[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 135 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6200-H6203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERANS BENEFITS CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 370, I
call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 72) making continuing
appropriations for veterans benefits for fiscal year 2014, and for
other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 370, the joint
resolution is considered read.
The text of the joint resolution is as follows:
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H.J. Res. 72
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of
applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds,
for veterans benefits for fiscal year 2014, and for other
purposes, namely:
Sec. 101. (a) Amounts are provided for entitlements and
other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided
in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division E of
Public Law 113-6), to continue activities at the rate to
maintain program levels under current law, under the
authority and conditions provided in the applicable
appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, to be continued
through the date specified in section 103(3).
(b) Notwithstanding section 103, obligations for mandatory
payments due on or about the first day of any month that
begins after October 2013 but not later than 30 days after
the date specified in section 103(3) may continue to be made,
and funds shall be available for such payments.
Sec. 102. Amounts are provided for ``Department of
Veterans Affairs--Departmental Administration--General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'' at a
rate for operations of $2,455,490,000: Provided, That such
amount shall be made available subject to the authority and
conditions as provided under the Military Construction and
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2013 (division E of Public Law 113-6) and shall be available
to the extent and in the manner that would be provided by
such Act.
Sec. 103. Unless otherwise provided for in this joint
resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal
year 2014, appropriations and funds made available and
authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be
available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1)
the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or
activity provided for in this joint resolution; (2) the
enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for
fiscal year 2014 without any provision for such project or
activity; or (3) December 15, 2013.
Sec. 104. It is the sense of Congress that this joint
resolution may also be referred to as the ``Honoring Our
Promise to America's Veterans Act''.
This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Veterans
Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The joint resolution shall be debatable for
30 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) and the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Bishop) each will control 15 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to include extraneous material on House Joint Resolution 72, and
that I may include tabular material on the same.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
We bring before the House today, Madam Speaker, legislation that will
ensure that our veterans are given the benefits that they have earned
and that there's no delay in the processing of disability claims.
Madam Speaker, the other day, President Obama gave us a list of
things that are important and vital that the Nation do to make sure
that there is no interruption in services. In particular, we as a
Congress, as a House want to make sure that our veterans are taken care
of. Everything they have earned through their service to their country,
we want to make certain it is taken care of.
This legislation before us today is essential because the VA has told
us that funds for these benefits will run out by the end of this month.
So it's essential we pass this legislation right now.
Although the Veterans Health Administration is funded a year in
advance, we have to pass this legislation today, Madam Speaker, to
ensure that veterans and their survivors receive disability
compensation benefits.
We have to pass this legislation today to make sure that 517,000 low-
income veterans and their family members receive their pensions. We
have to pass this legislation today unanimously so that three-quarters
of a million students will receive their post-
9/11 GI education benefits. We need to pass this legislation today,
Madam Speaker, so that 54,000 unemployed veterans will be able to be
eligible for training assistance through the veterans retraining
assistance program.
Finally, Madam Speaker, we also have to make sure we get this
legislation passed so that 67,000 veterans with service-connected
disabilities receive their vocational rehabilitation and employment
subsistence allowances.
It's also important to note that this legislation will provide $223
million for cemetery headstones and burial plot allowances that our
veterans by their service to our Nation have earned.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Here we are again, deja vu all over again. The leadership of the
other side of the aisle is again attempting to distract the American
people from looking at their cynical shutdown efforts by trying to hold
them under the torn and shredded garments of our veterans.
This is a hoax. This is a fraud.
Simply stated, this bill will not provide enough funding to pay for
all the programs, where every Member of this House understands that
veterans benefits are vital and crucial pieces of our ongoing
obligation and commitment to our veterans.
However, we should all be clear and we should understand that in
accepting this piecemeal proposal, we are in fact cutting $6.2 billion
in funding that this body voted in June, in the bill that we approved
421-4.
This proposed CR does not address, touch, or do anything for the
remaining VA discretionary accounts, which are equally important to our
veterans and our families:
The Information Technology account, which includes $155 million for
the Veterans Benefits Management System and is vital in speeding up the
claims process, is not included;
The Office of the Secretary account, which includes the Board of
Veterans Appeals which provides decisions on claims appeals, is not
included;
The National Cemetery Administration is not included, which means
that burials, Madam Speaker, at the national cemeteries will be
conducted on a reduced schedule;
The Office of Inspector General account is not included, which means
that audits and evaluations, administrative investigations, health care
inspections, and the Inspector General hotline will be suspended;
The medical research account is not included;
The construction accounts are not included;
Grants to State veterans home and State cemeteries are not included.
On June 4 we passed a full bill, a complete bill, a bipartisan bill.
We provided more resources for veterans in the bipartisan bill we
passed in June than are provided in this anemic attempt to hide the
cynical Republican efforts to justify a government shutdown underneath
the veil of the service and sacrifice of generation after generation of
veterans.
This is shameful. Veterans can see through this hypocrisy. The
American people can see through this hypocrisy.
We need to end this lifeboat strategy offered by the Senator from
Texas, where the only visible functions of government he approves or
sanctions will be opened.
Open the entire government. Serve the American people by passing a
clean resolution discharging our constitutional responsibilities and
voting down this phantom of a funding bill that does a disservice to
our Nation's heroes--our veterans.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege at this time to
yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the
distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding this
time and thank you for bringing up this bill.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill.
This bill continues to provide our Nation's veterans with access to
important benefits that they have earned in service to their country.
To let these important health benefits slow or stop would be to renege
on our promise to
[[Page H6202]]
our soldiers that, in exchange for taking care of this country, the
Nation will take care of you.
This legislation continues funding for the processing and delivering
of disability claims and other health benefits at the current annual
rate of approximately $82 billion until December 15, or until we enact
full-year appropriations.
