[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H7246-H7248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PARALYMPIC PROGRAM ACT OF 2008

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4255) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the Paralympic 
Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4255

       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 ``United States Olympic 
     Committee Paralympic Program Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In 1998, Congress enacted the Olympic and Amateur 
     Sports Act Amendments of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 101 note), which 
     amended chapter 2205 of title 36, United States Code, and 
     included a statement that the purpose of the Act was ``to 
     encourage and provide assistance to amateur athletic programs 
     and competition for amateur athletes with disabilities, 
     including, where feasible, the expansion of opportunities for 
     meaningful participation by such amateur athletes in programs 
     of athletic competition for able-bodied amateur athletes''.
       (2) The United States Olympic Committee manages and 
     administers the Paralympic Program for physically disabled 
     athletes.
       (3) In 2005, the United States Olympic Committee entered 
     into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs to expand the Paralympic Program to provide 
     special training and rehabilitation to disabled veterans and 
     disabled members of the Armed Forces as part of their 
     rehabilitation and return to an active lifestyle.
       (4) The Paralympic Program has a significant positive 
     effect on the quality of life of such veterans and 
     servicemembers, including helping to improve the mobility, 
     vitality, and physical, psychological, and social well-being 
     of disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces 
     who participate in the program and reducing the incidence of 
     secondary medical conditions in those participants.
       (5) Because of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
     Enduring Freedom, the number of disabled veterans and 
     disabled members of the Armed Forces has increased 
     substantially and it is therefore necessary to expand the 
     scope and size of the Paralympic Program to provide 
     rehabilitative services through sports to disabled veterans 
     and members of the Armed Forces.
       (b) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
       (1) To promote the lifelong health of disabled veterans and 
     disabled members of the Armed Forces through regular 
     participation in physical activity and sports.
       (2) To develop a system that promotes disabled sports from 
     the local level through elite levels by creating partnerships 
     among organizations specializing in supporting, training, and 
     promoting programs for disabled athletes.
       (3) To provide training and support to local organizations 
     to provide Paralympic sports training to disabled veterans 
     and disabled members of the Armed Forces in their own 
     communities.
       (4) To provide support to the United States Olympic 
     Committee for the Paralympic Program to increase the 
     participation of disabled veterans and disabled members of 
     the Armed Forces in sports as part of their rehabilitation.

     SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF 
                   ASSISTANCE TO UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE 
                   PARALYMPIC PROGRAM.

       (a) Provision of Assistance Authorized.--Subchapter II of 
     chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after section 521 the following:

     ``Sec. 521A. Assistance for United States Olympic Committees 
       Paralympic Program

