[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 121 (Tuesday, September 11, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H5817-H5821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY OF EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS ACT OF 
                                  2012

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4057) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive policy to 
improve outreach and transparency to veterans and members of the Armed 
Forces through the provision of information on institutions of higher 
learning, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4057

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

     SECTION 1. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON PROVIDING EDUCATION 
                   INFORMATION TO VETERANS.

       (a) Comprehensive Policy Required.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 36 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 3698. Comprehensive policy on providing education 
       information to veterans

       ``(a) Comprehensive Policy Required.--The Secretary shall 
     develop a comprehensive policy to improve outreach and 
     transparency to veterans and members of the Armed Forces 
     through the provision of information on institutions of 
     higher learning.
       ``(b) Scope.--In developing the policy required by 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall include each of the 
     following elements:
       ``(1) The most effective way to inform individuals of the 
     educational and vocational counseling provided under section 
     3697A of this title.
       ``(2) A centralized way to track and publish feedback from 
     students and State approving agencies regarding the quality 
     of instruction and accreditation, recruiting practices, and 
     post-graduation employment placement of institutions of 
     higher learning.
       ``(3) The merit of and the manner in which a State 
     approving agency shares with an accrediting agency or 
     association recognized by the Secretary of Education under 
     subpart 2 of part H of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099b et seq.) information regarding the 
     State approving agency's evaluation of an institution of 
     higher learning.
       ``(4) The manner in which information regarding 
     institutions of higher learning is provided to individuals 
     participating in the Transition Assistance Program under 
     section 1144 of title 10.
       ``(5) The most effective way to provide veterans and 
     members of the Armed Forces with information regarding 
     postsecondary education and training opportunities available 
     to the veteran or member.
       ``(c) Postsecondary Education Information.--(1) The 
     Secretary shall ensure that the information provided pursuant 
     to subsection (b)(5) includes--
       ``(A) an explanation of the different types of 
     accreditation available to educational institutions and 
     programs of education;
       ``(B) a description of Federal student aid programs; and
       ``(C) for each institution of higher learning, for the most 
     recent academic year for which information is available--
       ``(i) whether the institution is public, private nonprofit, 
     or proprietary for-profit;
       ``(ii) the name of the national or regional accrediting 
     agency that accredits the institution, including the contact 
     information used by the agency to receive complaints from 
     students;
       ``(iii) information on the State approving agency, 
     including the contact information used by the agency to 
     receive complaints from students;
       ``(iv) whether the institution participates in programs 
     under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1070 et seq.);
       ``(v) the tuition and fees;
       ``(vi) the median amount of debt from Federal student loans 
     under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1070 et seq.) held by students at institution;
       ``(vii) the cohort default rate, as defined in section 
     435(m) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1085(m)), of the institution;
       ``(viii) the enrollment rates, graduation rates, and 
     retention rates;
       ``(ix) for each program of education offered by the 
     institution that is designed to prepare a student for an 
     occupation that requires a licensure or certification test 
     offered by a Federal, State, or local government or has other 
     preconditions or requirements, the degree to which the 
     program prepares the student for the particular occupation;
       ``(x) whether the institution provides students with 
     technical support, academic support, and other support 
     services, including career counseling and job placement; and
       ``(xi) whether the institution accepts academic credit by 
     students who are transferring to the institution, including 
     credits awarded by a proprietary for-profit institution.
       ``(2) To the extent possible, the Secretary shall provide 
     the information described in paragraph (1) by including 
     hyperlinks on the Internet website of the Department to other 
     websites that contain such information in a form that is 
     comprehensive and easily understood by veterans, members, and 
     other individuals.
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `institution of higher learning' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 3452(f) of this title.
       ``(2) The term `postsecondary education and training 
     opportunities' means any postsecondary program of education, 
     including apprenticeships and on-job training, for which the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides assistance to a 
     veteran or member of the Armed Forces.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding after the item 
     relating to section 3697A the following new item:

