clerical amendments.
Sec. 9. Codification of cost-of-living adjustment provided in Public
Law 109-361.
SEC. 2. 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. 3. 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) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``means--'' and inserting ``means any of the following:'';
(2) in each of subparagraphs (A) through (D), by
capitalizing the first letter of the first word;
(3) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by inserting after ``a person who'' the following: ``,
as a result of qualifying service'';
(B) by striking the comma at the end of clause (i) and
inserting ``; or'';
(C) by striking ``, or'' at the end of clause (ii) and
inserting a period; and
(D) by striking clause (iii);
(4) in subparagraph (B) by striking the comma at the end
and inserting the following: ``sustained during a period of
qualifying service.'';
(5) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) by inserting ``or child'' after ``the spouse''; and
(B) by striking ``, or'' at the end and inserting a period;
(6) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting before the comma the
following: ``sustained during a period of qualifying
service''; and
(B) by striking the comma at the end and inserting a
period;
(7) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following new
subparagraph:
``(E) The spouse or child of a person who--
``(i) at the time of the Secretary's determination under
clause (ii), is a member of the Armed Forces who is
hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services,
or treatment;
``(ii) the Secretary determines has a total disability
permanent in nature incurred or aggravated in the line of
duty in the active military, naval, or air service; and
``(iii) is likely to be discharged or released from such
service for such disability.''; and
(8) by striking ``arising out of'' and all that follows
through the end.
(b) Conforming Amendments to Chapter 35.--Chapter 35 of
such title is further amended as follows:
(1) Section 3501(a) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(12) The term `qualifying service' means service in the
active military, naval, or air service after the beginning of
the Spanish-American War that did not terminate under
dishonorable conditions.''.
(2) Section 3511 is amended--
(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)--
(i) in paragraph (2)--
(I) by striking ``the provisions of section
3501(a)(1)(A)(iii) or'' and inserting ``section''; and
(II) by striking ``or'' at the end;
(ii) in paragraph (3)--
(I) by striking ``section 3501(a)(1)(D)'' and inserting
``subparagraph (D) or (E) of section 3501(a)(1)''; and
(II) by inserting ``or'' after the comma at the end; and
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new
paragraph:
``(4) the parent or spouse from whom such eligibility is
derived based upon subparagraph (E) of section 3501(a)(1) of
this title no longer meets a requirement under clause (i),
(ii), or (iii) of that subparagraph,''; and
(C) by striking subsection (c).
(3) Section 3512 is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) 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 or on a parent being listed in one of
the categories referred to in section 3501(a)(1)(C) of this
title''; and
(ii) in paragraph (6), by striking ``the provisions of
section 3501(a)(1)(A)(iii)'' and inserting ``a parent being
listed in one of the categories referred to in section
3501(a)(1)(C)'';
(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''; and
(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 line of duty in
[[Page H8824]]
the active military, naval, or air service.''; and
(iii) in paragraph (2)--
(I) by striking ``or (D) of this title'' and inserting
``(D), or (E) of this title''; and
(II) by inserting ``whose eligibility is based on the death
or disability of a spouse or on a spouse being listed in one
of the categories referred to in section 3501(a)(1)(C) of
this title'' after ``of this title)'';
(C) in subsection (d), by striking ``veteran'' and
inserting ``person''; and
(D) in subsection (e)--
(i) by inserting ``based on a spouse being listed in one of
the categories referred to in section 3501(a)(1)(C) of this
title'' after ``of this title'';
(ii) by inserting ``so'' after ``the spouse was''; and
(iii) by striking ``by the Secretary'' and all that follows
through ``occurs''.
(4) Section 3540 is amended by striking ``(as defined in
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (D) of section 3501(a)(1) of this
title)'' and inserting ``(other than a person made eligible
under subparagraph (C) of such section by reason of a spouse
being listed in one of the categories referred to in that
subparagraph)''.
(5) Section 3563 is amended by striking ``each eligible
person defined in section 3501(a)(1)(A) of this title'' and
inserting ``each eligible person whose eligibility is based
on the death or disability of a parent or on a parent being
listed in one of the categories referred to in section
3501(a)(1)(C) of this title''.
(c) Other Conforming Amendments.--Such title is further
amended as follows:
(1) Sections 3686(a)(1) is amended by striking ``or (D)''
and inserting ``(D), or (E)''.
(2) Section 5113(b)(3) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``section 3501(a)(1)''
and all that follows through the end and inserting the
following: ``subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E) of section
3501(a)(1) of this title.''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) by striking ``such veteran's death'' and inserting
``the death of the person from whom such eligibility is
derived''; and
(ii) by striking ``such veteran's service-connected total
disability permanent in nature'' and inserting ``the service-
connected total disability permanent in nature (or, in the
case of a person made eligible under section 3501(a)(1)(E),
the total disability permanent in nature incurred or
aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval,
or air service) of the person from whom such eligibility is
derived''.
(d) 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.
SEC. 4. DEADLINE AND PERMANENT REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Deadline for Report.--Not later than six months after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each
submit to Congress a report containing the information
specified in subsections (b) and (c) of section 3036 of title
38, United States Code.
(b) Repeal of Termination.--Section 3036 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (d).
SEC. 5. REAUTHORIZATION OF BIENNIAL REPORT OF ADVISORY
COMMITTEE ON WOMEN VETERANS.
Section 542(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``2004'' and inserting ``2008''.
