[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 7, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H4781-H4782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERAN'S I.D. CARD ACT
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in
the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 91) to amend title 38, United
States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue, upon
request, veteran identification cards to certain veterans.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Identification Card
Act 2015''.
SEC. 2. VETERANS IDENTIFICATION CARD.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment
of this Act, veteran identification cards were issued to
veterans who have either completed the statutory time-in-
service requirement for retirement from the Armed Forces or
who have received a medical-related discharge from the Armed
Forces.
(2) Effective on the day before the date of the enactment
of this Act, a veteran who served a minimum obligated time in
service, but who did not meet the criteria described in
paragraph (1), did not receive a means of identifying the
veteran's status as a veteran other than using the Department
of Defense form DD-214 discharge papers of the veteran.
(3) Goods, services, and promotional activities are often
offered by public and private institutions to veterans who
demonstrate proof of service in the military, but it is
impractical for a veteran to always carry Department of
Defense form DD-214 discharge papers to demonstrate such
proof.
(4) A general purpose veteran identification card made
available to veterans would be useful to demonstrate the
status of the veterans without having to carry and use
official Department of Defense form DD-214 discharge papers.
(5) On the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs had the
infrastructure in place across the United States to produce
photographic identification cards and accept a small payment
to cover the cost of these cards.
(b) Provision of Veteran Identification Cards.--Chapter 57
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding after
section 5705 the following new section:
``Sec. 5706. Veterans identification card
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
issue an identification card described in subsection (b) to
each veteran who--
``(1) requests such card;
``(2) presents a copy of Department of Defense form DD-214
or other official document from the official military
personnel file of the veteran that describes the service of
the veteran; and
``(3) pays the fee under subsection (c)(1).
``(b) Identification Card.--An identification card
described in this subsection is a card issued to a veteran
that--
``(1) displays a photograph of the veteran;
``(2) displays the name of the veteran;
``(3) explains that such card is not proof of any benefits
to which the veteran is entitled to;
``(4) contains an identification number that is not a
social security number; and
``(5) serves as proof that such veteran--
``(A) served in the Armed Forces; and
``(B) has a Department of Defense form DD-214 or other
official document in the official military personnel file of
the veteran that describes the service of the veteran.
``(c) Costs of Card.--(1) The Secretary shall charge a fee
to each veteran who receives an identification card issued
under this section, including a replacement identification
card.
``(2)(A) The fee charged under paragraph (1) shall equal
such amount as the Secretary determines is necessary to issue
an identification card under this section.
``(B) In determining the amount of the fee under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall ensure that the total
amount of fees collected under paragraph (1) equals an amount
necessary to carry out this section, including costs related
to any additional equipment or personnel required to carry
out this section.
``(C) The Secretary shall review and reassess the
determination under subparagraph (A) during each five-year
period in which the Secretary issues an identification card
under this section.
``(3) Amounts collected under this subsection shall be
deposited in an account of the Department available to carry
out this section. Amounts so deposited shall be--
``(A) merged with amounts in such account;
``(B) available in such amounts as may be provided in
appropriation Acts; and
``(C) subject to the same conditions and limitations as
amounts otherwise in such account.
``(d) Effect of Card on Benefits.--(1) An identification
card issued under this section shall not serve as proof of
any benefits that the veteran may be entitled to under this
title.
``(2) A veteran who is issued an identification card under
this section shall not be entitled to any benefits under this
title by reason of possessing such card.
``(e) Administrative Measures.--(1) The Secretary shall
ensure that any information collected or used with respect to
an identification card issued under this section is
appropriately secured.
``(2) The Secretary may determine any appropriate
procedures with respect to issuing a replacement
identification card.
``(3) In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall
coordinate with the National Personnel Records Center.
``(4) The Secretary may conduct such outreach to advertise
the identification card under this section as the Secretary
considers appropriate.
``(f) Construction.--This section shall not be construed to
affect identification cards otherwise provided by the
Secretary to veterans enrolled in the health care system
established under section 1705(a) of this title.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 5705 the following new item:
``5706. Veterans identification card.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall
take effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.
General Leave
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
add extraneous material on the Senate amendment to H.R. 91.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Louisiana?
There was no objection.
{time} 1430
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, many businesses show their gratitude to our Nation's
servicemembers and veterans by offering special discounts on goods and
services to those who have served our Nation in uniform.
Unfortunately, unless a servicemember is a qualified military
retiree, DOD does not issue an official ID card as proof of service.
That means that millions of veterans cannot easily provide evidence of
their service.
This bill, as amended, would change that by directing the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to issue a veteran's ID card that would display the
veteran's name and photograph to any veteran who requests such a card,
as long as the veteran is not entitled to military retired pay, nor
enrolled in the VA healthcare system.
This card would give those who served in the Armed Forces a
convenient way to prove that they are veterans, for the purpose of
receiving the
[[Page H4782]]
promotions and discounts offered by many businesses around the country.
The bill, as amended, would also require the Secretary to determine a
fee to be charged that would cover all costs of producing the cards and
managing the program. The bill also specifies that the card does not
entitle the holder to any VA benefits.
H.R. 91 passed the House by a vote of 402-0 on May 18. The Senate
passed it by unanimous consent on June 22, with an amendment that would
authorize VA to provide this card to any person who meets the statutory
definition of a veteran.
Under current law, a veteran is defined as ``a person who served in
the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or
released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.''
I thank my colleague Mr. Buchanan for his efforts on this commonsense
legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 91 passed the House 402-0, as my good friend mentioned, in May.
It was amended by the Senate and passed 2 weeks ago. Today, we are
taking up the Senate amendment to H.R. 91. This measure will assist
veterans in proving that they are indeed veterans.
In most instances, a veteran must be enrolled with the VA to receive
a VA ID card or utilize their DD-214 to prove their military service,
which may contain personal health information.
Veterans who retire from the armed services are issued a Department
of Defense ID card that serves this purpose. However, the majority of
servicemembers do not retire in service, leaving millions of veterans
sometimes challenged to provide proof of their honorable military
service.
Extending the option of a veterans ID is a simple way to resolve this
issue and honor America's veterans.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Buchanan).
Mr. BUCHANAN. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, today is a good day for our Nation's veterans.
My legislation will allow all veterans to receive official ID cards
through the VA. No longer will veterans be forced to carry around
documents that contain sensitive information that puts them at needless
risk of identity theft, and it does all this at no cost to the
taxpayer.
Madam Speaker, this bill is a prime example of what can be
accomplished when we put partisanship aside and the needs of our
country first.
Thank you, and God bless our men and women in uniform.
Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I join Vietnam Veterans of America, the
Association of the U.S. Navy, American Veterans, and others in
wholehearted support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 91, the Veterans
I.D. Card Act of 2015.
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to
support the Senate amendment to H.R. 91, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Abraham) that the House suspend the rules
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 91.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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