[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5276-H5277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  PRIORITIZING VETERANS' SURVIVORS ACT

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 7100) to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the 
organization of the Office of Survivors Assistance of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7100

       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 ``Prioritizing Veterans' 
     Survivors Act''.

     SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE OF 
                   SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       Section 321(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking ``in the Department'' and inserting ``in the 
     Office of the Secretary''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 
7100.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7100, as offered by 
Representative Ciscomani.
  This bill would ensure that VA prioritizes care, services, and 
benefits for the surviving family members of veterans as much as VA 
does for the veterans.
  The bill would do so by ensuring the VA Office of Survivors 
Assistance conducts its mission with the Office of the VA Secretary.
  In 2008, Congress created an Office of Survivors Assistance to serve 
as the Secretary's principal adviser and to serve as a resource on all 
benefits and services for veterans' surviving loved ones.
  The Biden-Harris administration did veterans' survivors a disservice 
by moving this office from the Secretary's office to the Veterans 
Benefits Administration's Pension and Fiduciary Service. This office is 
nowhere near the top of the organization chart, and the office no 
longer advises the Secretary on all benefits and services for those 
survivors.
  The Office of Survivors Assistance is understaffed and no longer has 
resources for survivors on all care, services, and benefits offered by 
all VA offices.
  Mr. Ciscomani's bill would correct the Biden-Harris administration's 
misguided changes and ensure survivors have a seat at the table again.
  We must ensure the voices of veterans' surviving families are heard 
and that they are prioritized by the VA. This bill will ensure that.
  I am proud to be co-lead of this bill with Representative Ciscomani, 
and I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 7100.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 7100, the 
Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act. This bill would require VA to 
move the Office of Survivors Assistance, or OSA, to a position directly 
reporting to the Office of the VA Secretary.
  The Office of Survivors Assistance was established by statute in 2008 
to serve as a resource regarding all benefits and services furnished by 
the Department to survivors and dependents of deceased veterans and 
members of the armed services. OSA also serves as a principal adviser 
to the Secretary and promotes the use of VA benefits, programs, and 
services to survivors.
  Recently, VA moved supervision of OSA from the Office of Outreach, 
Transition, and Economic Development to VBA's Pension and Fiduciary 
Service. VA made this move with the idea that it would increase 
emphasis on the office and oversight of OSA, as VBA has more capacity 
to properly oversee the function. However, the survivor community has 
been critical of this move, characterizing it as a downgrade of the 
function and a diminishing of the importance of survivors in VA's 
mission. H.R. 7100 is responsive to those concerns.
  Historically, there has been a lack of resources dedicated to the 
mission of serving survivors. For example, there are only three 
employees in the Office of Survivors Assistance to serve over 450,000 
employees--I repeat, three employees in the Office of Survivors 
Assistance to serve over 450,000.
  We also see a lack of awareness of whom is part of the survivor 
community, where the community is, and a lack of direct and targeted 
outreach. As such, we have seen an underutilization of survivor 
benefits, so we must do whatever we can to remedy that situation.
  This bill is a small but important step in that process. I would be 
remiss, however, if I didn't also point to other legislation that we 
can and should be taking up to improve benefits for survivors.
  I have introduced H.R. 7150, the Survivor Benefits Delivery 
Improvement Act, a bill that puts new tools in VA's hands to aid in 
reaching survivors where they are and better inform them of the 
benefits they have earned.
  We have Members like Julia Brownley, who has introduced legislation 
to extend CHAMP-VA eligibility.
  Representative Jahana Hayes has also introduced legislation to raise 
the levels of dependency and indemnity compensation benefits on par 
with other Federal survivor programs.
  We have Members like Representative Dean Phillips who has introduced 
Love Lives On Act that would repeal the ridiculous penalties survivors 
face when they choose to remarry.
  We have legislation introduced by Representative Frank Mrvan to 
increase benefits for those using chapter

[[Page H5277]]

35 education benefits, but making those individuals eligible for more 
robust, comprehensive benefits equal to the Forever GI Bill.
  My hope is that in the waning days of this Congress, we see fit to 
consider these other pieces of legislation, as well. In the meantime, 
however, I do support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to 
support it, as well.
  I extend a special thank-you to the survivors who may be listening 
today and those who are with us only in spirit. Their stories 
demonstrate bravery and courage, and they deserve every ounce of our 
effort in creating a VA that is welcoming and accessible, and every 
dollar of benefits we can muster on their behalf.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani), the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Bost for yielding me 
time to speak today in support of my bill, H.R. 7100, the Prioritizing 
Veterans' Survivors Act.
  Mr. Speaker, since I was elected, I have heard from military 
servicemembers and veterans' surviving family members about their 
struggle accessing VA benefits. In my district, I organized a Veterans 
Advisory Council, ensuring that surviving spouses and children 
accessing VA benefits and services is a top priority that we have 
discussed time and time again. I am always looking for ways to ensure 
that top VA leaders hear the concerns of veterans' loved ones.
  From its creation, the Office of Survivors Assistance, or OSA, was 
meant to serve as the principal adviser to the VA Secretary on all 
survivors' benefits and services, including medical care and burial 
benefits.
  When VA began operating the OSA within the Veterans Benefits 
Administration, the VA deprioritized survivors policy and skirted 
Congress' intent when they created this office. My bill would fix this, 
requiring OSA to operate within the Secretary's office, thereby 
prioritizing advocacy and services for servicemembers' and veterans' 
surviving spouses and families.
  I would like to highlight the comment of a member of my Veterans 
Advisory Council, Ms. Jane Strain, a surviving spouse and an Army 
veteran herself. She said: ``Surviving spouses and families are family 
members who cared for children, moved many times during a military 
career, compromised their careers, and maintained home life while the 
servicemember deployed. They have earned and deserve attention when the 
spouse has passed. Placing the OSA directly under the Secretary will 
help to recognize the importance of this population.''
  I was proud to work alongside Chairman Bost to ensure survivors have 
a seat at the table.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this 
commonsense legislation.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 7100, the Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members 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 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 7100.
  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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