[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 123 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H8887-H8892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               VETERANS' BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1315) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide 
specially adaptive housing assistance to certain disabled members of 
the Armed Forces residing temporarily in housing owned by a family 
member, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows

                               H.R. 1315

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' Benefits 
     Improvement Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. PROVISION OF SPECIALLY ADAPTIVE HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO 
                   DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES RESIDING 
                   TEMPORARILY IN HOUSING OWNED BY A FAMILY 
                   MEMBER.

       Section 2102A of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
     (e) and (f), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
     subsection (d):
       ``(d) Assistance for Members of the Armed Forces.--The 
     Secretary may provide assistance under subsection (a) to a 
     member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who is 
     suffering from a disability described in subsection (a)(2) or 
     (b)(2) of section 2101 of this title if such disability is 
     the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted in or 
     aggravated in line of duty in the active military, naval, or 
     air service. Such assistance shall be provided to the same 
     extent as assistance is provided under subsection (a) to 
     veterans eligible for assistance under that subsection and 
     subject to the limitation under subsection (c).''.

     SEC. 3. VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY 
                   PROFESSIONALS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment of Program.--Chapter 76 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subchapter:

   ``SUBCHAPTER VIII--VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY 
                   PROFESSIONALS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

     ``Sec. 7691. Authority for program

       ``As part of the Educational Assistance Program and subject 
     to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the 
     Secretary shall carry out a scholarship program under this 
     subchapter. The program shall be known as the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs Visual Impairment and Orientation and 
     Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (hereinafter in 
     this subchapter referred to as the `Program'). The purpose of 
     the Program is to increase the supply of qualified blind 
     rehabilitation specialists for the Department and the Nation.

     ``Sec. 7692. Eligibility; agreement

       ``(a) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in the 
     Program, an individual must be accepted for enrollment or 
     enrolled (as described in section 7602 of this title) as a 
     full-time or part-time student in a field of education or 
     training described in subsection (b).
       ``(b) Qualifying Fields of Education or Training.--A field 
     of education or training described in this subsection is 
     education or training leading to--
       ``(1) a degree or certificate in visual impairment or 
     orientation and mobility, or a dual degree or certification 
     in both such areas; and
       ``(2) appointment or retention in a position under section 
     7401 of this title.
       ``(c) Agreement.--(1) An agreement between the Secretary 
     and a participant in the Program shall (in addition to the 
     requirements set forth in section 7604 of this title) include 
     the following:
       ``(A) The Secretary's agreement to provide the participant 
     with a scholarship under the Program for a specified number 
     (from one to three) of school years during which the 
     participant pursues a course of education or training 
     described in subsection (b) that meets the requirements set 
     forth in section 7602(a) of this title.
       ``(B) The participant's agreement to serve as a full-time 
     employee in the Veterans Health Administration for a period 
     of three years (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as 
     the `period of obligated service') during the six-year period 
     beginning on the date the participant completes the education 
     or training and receives a degree or certificate described in 
     subsection (b)(1).
       ``(C) The participant's agreement to serve under 
     subparagraph (B) in a Department facility selected by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(2) In a case in which an extension is granted under 
     section 7673(c)(2) of this title, the number of years for 
     which a scholarship may be provided under the Program shall 
     be the number of school years provided for as a result of the 
     extension.
       ``(3) In the case of a participant who is a part-time 
     student, the period of obligated service shall be reduced in 
     accordance with the proportion that the number of credit 
     hours carried by such participant in any such school year 
     bears to the number of credit hours required to be carried by 
     a full-time student in the course of training being pursued 
     by the participant, but in no event to less than one year.

     ``Sec. 7693. Scholarship

       ``(a) Scholarship.--A scholarship provided to a participant 
     in the Program for a school year shall consist of payment of 
     the tuition (or such portion of the tuition as may be 
     provided under subsection (b)) of the participant for that 
     school year and payment of other reasonable educational 
     expenses (including fees, books, and laboratory expenses) for 
     that school year.
       ``(b) Amounts.--The total amount of the scholarship payable 
     under subsection (a)--
       ``(1) in the case of a participant in the Program who is a 
     full-time student, may not exceed $15,000 for the equivalent 
     of one year of full-time coursework; and
       ``(2) in the case of a participant in the Program who is a 
     part-time student, shall bear the same ratio to the amount 
     that would be paid under paragraph (1) if the participant 
     were a full-time student in the course of education or 
     training being pursued by the participant as the coursework 
     carried by the participant to full-time coursework in that 
     course of education or training.
       ``(c) Limitations on Period of Payment.--(1) The maximum 
     number of school years for which a scholarship may be paid 
     under subsection (a) to a participant in the Program shall be 
     six school years.
       ``(2) A participant in the Program may not receive a 
     scholarship under subsection (a) for more than the equivalent 
     of three years of full-time coursework.
       ``(d) Payment of Educational Expenses by Educational 
     Institutions.--The Secretary may arrange with an educational 
     institution in which a participant in the Program is enrolled 
     for the payment of the educational expenses described in 
     subsection (a). Such payments may be made without regard to 
     subsections (a) and (b) of section 3324 of title 31.