``3698. Comprehensive policy on providing education information to 
              veterans.''.
       (b) Prohibition on Inducements.--Section 3696 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subsection:
       ``(e) The Secretary shall not approve an educational 
     institution if the educational institution provides any 
     commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly 
     or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial 
     aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student 
     recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions 
     regarding the award of student financial assistance.''.
       (c) Survey.--In developing the policy required by section 
     3698(a) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct a market survey 
     to determine the availability of the following:
       (1) A commercially available off-the-shelf online tool that 
     allows a veteran or member of the Armed Forces to assess 
     whether the veteran or member is academically ready to engage 
     in postsecondary education and training opportunities and 
     whether the veteran or member would need any remedial 
     preparation before beginning such opportunities.
       (2) A commercially available off-the-shelf online tool that 
     provides a veteran or member of the Armed Forces with a list 
     of providers of postsecondary education and training 
     opportunities based on criteria selected by the veteran or 
     member.
       (d) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate, the Committee on Education 
     and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
     Senate a report that includes--
       (1) a description of the policy developed by the Secretary 
     under section 3698(a) of title 38, United States Code, as 
     added by subsection (a);
       (2) a plan of the Secretary to implement such policy; and
       (3) the results of the survey conducted under subsection 
     (b), including whether the Secretary plans to implement the 
     tools described in such subsection.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``commercially available off-the-shelf'' has 
     the meaning given that term in section 104 of title 41, 
     United States Code.
       (2) The term ``postsecondary education and training 
     opportunities'' means any postsecondary program of education, 
     including apprenticeships and on-job training, for which the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides assistance to a 
     veteran or member of the Armed Forces.

     SEC. 2. STATE CONSIDERATION OF MILITARY TRAINING IN GRANTING 
                   CERTAIN STATE CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES AS A 
                   CONDITION ON THE RECEIPT OF FUNDS FOR VETERANS 
                   EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING.

       (a) In General.--Section 4102A(c) of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

[[Page H5818]]

       ``(9)(A) As a condition of a grant or contract under which 
     funds are made available to a State in order to carry out 
     section 4103A or 4104 of this title for any program year, the 
     Secretary shall require the State to disclose to the 
     Secretary in writing the following:
       ``(i) Criteria applicants must satisfy to receive a 
     certification or license described in subparagraph (B) by the 
     State.
       ``(ii) A description of the standard practices of the State 
     for evaluating training received by veterans while serving on 
     active duty in the Armed Forces and evaluating the documented 
     work experience of such veterans during such service for 
     purposes of approving or denying a certification or license 
     described in subparagraph (B).
       ``(iii) Identification of areas in which training and 
     experience described in clause (ii) fails to meet criteria 
     described in clause (i).
       ``(B) A certification or license described in this 
     subparagraph is any of the following:
       ``(i) A license to be a nonemergency medical professional.
       ``(ii) A license to be an emergency medical professional.
       ``(iii) Any commercial driver's license.
       ``(C) The Secretary shall share the information the 
     Secretary receives under subparagraph (A)(ii) with the 
     Secretary of Defense to help the Secretary of Defense improve 
     training for military occupational specialties so that 
     individuals who receive such training are able to receive a 
     certification or license described in subparagraph (B) from a 
     State.
       ``(D) The Secretary shall publish on the Internet website 
     of the Department--
       ``(i) any guidance the Secretary gives the Secretary of 
     Defense with respect to carrying out this section; and
       ``(ii) any information the Secretary receives from a State 
     pursuant to subparagraph (A).''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to a program year beginning on or 
     after October 1, 2013.

     SEC. 3. CONDITIONS ON THE AWARD OF PER DIEM PAYMENTS BY THE 
                   SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR THE PROVISION 
                   OF HOUSING OR SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS.

