[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 170 (Monday, November 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              KEEPING THE PROMISE TO OUR DISABLED VETERANS

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                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 5, 2007

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to speak about 
a bill that I have introduced to better the lives of our Nation's 
disabled veterans.
  H.R. 4071, the Disabled Veterans Right to Commissaries and Space 
Available Travel Act, will extend commissary and exchange store 
privileges to service-disabled veterans with a rating of 30 percent or 
more and to their families. Congress must do all we reasonably can for 
the men and women who have become disabled in their service to our 
Nation. Our disabled veterans are important members of the greater 
military family, and they should be treated as such with every 
available opportunity.
  This bill will also authorize transportation on military aircraft on 
a space-available basis to service-disabled veterans with a rating of 
50 percent or more. Currently, members and retirees of the uniformed 
services and the reserves may travel free on Department of Defense 
(DoD) aircraft when space is available. This benefit is allowed when it 
does not interfere with military missions, and it recognizes that 
military careers are filled with rigorous duty.
  But present policies do not extend this benefit to our disabled 
veterans. What more rigorous duty can be imagined than to become 
disabled in the service of our country? Why has the DoD chosen not to 
recognize the brave men and women who sacrificed their health and well-
being while serving in uniform? This DoD policy needs to be corrected.
  Space-available travel for these disabled veterans would cost the 
federal government nothing and would not interfere with active-duty 
personnel. Current military is always given priority, and H.R. 4071 
would do nothing to change that. What my bill will do is allow seats 
that would otherwise go unused to be occupied by men and women who have 
been disabled when serving their Nation.
  This bill is the right step to take for our disabled veterans! They 
have sacrificed their health and well-being for their country, and they 
have earned the right to these privileges. Please support H.R. 4071 and 
work with me for its passage.




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