[[Page H8888]]

       ``(e) Full-Time Coursework.--For purposes of this section, 
     full-time coursework shall consist of the following:
       ``(1) In the case of undergraduate coursework, 30 semester 
     hours per undergraduate school year.
       ``(2) In the case of graduate coursework, 18 semester hours 
     per graduate school year.

     ``Sec. 7694. Obligated service

       ``(a) In General.--Each participant in the Program shall 
     provide service as a full-time employee of the Department for 
     the period of obligated service provided in the agreement of 
     the participant entered into under section 7604 of this 
     title. Such service shall be provided in the full-time 
     clinical practice of such participant's profession or in 
     another health-care position in an assignment or location 
     determined by the Secretary.
       ``(b) Determination of Service Commencement Date.--(1) Not 
     later than 60 days before a participant's service 
     commencement date, the Secretary shall notify the participant 
     of that service commencement date. That date is the date for 
     the beginning of the participant's period of obligated 
     service.
       ``(2) As soon as possible after a participant's service 
     commencement date, the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) in the case of a participant who is not a full-time 
     employee in the Veterans Health Administration, appoint the 
     participant as such an employee; and
       ``(B) in the case of a participant who is an employee in 
     the Veterans Health Administration but is not serving in a 
     position for which the participant's course of education or 
     training prepared the participant, assign the participant to 
     such a position.
       ``(3)(A) In the case of a participant receiving a degree 
     from a school of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, optometry, 
     or podiatry, the participant's service commencement date is 
     the date upon which the participant becomes licensed to 
     practice medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, optometry, or 
     podiatry, as the case may be, in a State.
       ``(B) In the case of a participant receiving a degree from 
     a school of nursing, the participant's service commencement 
     date is the later of--
       ``(i) the participant's course completion date; or
       ``(ii) the date upon which the participant becomes licensed 
     as a registered nurse in a State.
       ``(C) In the case of a participant not covered by 
     subparagraph (A) or (B), the participant's service 
     commencement date is the later of--
       ``(i) the participant's course completion date; or
       ``(ii) the date the participant meets any applicable 
     licensure or certification requirements.
       ``(4) The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe the 
     service commencement date for participants who were part-time 
     students. Such regulations shall prescribe terms as similar 
     as practicable to the terms set forth in paragraph (3). (c)
       ``(c) Commencement of Obligated Service.--(1) Except as 
     provided in paragraph (2), a participant in the Program shall 
     be considered to have begun serving the participant's period 
     of obligated service--
       ``(A) on the date, after the participant's course 
     completion date, on which the participant (in accordance with 
     subsection (b)) is appointed as a full-time employee in the 
     Veterans Health Administration; or
       ``(B) if the participant is a full-time employee in the 
     Veterans Health Administration on such course completion 
     date, on the date thereafter on which the participant is 
     assigned to a position for which the participant's course of 
     training prepared the participant.
       ``(2) A participant in the Program who on the participant's 
     course completion date is a full-time employee in the 
     Veterans Health Administration serving in a capacity for 
     which the participant's course of training prepared the 
     participant shall be considered to have begun serving the 
     participant's period of obligated service on such course 
     completion date.
       ``(d) Course Completion Date Defined.--In this section, the 
     term `course completion date' means the date on which a 
     participant in the Program completes the participant's course 
     of education or training under the Program.

     ``Sec. 7695. Repayment for failure to satisfy requirements of 
       agreement

       ``(a) In General.--An individual who receives educational 
     assistance under this subchapter shall repay to the Secretary 
     an amount equal to the unearned portion of such assistance if 
     the individual fails to satisfy the requirements of the 
     agreement entered into under section 7604 of this title, 
     except in circumstances authorized by the Secretary.
       ``(b) Amount of Repayment.--The Secretary shall establish, 
     by regulations, procedures for determining the amount of the 
     repayment required under this subsection and the 
     circumstances under which an exception to the required 
     repayment may be granted.
       ``(c) Waiver or Suspension of Compliance.--The Secretary 
     shall prescribe regulations providing for the waiver or 
     suspension of any obligation of an individual for service or 
     payment under this subchapter (or an agreement under this 
     subchapter) whenever noncompliance by the individual is due 
     to circumstances beyond the control of the individual or 
     whenever the Secretary determines that the waiver or 
     suspension of compliance is in the best interest of the 
     United States.
       ``(d) Obligation as Debt to United States.--An obligation 
     to repay the Secretary under this section is, for all 
     purposes, a debt owed the United States. A discharge in 
     bankruptcy under title 11 does not discharge a person from 
     such debt if the discharge order is entered less than five 
     years after the date of the termination of the agreement or 
     contract on which the debt is based.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The tables of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     items relating to subchapter VII the following new items:

   ``subchapter viii--visual impairment and orientation and mobility 
                   professionals scholarship program

``7691. Authority for program.
``7692. Eligibility; agreement.
``7693. Scholarship.
``7694. Obligated service.
``7695. Repayment for failure to satisfy requirements of agreement.''.

