[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 213 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H7168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THOSE WHO HONOR OUR VETERANS

  (Mr. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Johnny 
Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits 
Improvement Act of 2020, a bipartisan legislative package that includes 
two bills that I have proudly introduced this Congress, the VET TEC 
Expansion Act and the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act of 2020.
  Since coming to Congress in 2007, one of my most important priorities 
in this Chamber has been to protect and improve the benefits that our 
Nation's veterans have earned and deserve. I introduced the VET TEC 
Expansion Act and the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act earlier this 
Congress in response to comments and feedback I received from veterans 
and veterans organizations throughout my district and across the 
country.
  Both pieces of legislation seek to build upon existing veterans 
benefits programs, including the VET TEC pilot program and the HUD-VA 
Supportive Housing Program, by expanding and streamlining them for 
veterans and veterans service providers who utilize them.
  The VET TEC Expansion Act will continue to ensure that our heroes can 
enhance skills they developed in the military when returning to private 
life by providing access to nontraditional and technology-oriented 
courses through the VET TEC pilot program. This bill would expand VET 
TEC to include part-time courses and permit additional course providers 
into the VET TEC pilot program.

  I am also pleased that H.R. 7105, like the initial House-passed 
version of this bill, would increase the VET TEC funding authorization 
by $30 million per year through 2023 to help the VA meet demand for 
this popular program with our veterans.
  In addition, no veteran in my district or anywhere in the country 
should be homeless due to unnecessary VA staffing vacancies. The 
Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act would require that the VA contract 
out any consistently vacant HUD-VA Supportive Housing case management 
positions to community experts so that unused housing vouchers can be 
matched with homeless veterans who need them the most.
  Finally, I want to take a moment to thank Dr. Roe for his unwavering 
commitment to our Nation's veterans throughout his time in this 
Congress, specifically as chairman and ranking member of the House 
Veterans' Affairs Committee over the course of the past 4 years and for 
his own personal service to the United States Army, serving in Korea.
  His strong leadership on behalf of our fellow veterans has been 
unwavering since he came to Congress, and his tenacity, knowledge, and 
friendship will be missed in this Chamber after he retires from 
Congress.
  On behalf of a very grateful Nation, we thank Dr. Roe for his 
servant's heart, for putting the veterans first, and for improving the 
quality of the care for them.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join 
me in supporting this bipartisan bill and thanking Congressman Roe for 
his service.

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