[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 198 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6251-H6252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




STUDY ON DISPARITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RACE AND ETHNICITY WITH RESPECT TO 
   CERTAIN BENEFITS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 1031) to require the Comptroller General of the United States 
to conduct a study on disparities associated with race and ethnicity 
with respect to certain benefits administered by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1031

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY ON 
                   DISPARITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RACE AND ETHNICITY 
                   WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN BENEFITS ADMINISTERED 
                   BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct a study--
       (1) to assess whether there are disparities associated with 
     race and ethnicity with respect to--
       (A) compensation benefits administered by the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs;
       (B) disability ratings determined by the Secretary, with 
     specific consideration of disability evaluations based on 
     pain; and
       (C) the rejection of fully developed claims for benefits 
     under laws administered by the Secretary; and
       (2) to develop recommendations to facilitate better data 
     collection on the disparities described in paragraph (1).
       (b) Initial Briefing.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
     shall brief Congress on the initial results of the study 
     conducted under subsection (a).
       (c) Final Report.--Not later than 240 days after the date 
     on which the briefing required by subsection (b) is 
     conducted, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a 
     final report setting forth the results of the study conducted 
     under subsection (a), including the recommendations developed 
     under paragraph (2) of such subsection.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TAKANO. 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 S. 1031.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1031. To build a better, more 
welcoming, and more equitable Department of Veterans Affairs, we must 
take a hard look at how VA can earn back trust. Too many veterans have 
experienced barriers to receiving the benefits that they have earned 
from service to our country.
  I believe that VA care and benefits must be distributed fairly to all 
eligible veterans, regardless of social or physical disparities. That 
is why we must look back to document whether veterans have been 
unjustly denied benefits, address the root causes of disparities, and 
ensure equitable treatment moving forward.
  Such an important evaluation will certainly require digging into vast 
datasets, evaluating agency processes, and laying the framework for 
meaningful recommendations to effectively make any needed course 
corrections at VA. That is why this bill mandates that the nonpartisan 
Government Accountability Office perform this examination.
  Under Senator Raphael Warnock's legislation passed by the Senate, GAO 
would study racial and ethnic disparities regarding VA compensation 
benefits, including VA disability ratings and rejections of fully 
developed claims for benefits under laws administered by VA.

[[Page H6252]]

  The VA Secretary would brief Congress within a year after passage of 
the bill and then prepare a report that includes recommendations to 
address identified disparities.
  The companion legislation I sponsored, H.R. 3856, was approved by the 
House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and I am pleased to support Senator 
Warnock's legislation today. I urge my colleagues to support this 
important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1031, sponsored by Senator 
Raphael Warnock. I would also like to recognize Chairman Takano for 
leading this effort in the House.
  As you all know, when the men and women of our military sign up to 
serve, we make a promise to care for them upon their separation, 
regardless of age, ethnicity, race, or gender.
  The Veterans' Affairs Committee has heard concerns from veterans who 
say that they have been treated unfairly in the VA benefits system 
based on their minority status. However, we have no objective data to 
determine whether there is a bias against the minority groups in the VA 
through the claims process.
  S. 1031 would help address this question by requiring a GAO study to 
determine whether any differences exist in the way the VA 
administrators compensate benefits based on the veteran's background. 
This report would provide Congress and VA with the information we need 
to determine what biases exist and, if so, how to address them.
  I support S. 1031, and I hope that my colleagues will do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am 
prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support 
the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I, again, ask all of my colleagues to join 
me in passing S. 1031, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 1031.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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