Yesterday, when we considered this bill on the floor under
suspension, Republicans and Democrats alike united behind the duty of
this Congress to provide for our veterans. Frankly, I'm surprised it
didn't pass with the vote of every single Member, but some of my
colleagues on the other side of the aisle chose not to support the care
of our former servicemen and -women.
But I believe that, given this second chance, where a majority will
do, my colleagues will come together to pass this important bill. Not
only is it important for the well-being of our veterans, but it's
important for the well-being of the Nation as a whole. Every step we
take to fund one section of the government is a step we can take toward
reopening the entire government.
Even if we do not agree on much, we can agree, Madam Speaker, that we
can't allow this government shutdown to persist much longer and
continue to inflict harm on the United States. The clearest path
forward is coming together on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to work
out our differences, find a solution, and end this shutdown. And the
way to do this is laying right in front of us.
The House passed the other night a motion to go to conference with
the Senate on the differences that we have between us. It is the old,
time-honored tradition of the House and Senate having a conference
together to work out differences that is the way this place should be
working; and yet the Senate refuses to sit down with us.
Madam Speaker, our conferees are waiting at the table downstairs,
even as I speak. And if the Senate would just send over their
conferees, we can work out the differences and the shutdown and solve
the rest of the Nation's problems.
I urge my colleagues to provide for our veterans and help us get out
of this shutdown disaster. Vote ``aye'' on this bill.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes
to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Lowey), ranking member of the
full Appropriations Committee.
Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, of course we support funding for our
veterans. The House already passed a full-year funding bill in June by
a vote of 421-4, which was $6 billion more than the cheap ploy now
being considered.
It is essential that the VA can continue offering services, but we
must also ensure that veterans receive job training, children receive
immunizations, and that our food supply is safe.
Radical Republicans have shut down the government because they refuse
to allow a vote on a spending bill that they wrote, the Senate passed,
and the White House would sign.
Three days into the shut down, the majority can't even tell us what
they want to reopen the government. Just yesterday, one of their
Members said:
We have to get something out of this. And I don't even know what that
is.
The House majority has shut down the government, but not to reduce
spending or for some other policy reason. It is for pure petulance, and
they don't even know what they're trying to accomplish.
{time} 1415
Ending the shutdown couldn't be more simple. Stop playing games.
Allow a vote on the bill--with your number--to end the shutdown that
the Senate passed and the President will sign.
This could end in 30 minutes. Just take the bill with your number,
let it pass here, send it to the White House, and that's the end; and
we can get on with business to serve the people that we were elected to
help.
My constituents want us to work on these serious issues, as do you.
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, the only question before the House
tonight is: Will we unite to support our veterans?
I am pleased, at this time, to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Miller), the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise for the second time this week to talk about this particular
piece of legislation. Why the second time? Well, because the Democrats
banded together to kill this veterans funding bill once before. And as
I mentioned before the Democrats moved to kill this veterans funding
bill, we worked to ensure that disabled veterans, low-income veterans
going to school on the GI Bill, and survivors of those killed in the
line of duty continue to receive their benefits that they are due, the
benefits that they in fact have earned.
Madam Speaker, the House Democrats must not know that Bernie Sanders,
the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced a
bill on Monday night that related to veterans funding, and I'd like to
share with everyone a bit about that effort. And I quote from press
reports:
Veterans Affairs' Chairman Bernard Sanders introduced the
legislation (S. 1564) Monday night and quickly got the
backing from four other Democrats on the panel, as well as
Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the top Republican on the
committee . . . Specifically, the bill would protect
mandatory compensation and pension benefits for veterans and
families, including survivor benefits. It would also, among
other things, continue money flowing to educational programs
for veterans . . . The bill, he predicted, would be passed in
enough time to ensure veterans benefits are not disrupted.
Burr said he expects the Senate to adopt the legislation by
unanimous consent.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. CULBERSON. I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Does this sound familiar? It should. Because
this is the very piece of legislation that we're talking about on the
floor today. And I have a suspicion why the Democrats keep stalling
this veteran funding bill--they are playing politics.
I ask the Senate majority leader and my friends in the Democratic
leadership to unite. Take up the bill that the ranking member has
already said that fully funds veterans on June 4.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Takano) for a unanimous consent request.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, before I state my unanimous consent
request----
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for a unanimous
consent request only.
Parliamentary Inquiry
Mr. TAKANO. Parliamentary inquiry, Madam Speaker.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary
inquiry.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, what do the House Republicans want to end
this shutdown, because----
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has been recognized only for a
unanimous consent request.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to
conference on a budget so that we can end this Republican government
shutdown that is slowing our economic growth by .3 percent.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
Under guidelines consistently issued by successive Speakers as
recorded in section 956 of the House Rules and Manual, the Chair is
constrained not to entertain the request unless it has been cleared by
the bipartisan floor and committee leaderships.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Veasey) for a unanimous consent request.
Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to
conference on a budget so that we end this Republican government
shutdown that is undermining our national security by leaving more than
70 percent of the CIA furloughed.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
As the Chair previously advised, the request cannot be entertained
absent appropriate clearance.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Barber) for a unanimous consent request.
Mr. BARBER. Madam Speaker, our servicemembers and our veterans have
done their duty and they have stood steadfast in defense of our Nation.
They deserve more than our thanks----
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The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman is
not recognized. The gentleman will suspend.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from
New York (Ms. Clarke) for a unanimous consent request.
Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to
conference on a budget so that we can end this Republican government
shutdown that is undermining public health by preventing the CDC from
working on its annual flu vaccine or detecting disease outbreaks.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will suspend. The
gentlewoman is not recognized.
As the Chair previously advised, that request cannot be entertained
absent appropriate clearance.
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe).
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
____________________