[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SUPPORT ACTIVE-DUTY PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS

  (Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Blue 
Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act that just unanimously passed the House. 
I was proud to support it.
  This bill recognizes the sacrificial service of the 7,000-plus 
servicemen and -women who received a Purple Heart after being wounded 
in battle and continue to serve on Active Duty. My bill, included in 
this passage, takes the rightful step to waive the funding fee on all 
VA home loans for Active-Duty Purple Heart recipients. With this bill, 
we will save servicemembers thousands of dollars and help their 
families achieve the dream of homeownership.
  U.S. Marine Corps Major Byron Owen, who was wounded twice in Iraq and 
once in Afghanistan, explained it best when he shared his experiences 
with my office. He said: ``I was medevaced out of Iraq in 2006 and had 
to undergo months of therapy to return to service. Why should I have to 
pay 20 grand to get a VA loan when someone with a noncombat-related 
disability gets to waive it? Some of my friends are amputees still 
serving in uniform. They're paying the funding fee. Does that seem 
right?''
  Major Owen, I hear you--and, no, it is not right. That is why I am 
proud to have introduced this bill and voted with my colleagues to 
support Active-Duty Purple Heart recipients with the passage of H.R. 
299.

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