[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2238]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ROBERT DUVALL

  (Mr. Subramanyam of Virginia was recognized to address the House for 
5 minutes.)
  Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
career of the great Robert Duvall, who passed away on February 15 at 
the age of 95.
  Many know Mr. Duvall as one of the most iconic actors and filmmakers 
of his generation. He is known worldwide for his unparalleled range and 
for bringing to life some of the greatest stories ever told, such as 
his haunting debut as Boo Radley in ``To Kill a Mockingbird'' and 
powerful portrayal of Tom Hagen in ``The Godfather.''
  In our community, we know him as just a great guy and great human 
being, an Army veteran who served our country, and a man of quiet 
integrity, who preferred his Virginia farm to the glitz of Hollywood.
  Robert lived by a simple rule: listen, really listen. He did that as 
a resident of Fauquier County, where he was known as a great neighbor 
and environmentalist, who supported so many causes in our community.
  In Winchester, he supported a children's home, often visiting the 
kids with gifts, like gingerbread houses during the holidays.
  As Robert once said: ``Yesterday is gone, and we can't get it back.'' 
While we cannot get him back, we are left with an incredible legacy 
that he leaves behind in our community and around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I extend my condolences to all of his family. May he 
rest in peace, and may his legacy in Hollywood and in our community 
continue to inspire.


               honoring the life of witold ``vic'' brick

  Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible 
life of Witold ``Vic'' Brick, a local veteran in Loudoun County who 
fought with the Allies in World War II.
  Vic passed away last week at the age of 103. He was born in Warsaw in 
1923, and he graduated from school in 1943.
  After experiencing the worsening conditions under German occupation, 
Vic joined the Polish underground movement, the AK.
  The AK was the primary Polish resistance of the Germans in World War 
II, tasked with sabotaging German military efforts. He was part of an 
uprising that lasted 63 days until it was captured. Vic was amazingly 
able to survive this and was liberated by General Patton.
  Vic didn't stop his service there. After being rescued, he joined the 
Polish 2nd Corps, part of the British Eighth under the command of 
General Alexander, who served bravely until the end of the war.
  It was Congress that allowed Vic and 10,000 other Polish servicemen 
living in England to immigrate to the United States.
  Vic considered himself lucky in an unlucky situation and remained 
forever grateful for the opportunities he was given as an American 
citizen.
  Vic was a valued part of our community in Loudoun County. We were 
proud to have him and lucky to hear his stories about all the years 
that he served, as well as the years after that.
  Vic is survived by his children, George, Kay, and Michelle, and his 
nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
  May Witold ``Vic'' Brick rest in peace and his bravery inspire others 
to do the right thing, even when the odds are against you.


                 va disability benefits determinations

  Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in response to the recent 
interim rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs that would change 
how disability benefits are determined for our veterans.
  Under this rule, disability ratings would be based not on the 
underlying condition, but on how a veteran presents after medication.
  If you have severe PTSD and take medication for it, your benefits 
will be evaluated not based on your underlying PTSD but based on your 
condition after taking the medication at the time you are being 
evaluated.
  Remember, these medications wear off. Maybe you seem fine right now 
after taking your medication during your evaluation, but then the 
medication doesn't work later on or loses its effectiveness over time. 
You are still judged based on the time you were evaluated.
  We are creating a system here that is destined to fail our veterans. 
We are even incentivizing them not to take their medication if they 
want to receive full benefits.
  Thankfully, because of public backlash, the VA has said that it will 
not enforce this rule right now. However, the rule is still in place, 
and it can be enforced at any time.
  Veterans relying on these lifesaving medications every day are still 
left in limbo, not only for their mental health but for their chronic 
pain, traumatic brain injuries, seizures, heart disease, diabetes, and 
all the other ailments that they have suffered as a result of their 
service.
  These medications do not cure disabilities. They help veterans 
function despite them.
  It makes no sense, and it is wrong for a veteran's benefits to be 
dependent on how well their medication is working during the time of 
evaluation. We must eliminate this rule once and for all.

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