[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14592-14605]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               VETERANS BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1999

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2280) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a cost-
of-living adjustment in rates of compensation paid for service-
connected disabilities, to enhance the compensation, memorial affairs, 
and housing programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to improve 
retirement authorities applicable to judges of the United States Court 
of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2280

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans 
     Benefits Improvement Act of 1999''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. References to title 38, United States Code.

                         TITLE I--COMPENSATION

Sec. 101. Increase in rates of disability compensation and dependency 
              and indemnity compensation.
Sec. 102. Presumption that bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma is service-
              connected.
Sec. 103. Dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses 
              of former prisoners of war.
Sec. 104. Reinstatement of certain benefits for remarried surviving 
              spouses of veterans upon termination of their remarriage.

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

            Subtitle A--American Battle Monuments Commission

Sec. 201. Codification and expansion of authority for World War II 
              Memorial.
Sec. 202. General authority to solicit and receive contributions.
Sec. 203. Intellectual property and related items.
Sec. 204. Technical amendments.

                    Subtitle B--National Cemeteries

Sec. 211. Establishment of additional national cemeteries.
Sec. 212. Independent study on improvements to veterans' cemeteries.

                           TITLE III--HOUSING

Sec. 301. Permanent eligibility for housing loans for former members of 
              the Selected Reserve.
Sec. 302. Homeless veterans' reintegration programs.
Sec. 303. Transitional housing loan guarantee program technical 
              amendment.

             TITLE IV--COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS

Sec. 401. Authority to prescribe rules and regulations.
Sec. 402. Recall of retired judges.
Sec. 403. Calculation of years of service as a judge.
Sec. 404. Judges' retired pay.
Sec. 405. Survivor annuities.
Sec. 406. Limitation on activities of retired judges.

[[Page 14593]]

Sec. 407. Early retirement authority for current judges in order to 
              provide for staggered terms of judges.

                         TITLE V--OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 501. Repeal of certain sunset provisions.
Sec. 502. Enhanced quality assurance program within the Veterans 
              Benefits Administration.
Sec. 503. Extension of Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.
Sec. 504. Codification of recurring provisions in annual Department of 
              Veterans Affairs Appropriations Acts.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.

       Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this 
     Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
     amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the 
     reference shall be considered to be made to a section or 
     other provision of title 38, United States Code.

                         TITLE I--COMPENSATION

     SEC. 101. INCREASE IN RATES OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION AND 
                   DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.

       (a) Rate Adjustment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall, effective on December 1, 1999, increase the dollar 
     amounts in effect for the payment of disability compensation 
     and dependency and indemnity compensation by the Secretary, 
     as specified in subsection (b).
       (b) Amounts To Be Increased.--The dollar amounts to be 
     increased pursuant to subsection (a) are the following:
       (1) Compensation.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect 
     under section 1114 of title 38, United States Code.
       (2) Additional compensation for dependents.--Each of the 
     dollar amounts in effect under sections 1115(1) of such 
     title.
       (3) Clothing allowance.--The dollar amount in effect under 
     section 1162 of such title.
       (4) New dic rates.--The dollar amounts in effect under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1311(a) of such title.
       (5) Old dic rates.--Each of the dollar amounts in effect 
     under section 1311(a)(3) of such title.
       (6) Additional dic for surviving spouses with minor 
     children.--The dollar amount in effect under section 1311(b) 
     of such title.
       (7) Additional dic for disability.--The dollar amounts in 
     effect under sections 1311(c) and 1311(d) of such title.
       (8) DIC for dependent children.--The dollar amounts in 
     effect under sections 1313(a) and 1314 of such title.
       (c) Determination of Increase.--(1) The increase under 
     subsection (a) shall be made in the dollar amounts specified 
     in subsection (b) as in effect on November 30, 1999.
       (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), each such amount 
     shall be increased by the same percentage as the percentage 
     by which benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased effective 
     December 1, 1999, as a result of a determination under 
     section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
       (3) Each dollar amount increased pursuant to paragraph (2) 
     shall, if not a whole dollar amount, be rounded down to the 
     next lower whole dollar amount.
       (d) Special Rule.--The Secretary may adjust 
     administratively, consistent with the increases made under 
     subsection (a), the rates of disability compensation payable 
     to persons within the purview of section 10 of Public Law 85-
     857 (72 Stat. 1263) who are not in receipt of compensation 
     payable pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United States 
     Code.
       (e) Publication of Adjusted Rates.--At the same time as the 
     matters specified in section 215(i)(2)(D) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)(D)) are required to be 
     published by reason of a determination made under section 
     215(i) of such Act during fiscal year 1999, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall publish in the Federal Register the 
     amounts specified in subsection (b), as increased pursuant to 
     this section.