       (a) Condition.--
       (1) In general.--Paragraph (1) of section 2012(c) of title 
     38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a per diem 
     payment may not be provided under this section to a grant 
     recipient or eligible entity unless the entity submits to the 
     Secretary a certification that the building where the entity 
     provides such housing or services is in compliance with codes 
     relevant to the operations and level of care provided, 
     including the most current Life Safety Code or International 
     Fire Code and all applicable State and local housing codes, 
     licensing requirements, fire and safety requirements, and any 
     other requirements in the jurisdiction in which the project 
     is located regarding the condition of the structure and the 
     operation of the supportive housing or service center.''.
       (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
     shall apply with respect to an application for a per diem 
     payment under section 2012 of title 38, United States Code, 
     submitted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (b) Annual Report.--Section 2065(b) of title 38, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (7); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following new 
     paragraph (6):
       ``(6) The Secretary's evaluation of the safety and 
     accessibility of facilities used to provide programs 
     established by grant recipients or eligible entities under 
     section 2011 and 2012 of this title, including the number of 
     such grant recipients or eligible entities who have submitted 
     a certification under section 2012(c)(1).''.
       (c) Treatment of Current Recipients.--In the case of the 
     recipient of a per diem payment under section 2012 of title 
     38, United States Code, that receives such a payment during 
     the year in which this Act is enacted, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall require the recipient to submit the 
     certification required under section 2012(c)(1) of such 
     title, as amended by subsection (a)(1), by not later than two 
     years after the date of the enactment of this Act. If the 
     recipient fails to submit such certification by such date, 
     the Secretary may not make any additional per diem payments 
     to the recipient under such section 2012 until the recipient 
     submits such certification.

     SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY.

       (a) Establishment of Registry.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall--
       (1) establish and maintain an open burn pit registry for 
     eligible individuals who may have been exposed to toxic 
     chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits;
       (2) include any information in such registry that the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines necessary to 
     ascertain and monitor the health effects of the exposure of 
     members of the Armed Forces to toxic chemicals and fumes 
     caused by open burn pits;
       (3) develop a public information campaign to inform 
     eligible individuals about the open burn pit registry, 
     including how to register and the benefits of registering; 
     and
       (4) periodically notify eligible individuals of significant 
     developments in the study and treatment of conditions 
     associated with exposure to toxic chemicals and fumes caused 
     by open burn pits.
       (b) Report to Congress.--
       (1) Report by independent scientific organization.--The 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement 
     with an independent scientific organization to develop a 
     report containing the following:
       (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of actions taken by 
     the Secretaries to collect and maintain information on the 
     health effects of exposure to toxic chemicals and fumes 
     caused by open burn pits.
       (B) Recommendations to improve the collection and 
     maintenance of such information.
       (C) Using established and previously published 
     epidemiological studies, recommendations regarding the most 
     effective and prudent means of addressing the medical needs 
     of eligible individuals with respect to conditions that are 
     likely to result from exposure to open burn pits.
       (2) Submittal to congress.--Not later than 18 months after 
     the date on which the registry under subsection (a) is 
     established, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
     to Congress the report developed under paragraph (1).
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``open burn pit'' means an area of land 
     located in Afghanistan or Iraq that--
       (A) is designated by the Secretary of Defense to be used 
     for disposing solid waste by burning in the outdoor air; and
       (B) does not contain a commercially manufactured 
     incinerator or other equipment specifically designed and 
     manufactured for the burning of solid waste.
       (2) The term ``eligible individual'' means any individual 
     who, on or after September 11, 2001--
       (A) was deployed in support of a contingency operation 
     while serving in the Armed Forces; and
       (B) during such deployment, was based or stationed at a 
     location where an open burn pit was used.

     SEC. 5. PERFORMANCE AWARDS IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE.