       ``(a) Authorization To Provide Assistance.--The Secretary 
     may make grants to the United States Olympic Committee to 
     plan, develop, manage, and implement the Paralympic Program 
     for disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed 
     Forces.
       ``(b) Oversight by Secretary.--As a condition of receiving 
     a grant under this section, the United States Olympic 
     Committee shall permit the Secretary to conduct such 
     oversight of the use of grant funds as the Secretary 
     determines is appropriate.
       ``(c) Application Requirement.--(1) Before the Secretary 
     may make a grant to the United States Olympic Committee under 
     this section, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary an 
     application that describes the activities to be carried out 
     with the grant, including information on specific measurable 
     goals and objectives to be achieved using grant funds. The 
     application shall include a detailed description of all 
     partnerships referred to in paragraph (2) at the national and 
     local levels that will be participating in such activities 
     and the amount of grant funds that will be made available for 
     each of such partnerships.
       ``(2) Partnerships.--Partnerships referred to in this 
     paragraph are agreements between the United States Olympic 
     Committee and national organizations with significant 
     experience in the training and support of disabled athletes 
     and the promotion of disabled sports at the local and 
     national levels. Such organizations include Disabled Sports 
     USA, Blaze Sports, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and 
     Disabled American Veterans. The agreements shall detail the 
     scope of activities and funding provided by the United States 
     Olympic Committee to the partner.
       ``(d) Use of Funds.--(1) The United States Olympic 
     Committee, with the assistance and cooperation of the 
     Secretary and the heads of other appropriate Federal and 
     State departments and agencies and partnerships referred to 
     in subsection (c)(2), shall use a grant under this section to 
     recruit, support, encourage, schedule, facilitate, supervise, 
     and implement the activities described in paragraph (3) for 
     disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces 
     either directly or by supporting a program described in 
     paragraph (2).
       ``(2) A program described in this paragraph is a sport 
     program that--
       ``(A) promotes basic physical activity, games, recreation, 
     training, and competition;
       ``(B) is approved by the Secretary; and
       ``(C)(i) provides services and activities described in 
     paragraph (3) for disabled veterans and disabled members of 
     the Armed Forces; and
       ``(ii) may also provide services and activities described 
     in paragraph (3) for individuals with disabilities who are 
     not veterans or members of the Armed Forces, or both; except 
     that funds made available to carry out this section may not 
     be used to support those individuals with disabilities who 
     are not veterans or members of the Armed Forces.
       ``(3) Activities described in this paragraph are--
       ``(A) instruction, participation, and competition in 
     Paralympic sports;
       ``(B) training and technical assistance to program 
     administrators, coaches, recreational therapists, 
     instructors, Department employees, and other appropriate 
     individuals; and
       ``(C) coordination, Paralympic classification of athletes, 
     athlete assessment, sport-specific training techniques, 
     program development (including programs at the local level), 
     program-specific medical and personal care support, sports 
     equipment, supplies, program evaluation, and other activities 
     related to the implementation and operation of the program.
       ``(4) A grant made under this section may include, at the 
     discretion of the Secretary, an amount for administrative 
     expenses, but not to exceed ten percent of the amount of the 
     grant.
       ``(5) Funds made available by the United States Olympic 
     Committee to a grantee under subsection (c) may include an 
     amount for administrative expenses, but not to exceed ten 
     percent of the amount of such funds.
       ``(e) Outreach Requirement.--The Secretary shall conduct an 
     outreach campaign to inform all eligible veterans and 
     separating members of the Armed Forces with physical 
     disabilities about the existence of the Paralympic Program 
     and shall provide for, facilitate, and encourage 
     participation of such veterans and separating servicemembers 
     in programs under this section to the extent possible.
       ``(f) Coordination.--The Secretary shall ensure access to 
     and use of appropriate Department facilities by disabled 
     veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces 
     participating in the Paralympic Program to the maximum extent 
     possible and to the extent that such access and use does not 
     adversely affect any other assistance provided to veterans.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated $8,000,000 annually to carry out this 
     section.
       ``(h) Separate Accounting.--The Department shall have a 
     separate line item in budget proposals of the Department for 
     funds to be appropriated to carry out this section. Funds 
     appropriated to carry out this section shall not be 
     commingled with any other funds appropriated to the 
     Department.
       ``(i) Limitation on Use of Funds.--Except as provided in 
     subsections (d)(4) and (d)(5), funds appropriated to carry 
     out this section may not be used to support or provide 
     services to individuals who are not disabled veterans or 
     disabled members of the Armed Forces.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 521 the following new item:

``521A. Assistance for United States Olympic Committees Paralympic 
              Program.''.
       (c) Deadline for Memorandum of Understanding.--The 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not award a grant under 
     section 521A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
     subsection (a), until the United States Olympic Committee has 
     entered into a memorandum of understanding or cooperative 
     agreement with the Secretary regarding implementation of the 
     Paralympic Program. Such agreement shall be concluded not 
     later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE OF NATIONAL 
                   VETERANS SPORTS PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.

       (a) Establishment of Office of National Veterans Sports 
     Programs and Special Events.--Chapter 3 of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 321. Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and 
       Special Events

       ``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department an Office 
     of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events. 
     There is at the head of the Office a Director, who shall 
     report directly to the Assistant Secretary for Public and 
     Intergovernmental Affairs of the Department.

[[Page H7247]]

