[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S444-S445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. TESTER (for himself, Mr. Moran, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Tillis, 
        Mr. Manchin, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. 
        Murray, Mr. Tuberville, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Sanders, 
        Mr. Cramer, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Brown, and Mrs. 
        Blackburn):
  S. 3541. A bill to improve health care and services for veterans 
exposed to toxic substances, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today I want to speak about a piece of 
bipartisan legislation that Chairman Tester and I introduced with the 
unanimous support of every member of the Senate Committee on Veterans 
Affairs, both Republicans and Democrats.
  Consensus is often hard to find, as we know, in this body, but caring 
for our Nation's veterans--our heroes--has a way of bringing us 
together. I tell Kansans back home that the Senate on veterans affairs 
is one of the few places left on which Republicans and Democrats find 
common ground. I hope that continues, and I hope that spreads.
  Caring for our Nation's veterans is an honor that we all have, and 
when you reach an agreement between some of the most liberal members of 
our committee and the most conservative members of our committee, you 
know that you have a really good deal.
  I first learned about the issue of toxic exposure years ago, while 
attending an event for Vietnam veterans at home in Kansas. After 
hearing about their struggles with exposure to Agent Orange, I 
introduced the Toxic Exposure Research Act, which was signed into law 
in 2016 and mandates research on health conditions of children and 
grandchildren of veterans who were exposed to toxins during their 
military service.
  Our military veterans and their families and their survivors know 
exposure to toxic substances has become commonplace in modern warfare. 
Regrettably, the negative long-term health effects are sometimes not 
identified until long after the time of exposure, leaving veterans to 
face serious medical issues years after their service.
  Toxic exposure during military service has created significant 
healthcare concerns for veterans, going back to mustard gas exposure in 
World War I and, most notably, the Vietnam generation's exposure to 
Agent Orange.
  Despite these clear examples of lasting impact of military toxic 
exposures, struggles with health conditions associated with burn pits 
continue to plague the latest generation of veterans who served in the 
Global War on Terror.
  I have spoken with veterans across Kansas and held a townhall meeting 
in my home State on the effects of toxic exposure on our veterans' 
health. My office continues to receive casework

[[Page S445]]

from veterans regarding the burden of proof to gain access to 
healthcare. This legislation--the one that our committee will consider 
tomorrow--lessens that burden and creates a pathway for thousands of 
Kansas veterans and many more thousands of American veterans to receive 
healthcare for illnesses caused by toxic exposure.
  For decades, toxic-exposed veterans have faced overwhelming barriers 
to getting VA healthcare and the services that they deserve. Post-911 
veterans are the newest generation of American heroes to suffer from 
toxic exposures encountered in their military service.
  These American heroes who put on the uniform and volunteered to go 
into harm's way on our behalf deserve to have their level of commitment 
matched by those of us who serve here in Congress. When our government 
sends troops to war, we make a pledge to care for them when they come 
home. Veterans who are made sick from service deserve medical care for 
those conditions.
  The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act is an important first step 
in making certain our veterans receive the care they need as a result 
of their service.
  I appreciate the entire Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for 
working together to craft this consequential legislation to care for 
our servicemembers who put their lives and health on the line for us. I 
also appreciate every member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs 
Committee--Senators Tillis, Hassan, Sullivan, Manchin, Boozman, 
Sanders, Cassidy, Brown, Blackburn, Blumenthal, Tuberville, Hirono, 
Cramer, Sinema, and Rounds--for working together to better the lives of 
those who have served. Additionally, I am grateful for the support of 
many VSOs--veterans service organizations--that represent millions of 
veterans across the Nation.
  This legislation is part of a comprehensive and phased approach. This 
first phase provides the VA with the authority it needs to expand 
healthcare for combat veterans. For many who are sick and suffering, 
time is running out, and our first priority is to get these veterans 
their healthcare now.
  Our bill would also mandate training for the VA healthcare providers 
and benefit specialists to ensure a level of competence across the 
Department to make sure veterans receive exemplary treatment and 
service.
  Our legislation would direct the VA to incorporate a clinical 
screening to inquire about a veteran's potential exposures and symptoms 
commonly associated with toxic exposure.
  I talked to a veteran today who said she has been to the VA twice for 
care and treatment and has never been asked about whether she 
encountered any substance that could have been damaging to her health 
during her service. After speaking with these veterans, I have come to 
understand that this basic and preventive act of screening is not part 
of enrollment or basic care provided by the Department. That must 
change.
  Solutions to this complex problem cannot be generated by Congress 
alone and require a coordinated and systematic approach that involves 
partnering with the VA. My view is that we make a commitment to those 
who serve that we will do our work. This is a significant step in 
getting us to a point at which we are living up to that commitment and 
doing it in a way that is not damaging to any other veteran.
  I urge my colleagues to read our bill, to grow their understanding of 
this complex challenge, and to join our committee, every single member 
of the committee, in passing this bill to get one step closer to 
providing care and relief on one of the most pressing challenges facing 
veterans today.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. McCONNELL (for himself, Mr. Paul, Mr. Lee, Ms. Sinema, Mr. 
        Braun, and Mr. Ossoff):
  S. 3545. A bill to require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to 
be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. McConnell. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3545