SEC. 6. PARKINSON'S DISEASE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CLINICAL
CENTERS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS CENTERS OF
EXCELLENCE.
(a) Requirement for Establishment of Centers.--
(1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new sections:
``Sec. 7329. Parkinson's Disease research, education, and
clinical centers
``(a) Establishment of Centers.--(1) The Secretary, upon
the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health, shall
designate not less than six Department health-care facilities
as the locations for centers of Parkinson's Disease research,
education, and clinical activities.
``(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds for
such purpose, the Secretary shall establish and operate
centers of Parkinson's Disease research, education, and
clinical activities at the locations designated pursuant to
paragraph (1) for such centers.
``(b) Criteria for Designation of Facilities.--(1) In
designating Department health-care facilities for centers
under subsection (a), the Secretary, upon the recommendation
of the Under Secretary for Health, shall assure appropriate
geographic distribution of such facilities.
``(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary
shall designate as the location for a center of Parkinson's
Disease research, education, and clinical activities pursuant
to subsection (a)(1) each Department health-care facility
that as of January 1, 2005, was operating a Parkinson's
Disease research, education, and clinical center.
``(3) The Secretary may not under subsection (a) designate
a facility described in paragraph (2) if (on the
recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health) the
Secretary determines that such facility--
``(A) does not meet the requirements of subsection (c); or
``(B) has not demonstrated--
``(i) effectiveness in carrying out the established
purposes of such center; or
``(ii) the potential to carry out such purposes effectively
in the reasonably foreseeable future.
``(c) Requirements for Designation.--(1) The Secretary may
not designate a Department health-care facility as a location
for a center under subsection (a) unless the peer review
panel established under subsection (d) has determined under
that subsection that the proposal submitted by such facility
as a location for a new center under subsection (a) is among
those proposals that meet the highest competitive standards
of scientific and clinical merit.
``(2) The Secretary may not designate a Department health-
care facility as a location for a center under subsection (a)
unless the Secretary (upon the recommendation of the Under
Secretary for Health) determines that the facility has (or
may reasonably be anticipated to develop) each of the
following:
``(A) An arrangement with an accredited medical school that
provides education and training in neurology and with which
the Department health-care facility is affiliated under which
residents receive education and training in innovative
diagnosis and treatment of chronic neurodegenerative diseases
and movement disorders, including Parkinson's Disease.
``(B) The ability to attract the participation of
scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in
health-care research efforts.
``(C) An advisory committee composed of veterans and
appropriate health-care and research representatives of the
Department health-care facility and of the affiliated school
or schools to advise the directors of such facility and such
center on policy matters pertaining to the activities of the
center during the period of the operation of such center.
``(D) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of
the activities of such center.
``(E) The capability to coordinate (as part of an
integrated national system) education, clinical, and research
activities within all facilities with such centers.
``(F) The capability to jointly develop a consortium of
providers with interest in treating neurodegenerative
diseases, including Parkinson's Disease and other movement
disorders, at facilities without such centers in order to
ensure better access to state-of-the-art diagnosis, care, and
education for neurodegenerative disorders throughout the
health care system of the Department.
``(G) The capability to develop a national repository in
the health care system of the Department for the collection
of data on health services delivered to veterans seeking care
for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's
Disease, and other movement disorders.
``(d) Peer Review Panel.--(1) The Under Secretary for
Health shall establish a panel to assess the scientific and
clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the
Secretary for the establishment of centers under this
section.
``(2)(A) The membership of the panel shall consist of
experts in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's
Disease, and other movement disorders.
``(B) Members of the panel shall serve for a period of no
longer than two years, except as specified in subparagraph
(C).
``(C) Of the members first appointed to the panel, one half
shall be appointed for a period of three years and one half
shall be appointed for a period of two years, as designated
by the Under Secretary at the time of appointment.
``(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted to the
panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its views on
the relative scientific and clinical merit of each such
proposal to the Under Secretary.
``(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act.
``(e) Priority of Funding.--Before providing funds for the
operation of a center designated under subsection (a) at a
Department health-care facility other than at a facility
designated pursuant to subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall
ensure that each Parkinson's Disease center at a facility
designated pursuant to subsection (b)(2) is receiving
adequate funding to enable that center to function
effectively in the areas of Parkinson's Disease research,
education, and clinical activities.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for the support of the research and education activities of
the centers established pursuant to subsection (a). The Under
Secretary for Health shall allocate to such centers from
other funds appropriated generally for the Department medical
services account and medical and prosthetics research
account, as appropriate, such amounts as the Under Secretary
for Health determines appropriate.
``(g) Award Competitions.--Activities of clinical and
scientific investigation at each center established under
subsection (a) shall be eligible to compete for the award of
funding from funds appropriated for the Department medical
and prosthetics research account. Such activities shall
receive priority in the award of funding from such account
insofar as funds are awarded to projects for research in
Parkinson's Disease and other movement disorders.
[[Page H8825]]
``Sec. 7330. Multiple sclerosis centers of excellence
``(a) Establishment of Centers.--(1) The Secretary, upon
the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health, shall
designate not less than two Department health-care facilities
as the locations for multiple sclerosis centers of
excellence.
``(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds for
such purpose, the Secretary shall establish and operate
multiple sclerosis centers of excellence at the locations
designated pursuant to paragraph (1) for such centers.
``(b) Criteria for Designation of Facilities.--(1) In
designating Department health-care facilities for centers
under subsection (a), the Secretary, upon the recommendation
of the Under Secretary for Health, shall assure appropriate
geographic distribution of such facilities.