       (c) Conforming Amendments.--Such chapter is further 
     amended--
       (1) in section 7601(a)--
       (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(6) the Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility 
     Professionals Scholarship Program provided for in subchapter 
     VIII of this chapter.'';
       (2) in section 7602--
       (A) in subsection (a)(1)--
       (i) by striking ``or VI'' and inserting ``VI, or VIII''; 
     and
       (ii) by striking ``or for which a scholarship may be 
     awarded under subchapter VI of this chapter'' and inserting 
     ``for which a scholarship may be awarded under subchapter VI 
     of this chapter, or for which a scholarship may be awarded 
     under subchapter VIII of this chapter''; and
       (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``or VI'' and inserting 
     ``VI, or VIII'';
       (3) in section 7603(a)(1), by striking ``or VI'' and 
     inserting ``VI, or VIII''; and
       (4) in section 7604, by striking ``or VI'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``VI, or VIII''.
       (d) Effective Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall implement subchapter VIII of chapter 76 of title 38, 
     United States Code, as added by subsection (a), not later 
     than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 4. VETERANS' REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS REPORT IMPROVEMENT.

       (a) Additional Report Requirements.--Section 4332 of title 
     38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``The Secretary shall'' and inserting ``(a) 
     Report Required.--The Secretary shall'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6) as 
     paragraphs (5) through (7), respectively, and inserting after 
     paragraph (3) the following new paragraph (4):
       ``(4) The number of cases reviewed by the Secretary of 
     Defense under the National Committee for Employer Support of 
     the Guard and Reserve of the Department of Defense during the 
     fiscal year for which the report is made.''.
       (3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by striking ``or 
     (3)'' and inserting ``(3), or (4)'';
       (4) by redesignating paragraph (7), as so redesignated, as 
     paragraph (8), and inserting after paragraph (6) the 
     following new paragraph (7):
       ``(7) An indication of which of the cases reported on 
     pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) are disability-
     related.''.
       (5) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
       ``(b) Uniform Categorization of Data.--The Secretary shall 
     coordinate with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs, the Attorney General, and the Special 
     Counsel to ensure that the information required to be 
     submitted as part of the report under subsection (a) is 
     categorized in a uniform way.
       ``(c) Provision of Information.--The Secretary shall 
     provide the information contained in the report required 
     under subsection (a) to the Secretary of Defense, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Attorney General, and the 
     Special Counsel.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to a report submitted after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 5. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
                   ON VETERANS EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, AND EMPLOYER 
                   OUTREACH.

       Section 4110(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``15'' and inserting ``16''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on this bill, H.R. 1315, and the previous 
bill, H.R. 23, I would ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 
legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material.