       ``(b) Responsibilities of Director.--Subject to the 
     direction of the Secretary, the Director--
       ``(1) shall establish and carry out qualifying programs and 
     events;
       ``(2) may provide for sponsorship by the Department of 
     qualifying programs and events;
       ``(3) may provide for, facilitate, and encourage 
     participation by disabled veterans in qualifying programs and 
     events; and
       ``(4) shall cooperate with the United States Olympic 
     Committee and its subsidiaries to promote the participation 
     of disabled veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces 
     in sporting events sponsored by the United States Olympic 
     Committee and its subsidiaries.
       ``(c) Qualifying Program or Event.--For purposes of this 
     section, a qualifying program or event is a sports program or 
     other event in which disabled veterans and disabled members 
     of the Armed Forces participate and that is approved by the 
     Secretary as being consistent with the goals and missions of 
     the Department.
       ``(d) Monthly Assistance Allowance.--(1) The Director may 
     provide a monthly assistance allowance to a veteran with a 
     disability invited by the United States Olympic Committee to 
     compete for a slot on, or selected for, the Paralympic Team 
     for any month in which the veteran is training or competing 
     in any event sanctioned by the United States Olympic 
     Committee or who is residing at a United States Olympic 
     Committee training center.
       ``(2) The amount of the monthly assistance payable to a 
     veteran under paragraph (1) shall be equal to the monthly 
     amount of subsistence allowance that would be payable to the 
     veteran under chapter 31 of this title if the veteran were 
     eligible for and entitled to rehabilitation under such 
     chapter.
       ``(3) Any amount of assistance paid to a veteran under this 
     subsection shall be in addition to any other assistance 
     available to the veteran under any other provision of law.
       ``(4) There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
     this subsection $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and each 
     fiscal year thereafter.
       ``(e) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in 
     this section shall be construed as a limitation on current 
     disabled sports and special events supported by the 
     Department.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``321. Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special 
              Events.''.
       (c) Responsibilities of Under Secretary for Health.--The 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall direct the Under 
     Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs--
       (1) to make available, to the maximum extent possible, 
     recreational therapists, physical therapists, and other 
     medical staff to facilitate participation of veterans in 
     sporting events conducted under the auspices of the United 
     States Olympic Committee;
       (2) to allow such personnel to participate in the United 
     States Olympic Committee Paralympic Program without requiring 
     the use of personal leave; and
       (3) to support other similar activities or events as those 
     described in this section and determined to be appropriate by 
     the Secretary.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Hare) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we must honor the sacrifice of our servicemembers by 
providing them with the resources needed to heal from the wounds of war 
and to help them live an active life after their service to our 
country.
  While the VA has taken an active role in initiating programs for our 
most severely injured veterans, I strongly believe that Congress should 
provide the VA with the needed resources to help meet this growing 
demand for rehabilitative services. For this reason, H.R. 4255, the 
United States Paralympic Programs Act of 2008, is introduced, and I 
urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  This bill would establish the Department of Veterans Affairs Office 
of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events; it would 
authorize the VA to provide grants to the United States Olympic 
Committee to implement the Paralympic Program; and, authorize a 
financial assistance program for veterans who participate in events 
leading to elite competition.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a decade since Congress last revisited this 
program that provides opportunities for participation in paralympic 
supports. Our Nation's current commitment in fighting the global war on 
terror has brought to light the need to reevaluate existing programs to 
see if they meet the needs of a new generation of disabled veterans and 
servicemembers.
  As the number of disabled servicemembers has substantially increased 
over the years, it has become necessary to expand available 
rehabilitative services to ensure that these men and women are afforded 
the best possible care after their service to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the efforts of the VA for entering into a 
memorandum of agreement with the United States Olympic Committee to 
help take care of seriously injured veterans and allowing them to be 
part of the Paralympic Program. This program helps them to accept new 
physical limitations and to explore those limits. I, like some of my 
colleagues in the House, have had the pleasure of meeting some of these 
servicemembers and veterans who have benefited from programs such as 
the one being proposed today.
  Earlier this year, the chairman had the pleasure of meeting Jose 
Ramos, a veteran of the Navy originally from El Paso, Texas. Jose 
testified before the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity about 
benefits that adaptive sports programs provide in teaching veterans 
that they can continue to live productive lives despite their injuries.
  I would like to thank the ranking member of the committee, 
Representative Steve Buyer, for the bipartisan effort he demonstrated 
in working on this important piece of legislation. By working together, 
we were able to incorporate language from his bill and craft H.R. 4255. 
I ask all my colleagues to join me in showing their strong support for 
H.R. 4255 as amended, the United States Paralympic Program Act of 2008.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4255 as 
amended, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the Paralympic 
Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and for other purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the bipartisan manner in which this 
bill moved through the committee. I want to especially acknowledge 
Chairman Filner for introducing H.R. 4255, the United States Olympic 
Committee Paralympic Act of 2008, and working with Subcommittee 
Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and myself to incorporate several 
provisions from Ranking Member Steve Buyer's bill, H.R. 1370, Disabled 
Veterans Sports and Special Events Promotion Act of 2007, into the 
amended version of the bill.
  In 2005, the VA and USOC concluded an agreement to increase efforts 
to increase participation by disabled veterans in sports at all levels 
as part of their rehabilitation from their injuries. Ranking Member 
Buyer was proud to play a role in encouraging the USOC and VA to reach 
that agreement. By combining those two bills, we will give VA and USOC 
Paralympics some of the resources they will need to meet that goal.
  Through the grant program, this bill uses the USOC and its partners 
to equip, train, and support disabled veterans' sports, and I look 
forward to seeing the VA, USOC Paralympics, and their partners to ramp 
up their efforts.
  Most importantly, I am excited that we will have at least 11 disabled 
veterans participating as members of the U.S. Paralympic team in 
Beijing. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize these dedicated Americans who 
are the beginning of a larger disabled veteran participation in future 
games.
  Disabled veterans on this year's Paralympic Team are:
  Chuck Lear from Jacksonville, Illinois, archery;
  Carlos Leon from North Lauderdale, Florida, track and field;
  Kari Miller from Washington, D.C., sitting volleyball;
  T.J. Pemberton from Guthrie, Oklahoma, archery;
  Oscar Sanchez from Los Angeles, California, cycling;
  Jennifer Schuble from Houston, Texas, cycling;
  Melissa Stockwell from Minneapolis, Minnesota, swimming;
  Kevin Stone from Kodak, Tennessee, archery;
  Casey Tibbs from San Diego, California, track and field;
  Scott Winkler from Grovetown, Georgia, track and field; and,
  Russell Wolfe from Williamsburg, Virginia, archery.
  I am also pleased to see a renewed commitment to providing training 
opportunities for disabled veterans at all levels of participation.

