[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 130 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3858-H3860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FREE VETERANS FROM FEES ACT
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1029) to Waive the application fee for any special use
permit for veterans' special events at war memorials on land
administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia
and its environs, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1029
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Free Veterans from Fees
Act''.
SEC. 2. WAIVER OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FEE FOR
VETERANS' SPECIAL EVENTS.
(a) Waiver.--The application fee for any special use permit
solely for a veterans' special event at war memorials on land
administered by the National Park Service in the
[[Page H3859]]
District of Columbia and its environs shall be waived.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) District of columbia and its environs.--The term ``the
District of Columbia and its environs'' has the meaning given
that term in section 8902(a) of title 40, United States Code.
(2) Gold star families.--The term ``Gold Star Families''
includes any individual described in section 3.2 of
Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36.
(3) Special event.--The term ``special events'' has the
meaning given that term in section 7.96 of title 36, Code of
Federal Regulations.
(4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given
that term in section 101(2) of title 38, United States Code.
(5) Veterans' special event.--The term ``veterans' special
event'' means a special event of which the majority of
attendees are veterans or Gold Star Families.
(6) War memorial.--The term ``war memorial'' means any
memorial or monument which has been erected or dedicated to
commemorate a military unit, military group, war, conflict,
victory, or peace.
(c) Applicability.--This section shall apply to any special
use permit application submitted after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(d) Applicability of Existing Laws.--Permit applicants
remain subject to all other laws, regulations, and policies
regarding the application, issuance and execution of special
use permits for a veterans' special event at war memorials on
land administered by the National Park Service in the
District of Columbia and its environs.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.
General Leave
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1029, the Free Veterans
from Fees Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Greg Steube.
This bill would honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and Gold
Star families by waiving application fees for veterans' special events
at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in
our Nation's Capital.
Although the National Park Service has a longstanding practice of
waiving application fees for special use permits for most veterans'
events at war memorials, veterans' organizations have often had to pay
administrative fees and associated costs to obtain permits for events,
such as honor buses.
By codifying a version of this practice in law, we can ensure that
veterans and the Gold Star families are not required to pay when
visiting the national war memorials that were built to commemorate
their bravery and sacrifices and our country's fallen heroes.
I would like to thank Representative Steube for introducing this
important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1029, offered by Congressman Steube of Florida,
would waive the application fee associated with special use permits for
any veterans' demonstrations or special events at war memorials located
on Federal land.
Each year, hundreds of veterans' groups and Gold Star families visit
our national war memorials in Washington, D.C. This is done through
arranged visits sponsored by veterans' organizations. To obtain a
permit for any special events they hold, these veterans' groups may be
required to pay administrative fees and other processing costs to the
National Park Service. The Free Veterans from Fees Act waives these
special use permit fees for veterans' groups so that they may hold
their demonstrations and special events at war memorials administered
by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia free of
charge.
The last thing veterans and their families should worry about is
paying administrative fees when visiting memorials and monuments built
in their honor. These brave men and women fought to defend our Nation,
and we should honor their sacrifices by making it as simple as possible
for them to visit these sites.
I commend Congressman Steube for his work on this bill, I urge
adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).
Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for
yielding me this time.
Mr. Speaker, I was an original cosponsor with my good friend and
colleague, Mr. Steube from Florida, of H.R. 1029, the Free Veterans
from Fees Act.
H.R. 1029 would waive application fees for special use permits for
Honor Flights and Gold Star Family events and other veterans
demonstrations and special events at our Nation's war memorials. It is
the right thing to do, to try to reduce the cost for a lot of these
important commemorative occasions happening right here in our Nation's
Capital.
Throughout the years, I have had the privilege of being able to
attend many of the Freedom Honor Flights that emanated from my hometown
in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They are joyous occasions, with much
celebration honoring the service and sacrifice of our veterans,
celebrating their achievements, but more importantly, allowing them,
many for the very last time, to be able to hop on a plane, come to
Washington, and pay their respects at the memorials of conflicts that
they were involved in and for the fallen comrades who didn't come home.
Oftentimes, on the way home--I know this is true for our La Crosse
Honor Flights--there is a mail call where the relatives of these
veterans, family members, write letters of thanks to them as they are
coming home. When they arrive, it is a huge celebration of music and
thanking them for their service and sacrifice. It is a great thing to
behold.
The thought that the cost of this is compounded with unnecessary
application fees in order to attend these events at our war memorials
is something we can rectify, and that is exactly what we are doing
under H.R. 1029, along with Gold Star events that occur here and other
veterans' events.
I also am the original author of the Veterans History Project, trying
to record our veterans' stories before they pass away, archiving it at
the Library of Congress, so that we never forget the service and
sacrifice that came before us.
We are trying to capture many of these veterans coming to our
Nation's Capital--again, many for the very last time--to have them
share their story of what it was like to serve our country during times
of conflict and peace. So it has been a great avenue in order to reach
out and expand the number of oral histories that we have collected at
the Library of Congress, close to 120,000 veterans' stories so far and
counting.
So if this is a way for us to reduce cost, to ease the burden, to
make it easier for veterans to come here, a chance for us to reach out
to them, asking them to share their memories of what it was like to
serve our Nation, then that is a good thing for us to do.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1029, and I thank my colleague
from Florida (Mr. Steube) for partnering with me on this legislation.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a great bill to honor our heroes
and to say thank you in another way. I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
{time} 1500
Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, we have heard all the reasons why this
bill matters. We even did an Honor Flight with the Rosies from
Michigan, which was memorable.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1029.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
[[Page H3860]]
Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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