       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 ``Federal Prisons 
     Accountability Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Director of the Bureau of Prisons leads a law 
     enforcement component of the Department of Justice with a 
     budget that exceeded $7,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2018.
       (2) With the exception of the Federal Bureau of 
     Investigation, the Bureau of Prisons had the largest 
     operating budget of any unit within the Department of Justice 
     for fiscal year 2018.
       (3) As of 2019, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons 
     oversaw 122 facilities and was responsible for the welfare of 
     more than 176,000 Federal inmates.
       (4) As of 2019, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons 
     supervised more than 36,000 employees, many of whom operate 
     in hazardous environments that involve regular interaction 
     with violent offenders.
       (5) Within the Department of Justice, in addition to those 
     officials who oversee litigating components, the Director of 
     the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the 
     Director of the Community Relations Service, the Director of 
     the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director of the 
     Office on Violence Against Women, the Administrator of the 
     Drug Enforcement Administration, the Deputy Administrator of 
     the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Director of the 
     United States Marshals Service, 94 United States Marshals, 
     the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, and the 
     Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment 
     Practices, are all appointed by the President by and with the 
     advice and consent of the Senate.
       (6) Despite the significant budget of the Bureau of Prisons 
     and the vast number of people under the responsibility of the 
     Director of the Bureau of Prisons, the Director is not 
     appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

     SEC. 3. DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF PRISONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 4041 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking ``appointed by and serving 
     directly under the Attorney General.'' and inserting the 
     following: ``who shall be appointed by the President, by and 
     with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director shall 
     serve directly under the Attorney General.''.
       (b) Incumbent.--Notwithstanding the amendment made by 
     subsection (a), the individual serving as the Director of the 
     Bureau of Prisons on the date of enactment of this Act may 
     serve as the Director of the Bureau of Prisons until the date 
     that is 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to limit the ability of the President to appoint 
     the individual serving as the Director of the Bureau of 
     Prisons on the date of enactment of this Act to the position 
     of Director of the Bureau of Prisons in accordance with 
     section 4041 of title 18, United States Code, as amended by 
     subsection (a).
       (d) Term.--
       (1) In general.--Section 4041 of title 18, United States 
     Code, as amended by subsection (a), is amended by inserting 
     after ``consent of the Senate.'' the following: ``The 
     Director shall be appointed for a term of 10 years, except 
     that an individual appointed to the position of Director may 
     continue to serve in that position until another individual 
     is appointed to that position, by and with the advice and 
     consent of the Senate. An individual may not serve more than 
     1 term as Director.''.
       (2) Applicability.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
     shall apply to appointments made on or after the date of 
     enactment of this Act.

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