``(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Secretary
shall designate as the location for a multiple sclerosis
center of excellence pursuant to subsection (a)(1) each
Department health-care facility that as of January 1, 2005,
was operating a multiple sclerosis center of excellence.
``(3) The Secretary may not under subsection (a) designate
a facility described in paragraph (2) if (on the
recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health) the
Secretary determines that such facility--
``(A) does not meet the requirements of subsection (c); or
``(B) has not demonstrated--
``(i) effectiveness in carrying out the established
purposes of such center; or
``(ii) the potential to carry out such purposes effectively
in the reasonably foreseeable future.
``(c) Requirements for Designation.--(1) The Secretary may
not designate a Department health-care facility as a location
for a center under subsection (a) unless the peer review
panel established under subsection (d) has determined under
that subsection that the proposal submitted by such facility
as a location for a new center under subsection (a) is among
those proposals that meet the highest competitive standards
of scientific and clinical merit.
``(2) The Secretary may not designate a Department health-
care facility as a location for a center under subsection (a)
unless the Secretary (upon the recommendation of the Under
Secretary for Health) determines that the facility has (or
may reasonably be anticipated to develop) each of the
following:
``(A) An arrangement with an accredited medical school that
provides education and training in neurology and with which
the Department health-care facility is affiliated under which
residents receive education and training in innovative
diagnosis and treatment of chronic neurodegenerative
diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
``(B) The ability to attract the participation of
scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in
health-care research efforts.
``(C) An advisory committee composed of veterans and
appropriate health-care and research representatives of the
Department health-care facility and of the affiliated school
or schools to advise the directors of such facility and such
center on policy matters pertaining to the activities of the
center during the period of the operation of such center.
``(D) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of
the activities of such center.
``(E) The capability to coordinate (as part of an
integrated national system) education, clinical, and research
activities within all facilities with such centers.
``(F) The capability to jointly develop a consortium of
providers with interest in treating multiple sclerosis at
facilities without such centers in order to ensure better
access to state-of-the-art diagnosis, care, and education for
autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system
throughout the health care system of the Department.
``(G) The capability to develop a national repository in
the health care system of the Department for the collection
of data on health services delivered to veterans seeking care
for autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
``(d) Peer Review Panel.--(1) The Under Secretary for
Health shall establish a panel to assess the scientific and
clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the
Secretary for the establishment of centers under this
section.
``(2)(A) The membership of the panel shall consist of
experts in autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous
system.
``(B) Members of the panel shall serve for a period of no
longer than two years, except as specified in subparagraph
(C).
``(C) Of the members first appointed to the panel, one half
shall be appointed for a period of three years and one half
shall be appointed for a period of two years, as designated
by the Under Secretary at the time of appointment.
``(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted to the
panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its views on
the relative scientific and clinical merit of each such
proposal to the Under Secretary.
``(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act.
``(e) Priority of Funding.--Before providing funds for the
operation of a center designated under subsection (a) at a
Department health-care facility other than at a facility
designated pursuant to subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall
ensure that each multiple sclerosis center at a facility
designated pursuant to subsection (b)(2) is receiving
adequate funding to enable that center to function
effectively in the areas of multiple sclerosis research,
education, and clinical activities.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for the support of the research and education activities of
the centers established pursuant to subsection (a). The Under
Secretary for Health shall allocate to such centers from
other funds appropriated generally for the Department medical
services account and medical and prosthetics research
account, as appropriate, such amounts as the Under Secretary
for Health determines appropriate.
``(g) Award Competitions.--Activities of clinical and
scientific investigation at each center established under
subsection (a) shall be eligible to compete for the award of
funding from funds appropriated for the Department medical
and prosthetics research account. Such activities shall
receive priority in the award of funding from such account
insofar as funds are awarded to projects for research in
multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 7328 the following new items:
``7329. Parkinson's Disease research, education, and clinical centers.
``7330. Multiple sclerosis centers of excellence.''.
(b) Effective Date.--Section 7329 and 7330 of title 38,
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take
effect at the end of the 30-day period beginning on the date
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY LEASES.
(a) Fiscal Year 2006 Leases.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs may carry out the following major medical facility
leases in fiscal year 2006 at the locations specified, in an
amount for each lease not to exceed the amount specified for
that location:
(1) For an outpatient clinic, Baltimore, Maryland,
$10,908,000.
(2) For an outpatient clinic, Evansville, Indiana,
$8,989,000.
(3) For an outpatient clinic, Smith County, Texas,
$5,093,000.
(b) Fiscal Year 2007 Leases.--The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs may carry out the following major medical facility
leases in fiscal year 2007 at the locations specified, in an
amount for each lease not to exceed the amount specified for
that location:
(1) For an outpatient and specialty care clinic, Austin,
Texas, $6,163,000.
(2) For an outpatient clinic, Lowell, Massachusetts,
$2,520,000.
(3) For an outpatient clinic, Grand Rapids, Michigan,
$4,409,000.
(4) For up to four outpatient clinics, Las Vegas, Nevada,
$8,518,000.
(5) For an outpatient clinic, Parma, Ohio, $5,032,000.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations for Major Medical
Facility Leases.--
(1) Fiscal year 2006 leases.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal
year 2006 for the Medical Care account, $24,990,000 for the
leases authorized in subsection (a).
