[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 26 (Friday, February 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     VETERANS EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 2016

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to The Veterans 
Employment, Education, and Health Care Improvement Act (H.R. 3016).
  H.R. 3016 includes important bipartisan legislation to improve the 
health and opportunities of veterans. This legislation will include 
podiatrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs definition of 
physician, extending the same promotions and leadership positions 
within the VA as other physicians. H.R. 3016 also includes numerous 
standalone bills that will improve the quality of health care and 
economic opportunity for veterans, including establishing the Veterans 
Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration. I wholeheartedly 
support these key provisions of H.R. 3016, but the pay is unacceptable 
for our brave service members and their families.
  When our brave women and men signed up to serve, we made them a 
promise. We assured them clearly defined benefits that were guaranteed 
to them upon completion of their duties. H.R. 3016 as currently written 
breaks that promise. Not only does it harm the students who depend on 
these housing allowances to attend school, it says to our service 
members that the terms of the deal they made with their government have 
been changed without their knowledge or consent. It is essential that 
Americans know exactly what their service to their country entitles 
them to. Passage of this legislation will severely undermine that 
agreement.
  Title III of this legislation will reduce by fifty percent the 
housing allowance provided to children who have had Post-99/11 GI Bill 
benefits transferred to them. This cut will begin one hundred and 
eighty days after the enactment of H.R. 3016. Furthermore, the 
legislation provides no grandfather clause that will exempt the 
families of current service members from this harmful cut.
  Again, I support the important provisions of this legislation that 
will improve the lives of our veterans, and I remain committed to 
working in a bipartisan fashion to see these enacted. However, I cannot 
support legislation that is paid for by breaking a promise to our 
veterans. When Americans sign up to serve, they must be certain that 
the benefits guaranteed to them will be waiting when they return home. 
As Members of Congress, upholding this commitment is one of our most 
important duties.

                          ____________________