[[Page H7248]]

  Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, I believe Chairman Filner and Ranking 
Member Buyer have created a bill that will encourage more disabled 
veterans to participate in sports from the local level up through elite 
competition such as the Paralympic Games beginning with games in 
Beijing. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4255, as amended.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I thank Mr. Boozman for participating in this debate and 
for his leadership on the committee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. I would 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.R. 4255, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, all of us have been to 
hospitals, we have been to homes where we have seen disabled veterans, 
whether from the current war or previous wars. We all know that a major 
factor in their recovery, especially mentally, is a sense of self-
worth, a sense that they have a future, a sense that although they have 
problems physically, they can overcome that and be productive members 
of our society.
  For many of those veterans who were athletes or who were 
participating in athletics, the opportunity to participate again 
competitively is one of the most meaningful things they can have in 
their recovery. And what this program will do, the Paralympic Program, 
is give both disabled active duty and veterans, the opportunity to 
compete, to train, and to have that comradeship with fellow athletes, 
and to show that they are indeed human beings who can participate in 
this society. That is a major, major part of the healing process.
  I urge my colleagues to support this.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FILNER. I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I just want to associate myself with Mr. 
Filner's remarks. I think he said it very, very well. For many 
individuals, for many soldiers this is such an important thing and 
truly is part of the healing process. And, again, I just associate 
myself with his remarks. I also want to again reiterate how much I 
appreciate Mr. Filner working with Mr. Buyer to give us such a good 
bill.
  Mr. FILNER. I thank the gentleman.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, as the Chairwoman of the Veterans' 
Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I rise today in strong 
support of H.R. 4255, as amended, which the Economic Opportunity 
Subcommittee passed on June 26 and the full Committee approved on July 
15.
  I would like to congratulate Chairman Filner for introducing this 
bill to authorize the VA to make a grant to the United States Olympic 
Committee to provide and develop activities for servicemembers and 
veterans with physical disabilities. I also would like to thank full 
Committee Ranking Member Buyer for his leadership and willingness to 
work with the majority to combine provisions of his bill, H.R. 1370, 
with the Chairman's bill.
  The United States Olympic Committee Paralympics Program Act will help 
increase the participation of disabled veterans in physical activities 
and sports to promote healthy-living, help elite-level athletes compete 
in sporting programs, and help our wounded servicemembers transition to 
the next stage in their lives.
  Again, I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member Buyer for their 
leadership on this important issue. I encourage my colleagues to 
support H.R. 4255.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4255, as 
amended, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the Paralympic 
Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and for other purposes.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to applaud the bipartisan manner in which this 
bill moved forward through the Committee. I want to especially 
acknowledge Chairman Filner for introducing H.R. 4255, the United 
States Olympic Committee Paralympic Act of 2008 and working with 
Subcommittee Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Ranking Member 
John Boozman to incorporate into the amended version of the bill 
several provisions from my bill, H.R. 1370, The Disabled Veterans 
Sports and Special Events Promotion Act of 2007.
  In 2005, the VA and the USOC concluded an agreement to increase 
efforts to increase participation by disabled veterans in sports at all 
levels, as part of their rehabilitation from their injuries. I was 
privileged to participate in encouraging the USOC and VA to reach that 
agreement and by combining our two bills, we will give VA and the USOC 
Paralympics some of the resources they will need to meet that goal. I 
look forward to seeing the VA, USOC Paralympics and their partners ramp 
up their efforts and am excited that we will have at least 11 disabled 
veterans participating as members of the U.S. Paralympic Team in 
Beijing as a beginning of larger disabled veteran participation in the 
future games.
  I am also pleased to see a renewed commitment to providing training 
opportunities for veterans that will be offered. Mr. Speaker, as I said 
earlier, I believe you and I have created a bill that will encourage 
more disabled veterans to participate in sports from the local level up 
through elite competition such as the Paralympic games beginning with 
games in Beijing. Through the grant program, this bill uses the USOC 
and its partners to equip, train and support disabled veterans' sports 
and I urge my colleagues to support this bill as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4255, as 
amended.
  Mr. FILNER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4255, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  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.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________