(2) Fiscal year 2007 leases.--There is authorized to be
appropriated for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal
year 2007 for the Medical Care account, $26,642,000 for the
leases authorized in subsection (b).
SEC. 8. TECHNICAL AND CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.
(a) Title 38, United States Code.--Title 38, United States
Code, is amended as follows:
(1) Citation correction.--Section 1718(c)(2) is amended by
inserting ``of 1938'' after ``Act''.
(2) Citation correction.--Section 1785(b)(1) is amended by
striking ``Robert B.'' and inserting ``Robert T.''.
(3) Punctuation correction.--Section 2002(1) is amended by
inserting a closing parenthesis before the period at the end.
(4) Punctuation correction.--Section 2011(a)(1)(C) is
amended by inserting a period at the end.
(5) Cross reference correction.--Section 2041(a)(3)(A)(i)
is amended by striking ``under this chapter'' and inserting
``established under section 3722 of this title''.
(6) Citation correction.--Section 8111(b)(1) is amended by
striking ``into the strategic'' and all that follows through
``and Results Act of 1993'' and inserting ``into the
strategic plan of each Department under section 306 of title
5 and the performance plan of each Department under section
1115 of title 31''.
(7) Repeal of obsolete text.--Section 8111 is further
amended--
(A) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ``effective October
1, 2003,''; and
(B) in subsection (e)(2)--
(i) in the second sentence, by striking ``shall be
implemented no later than October 1, 2003, and''; and
(ii) in the third sentence, by striking ``, following
implementation of the schedule,''.
(8) Citation correction.--Section 8111A(a)(2)(B)(i) is
amended by striking ``Robert B.'' and inserting ``Robert
T.''.
(b) Public Law 107-296.--Effective as of November 25, 2002,
section 1704(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public
Law 107-296; 116 Stat. 2315) is amended--
(1) by striking ``101(25)(d)'' and inserting
``101(25)(D)''; and
(2) by striking ``3011(a)(1)(A)(ii)(II)'' and inserting
``3011(a)(1)(A)(ii)(III)''.
[[Page H8826]]
SEC. 9. CODIFICATION OF COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT PROVIDED IN
PUBLIC LAW 109-361.
(a) Veterans' Disability Compensation.--Section 1114 of
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``$112'' and inserting
``$115'';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``$218'' and inserting
``$225'';
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ``$337'' and inserting
``$348'';
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ``$485'' and inserting
``$501'';
(5) in subsection (e), by striking ``$690'' and inserting
``$712'';
(6) in subsection (f), by striking ``$873'' and inserting
``$901'';
(7) in subsection (g), by striking ``$1,099'' and inserting
``$1,135'';
(8) in subsection (h), by striking ``$1,277'' and inserting
``$1,319'';
(9) in subsection (i), by striking ``$1,436'' and inserting
``$1,483'';
(10) in subsection (j), by striking ``$2,393'' and
inserting ``$2,471'';
(11) in subsection (k)--
(A) by striking ``$87'' both places it appears and
inserting ``$89''; and
(B) by striking ``$2,977'' and ``$4,176'' and inserting
``$3,075'' and ``$4,313'', respectively;
(12) in subsection (l), by striking ``$2,977'' and
inserting ``$3,075'';
(13) in subsection (m), by striking ``$3,284'' and
inserting ``$3,392'';
(14) in subsection (n), by striking ``$3,737'' and
inserting ``$3,860'';
(15) in subsections (o) and (p), by striking ``$4,176''
each place it appears and inserting ``$4,313'';
(16) in subsection (r)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$1,792'' and inserting
``$1,851''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``2,669'' and inserting
``$2,757''; and
(17) in subsection (s), by striking ``$2,678'' and
inserting ``$2,766''.
(b) Additional Compensation for Dependents.--Section
1115(1) of such title is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$135'' and inserting
``$139'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``$233'' and ``$68''
and inserting ``$240'' and ``$70'', respectively;
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``$91'' and ``$68''
and inserting ``$94'' and ``$70'', respectively;
(4) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``$109'' and inserting
``$112'';
(5) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``$257'' and inserting
``$265''; and
(6) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``$215'' and inserting
``$222''.
(c) Clothing Allowance for Certain Disabled Veterans.--
Section 1162 of such title is amended by striking ``$641''
and inserting ``$662''.
(d) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Surviving
Spouses.--
(1) New law dic.--Subsection (a) of section 1311 of such
title is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$1,033'' and inserting
``$1,067''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$221'' and inserting
``$228''.
(2) Old law dic.--The table in paragraph (3) of such
subsection is amended to read as follows:
Monthly
``Pay grade rate Pay grade Monthly rate
E-1.......................... $1,067 W-4............ $1,276
E-2.......................... $1,067 O-1............ $1,128
E-3.......................... $1,067 O-2............ $1,165
E-4.......................... $1,067 O-3............ $1,246
E-5.......................... $1,067 O-4............ $1,319
E-6.......................... $1,067 O-5............ $1,452
E-7.......................... $1,104 O-6............ $1,637
E-8.......................... $1,165 O-7............ $1,768
E-9.......................... $1,2151 O-8............ $1,941
W-1.......................... $1,128 O-9............ $2,076
W-2.......................... $1,172 O-10........... 2 $2,276
W-3.......................... $1,207 ............... ..............
1 If the veteran served as Sergeant Major of the Army, Senior Enlisted
Advisor of the Navy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Sergeant
Major of the Marine Corps, or Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast
Guard, at the applicable time designated by section 1302 of this
title, the surviving spouse's rate shall be $1,312.