     SEC. 102. PRESUMPTION THAT BRONCHIOLO-ALVEOLAR CARCINOMA IS 
                   SERVICE-CONNECTED.

       Section 1112(c)(2) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subparagraph:
       ``(P) Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma.''.

     SEC. 103. DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SURVIVING 
                   SPOUSES OF FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR.

       (a) Eligibility.--Section 1318(b) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``that either--'' in the matter preceding 
     paragraph (1) and inserting ``rated totally disabling if--''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) the veteran was a former prisoner of war who died 
     after September 30, 1999, and who had been diagnosed as 
     having one of the diseases specified in section 1112(b) of 
     this title.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Such section is further 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by inserting ``the disability'' after ``(1)''; and
       (B) by striking ``or'' after ``death;''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``if so rated for a lesser period, was so 
     rated continuously'' and inserting ``the disability was 
     continuously rated totally disabling''; and
       (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     or''.

     SEC. 104. REINSTATEMENT OF CERTAIN BENEFITS FOR REMARRIED 
                   SURVIVING SPOUSES OF VETERANS UPON TERMINATION 
                   OF THEIR REMARRIAGE.

       (a) Restoration of Prior Eligibility.--Section 103(d) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(d)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran 
     shall not bar the furnishing of benefits specified in 
     paragraph (5) to such person as the surviving spouse of the 
     veteran if the remarriage has been terminated by death or 
     divorce unless the Secretary determines that the divorce was 
     secured through fraud or collusion.
       ``(3) If the surviving spouse of a veteran ceases living 
     with another person and holding himself or herself out openly 
     to the public as that person's spouse, the bar to granting 
     that person benefits as the surviving spouse of the veteran 
     shall not apply in the case of the benefits specified in 
     paragraph (5).
       ``(4) The first month of eligibility for benefits for a 
     surviving spouse by reason of this subsection shall be the 
     month after--
       ``(A) the month of the termination of such remarriage, in 
     the case of a surviving spouse described in paragraph (2); or
       ``(B) the month of the cessation described in paragraph 
     (3), in the case of a surviving spouse described in that 
     paragraph.
       ``(5) Paragraphs (2) and (3) apply with respect to benefits 
     under the following provisions of this title:
       ``(A) Section 1311, relating to dependency and indemnity 
     compensation.
       ``(B) Section 1713, relating to medical care for survivors 
     and dependents of certain veterans.
       ``(C) Chapter 35, relating to educational assistance.
       ``(D) Chapter 37, relating to housing loans.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1311 is amended by 
     striking subsection (e).
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) 
     and (b) shall take effect on the first day of the first month 
     beginning after the month in which this Act is enacted or 
     October 1, 1999, whichever is later.
       (d) Limitation.--No payment may be made to a person by 
     reason of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 103(d) of title 
     38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), for any 
     period before the effective date specified in subsection (c).

                       TITLE II--MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

            Subtitle A--American Battle Monuments Commission

     SEC. 201. CODIFICATION AND EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY FOR WORLD 
                   WAR II MEMORIAL.