       For each of fiscal years 2013 through 2017, the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs may not pay more than $1,000,000 in 
     performance awards under section 5384 of title 5, United 
     States Code.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include any extraneous material they may have on H.R. 4057, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 4057, as amended, is another bipartisan product of the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs' work to improve the effectiveness of several 
different benefits and health programs for veterans.
  I want to express my appreciation to my good friend Chairman Miller 
and to my other good friend Ranking Member Bob Filner, along with each 
of the subcommittee chairs--Marlin Stutzman and Ann Marie Buerkle--as 
well as Ranking Members Bruce Braley and Mike Michaud, for bringing, of 
course, these provisions to the full committee and to the floor today.

                              {time}  1600

  The bill has five major sections, Mr. Speaker. Section 1 reflects a 
slightly modified version of the original text of my bill, H.R. 4057, 
which I introduced in February. This legislation would improve the 
ability of GI Bill users to choose the school that best meets their 
educational needs. As we commemorate September 11 today, it is 
appropriate that this Congress help this generation of post-9/11 
veterans make informed choices by using their educational benefits.
  Specifically, this legislation will require the VA to create a 
comprehensive policy that would meet this goal by informing veterans 
about their eligibility for educational counseling by creating a 
centralized complaint database on schools, requiring State approving 
agencies to better communicate with accrediting agencies, requiring VA 
to link to certain performance-related data points on the College 
Navigator and other appropriate Web sites, and identifying commercially 
off-the-shelf available software that would assist students in choosing 
a school and software that would evaluate their readiness to attend 
postsecondary education.
  I want to thank the veteran service organizations and higher 
education associations for the support of this section and providing 
great feedback on ways to improve this bill.
  Section 2 contains provisions originally introduced by Congressman 
Stivers and my friend from across the aisle, Congressman Tim Walz, to 
require States to take military training

[[Page H5819]]