[[Page H8889]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleagues on the committee were able 
to work together to craft this important piece of legislation. The 
Chair of our Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Ms. Herseth Sandlin, 
and her ranking member, Mr. Boozman, provided really strong bipartisan 
leadership that was important in this bill. As I said when starting 
this package of bills, we must never forget the great debt we owe to 
all of them. We have to remember the courage and sacrifice demonstrated 
daily by those who serve our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, when our servicemembers return home, it is our solemn 
obligation to protect and serve them with the same commitment and 
dedication which they protected and served us. H.R. 1315, as amended, 
would contribute to just that level of commitment.
  Under current law, transitioning disabled servicemembers who are 
temporarily living in housing owned by a family member are barred from 
receiving financial assistance to make necessary adaptations to their 
housing. This bill before us clarifies this point of law and ensures 
those veterans have the resources necessary to enjoy a comfortable and 
independent lifestyle.
  This legislation creates a scholarship for students interested in 
earning a degree or certification in blind rehabilitation. In return 
for these scholarships, these students would provide 3 years of service 
to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The effect of this program 
will be a needed staff increase to meet the growing needs of our 
vision-impaired and blind veterans.
  I must say, Ms. Herseth Sandlin, we ought to look at this for some 
other needs of the VA, whether it is nursing or psychiatry or whatever. 
This way of encouraging and incentivizing those who could serve our 
veterans is a really fine approach.
  The bill will, furthermore, bring more efficiency and accountability 
to the veteran employment process by facilitating greater coordination 
among the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Labor. It 
allows for a more transparent view of data concerning complaints 
submitted by the National Guard and Reservists regarding difficulty 
obtaining employment.
  Ensuring that our servicemembers are afforded a seamless transition 
from active duty to civilian life is an issue that we in the committee 
are keenly aware of, and I am glad to see needed language in this bill.
  Finally, this bill corrects a technical error in current law to 
increase the U.S. Department of Labor's Advisory Committee on Veterans 
Employment Training and Employer Outreach by one representative from 
the existing 15.
  We all stand united here in this House in caring for our veterans, 
and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1315, as amended
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1315, as amended, contains several important 
provisions to improve the lives of servicemembers and veterans.
  First, severely injured servicemembers would be able to benefit from 
VA's specially adapted housing program prior to discharge. I appreciate 
Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin's vigilance and leadership in this area in 
bringing this forward.
  Second, DOD, the Department of Labor, the Attorney General, the 
Office of Special Counsel and VA would be required to adapt common 
reporting criteria regarding servicemembers' employment rights under 
the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, USERRA. 
Again, I appreciate Mr. Reichert for his hard work in bringing this 
forward. I think this is an excellent provision.
  Third, VA would be authorized to establish scholarship programs for 
pursuing degrees in rehabilitation for the visually impaired. Ms. 
Sheila Jackson-Lee also did a good job in bringing this forward. This 
is something that I am very, very familiar with in the sense that I am 
an optometrist and have had the opportunity to visit, not to visit, to 
deal with these types of patients many times in the past. This is 
something we definitely need to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin for her bipartisan 
leadership on this excellent bill, and I urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 1315, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin), our Chair of the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, who is the energetic, articulate, 
aggressive and fine spokesman for veterans.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank our distinguished chairman 
for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1315, the Veterans' 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2007. As the sponsor of H.R. 1315, I want 
to thank Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer, as well as my good 
friend subcommittee Ranking Member Boozman, for their strong leadership 
and unwavering dedication to our veterans and for working hard to craft 
this bipartisan bill.

                              {time}  1630

  I would also like to thank Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas 
and Congressman Dave Reichert of Washington and Congressman Tim Walz of 
Minnesota who have contributed substantially to this important 
legislation.
  As more and more of our troops are deployed in missions around the 
globe, additional steps must be taken to promote and protect the health 
and welfare of our veterans. Their honorable, courageous and patriotic 
service demands no less. In light of increasing numbers of disabled 
veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the already urgent demand 
to pass legislation to meet the needs of these new veterans is rising.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation would provide specially adaptive 
housing assistance to disabled servicemembers who have not yet been 
discharged from active duty and therefore have not reached veteran 
status. Under current law, a temporary grant is available to disabled 
veterans who are or will be temporarily residing in a home owned by a 
family member. Our original intent in the last Congress was to allow 
servicemembers in transition prior to discharge to also use this 
benefit. However, the law, as currently written, does not qualify 
transitioning servicemembers for these housing grants. This legislation 
seeks to clarify congressional intent and provide assistance up to 
$14,000 to adapt the family member's home to meet the transitioning 
servicemember's special needs.
  In addition, this legislation would direct the Secretary of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for 
students seeking a degree or certificate in blind rehabilitation under 
the Health Professional Education Assistance program. In exchange for 
the scholarship award, students will be required to work for 3 years in 
a health care facility within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  This bill would also require the Secretary of the Department of Labor 
and the Secretary of the Department of Defense to coordinate their 
sharing of and reporting on the complaint data filed by National Guard 
and Reservists facing difficulty in obtaining employment. It would 
require the use of uniform categories in tracking and reporting the 
data, including the difficulty of obtaining employment experienced by 
veterans with service-connected disabilities. These provisions will 
enable Congress to better identify trends in the reemployment 
challenges faced by our returning Guard and Reserve forces, and the 
corrective actions needed to ease their transition back into the 
civilian workforce.
  Finally, H.R. 1315 would add a representative from the National 
Governors Association to the existing 15-member Advisory Committee on 
Veterans Employment, Training and Employer Outreach located under the 
auspices of the Department of Labor. This has been a priority for both 
the chairman and the ranking member of the full committee.
  During the last Congress, we passed legislation which became Public 
Law 109-46 that was intended to add the National Governors Association 
representative to the Advisory Committee