2 If the veteran served as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief
of Staff of the Air Force, Commandant of the Marine Corps, or
Commandant of the Coast Guard, at the applicable time designated by
section 1302 of this title, the surviving spouse's rate shall be
$2,443.''.
(3) Additional dic for children or disability.--Such
section is further amended--
(A) in subsection (b), by striking ``$257'' and inserting
``$265'';
(B) in subsection (c), by striking ``$257'' and inserting
``$265''; and
(C) in subsection (d), by striking ``$122'' and inserting
``$126''.
(e) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Children.--
(1) DIC when no surviving spouse.--Section 1313(a) of such
title is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$438'' and inserting
``$452'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$629'' and inserting
``$649'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$819'' and inserting
``$846''; and
(D) in paragraph (4), by striking ``$819'' and ``$157'' and
inserting ``$846'' and ``$162'', respectively.
(2) Supplemental dic for certain children.--Section 1314 of
such title is amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ``$257'' and inserting
``$265'';
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ``$438'' and inserting
``$452''; and
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ``$218'' and inserting
``$225''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
South Carolina (Mr. Brown) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
Filner) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 6342,
the Veterans Programs Extension Act of 2006, a bill that would extend
several existing Department of Veterans Affairs benefit provisions.
This bill has similar provisions as passed by the House of
Representatives in H.R. 6314 on November 14, 2006, but also has
additional provisions negotiated between the House and the Senate.
As in H.R. 6314, the bill would reauthorize health care services for
veterans exposed to chemical and biological testings under Project 112
and SHAD, and extends treatment and rehabilitation programs for
seriously mentally ill and homeless veterans until December 31, 2007.
The bill also extends VA grants and per diem programs for homeless
veterans until September 30, 2007. Further, it would extend until
December 31, 2007 VA's Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans, and a
program to provide government markers for veterans interred in private
cemeteries.
The expiring authority allowing veterans in the VA study program 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.
Mr. Speaker, section 3 of the legislation contains provisions to
authorize VA to provide educational benefits under chapter 35 to
spouses and dependent children of severely injured servicemembers prior
to the member's discharge. These are servicemembers who, in the opinion
of the VA, will most likely be discharged with permanent and total
service-connected disabilities. Given the long convalescence many of
our severely injured servicemembers experience while being retained on
active duty, we believe it makes no sense to delay a spouse's ability
to get the education and training that may be needed to help support
the family. Mr. Speaker, these spouses are just as heroic as the
wounded warriors they support. This is not a new benefit. Current law
requires severely injured servicemembers to already be discharged from
the condition qualified for the chapter 35 benefit; we would merely
authorize VA to pay benefits sooner to those who would qualify
following discharge.
Mr. Speaker, the following provisions are in addition to those in
H.R. 6314. The bill would reauthorize the requirements of the Secretary
of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to each submit a
report to Congress on use of educational assistance programs by
veterans and servicemembers. It would also reauthorize the biennial
report on women veterans. The bill would permanently authorize six
Parkinson's disease research education and clinical centers.
Parkinson's disease affects as many as 1.5 million Americans. While
treatment exists, we are still searching for a cure. Currently, VA has
six of these centers. They give researchers the ability to see results
rapidly and put their knowledge to use helping patients. These centers
work with other VA clinical centers in the treatment of tens of
thousands of veterans with Parkinson's disease. This language was
included in H.R. 1220, as amended, which passed the House of
Representatives on July 13, 2005.
In addition, the bill also codifies two existing multiple sclerosis
centers. The bill also would authorize major medical facility leases
similar to H.R. 5815 which passed the House on September 16, 2006.
Finally, the bill makes technical and clerical amendments to title
38, and codifies the payment amount of the already enacted Veterans
Disability Compensation COLA.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H8827]]
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
I am also pleased to rise in support of H.R. 6342, which would, as we
have heard from Chairman Brown, extend expired and expiring
authorizations for Department of Veterans Affairs programs, expand
eligibility for survivor and dependent educational assistance, and
authorize leases for VA medical facilities. This bill will permanently
establish Parkinson's Disease research, education, and clinical care
centers, as well as multiple sclerosis centers of excellence.
Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record letters of support for this
bill from the Parkinson's Action Network, American Academy of
Neurology, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Paralyzed
Veterans of America.
December 5, 2006.
Hon. Steve Buyer,
Chairman, Veterans' Affairs Committee, Washington, DC.
Hon. Lane Evans,
Ranking Member, Veterans' Affairs Committee, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Buyer and Ranking Member Evans: On behalf of
American veterans and all those who struggle with the effects
of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease (PD), we
appreciate your strong leadership in protecting the Veterans
Affairs Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excel1ence (MSCoE) and
Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Centers
(PADRECCs). We commend you for working to enact legislation
that will formally establish the MSCoEs and PADRECCs for the
first time in statute. We believe that this bill must be
enacted to ensure that the PADRECCs and MSCoEs will continue
providing valuable services to veteran patients, family
members, and the entire Parkinson's disease and MS
communities.
Significant contributions have been made by the Centers in
research, education, and clinical care that benefit all
Americans impacted by PD and MS. The MSCoEs and PADRECCs
support a range of programs including state-of-the-art
clinical care, basic research into the causes of disease,
clinical research into better treatments, behavioral research
about effective education strategies for MS and Parkinson's
patients and providers, and population level research into
the needs of patients and the effectiveness of the care
delivery system.