into account in awarding licenses to work as medical technicians and 
other trades. I thank Mr. Stivers, another good friend of mine, and Mr. 
Walz, for their work on these provisions that will speed up 
servicemembers' transition to civilian life.
  Section 3 contains a provision introduced by Congressman David 
McKinley which would require per diem payment recipients under VA's 
Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program to certify compliance with the Life 
Safety Code or the International Fire Code and other relevant fire 
safety and building codes. It would also require VA to include an 
accounting and evaluation of the safety and accessibility of facilities 
used to provide programs for homeless veterans in the annual report on 
assistance to homeless veterans.
  I'm grateful for Mr. McKinley's advocacy on behalf of our homeless 
veterans, and I thank him for his hard work to ensure that they are 
cared for in a safe and secure environment.
  Section 4, which incorporates language originally introduced by 
Representative Akin, would direct the VA to establish and maintain an 
open burn pit registry for veterans--very important--veterans of Iraq 
and Afghanistan who may have been exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes 
caused by open burn pits during deployment. It would require VA to 
develop a public information campaign to inform eligible veterans of 
the registry and periodically notify them of significant developments 
in the study and treatment of conditions associated with burn pit 
exposure. It would also direct the VA to contract with an independent 
scientific organization to develop a report on the effectiveness of 
actions taken to collect and maintain information on the health effects 
of burn pit exposure and submit the completed report to Congress.
  Many of our servicemembers and veterans have returned from Iraq and 
Afghanistan with grave concerns about the possible long-term health 
effects of burn pit exposure. With this provision, I hope we will move 
one step closer to providing them answers which may lead to getting 
them more effective health care.
  Finally, section 5, which incorporates language offered by Mr. 
Stearns, a good friend of mine from the State of Florida, would limit 
the total amount of bonuses paid to senior VA employees to $1 million 
for fiscal years 2013 to 2017. On average, over the last several years, 
VA paid nearly $4 million a year to senior executives who are already 
paid very well. In a tight fiscal climate when so many improvements are 
needed for veterans, we must prioritize every dollar. Extravagant 
executive bonuses are to be the least of our priorities. I'm pleased 
this section would recognize that reality.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also note that the cost of these sections are 
fully paid for.
  I encourage all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I certainly thank the members of the committee and Mr. Bilirakis for 
working in such a bipartisan manner to protect servicemembers and 
protect veterans. I think Mr. Bilirakis gave a very comprehensive 
overview of the bill. Let me just make a couple of points here.
  The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which a Democratic Congress passed a couple of 
years ago, was really a milestone for our current crop of veterans. 
Almost 800,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have now made use of 
the benefits that this bill provides. We ought to be, as a Congress, 
very proud of that kind of legislation.
  With so many thousands of veterans using their Post-9/11 GI Bill, 
it's important, obviously, that they understand their benefits and 
eligibility and have all the information available to them. That's what 
H.R. 4057 does, which Mr. Bilirakis outlined quite nicely. Veterans are 
going to be able to get the kind of information that they need to get 
the best educational benefits that are suited to them.
  Let me just say one thing about section 4 of the bill, which 
authorizes the Department of VA to establish a burn pit registry for 
eligible veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, every time that we send men and women into combat, we 
have to make sure we understand the risks associated with exposures to 
toxic substances and take responsibility when we expose our own troops 
to these effects. We haven't done that in the past. We ought to learn 
more from history. Whether it was atomic testing in World War II, 
whether it was agent orange in the Vietnam War, whether it was depleted 
uranium, we've done the same thing over and over again. We've either 
denied or underestimated the risks. It took years, even decades, to 
admit the risks. When we finally did that, we still make our veterans 
undergo lots of bureaucratic hoops to get the benefits that come from 
exposure to the very substances that we put them at risk for.
  Let's not repeat that pattern. This open pit registry will be part of 
that effort. We want to understand the risks. We want people to know 
where they have been exposed.
  I requested the General Accountability Office to help us in our 
efforts to better understand health risks associated with the burn pits 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. We all know that the preliminary reports have 
shown that the fumes from these pits produce a considerable amount of 
contaminants that may cause short-term and long-term harm to our 
servicemembers.
  Finally we're having a proactive measure and one which I hope will 
benefit veterans in an extremely positive way. I thank Mr. Bilirakis 
and his colleagues for working with our colleagues for the bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to yield 3 minutes to a senior 
member of the Veterans Committee, my good friend from Florida (Mr. 
Stearns).
  Mr. STEARNS. I thank my distinguished chairman and colleague.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 4057, the Improving Transparency of 
Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012. It has been offered 
by my colleague from Florida, Gus Bilirakis.
  My colleagues, this bill would provide veterans and servicemembers 
the resources that they need to make informed decisions when choosing 
the right institution or school for the career they wish to pursue. The 
other provisions included would help veterans with State certification 
credentials for skills acquired while on active duty. It ensures 
homeless veterans have access to shelters, in compliance with the State 
and local codes, and would require the Secretary to establish and 
maintain a burn pit registry program for individuals who may have been 
exposed to toxic chemicals.
  During the committee markup, I offered an amendment that would limit 
the amount the VA would pay in performance awards to senior staff from 
fiscal year 2013 to 2017 to adequately cover the costs associated with 
H.R. 4057, along with the provisions included from the other three 
bills.

                              {time}  1610

  My colleagues, in the last 3 years, the worst economic climate this 
country has seen since the Great Depression, almost 800,000 VA 
employees received monetary awards totaling $1.1 billion. This 
limitation amendment I offered affects only the Senior Executive 
Service, the SES, as they are called, who are considered to be like the 
generals of the Federal workforce and make between $120- and $180,000 a 
year.
  The VA has an agency that has underperformed, yet they continue to 
provide performance bonuses at the expense of taxpayers and the well-
being of our veterans. Today's VA backlog stands at 840,000 claims, of 
which more than 55 percent have been pending for more than 125 days. It 
is unconscionable that these senior executive employees are receiving 
bonuses averaging $40,000 a year, on top of their six-figure salaries, 
when the number of backlog claims is close to the number of monetary 
awards given.
  Today, September 11, is a day every American will never forget. I 
urge all my colleagues to support passage of this bill, and by doing so 
we honor our veterans and servicemembers by supplying them with these 
needed resources to help rebuild their lives. Mr. Speaker, today is a 
day we'll never forget. We'll always remember the sacrifices of those 
brave men and women, and in passage of this bill we will remind 
everybody of our appreciation for them.

