[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 10, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H5151-H5154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE SACRIFICES AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY DISABLED AMERICAN 
                                VETERANS

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution (H. Con. Res. 336) honoring the 
sacrifices and contributions made by disabled American veterans.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 336

       Whereas the people of the United States have a sincere 
     appreciation and respect for members of the Armed Forces who 
     suffered disabling wounds while serving in the United States 
     military;
       Whereas there are approximately 2,800,000 veterans 
     receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     for disabilities incurred while defending our Nation;
       Whereas the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have 
     resulted in 30,000 disabled American veterans as a direct 
     result of combat operations, and even more so from conditions 
     simulating war, instrumentalities of war, and hazardous duty 
     in combat-related training;
       Whereas families throughout every State in America have 
     been affected by loved ones returning disabled from their 
     service to their Nation;
       Whereas the American public supports the brave men and 
     women who have defended the freedom of all in America;
       Whereas America owes its very integrity to her sons and 
     daughters in uniform, who risk the most for the least, and 
     who epitomize the extraordinary meaning of service, 
     sacrifice, and, most importantly, freedom; and
       Whereas Americans should remember and honor our men and 
     women in uniform who incurred disabilities while defending 
     our Nation with a Disabled American Veterans Week: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes the great sacrifices made by disabled 
     veterans and their families;
       (2) calls on the people of the United States to honor all 
     disabled American veterans and the freedom for which they 
     sacrificed;
       (3) encourages local, State, and national organizations and 
     governmental institutions to participate in the effort to 
     honor the sacrifices of America's disabled veterans; and
       (4) supports the goals and ideals of Disabled American 
     Veterans Week.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. 
Scalise) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  With House Concurrent Resolution 336, we honor the sacrifices and 
contributions made of our disabled veterans. The current wars in Iraq 
and Afghanistan have added well over 30,000 of our sons and daughters 
to the roles of veterans disabled in defense of our Nation, with the 
number continuing to grow.
  Collectively, there are approximately 2.8 million veterans receiving 
compensation for disability incurred in the line of duty. This 
resolution calls for the establishment of a single week dedicated 
annually to each and every one of our Nation's disabled veterans.
  What better time would there be for groups large and small, national 
and local, private and public, to come together and remember in their 
own way the sacrifices of the Nation's heroes? Those great Americans 
gave the most for the least. They have earned our lasting remembrance 
and much more.
  It is far too easy for many to forget the true costs of war, to 
forget the deaths of our servicemen and to ignore the wounds of those 
who return. It is too easy for too many of us to think that the cost of 
war ends when the last soldier returns.
  Our disabled veterans continue to serve our country in so many ways, 
bearing their wounds as a reminder to all that freedom and liberty are 
not free. The men and women who return wounded and disabled from 
combat, and service to our Nation, remind us of the terrible price we 
pay, not only in costs measured in dollars, but the costs measured in 
lives lost and changed.
  It is therefore right and proper that we remember the service and 
sacrifice of our disabled veterans and pay tribute and honor to them 
during this week of Disabled American Veterans Week.
  When called, they answered. When needed, they served. All Americans 
owe them a debt of gratitude and a heartfelt remembrance for their 
sacrifice and service. I am reminded of the words of the first 
President of the United States, George Washington, whose words are 
worth repeating at this time. ``The willingness with which our people 
are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be 
directly proportioned as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier 
wars were treated and appreciated by their country.''
  It is part of my service and duties to visit the veterans' hospitals 
and clinics

[[Page H5152]]

