[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE VA STATE HOME CONSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I am so incredibly grateful that the House 
passed my amendment to the Military Construction and VA appropriations 
bill.
  Earlier this year, I was proud to lead 64 of our colleagues in 
calling for a significant increase to address the funding gap in our 
State Veterans Homes system. My amendment increases the funding for the 
VA State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program by $5 million.
  As many in the Michigan delegation know, southeast Michigan is home 
to the largest concentration of veterans in the Midwest, however, we 
don't have a VA home in the Detroit area. State Veterans Homes are a 
critical counterpart for our VA system in providing long-term care and 
services for our veterans.
  With more than 30,000 beds nationwide, the State Veterans Home 
program is the largest provider of long-term care for our Nation's 
veterans with services that include nursing care and adult daycare.
  The program enables States to construct, renovate, or repair these 
State-owned facilities with the VA providing up to 65 percent of the 
cost of construction.

  Currently, there are more than $600 million in unfulfilled Priority 1 
grant requests by the States, demonstrating that the States are eager, 
willing, and prepared to take on an important responsibility, as well 
as a share of the cost, of caring for our Nation's veterans.
  Unfortunately, only $150 million was appropriated in the fiscal year 
2023, and this bill only allocates $164 million, leaving many grant 
requests unfulfilled and an inability for States to move forward.
  Mr. Speaker, if we cannot take care of our Nation's veterans, we 
shouldn't be sending them to war. My amendment, with the support of all 
of you, is a small step toward addressing that funding gap.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the committee for their support in this effort, 
and I am grateful to my colleagues for supporting this amendment. I 
look forward to continuing this fight to ensure that our veterans get 
the care they deserve.


             Credit is an Obstacle for Meeting Basic Needs

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, credit and consumer reports that often 
contain errors are increasingly an obstacle for many of our residents 
from meeting their basic needs.
  Victims of financial abuse and fraud, or those strapped with medical 
debt, are regularly denied access to employment, housing, and 
transportation because of their credit history.
  Our neighbors should not have to go without basic necessities because 
they fell victim to fraudulent activity or predatory lenders.
  Survivors of domestic abuse, for instance, do not deserve to have 
debt resulting from the abuse of their credit report.
  Medical debt should not prevent someone from securing shelter or an 
education.
  That is why I am reintroducing the Restoring Unfairly Impaired Credit 
and Protecting Consumers Act to provide credit restoration for victims 
of predatory lending, fraud, and other financial abuse; prohibiting the 
reporting of medical debt; and to reduce the length of time that 
adverse information appears on credit reports from 7 down to 4 years.
  Economists say 7 years is not a good indicator. Many of the 
residents, especially in our districts, will tell you that reducing it 
down to 4 years can be transformative for their families.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to please support this bill.


        Recognizing the 1-Year Anniversary of the Mamas' Caucus

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, it is the 1-year anniversary of the 
Congressional Mamas' Caucus that I founded with Congresswomen Jayapal, 
Bush, Meng, and Williams.
  The Mamas' Caucus is not only committed to advocating for mothers of 
color and working families, but committed to making sure that all 
mothers have a seat at the table where policy decisions are made.
  We can't be talking about mothers without mothers at the table. For 
instance, the cost of raising a child in our country is among the 
highest in the world, and our policies and social safety nets too often 
leave many behind.
  We must build childcare policies that support every family, and ones 
that ensure providers are paid a living wage.
  Whether on Black maternal health, reproduction justice, paid leave, 
and so many other issues, mothers must be centered in the policies that 
we advance here in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues who have joined us in this 
fight and know that we have many efforts in store in the year to come.

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