[[Page H5820]]

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to our 
ranking member of the Health Subcommittee, the gentleman from Maine, a 
fighter for Veterans' Affairs, Representative Michaud.
  Mr. MICHAUD. I want to thank the gentleman for his strong support for 
veterans over the years and look forward to continuing to work with him 
through the rest of this Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor and a strong supporter of 
this bill. Each section of it makes important changes that will improve 
the care and services we provide our veterans. I'm especially proud 
that it creates a comprehensive educational outreach policy, recognizes 
that military service meets the standards of many civilian job 
certifications, and that it establishes an open burn pit registry.
  All three of these provisions are the result of the hard work of 
veterans and their advocates. I had many meetings with veterans who not 
only identified these issues, but they also provided solutions for the 
issues as well.
  In my time of serving on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I've 
always appreciated that it's one of the places in Congress where 
bipartisan efforts are working and things do get done. I'm pleased this 
is the tradition in this particular bill as well.
  I want to thank all of my colleagues on the Veterans Affairs' 
Committee, Chairman Miller of the full committee, Chairwoman Buerkle of 
the Health Subcommittee, and Tim Walz, who has also been a true 
advocate of veterans' issues, and I thank him for his service as well 
for this great Nation of ours.
  I would encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4057.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume 
to the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health, my good friend, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Buerkle).
  Ms. BUERKLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4057, as 
amended, the Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for 
Veterans Act of 2012.
  As we all know, 11 years ago this morning on September 11, 2001, our 
country was forever changed when terrorist attacks on American soil 
resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 innocent souls. Since that time 
we've been tested like never before, and thanks to the brave service 
and sacrifices of our Nation's Armed Forces, have emerged as a nation 
stronger, better, and more resolved to advancing the cause of freedom 
around the world.
  We also have emerged a more grateful Nation, ever mindful of the 
simple truth that the security and freedoms we enjoy were bought and 
paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of those in uniform. Caring for 
and honoring these heroes is one of our Nation's most sacred 
obligations and the primary purpose of this bill before us today.
  H.R. 4057, as amended, includes two provisions originating from the 
Subcommittee on Health, of which I am honored to chair.
  Section 3 of the bill would require per diem payment recipients under 
the Department of VA Homeless Grant and Per Diem program to provide VA 
with a certification of compliance with a Life Safety Code or the 
International Fire Code and other relevant fire safety building codes 
in their jurisdiction. This provision would also require the VA to 
include an accounting and evaluation of the safety and accessibility of 
facilities used to provide programs for homeless vets in the annual 
report on assistance to homeless veterans.
  Current law requires the VA to ensure that entities receiving grants 
under the homeless grant and per diem program meet fire and safety 
codes. However, VA lacks a similar requirement to ensure per diem 
recipients are also compliant with these very important codes.
  When one of our honored veterans finds him or herself homeless and 
makes the difficult decision to get help, we must ensure that they are 
provided the services they need in a safe, secure, and supportive 
environment. This section of the bill would allow us to do so in a much 
more comprehensive, effective, and efficient manner.
  This provision was introduced by my good friend and colleague from 
West Virginia, David McKinley, and I thank him for his leadership and 
his advocacy on behalf of the homeless veterans struggling to rebuild 
their lives.
  Section 4 of the bill would direct the VA to establish and maintain 
an open burn pit registry for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, who may 
have been exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits 
during deployment. This provision would also require the VA to develop 
a public information campaign to inform eligible veterans of their 
registry and periodically notify them of significant developments 
in the study and treatment of the conditions that may be associated 
with burn pit exposure.