in the areas I travel to. I recently visited the medical center in 
Puerto Rico, dedicated a new clinic in Orange City, Florida, and, 
before that, the Medical Center in New Orleans.
  We have been funding the VA and veterans health care at record 
levels, giving the VA the largest increase in funding in the history of 
the United States. It is our duty to oversee the VA to make sure that 
they are spending the money properly in the best interests of our brave 
men and women who defend the rights and freedom of our great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 336, a measure to honor the sacrifices and 
contributions made by America's disabled veterans. Throughout our 
Nation's history, the men and women of our Armed Forces have gone 
bravely into battle, risking their lives and livelihoods, sacrificing 
their safety to defend our freedom.
  When their duty is done, many return home to life as it was.
  Sadly, for veterans seriously injured in the line of duty, leaving 
the battlefield does not mark the end of conflict. These permanently 
disabled soldiers often carry home life-changing disabilities, harsh 
reminders of the price of freedom.
  By supporting H. Con. Res. 336, we will recognize the great 
sacrifices made by disabled veterans and their families. We will call 
upon the people of the United States to honor disabled American 
veterans and the freedoms for which they sacrificed. We will encourage 
local, State and national organizations and governmental institutions 
to participate in the effort to honor the sacrifices of America's 
disabled veterans, and we will support the goals and ideals of Disabled 
American Veterans Week.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire).
  Mr. ALTMIRE. I thank the gentlewoman.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution 
establishing Disabled American Veterans Week.
  I introduced this resolution to express my gratitude and to allow the 
entire Nation to express our gratitude to those brave men and women who 
have given so much in the name of freedom.
  I would especially like to thank Congressmen Bilirakis, Boozman, 
Lynch and the over 100 other original cosponsors who joined me in 
support of this resolution.
  Over 2.8 million men and women who fought for our country have 
sustained injuries that have forever changed their lives. It is my hope 
that by establishing Disabled American Veterans Week we will increase 
awareness of the struggles that America's heroes face every day and 
encourage more support for our brave wounded warriors.
  I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the great 
sacrifices made by disabled American veterans and their families. These 
heroes epitomize the meaning of service and sacrifice, and this is the 
very least we can do to honor our Nation's disabled veterans.
  Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from 
Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite), the ranking member of the Subcommittee 
on Oversight and Investigations.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of H. Con. Res. 336, a 
commonsense resolution that expresses support for one of the greatest 
segments of the American population, the disabled American veteran.
  Back home in Florida, I represent nearly 110,000 veterans, the second 
highest number of any Member of Congress. As you might guess, many of 
these brave men and women are disabled, either injured in battle or in 
the course of their service in the United States military.
  Disabled veterans are cared for by military professionals at the VA. 
They also band together in veterans organizations like the Disabled 
American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, or Blinded Veterans 
Association.
  However, there was no Federal recognition in place for Americans 
specifically to remember the deeds and heroism of disabled veterans.
  The concurrent resolution before us today calls for the establishment 
of a Disabled American Veterans Week and shows all disabled veterans 
that Congress does not forget their bravery and actions in service to 
our great Nation.
  You know, every weekend I returned home to Florida to meet with my 
constituents and hear their needs and concerns and what I can do to 
serve the men and women who live in the Fifth Congressional District.
  I often hear words of thanks for voting in support of drilling in 
ANWR and in the Outer Continental Shelf, or get asked what Congress is 
going to do to stop the outrageous increase in the cost of gasoline 
that we have seen since our colleagues across the aisle took over the 
House and Senate.
  However, the most poignant and heart-wrenching stories I hear are 
oftentimes from veterans. As you might expect, I attend dozens of 
veterans events throughout the eight counties in my district. It is, 
indeed, at these events that I hear stories of courageous deeds, heroic 
actions and lives forever changed by the ravages of war.
  Disabled veterans have given so much to this Nation with their blood, 
sweat and tears, lying on the battlefields from Germany, to Korea, to 
Vietnam, to Iraq and Afghanistan.
  This resolution calling for a Disabled American Veterans Week shows 
the thousands of men and women who served with honor and distinction 
that Congress will see that their memories and deeds are never 
forgotten.
  I thank my colleague, Mr. Altmire, for introducing this resolution. I 
would hope that all Members of this body can support such a worthy 
passage for disabled veterans.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).
  Mr. LYNCH. Firstly, I would like to thank Representative Brown for 
graciously yielding me time for speaking on this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
336 a resolution which honors the sacrifice and contributions made by 
America's disabled veterans. The brave men and women currently serving 
in our Armed Forces, and the veterans who have put on the uniform 
before them, deserve our utmost appreciation for their continued 
commitment to the protection of this Nation.
  Regrettably, millions of these veterans have been wounded and 
disabled while defending the rights and freedoms that uniquely define 
our country. According to the latest statistics provided by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 2.9 million 
disabled veterans now receiving services from the VA. Of the 2.9 
million disabled veterans, a total of 30,000 have served in either 
Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
  The great sacrifice that these men and women have made on behalf of 
the American people cannot go unnoticed. American veterans have earned 
our undying gratitude and our continued support. During last year's 
appropriation process, we began to head in the right direction, in my 
opinion, when Congress allocated $87.59 billion to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, an $8 billion increase from the previous year.

                              {time}  1445

  Of this total, $37.2 billion was provided the Veterans Health 
Administration, with $3.6 billion allocated to post-traumatic stress 
disorder funding, and $189.25 million for traumatic brain injury 
funding, and $500 million for medical and prosthetic research. Our 
commitment to America's disabled veterans is exemplified by honoring 
these men and women in the present and continuing to invest in their 
future.
  I thank Mr. Altmire for introducing this thoughtful resolution and 
urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 
336.
  Mr. SCALISE. I yield 3 minutes to the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Boozman).
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a Nation we are blessed with many 
things. We have a Constitution that sets the standard for freedom 
around the world.