[[Page H8890]]

on Veterans Employment, Training and Employer Outreach. However, a 
technical error did not increase the total authorized membership to 16, 
preventing the National Governors Association from being added to the 
Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training and Employer 
Outreach.
  In summary, this bill will provide our injured servicemembers the 
resources needed to live with the comfort and independence they 
deserve, expand education programs to more effectively address the 
rehabilitative needs of our veterans, bolster reemployment aid for 
returning veterans, and strengthen the advisory committee membership 
within the Department of Labor.
  I commend the leadership of Chairman Filner and certainly the great 
bipartisan working relationship that Mr. Boozman and I have enjoyed 
over the last two Congresses. I urge my colleagues to vote favorably on 
the final passage of H.R. 1315.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Reichert), one of the authors of a portion of the bill, such time as he 
may consume.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and 
thank both sides of the aisle on this great piece of legislation. It 
truly is an honor to be here this afternoon to speak on it on behalf of 
our veterans across the world.
  I am very pleased that part of the language that I have been working 
on, along with other friends here in the House of Representatives, 
works to make sure that our returning veterans have a job, make sure 
that their families are taken care of.
  I was in the Air Force Reserve for 6 years. That was a long time ago. 
I was never called to active duty. I worked for the sheriff's office 
then, and even back in the early 1970s, as I served our country in the 
Air Force and served our community on the streets as a police officer, 
I never had to worry when I served my one weekend a month or my 2 weeks 
every year that my employer would get upset with me and say, You know 
what, we can't support you here as you support our country and our 
troops across the world serving our country; we need you here every 
day. In fact, it was just the opposite. The sheriff's office said, We 
are proud to have you as a member of the Air Force Reserve. We are 
proud to have you come back and serve with us and have you continue to 
serve in the Air Force Reserve. And when I became sheriff later on in 
1997, and after 2001, still serving as the sheriff in King County, we 
made sure that our Guard and Reserves had a job.
  And I could see it in the eyes of their spouses and their children 
and the rest of their family, because they felt loved, they felt cared 
for, they felt comfortable to know that when their loved one returned, 
they had a job.
  Imagine for a moment that you started a family, you started a 
business, you have employment, you have a profession, and all of a 
sudden it is taken away. When you return, it is gone. Your family has 
no job. You have no income. You are looking at maybe selling your 
house, selling your car. Health insurance might not be available. All 
of these things are things that our veterans in the last few years had 
to deal with upon their return. This bill fixes that.
  We are able to help them make sure that they have employment when 
they return from serving our country and keeping us free. I urge all of 
my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation. What an honor it is 
to be here again today to speak on behalf of our veterans across the 
world.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to another great and 
energetic advocate for veterans, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. 
Jackson-Lee)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this gives me an opportunity 
for the first time to rise and thank Chairman Filner for the 
enthusiastic and passionate and newfound leadership that he has given 
to the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We thank him for being a beloved 
member of the veterans community. All over the Nation veterans are 
celebrating his chairmanship, and I thank him very much for his 
leadership, his bipartisan leadership with the ranking member of this 
committee.
  And let me thank Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin for her leadership; and 
Mr. Boozman, thank you. This whole committee draws the affection of 
Members from both sides of the aisle, and both of you exhibit the kind 
of leadership that we and the veterans can be proud of.
  I rise to support H.R. 1315 and acknowledge the many sections of the 
bill, which includes section 2, where the bill adopts Ms. Herseth 
Sandlin's legislation dealing with housing; and section 3, where Mr. 
Wynn of Maryland's legislation is adopted dealing with mortgage 
foreclosure; and section 5, which addresses the legislation of Mr. 
Reichert, which is so very important about employing our veterans.
  I am proud that the basis for the new program dealing with the blind 
is based upon my bill, Visual Impairment Specialist Training Act. This 
VISTA act responds to the increasing numbers of veterans and soldiers 
who are now returning from the battlefield with vision injuries. I am 
proud that my legislation was strongly supported by Chairman Filner; 
Mr. Michaud, chairman of the Subcommittee on Health; and the co-chairs, 
as I have mentioned, of the Congressional Vision Caucus, Mr. Gene Green 
of Texas and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen of Florida.
  This legislation is also supported by the Blind Veterans of America, 
an organization chartered by Congress in 1958, which has been for 
nearly 50 years the only veterans service organization exclusively 
dedicated to serving America's blind and visually impaired veterans.
  Let me explain what this legislation does. We establish here and now 
an educational assistance program for persons pursuing training in 
blind rehabilitation. I thank the chairman for citing this legislation 
as a possible model for nurses and psychologists that may be needed as 
we move in the future.
  There are approximately 160,000 legally blind veterans in the United 
States, but only 35,000 are currently enrolled in the Veterans Health 
Administration's services. It is estimated that there are over 1 
million low-vision veterans in the United States, and incidence of 
blindness among the total veteran population of 26 million are expected 
to increase by about 40 percent in the next 4 years. This is because 
the most prevalent causes of legal blindness and low vision are age-
related, and the average age of the veteran population is increasing. 
The current age is about 80 years old.
  In addition, we know that there will be veterans coming home, because 
of the IED injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, with injuries impacting 
their vision.
  Let me also acknowledge the specifics of this legislation. It 
mandates that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide financial 
assistance to students enrolled in a program of study leading to a 
degree or certificate in visual impairment and/or orientation and 
mobility at an accredited educational institution in the U.S., provided 
they agree with the applicable requirements. As I said, the purpose of 
this scholarship program is to increase the supply of qualified blind 
rehabilitation specialists for the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
the Nation. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to widely 
publicize this scholarship program to colleges and universities across 
the Nation, especially institutions with large numbers of Hispanic 
students and HBCUs, Historically Black Colleges. This is particularly 
helpful to the minority population who are interested in the field of 
vision rehabilitation.
  To apply and participate in this scholarship program, an applicant 
shall submit to the Secretary, or his designee, an application and 
agree to serve a 3-year period of obligated service in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. This is the crux of the legislation, so that we 
have a mandatory pool of those individuals helping the veterans as they 
move forward.
  The maximum award for any full-time student per academic year may not 
exceed $15,000. The maximum award for any part-time student shall be 
determined in proportion to the amount that would be the case if the 
student were full time. For any student, however, the total amount of 
assistance may not exceed $45,000.
  This is good news. It trains individuals, gives them a scholarship, 
and it doesn't burden the Federal Government. Why, because the debt is 
owed to