Our organizations have recognized the record of leadership
that has been provided by the PADRECCs and MSCoE in the fight
against Parkinson's and MS. Approximately 25,000 veterans
have MS and require specialized care that is best provided by
having leaders in the field directing that care at a national
level. In addition, through the six PADRECCs and the National
VA Parkinson's Disease Consortium, the VA is able to treat
more than 79,000 veterans with Parkinson's disease. The
efforts of these Centers are the model of innovation in the
delivery of health care and research for progressive disease
in the veteran population.
We appreciate your efforts to ensure that the Veterans
Programs Extension Act of 2006 (H.R. 6342) will be voted on
by both the House of Representatives and Senate before
Congress adjourns in December. We look forward to enactment
of this bill that is so important to all those who struggle
with the devastating effects of MS and Parkinson's disease,
many of whom are American veterans.
Thank you for recognizing the benefits provided to veterans
fighting Parkinson's disease and MS through the VA PADRECCs
and MSCoEs. We appreciate your efforts to ensure the highest
level of care and hopeful research for our returning
veterans.
Amy C. Comstock,
Chief Executive Officer, Parkinson's Action Network.
Joyce Nelson,
President and CEO, National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Thomas R. Swift, MD, FAAN,
President, American Academy of Neurology.
Carl Blake,
Acting National Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of
America.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. Buyer), the chairman of our committee, and our colleagues in the
Senate, Chairman Craig and Ranking Member Akaka, for coming together to
craft this bill that will pass both Chambers before we recess.
As this may be our last bill of this term in Congress in the Veterans
Committee, I want to say a special thank-you to Ranking Member Lane
Evans for his work on behalf of veterans. As we all know, he is
retiring at the end of this session, but for more than two decades here
in Congress he has been a tenacious and indispensable voice for our
Nation's veterans. He has championed the needs of veterans exposed to
Agent Orange, homeless veterans, veterans who return from war with
post-traumatic stress disorder, and he has helped untold number of
veterans. He will be missed by all of us as we move into the next
session of Congress.
As we have heard, this bill before us today permanently establishes
VA's Parkinson's Disease Centers and VA's Multiple Sclerosis Centers of
Excellence. The work of these centers has benefited more than 80,000
veterans across our Nation. I am proud that the VA medical facility in
San Diego, which I represent, is affiliated with the VA's Southwestern
Parkinson's Research Center in Los Angeles. Not only do these centers
conduct groundbreaking research, they also advance the State's clinical
and rehabilitative care. The innovations and rehabilitation designed
for veterans who are battling chronic disorders may also yield gains
and care for veterans with traumatic brain injury. The good work of
these centers must continue. Through this legislation we are sending a
clear signal that the VA must continue to fund and support the clinical
and the research work done at all the existing centers.
In addition, this bill authorizes VA programs for homeless veterans
and veterans who need mental health care. I am proud and I am also
grateful that this legislation will help the families of these very
severely wounded servicemembers by providing education benefits to
eligible spouses and dependent children before these servicemembers are
actually released from military service. The bill also gives urgently
needed authorization for VA outpatient clinics across the Nation.
The number of women veterans will increase in the coming years.
Thirteen percent of the veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have
turned to VA for health care are women, and 11 percent of the troops
deployed there are women. This bill makes sure that Congress receives
the report and recommendations of the VA Advisory Committee on Women's
Veterans which can help guide our actions and oversight of VA's
capacity to address the unique needs of these veterans.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge that we are ending this
Congress, apparently, without passing a funding bill for the VA, as for
much of the government. Yes, we will pass a continuing resolution to
keep all the hospitals, regional offices, and other services operating,
but we are shortchanging veterans, Mr. Speaker, by not passing the
appropriations bill for the Veterans Administration. The delay in an
increase in VA's funding for fiscal year 2007 means that the VA medical
directors are forced to put on hold a whole variety of necessary
expenditures, from the hiring of needed staff to care for our veterans,
to the maintenance and repair of their buildings. As a result, veterans
access to needed services suffers, and VA staff is stretched even more
thin in providing quality care.
This failure to pass a budget is a clear illustration of the need for
mandatory or assured funding of VA health care, and for the past 14
years I have been a firm supporter of this method of funding the VA. I
agree with those veteran service organizations who have proposed that
funding for veterans health care be mandatory. If we are unable to pass
adequate and timely funding, timely funding, Mr. Speaker, to meet the
health care of veterans, then we need to look seriously at alternate
ways to ensure adequate funding for the health care of our veterans.
Unfortunately, we have also not completed our work in authorizing
needed veterans programs. We must honor our veterans and make sure that
our recent veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan receive
the benefits and services that they need to transition back to civilian
life.
For example, I think we owe it to our newest veterans to modernize
the GI bill, especially including meaningful benefits for the Guard and
Reserve units who have taken such a heavy load of the fighting in Iraq.
We must increase VA's capacity to meet the rehabilitation and lifelong
care needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury.
While VA has a strong mental health care program, many of our
returning veterans are falling through the
[[Page H8828]]
cracks, and we have gaps in those services. We must strengthen VA's
capacity to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other
mental health concerns. The recent GAO report, which found that the VA
did not spend funds on promised mental health initiatives, raises
serious questions about VA's lack of accountability, a lack of
accountability that was not really looked into by the previous
Congress. We must ensure that VA does not ignore gaps in its capacity
to help veterans recover from psychological wounds.