  Further, it would direct the VA to contract with an independent 
scientific organization to develop a report on the effectiveness of 
actions taken to collect and maintain information on the health effects 
of burn pit exposure and submit the completed report to Congress.
  I have heard from countless veterans who returned home from a war 
consumed with concern about the air they breathed in the battle, which 
was often filled with smoke from the burning of solid waste and could 
affect their health and well-being. With this provision, we will take 
first steps towards recognizing and respecting these concerns of our 
veterans. Importantly, it will also allow us to gather data necessary 
to discovering new and better ways to care to for our veterans today 
and in future generations.
  In closing, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude and 
appreciation to all of the Members who sponsored the provisions 
included in this legislation.
  I also would like to thank the ranking member on the Health 
Subcommittee, Mr. Michaud of Maine, for his support and all of the work 
on behalf of our veterans.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
legislation. On this day of all days, it is so very important that we 
support the servicemembers and veterans who have fought for the 
greatest Nation in the history of mankind, the United States of 
America.
  Mr. FILNER. I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota, the 
sergeant major of the United States Congress, Mr. Walz.
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I would like to thank the ranking member of 
Veterans' Affairs. I have had no greater friend since his time here, 
and we are grateful for the work he has done.
  To Mr. Bilirakis and the entire committee for what has been said by 
several of my colleagues, it's fitting and appropriate today that we 
are passing legislation to serve those who have served us. It also is 
fitting and appropriate that we conduct ourselves in a manner fitting 
of their service.
  This committee is one, as Mr. Michaud said and so many others have 
said. We are proud of the work we do together. This is just another 
example.
  I would like to comment just briefly on section 2 of this that my 
good friend and friend of veterans from Ohio (Mr. Stivers) has been an 
absolute, outspoken, untiring advocate of to make sure that we employ 
these veterans when they come home. Last month, President Obama signed 
in another bill of ours, the Veteran Skills to Jobs Act, that is now 
the law of the land, making it easier to credential our veterans when 
they come back.
  This Nation spends $140 billion training our veterans. These are our 
best and brightest and most dedicated. When they come back home, 
they're not victims, but we certainly know there are barriers to 
employment that we should not be putting up in front of them.

                              {time}  1620

  If they've driven that truck and served this Nation in Afghanistan, 
why should we have to repay to get a CDL license? If they've saved 
their colleagues on the battlefield and passed the credentialing to be 
a medic, why can't they ride in an ambulance at the Mayo Clinic in my 
district? And this bill takes it to the next level and sets that 
credentialing in coordination between the Federal and State to make 
sure when our veterans return home that we're not putting barriers in 
front of them, and to be quite honest, that we're not spending precious 
resources, whether it's giving them unemployment insurance or 
retraining them through redundant trainings.
  In my office, my veterans staffer was the SHAPE commander's Black 
Hawk pilot in Europe. And he was the top trainer in the military. If he 
came back out, civilian-wise, he would have to go

[[Page H5821]]