[[Page H5153]]

We have a land that provides us with bountiful food and superb scenery. 
But most importantly, America is blessed to have sons and daughters 
willing to put themselves in harm's way to protect the 99 percent of 
Americans who do not serve.
  Unfortunately, that feeling of patriotism and sacrifice way too often 
results in disability that affects the veteran for the rest of their 
life. Often, the disability is small. But sometimes the injury, whether 
physical or mental, has a significant impact on the veteran's quality 
of life and their ability to support their families. In such 
situations, the disability has affected more than just the veteran. As 
a part of our debt to these men and women, taxpayers compensate them 
for their injuries and provide a range of benefits unmatched in any 
other country. But we can and should do something more symbolic of 
disabled veterans' service to the Nation, and that is to designate a 
week that will remind Americans that disabled veterans are with them 
every day.
  By giving disabled American veterans the recognition of a week named 
in their honor, we demonstrate to the American people the importance of 
the sacrifices made by disabled veterans and their families. This is a 
way to honor our disabled veterans, and I certainly urge all of my 
colleagues to support this resolution.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. SCALISE. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), the ranking member of the committee.
  Mr. BUYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  As the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I 
have an obligation to help ensure that veterans and their families have 
access to the benefits and services they so richly deserve. More 
importantly, I have been an advocate for military members and veterans 
almost my entire life. I have been in uniform for 28 years while I 
served the last 16 years in Congress. It is a great part of who I am.
  We have before us this House resolution to create a disabled veterans 
week. Now we should pause for a moment and say why is Congress bringing 
this bill to the floor at this time? You see, I view this bill on the 
floor at this time as an inoculation. It is an inoculation because the 
Democrats who control this Congress want to bring a bill to the floor 
where it will cut a monthly pension to wartime elderly disabled and 
indigent veterans in the amount of a billion dollars. So before the 
Democrats take a billion dollars away from disabled veterans, they want 
to stand and say I put my arms around disabled veterans, and we are 
going to create a week for America to celebrate them.
  I am going to blow the whistle on you. I believe that it is a matter 
of principle that the Nation should not be taking money from one group 
of deserving veterans to fund benefits for others. However, you should 
also know that last month the Senate approved a bill that would cut 
$912 million in pension benefits for wartime elderly indigent severely 
disabled or housebound American veterans. A portion of the funding 
saved by this unprecedented cut in veterans' benefits would be used to 
fund oversized pensions for noncitizen, non-resident World War II 
Filipino veterans and for other veterans' programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe the country is probably shocked hearing me say 
something like this. But, Mr. Speaker, we are here on the floor to ask 
for a designation that the country support the ideals for which men and 
women fought for and are now disabled, while in the same stroke this 
very Congress wants to cut veterans' benefits from those very same 
people when they are asking the country to celebrate their ideals.
  The bill that was in the Senate is Senate 1315. There was a bill here 
in the House, H.R. 760. That bill was voted out of the House Veterans' 
Affairs Committee on a party-line vote. That hardly ever happens. A 
party-line vote hardly ever happens in the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
  They voted to eliminate a special monthly pension for severely 
disabled veterans over 65 who are receiving pensions for wartime 
services. The special monthly pension provides an additional payment of 
up to $2,200 per year to the most severely disabled veterans. In 2006, 
the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims overturned the 
Department of Veterans Affairs decision that denied the special monthly 
pension to an 86-year-old legally blind World War II veteran, Robert A. 
Hartness, who was also receiving a VA pension granted to low-income, 
disabled veterans.
  The court reversed the VA's denial of benefits to Mr. Hartness and 
required them to begin paying this special monthly pension. The court 
held that the United States law requires an award of a special monthly 
pension to a veteran eligible for VA nonservice-connected disability 
pension if, in addition to being at least 65 years old, the veteran has 
a disability rating of at least 60 percent or is permanently 
housebound.
  The Senate bill, S. 1315, would override the court decision 
legislatively, and it is also what H.R. 760 sought to do. According to 
the VA, more than 20,200 veterans could be affected by this 
unprecedented cut in veterans' benefits.
  This cut in veterans' benefits that goes to the disabled is opposed 
by the American Legion, AMVETS, the National Association of Uniformed 
Services, and other veterans' service organizations. The following 
excerpt is from an April 25, 2008, letter to all Members of Congress 
from the American Legion: ``The American Legion believes the sacrifice 
of these heroes warrants relief. Balancing the books on the backs of 
the very patriots that protected and defended this Nation is 
unconscionable. Don't make a grave mistake in the name of fairness, 
equality, or even fiscal responsibility. Do what is right.''
  I wholeheartedly agree. Congress has an obligation to protect those 
veterans who are the most vulnerable. They have no voice; and, indeed, 
many of them are so severely disabled they are housebound and require 
aid and attendants. I personally find appalling the notion of taking 
benefits from these disabled veterans to create a new benefit for other 
veterans, especially those of a foreign nation.
  There are better ways to fund new entitlements than to cut benefits 
from aging veterans who need us most, violating the principle of honor 
that defined their service and our obligation to both them and the 
Nation they served.
  I believe that our veterans are our country's most precious asset. I 
also believe that those are the ideals for which you seek to recognize 
in the bill that is before us. I would remind every Member who votes in 
support of this bill, please recognize that when you come to the floor 
and there is presented to you a Senate amended bill that would repeal 
the special monthly pension for the Nation's most vulnerable veterans, 
those of whom are wartime elderly, indigent, disabled and homebound, 
that you remember the vote you cast this day. Because if you embrace to 
defend these disabled veterans who sacrificed for the ideals and the 
heritage of this country, do not cut their veterans' benefits.
  It was done in committee. It was done in the Senate. We have to 
defend the most vulnerable and those who do not have a voice.
  I support what is in front of us, but I do not support the rationale 
of inoculation before you bring a bill to this floor that will cut a 
billion dollars from these wartime elderly, disabled indigent veterans.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, for thousands of our Nation's soldiers, 
sailors, airmen and marines, the sacrifices of war far outlast the war 
itself. There are more than 2 million veterans with service-connected 
injuries or illnesses, including thousands who have returned from the 
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thanks to advances in medical science, 
the vast majority of American servicemembers wounded in combat survive 
traumatic events that would have proven deadly in previous wars.
  Previous generations of veterans have come home wounded from 
battlefields in Europe, the Korean peninsula, and the jungles of 
Vietnam. They have returned to America with permanent damage to limb or 
spirit.
  Today's veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
Freedom are suffering tragic injuries from