{time} 1630
As we work to address the emerging issues for veterans returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan, we must also continue to press VA to meet the
health care needs of veterans exposed to Agent Orange, atomic testing
and veterans still struggling with a range of Gulf War illnesses.
In addition, we must maintain keen oversight to ensure that the laws
we have passed are yielding the outcomes Congress intended. We also
must be vigilant to ensure that the vulnerabilities in VA information
technology are addressed, and we will certainly continue this oversight
in the next Congress.
Today's bill keeps VA's homeless grant and per diem program
authorized through the end of next year. This is a good program, but it
only helps a fraction of the homeless veterans on the streets. We have
already seen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have
become homeless, almost 600 of them. We must act to prevent and end
homelessness for all veterans.
In addition, many veterans are from small towns and rural areas. We
must work to improve their access to VA care. In my district, most of
the entire Imperial County can be classified as rural. There are no
real services provided to them as they seek care. So we need to
acknowledge some of these gaps, we need to acknowledge these problems,
and try to address them in the next Congress.
Finally, I would like to thank all of the staff of the VA Committee
on both the Democratic and Republican sides for their diligence and
dedication in serving our Nation's veterans. We appreciate their work.
While we have a lot of work to do in the coming years, this is a good
bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6342.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance
of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a product of negotiation between the
House and Senate and includes several key provisions already passed by
this body and agreed to by the other body.
Mr. Speaker, Chairman Buyer asked me to share his appreciation for
the hard work of the subcommittee chairmen, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Bilirakis,
and Mr. Miller, and the ranking members of the committee, Ms. Herseth,
Ms. Berkley, Mr. Michaud and Mr. Strickland during these negotiations
and this Congress.
Together we have forged a bipartisan path for veterans legislation
and funding to provide our Nation's heroes with much-needed health care
and benefits.
I also want to recognize the leadership and cooperation of the acting
ranking member, Mr. Filner, and of the ranking member Mr. Evans.
Chairman Buyer also expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of
Senator Craig and Senator Akaka, as well as the staff from the Senate
and the House Committees on Veterans' Affairs in drafting this
legislation.
I urge my colleagues to support passage of the bill before us and ask
for it to be expedited as quickly as possible to the Senate for their
consideration.
General Leave
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members be provided 5 days in which to revise and extend their
remarks on H.R. 6342.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from South Carolina?
There was no objection.
Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to Ms.
Berkley, the fighting congresswoman for Nevada's veterans.
Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to add my thanks to
Chairman Buyer, Ranking Member Evans, and of course Acting Ranking
Member Filner for moving forward on this bill.
This legislation would extend a number of important provisions that
would otherwise expire. 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 Nation 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 improving the burial benefits
provided to our Nation's veterans, and this provision is certainly a
step in the right direction. I join Chairman Miller in introducing
legislation to extend this authorization. Although the VA and Members
on both sides of the aisle support making the authorization permanent,
the committee was not able to fund the cost of permanent authorization.
I hope that we will be able to do so in the next Congress.
I am pleased that the bill includes the provision championed by our
retiring ranking member, Lane Evans, whom Mr. Filner spoke so glowingly
of, which authorizes specialized VA facilities for research and
treatment of Parkinson's disease. This issue is particularly important
to all of us because it is of particular importance to Mr. Evans.
Passage of these provisions will honor his long congressional service
to our Nation's veterans. It is a lasting legacy to Mr. Evans and for
those who suffer from the effects of Parkinson's disease.
Veterans in my Las Vegas district benefit from the affiliation that
Las Vegas VA facilities have with the Southwestern PADRECC, which
provides treatment for Parkinson's disease and is located at the West
Los Angeles VA Medical Center.
This legislation also includes authorization for four clinics in Las
Vegas which have leases that will soon expire. While I am pleased to
see these leases renewed, and nobody knows better than Mr. Filner the
needs of our veterans in the Las Vegas area that I represent, this bill
was to contain a $406 million authorization for a new VA medical center
in Las Vegas on which we broke ground in October. My veterans
desperately need this facility. Las Vegas has the fastest growing
veterans population in the United States but does not have a VA medical
center or a hospital.
At a time of war and when we are seeing new veterans returning home
from Iraq and Afghanistan, there is simply no excuse for failing to
reach an agreement on important veterans issues. I hope and I am
cautiously optimistic that we will be able to pass a VA construction
bill before we adjourn later this week.
With that, I would like to thank Chairman Buyer again and the acting
ranking member, Mr. Filner, for their extraordinary work on behalf of
our veterans and urge passage of this legislation.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, before we adjourn, I hope we do authorize
construction of that hospital in Las Vegas. If for some reason it
doesn't happen, we will try to do it very quickly next year.
Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from
Maine (Mr. Michaud).
Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding me
this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6342. I commend Chairman
Buyer and the ranking member, Mr. Filner, and my colleagues on the
committee and in the Senate for their work on this legislation. This
bill does deserve bipartisan support.
H.R. 6342 includes a number of must-pass provisions. It also improves
education assistance for severely disabled service personnel. It is
important that we do all that we can to help the individuals and their
families to regain their independence and economic security.
This legislation also puts VA specialized programs for homeless
veterans on a more secure footing. I am proud that this Congress is
acting to extend the
[[Page H8829]]
soon-to-expire authorization of VA's grants and per diem program for
homeless veterans. Extending these authorizations until the end of 2007
is an important step, but is not enough.
Last year, VA's health care program for homeless veterans served
nearly 600 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. It is shameful that any
veteran spends a night on the street. We cannot leave those homeless
veterans and those with psychiatric wounds behind.