to a 48-month course to able to get through some of these things. That 
makes no sense, and it's putting our veterans at a disadvantage.
  So I want to thank Mr. Stivers for making this possible. The 
transition can be there. I also want to thank our States that have been 
so willing to work with us. There are eight States that have already 
implemented this proposal. It will make it easier. It's the right thing 
to do for our veterans. It will give employers great dependable 
employees, and it will make sure these veterans do what we know is best 
for their mental health, for their family, and for this country--get 
back to work and start doing the things that they want to do.
  With that, I thank everyone involved for this great bill. I encourage 
my colleagues to support H.R. 4057.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Stivers), a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Mr. STIVERS. I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Walz, for his help as we've tried 
to enact the Hire at Home Act, which has been rolled into this bill. 
The legislation came from a roundtable in my district of veterans last 
fall. And as veterans return home today with military training they've 
received, that training is not recognized by civilian authorities and 
States, and therefore they're forced to go through redundant training 
to do the job they were doing in the military.
  However, if somebody can do a job while serving in a war zone, they 
can certainly do that same job at home in a safe environment.
  With so many veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, we 
need to make sure we do everything we can to help get them back to 
work. It's shameful that the unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans 
is 12.7 percent, according to a recent report of the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics. That's why we introduced the Hire at Home Act. It will 
help, as Representative Walz said, remove barriers in front of these 
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and get them the civilian 
certifications they need to get them to work as soon as they get home. 
It forces States to do this by ensuring that in order to receive 
certain workforce development grants, they have to streamline these 
certifications.
  I would like to thank all those who have helped make this bill happen 
today: Representative Walz, Representative Bilirakis, Representative 
Miller, and Representative Stutzman. And I'd like to thank Senator 
Pryor for his interest in the Senate. I would like to call on the 
United State Senate to pass this bill as soon as we get it done. I'd 
like to thank the Members of this body for their support and urge all 
the Members to support this legislation.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have left?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 6 minutes remaining.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).
  Mr. McKINLEY. Thank you, Congressman Bilirakis and Chairman Miller, 
for bringing this bill to the floor today.
  Let me take this opportunity to highlight a segment of the portion 
dealing with safe housing for homeless veterans. I had previously 
sponsored this concern in a separate piece of legislation, and it was 
subsequently amended into this bill that's before us today.
  Currently, there are 2,100 community-based homeless veterans service 
providers across the country and many other homeless assistance 
programs that have demonstrated impressive success reaching homeless 
veterans. I've visited some of the shelters in my home district in West 
Virginia and was struck by how many were not, unfortunately, in 
compliance with State, local, or Federal building and fire codes.
  Consequently, we began to investigate how broad based this issue was 
across America. It was unsettling to learn about shelter fires where 
lives have been lost. There's stories of a homeless shelter fire where 
occupants were killed due to the fact that there was not a required 
sprinkler system at the facility or dozens were injured when a 
sprinkler system was not working properly or where doors were closed 
that needed to be opened.
  All of these could have been avoided. Unfortunately, there is no law 
mandating a homeless shelter meet building and fire safety codes, only 
a policy within the VA. As a licensed professional engineer, I found 
this to be an egregious omission in the law concerning homeless 
shelters for veterans.
  The language in this bill would require any organization that seeks 
funding for VA for services to homeless veterans have documentation 
that their building meets or exceeds all building codes. This is 
commonsense legislation that could ensure the well-being of veterans 
all across America who have fallen on hard times and are in need of the 
most assistance. As a Nation, it should be unacceptable for us to allow 
homeless veterans to be housed in potentially unsafe conditions.
  I appreciate the support of this legislation and this provision from 
the American Legion, the Homeless Veterans Coalition, the International 
Code Council, and the Fire Marshals Association.
  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for including this language in the bill 
today and for your concern for the safety and the living environment of 
our veterans.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Stutzman).
  Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4057, as amended. 
This is a bipartisan bill that at its core will help our youngest group 
of veterans make more informed choices about how to use their VA 
education benefits. I think it's very appropriate today that as we 
remember 9/11 and those who died that day and those who have died since 
defending our Nation that we are discussing this bill on the floor. The 
post-9/11 GI Bill is a wonderful benefit that thousands of veterans are 
using or have used to advance their education and training.
  H.R. 4057 will further assist these veterans in making decisions on 
how to best use their GI Bill benefits through new, innovative online 
tools and by providing greater transparency on certain data from 
educational institutions. By helping these veterans make more informed 
choices, we are not only putting them on the path to successful 
careers, but we are saving taxpayer dollars that may have been misused 
at a training program that didn't suit the veteran's needs.
  As chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I'm proud of 
the work that Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Braley, and the rest of the members of 
the subcommittee have done to improve this bill; and thanks to our 
colleagues on the Health Subcommittee for their provisions as well. I 
want to thank Chairman Miller and the ranking member for their support 
of this legislation. I ask my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to 
support H.R. 4057, 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 Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4057, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________