[[Page H5154]]

IED attacks and other hazards that are filling our military hospitals 
with victims who have lost limbs, with severe burns, and with head 
injuries.
  We owe a debt of gratitude to all of these veterans whose physical or 
psychological well-being was permanently damaged in service to their 
country.
  In my own district, disabled veterans have also had to endure the 
closing of the Southeast Louisiana VA Hospital due to damage from 
Hurricane Katrina. As a result, approximately 212,000 veterans in a 23-
parish area in southeast Louisiana have to travel up to 4 hours to go 
to other VA hospitals just to receive basic care. And as we all know, 
gas prices are now topping $4 a gallon, which further adds to the cost 
our disabled veterans are facing when they travel to and from VA 
facilities for their health care.
  I want to express as well how gravely concerned I am at the high cost 
of fuel and how it is affecting their ability to stretch their limited 
pension and compensation dollars. I call on the Democratic leadership 
in Congress to step forward and join us to help these disabled veterans 
by addressing this problem and enacting a strong national energy policy 
that increases supply to lower gas prices.
  I want to thank my colleagues in the House for passing the VA Medical 
Facility Authorization and Lease Act authorizing $625 million for 
Southeast Louisiana VA Hospital that was closed down due to damage 
caused by Hurricane Katrina. And I want to specifically recognize the 
leadership of Chairman Bob Filner and Ranking Member Steve Buyer in 
passing this critical legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our disabled veterans for their 
sacrifice and contributions to the cause of freedom. The intent of this 
bill is to express America's eternal gratitude to these courageous 
heroes, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it. America's 
disabled veterans have honored us with their service and selfless duty. 
We should honor them by passing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I want to be clear, Mr. Speaker and 
Members of the House, House Concurrent Resolution 336 honors the 
sacrifices of the disabled veterans, and I urge all Members to support 
it.
  I am very proud of the fact that we have just passed the largest VA 
budget in the history of the United States of America. Now a lot of 
times people talk the talk, but we as Members of this body need to walk 
the walk for the veterans. And when I said that I have visited the 
facilities in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, I have also visited the 
facilities in Louisiana, and I made sure that we put the money into the 
budget so we could rebuild that facility for veterans in that area.
  I urge my colleagues to unanimously support H. Con. Res. 336.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 
332, which recognizes the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights. On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General 
Assembly came together to pass the Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights, which serves as a set of standards for all people and all 
nations of the world to strive toward.
  Drawing upon principles from both the U.S. Constitution and the 
Declaration of Independence, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
recognizes the fundamental human rights bestowed to each person on this 
Earth regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. Ronald Reagan once 
described the U.S. Constitution as ``a kind of covenant. It is a 
covenant we've made not only with ourselves but with all of mankind.'' 
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights shines light in the darkest 
corners of the world and reminds those in the most desperate of 
situations that every person is entitled to respect and dignity.
  It has been my distinct privilege to serve as co-chair of the 
Congressional Human Rights Caucus for the past 7 years. The Caucus was 
founded in 1983 by the late Congressman Tom Lantos and former 
Congressman John Porter for Members of Congress to work to defend the 
rights of individuals worldwide as defined in the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights.
  With the passage of this important resolution, I reaffirm my 
commitment to serve as a voice for the voiceless and continue to ensure 
that human rights remains a priority in the U.S. Congress.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 
336.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 336.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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