[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS SERVICES ON THE 
            OPENING OF THE FAIRFAX VETERANS BENEFITS OFFICE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 10, 2015

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Virginia 
Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John C. Harvey, Jr. and 
Department of Veterans Services Benefits Director Tom Herthel on the 
opening of the new Veterans Benefits office in Fairfax City.
   The 11th District of Virginia is home to almost 54,000 veterans. 
More than 70% are veterans of the wars in the Persian Gulf. The opening 
of this new center will ensure that they receive timely access to the 
benefits they have earned.
   The opening of this office is yet another step in addressing the 
needs of our veterans. While the statistics indicate that overall, 
veterans in the 11th District may be more economically or 
professionally secure, the dedicated men and women who have served our 
country in uniform are still plagued by the same issues that veterans 
around the country face including prolonged disability or appeal 
processing times, difficulty scheduling appointments with the VA 
medical centers, and delays in receiving Post 9-11 GI Bill educational 
benefits. We must do more to ensure that these issues and others are 
addressed and resolved. For our community, the statistics are 
encouraging. The percentage of unemployed veterans is 3.3%, two 
percentage points better than the national average. The percentage of 
veterans living below the poverty line is 2.2%, well below the national 
average of 12.5%. More than 60% of veterans in this district have a 
bachelor's degree or higher, almost twice the national average.
   These numbers speak to the character of these individuals and also 
to the network of support services that have emerged in the 11th 
District. We, as a community, are united in our efforts to provide any 
and all assistance and guidance needed.
   Mr. Speaker, providing care for our men and women in uniform after 
they return home from the battlefield is a sacred obligation. I ask my 
colleagues to join me in commending the Virginia Department of Veterans 
Services and its dedicated staff on the opening of this new Veterans 
Benefits Office, and I offer my continued support and assistance to 
these ongoing efforts.

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