[[Page H8891]]

the United States Government and therefore it cannot be discharged 
because of bankruptcy.
  To conclude my remarks, I ask that my colleagues look carefully at 
this hopefully innovative approach to helping our veterans and our 
returning soldiers who will be in great need from the injuries they 
have experienced. I thank the bipartisan leadership of this committee 
and ask my colleagues to support the bill
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise to strongly support H.R. 1315, the 
``Veterans' Benefit Improvement Act of 2007.'' I enthusiastically 
support this legislation because it keeps faith with the men and women 
who have worn the uniform in service to our country. Let me express my 
appreciation to Mr. Filner and Ms. Herseth Sandlin, the Chairman of the 
Veterans Affairs Committee and the Chairwoman of the Economic 
Opportunity Subcommittee, and to their respective ranking members, Mr. 
Buyer and Mr. Boozman, for their perseverance in shepherding this 
legislation to the House floor.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1315 consists of five main sections. Section 2 of 
the bill adopts Ms. Herseth Sandlin's legislation providing for 
specially adaptive housing (SAH) assistance to disabled servicemembers 
residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. Under current 
law, a temporary grant may be available to veterans who are or will be 
temporarily residing in a home owned by a family member. This 
assistance, allowable up to $14,000, may be used to adapt the family 
member's home to meet the veteran's special needs at that time.
  Section 5 of the bill, which is based on a proposal by Mr. Reichert 
of Washington, requires the Secretary of Labor to provide Congress an 
annual report on veterans' reemployment rights. Section 6 adds an 
additional representative from the National Governor's Association to 
the existing 15 member Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, 
Training and Employer Outreach withIn the U.S. Department of Labor.
  Each of these provisions is a useful, constructive, and welcome 
legislative initiative. Any of one of them would warrant an 
overwhelming vote in favor of the bill. But Mr. Speaker, what makes 
this legislation truly extraordinary is the inclusion of Section 4, 
which establishes a ``Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility 
Professionals Education Assistance Program.'' This legislation will 
close a large gap in the Nation's commitment to blind and low-vision 
veterans by establishing a scholarship program for students seeking 
training in blind rehabilitation.
  I am proud and honored, Mr. Speaker, that the basis for this new 
program for our blind and low-vision veterans is the legislation I 
introduced earlier this Congress, H.R. 1240, the ``Vision Impairment 
Specialist Training Act,'' or VISTA Act of 2007. I am proud that my 
legislation was strongly supported by the chairman of the Veterans 
Affairs Committee, Mr. Filner; Mr. Michaud, the chair of this 
Committee's Subcommittee on Health; the co-chairs of the Congressional 
Vision Caucus, my colleague Mr. Gene Green of Texas and Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen of Florida. This legislation is also strongly supported by the 
Blind Veterans of America, an organization chartered by Congress in 
1958, which has been for nearly 50 years the only veterans service 
organization exclusively dedicated to serving America's blind and 
visually impaired veterans. Companion legislation, S.1672, ``The VA 
Vision Scholars Act of 2007,'' has already been introduced in the other 
body by Senators Hagel, Obama, and Brown.
  Mr. Speaker, let me explain briefly why it is so important that we 
establish here and now an educational assistance program for persons 
pursuing training in blind rehabilitation.
  There are approximately 160,000 legally blind veterans in the United 
States, but only 35,000 are currently enrolled in Veterans Health 
Administration services.
  In addition, it is estimated that there are over 1 million low-vision 
veterans in the United States, and incidences of blindness among the 
total veteran population of 26 million are expected to increase by 
about 40 percent over the next few years. This is because the most 