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 am glad that some of the key expiring provisions
to help homeless veterans from my bill are in the legislation that we
are considering now. I plan to reintroduce the bill in the next
Congress to help homeless veterans, and I look forward to working with
my colleagues to address this issue.
It is right that we are permanently establishing the six VA
Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Care Centers along
with VA's two MS Centers of Excellence. These centers are shining
examples of how VA could help veterans with other chronic and
debilitating diseases and injuries, such as traumatic brain injury.
These centers have led the way in state-of-the-art research and
clinical care. This bill sends a clear message to VA to keep supporting
the clinical, research and educational work of these centers.
Today is a bittersweet day because it may mark the end of an era.
This may be the last veterans bill that the House will consider which
has Ranking Member Lane Evans as an original cosponsor. I know this
will not be the last bill to reflect his advocacy and passion for
veterans and their families. Lane has been a great leader and mentor to
so many of us on the committee and in Congress. His legacy is measured
in the millions of veterans and their families who have benefited from
his determination, compassion, and wisdom. I will deeply miss him, and
I know this institution will miss him as well.
It is my understanding that there may be also an opportunity for an
omnibus veterans package on the floor tomorrow. I am glad that we may
be able to move more legislation before the end of year, but it is
unfortunate that we have waited until the last days of Congress to pass
these provisions.
The fact remains as we come to an end of the 109th Congress, we must
be honest with the American people: We have much more work to do. We
have not yet passed a funding bill for VA. It is simply unacceptable
for Congress to tell VA you need to put a hold on hiring needed staff
because we cannot and will not pass a budget in a timely manner.
It is troubling that some 73,000 of our returning veterans who have
come home to VA for medical care have received an initial diagnosis of
a mental health disorder, and I am concerned that VA appears to want to
deny that its veterans centers and medical facilities are straining to
meet the needs of these veterans. Many are calling traumatic brain
injury the signature wound of this war. Veterans with TBI and their
families deserve state-of-the-art care from the VA.
For service members, the transition from the military's health care
system to enrollment in the VA health care system is far from seamless.
For many of our returning National Guard members and reservists, the
Montgomery GI bill does not meet their needs. Education benefits of the
GI bill must be revamped and updated to meet the needs of current
veterans.
All of these issues, and more, require greater oversight and perhaps
legislative solutions for us in the next Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the
subcommittee chairmen that I have worked with for the last two
Congresses, Chairman Henry Brown, for working in a bipartisan manner,
but also the staff of both the Republican side and the Democratic side
for all of their hard work in getting these pieces of legislation to
the floor. I would also like to thank Chairman Buyer for all his work.
I also want to thank Mr. Filner for his leadership on this legislation
and the committee as well. I look forward to working with Mr. Filner in
the 110th Congress on matters important to America's veterans.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 6342.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Michaud, if I may, for
his emphasis on homeless veterans. Almost a quarter million homeless on
the streets tonight are veterans. That is a national disgrace. I look
forward to working with all of you to solve that.
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise as the Co-Chair of the
Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease in strong support of
H.R. 6342, which will protect the Parkinson's Disease Research,
Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs.)
As a leader in the Parkinson's community, I commend the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs for working to enact legislation that will formally
establish the PADRECCs for the first time in statute.
Significant contributions have been made by the Centers in research,
education, and clinical care that benefit all Americans impacted by
Parkinson's disease.
The PADRECCs have served to elevate the quality, comprehensiveness,
and access of care for veteran patients with Parkinson's disease and
related disorders throughout the Veterans Health Administration.
Through the six regional centers spanning the country and the
National VA Parkinson's Disease Consortium, the VA is able to treat
more than 79,000 veterans with Parkinson's disease.
The efforts of these Centers are the model of innovation in the
delivery of health care and research for chronic, progressive disease
in the veteran population.
The Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease learned
earlier this year that the Centers' existence was in jeopardy--
seriously threatening the institutions' valuable research, education,
and clinical care programs that benefit all Americans affected by
Parkinson's disease.
I believe that this bill must be enacted to ensure that the PADRECCs
will continue providing valuable services to veteran patients, family
members, and the entire Parkinson's disease community.
The original bill to protect the PADRECCs was authored by my fellow
Co-Chair of the Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease and
friend Congressman Lane Evans.
As you may know, Congressman Evans helped to create the PADRECCs.
By working with the former and current VA Administration,
Representative Evans helped to establish these Centers that serve
American veterans battling Parkinson's disease.
As a former Marine, Ranking Member on the VA Committee, and person
battling Parkinson's disease, Representative Lane Evans has a strong
sense of mission about providing the highest standards of care for both
constituencies. I commend the PADRECCs for doing just that.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, our colleague Lane Evans is officially
retiring from the House of Representatives at the conclusion of the
109th Congress due to his struggle with Parkinson's disease.
Congressman Evans has been a true champion of veterans and
Parkinson's issues on Capitol Hill and great friend to both
communities.
As Representative Evans said in his retirement announcement, ``I
believe strongly in serving people and working to make a positive
difference in their lives.''
This bill uniquely speaks to the significant contributions
Representative Evans has made in the lives of more than one million
Americans living with Parkinson's disease and more than 24.5 million
American veterans.
I urge my colleagues to honor Lane Evans and vote yes on this
important bill.
I look forward to enactment of this bill that is so important to all
those who struggle with the devastating effects of Parkinson's disease.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6342.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was
passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________