[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.
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