prevalent causes of legal blindness and low vision are age-related, and 
the average age of the veteran population is increasing; the current 
average age is about 80 years old.
  Members of the armed forces are important to our Nation and we show 
them our appreciation by taking care of them even after they have 
completed their service. But the fact is that there are not enough 
blind rehabilitation specialists to serve all legally blind and low-
vision veterans in the United States.
  Blind rehabilitation training helps give these veterans awareness of 
and functioning in their surroundings and enables them to retain their 
independence and dignity. Veterans without these services may find it 
difficult to be self-sufficient, relying on others to perform certain 
skills or even simple tasks on their behalf.
  Mr. Speaker, Public Law 104-262, the Eligibility Reform Act 1996, 
requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to maintain its capacity to 
provide specialized rehabilitative services to disabled veterans, but 
it cannot do so when there are not enough specialists to address these 
needs.
  Last December, the Veterans Programs Extension Act was passed, which 
included a provision by Congressman Michael Michaud to increase the 
number of Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialists serving our 
Nation's veterans. However, there are currently not enough counselors 
certified in blind rehabilitation to provide for the growing number of 
blind or low-vision veterans, let alone the rest of our Nation's 
elderly population.
  Section 4 of the legislation before us helps to remedy this situation 
by directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 
scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in 
blind rehabilitation (Vision Impairment and/or Orientation and 
Mobility). The availability of these scholarship opportunities will 
provide an incentive to students considering entry into the field.
  Additionally, in exchange for the scholarship award, students are 
required to work for 3 years in a healthcare facility of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs, to ensure that our veterans are well cared for.
  If I might, let me discuss this vital legislation in more detail. The 
legislation mandates that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
provide financial assistance to students enrolled in a program of study 
leading to a degree or certificate in Visual Impairment and/or 
Orientation and Mobility at an accredited educational institution in a 
U.S. state or territory, provided that they agree with applicable 
requirements.
  As I stated earlier, the purpose of the scholarship program is to 
increase the supply of qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for 
the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Nation.
  The legislation requires that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
widely publicize this scholarship program to colleges and universities 
across the Nation, especially institutions with large numbers of 
Hispanic students and HBCUs. This is a particularly salutary provision 
because African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities are 
underrepresented in the field of vision rehabilitation.
  To apply and participate in the scholarship program, an applicant 
shall submit to the Secretary, or his designee, an application and 
agree to serve a 3-year period of obligated service in the Department 
of Veterans Affairs. The legislation requires that the Secretary shall 
include among the application and agreement materials a fair summary of 
the rights and liabilities of the applicant if accepted into the 
program.
  When the Secretary approves of the applicant's acceptance, the 
applicant shall be promptly notified and accepted into the program.
  The amount of financial assistance provided for an applicant shall be 
the amount determined by the Secretary as being necessary to pay the 
tuition and fees of the applicant. If the applicant is enrolled in a 
dual degree or certification program, the amount awarded shall not 
exceed the amounts necessary for the minimum number of credit hours to 
achieve such dual certification or degree.

