[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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