  Financial assistance provided to an applicant by this scholarship 
program may supplement other educational assistance, as long as the 
total award does not exceed the tuition and fees required for an 
academic year.
  The maximum award for any full-time student per academic year may not 
exceed $15,000. The maximum award for any part-time student should be 
determined in proportion to the amount that would be the case if the 
student were full-time. For any student, the total amount of assistance 
may not exceed $45,000.
  The maximum duration for financial assistance under this program is 6 
years.
  The agreement for participation in this scholarship program shall be 
signed by both the Secretary and the participant. The Secretary shall 
agree to provide the participant with the authorized financial 
assistance and the participant shall agree to: accept the 
assistance; maintain enrollment and attendance in the appropriate 
program of study; maintain an acceptable level of academic standing; 
serve as a full-time employee in the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
3 years within the first 6 years after completing the program and 
receiving the degree or certificate specified.

  If the applicant fails to satisfy the requirements of the agreement, 
the applicant must repay the amount equal to the unearned portion of 
assistance, except in circumstances authorized by the Secretary. The 
Secretary shall establish procedures for determining the amount of the 
repayment required, as well as the circumstances under which an 
exception to the required repayment may be granted.
  The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the waiver or 
suspension of an applicant's obligation for service or payment whenever 
the

[[Page H8892]]

applicant's noncompliance is due to circumstances beyond his or her 
control or it is in the best interest of the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, I should point out that an obligation to repay the 
Secretary under this section is a debt owed the United States. Thus, a 
discharge in bankruptcy does not discharge a person from a debt under 
this legislation if the discharge order is entered less than 5 years 
after the date of the termination of the agreement or contract.
  Mr. Speaker, every morning when I arrive at my office, I am reminded 
of how fortunate I am to live in a Nation as great as the United 
States. Outside of my office there is a poster-board with the names and 
faces of those heroes from Houston, Texas, who have lost their lives 
wearing the uniform of our country. We live in a Nation where so many 
brave young men and women volunteer to the ultimate sacrifice so that 
their countrymen can enjoy the blessings of liberty. Now is the time to 
let our heroes know they have not been, and will never be, forgotten. 
They deserve honor, they deserve dignity, and they deserve the best 
care. After all, this is the least we can do for those who have done so 
much for all of us.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me also thank the Staff of the Veterans 
Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity for 
their hard work. I also wish to pay special tribute to several members 
of my staff without whose valuable contributions this significant 
legislative achievement would not have been possible: Maggie Mitchell, 
Shelle Gordon, Mona Floyd, Yohannes Tsehai, and Gregory Berry.
  Mr. Speaker, nothing brings greater honor to this body and the 
persons we are proud to represent than keeping faith with the men and 
women who have worn the uniform in service to our country. H.R. 1315 
keeps and extends our commitment to those who have risked their lives 
to defend our country. I urge all members to support this legislation.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman has no further speakers, 
in closing, I can't tell you how privileged I am in serving on the 
Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. We are charged with putting veterans 
to work and providing educational benefits. As the son of an old master 
sergeant in the Air Force who did 20 years and retired, I understand 
the importance of this.
  This bill is an excellent bill. I want to thank the chairman for his 
hard work and also thank the ranking member, Mr. Buyer, for his hard 
work. I thank Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin, and again our staffs who do 
so much work.
  This bill is an excellent product of bipartisan work on behalf of 
veterans, and I urge all of my colleagues to support the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I need to yield 1 further minute to the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for some thank-you words.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to add the staff 
director of the full committee to the list of appreciation I would like 
to offer, along with Maggie Mitchell, Shelle Gordon, Mona Floyd, 
Yohannes Tsehai, Greg Berry, and all of the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee.
  Also, let me acknowledge, I think there was a deletion of section 5, 
and I want to correct that for the record
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to conclude by referring to 
the section that the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) referred 
to.
  Unfortunately, because of scoring rules, we had to remove at the last 
minute a section that would have given protection from foreclosure, 
extend the protection from foreclosure on homes from 3 months to 6 
months for those who are fighting abroad, whether in the active duty or 
in the Guard and Reserve units.

                              {time}  1645

  It's a very important section, very important protection I think that 
we have to extend to our men and women in active duty. We will take 
that up at a later time and try to make sure that that protection is 
granted
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
1315. I applaud my colleague, Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin, for her 
tireless work as Chair of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee. She has put together an impressive package 
of benefits in this bill and as a veteran myself, I have to say I am 
incredibly proud to serve with the Congresswoman and am grateful for 
her unwavering support of veterans.
  I am also proud that this bill includes the language from H.R. 1632, 
the Improving Veterans' Reemployment Act. Congressman Dave Reichert and 
I introduced this legislation to enact a small, technical fix that will 
improve the way the Federal Government deals with National Guard and 
Reserve reemployment complaints.
  This legislation acts on the GAO's recommendations by requiring the 
federal agencies and departments that are involved with veterans' 
reemployment complaints to fully share their data. The bill also 
mandates that Congress receive all of this data in an aggregate report. 
This legislation offers a simple fix to a problem that has a negative 
effect on thousands of veterans returning home to their civilian jobs.
  As a retired Command Sergeant Major in the Army National Guard, I 
have an intimate understanding of the veterans' reemployment issue. I 
deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2003 to 2004 and 
was fortunate to have my job as a high school teacher waiting for me 
when I returned home. Unfortunately, the process was not as simple for 
every member of my unit and I have heard plenty of horror stories from 
both Guard members and Reservists who came home to a radically 
different job situation. Local businesses back home in Minnesota have 
done a tremendous job supporting the Guard and Reserves and bearing the 
financial burden of long deployments, but service members can still 
face problems when they return. Our bill goes a long way to improving 
the way the Federal Government deals with reemployment problems.
  I urge my colleagues to support our legislation and the larger bill, 
H.R. 1315. Aside from the provisions of the legislation Congressman 
Reichert and I authored, the Improving Veterans' Reemployment Act, H.R. 
1315 includes many important provisions that improve benefits for 
veterans nationwide.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 1315, as amended, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1315, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A Bill to amend title 38, 
United States Code, to make certain improvements in the benefits 
provided to veterans under laws administered by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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