       (a) Codification of Existing Authority; Expansion of 
     Authority.--(1) Chapter 21 of title 36, United States Code, 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

     ``Sec. 2113. World War II memorial in the District of 
       Columbia

       ``(a) Solicitation and Acceptance of Contributions.--
     Consistent with its authority under section 2103(e) of this 
     title, the American Battle Monuments Commission shall solicit 
     and accept contributions for the memorial authorized by 
     Public Law 103-32 (40 U.S.C. 1003 note) to be established by 
     the Commission on Federal land in the District of Columbia or 
     its environs to honor members of the Armed Forces who served 
     in World War II and to commemorate the participation of the 
     United States in that war (hereinafter in this section 
     referred to as the `World War II memorial').
       ``(b) Creation of Memorial Fund.--(1) There is hereby 
     created in the Treasury a fund for the World War II memorial. 
     The fund shall consist of the following:
       ``(A) Amounts deposited, and interest and proceeds 
     credited, under paragraph (2).
       ``(B) Obligations obtained under paragraph (3).
       ``(C) The amount of surcharges paid to the Commission for 
     the World War II memorial under the World War II 50th 
     Anniversary Commemorative Coins Act (31 U.S.C. 5112 note).
       ``(D) Amounts borrowed using the authority provided under 
     subsection (d).
       ``(E) Any funds received by the Commission under section 
     2114 of this title in exchange for use of, or the right to 
     use, any mark, copyright or patent.
       ``(2) The Chairman of the Commission shall deposit in the 
     fund the amounts accepted as contributions under subsection 
     (a). The Secretary of the Treasury shall credit to the fund 
     the interest on, and the proceeds from sale or redemption of, 
     obligations held in the fund.
       ``(3) The Secretary shall invest any portion of the fund 
     that, as determined by the Chairman, is not required to meet 
     current expenses. Each investment shall be made in an 
     interest-bearing obligation of the United States or an 
     obligation guaranteed as to principal and interest by the 
     United States that the Chairman determines has a maturity 
     suitable for the fund.
       ``(c) Use of Fund.--The fund shall be available to the 
     Commission--

[[Page 14594]]

       ``(1) for the expenses of establishing the World War II 
     memorial, including the maintenance and preservation amount 
     provided for in section 8(b) of the Commemorative Works Act 
     (40 U.S.C. 1008(b));
       ``(2) for such other expenses, other than routine 
     maintenance, with respect to the World War II memorial as the 
     Commission considers warranted; and
       ``(3) to secure, obtain, register, enforce, protect, and 
     license any mark, copyright or patent that is owned by, 
     assigned to, or licensed to the Commission under section 2114 
     of this title to aid or facilitate the construction of the 
     World War II memorial.
       ``(d) Special Borrowing Authority.--(1) To assure that 
     groundbreaking, construction, and dedication of the World War 
     II memorial are carried out on a timely basis, the Commission 
     may borrow money from the Treasury of the United States in 
     such amounts as the Commission considers necessary, but not 
     to exceed a total of $65,000,000. Borrowed amounts shall bear 
     interest at a rate determined by the Secretary of the 
     Treasury, taking into consideration the average market yield 
     on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of 
     comparable maturities during the month preceding the month in 
     which the obligations of the Commission are issued. The 
     interest payments on such obligations may be deferred with 
     the approval of the Secretary, but any interest payment so 
     deferred shall also bear interest.
       ``(2) The borrowing of money by the Commission under 
     paragraph (1) shall be subject to such maturities, terms, and 
     conditions as may be agreed upon by the Commission and the 
     Secretary, except that the maturities may not exceed 20 years 
     and such borrowings may be redeemable at the option of the 
     Commission before maturity.
       ``(3) The obligations of the Commission shall be issued in 
     amounts and at prices approved by the Secretary. The 
     authority of the Commission to issue obligations under this 
     subsection shall remain available without fiscal year 
     limitation. The Secretary of the Treasury shall purchase any 
     obligations of the Commission to be issued under this 
     subsection, and for such purpose the Secretary of the 
     Treasury may use as a public debt transaction of the United 
     States the proceeds from the sale of any securities issued 
     under chapter 31 of title 31. The purposes for which 
     securities may be issued under such chapter are extended to 
     include any purchase of the Commission's obligations under 
     this subsection.
       ``(4) Repayment of the interest and principal on any funds 
     borrowed by the Commission under paragraph (1) shall be made 
     from amounts in the fund. The Commission may not use for such 
     purpose any funds appropriated for any other activities of 
     the Commission.
       ``(e) Treatment of Borrowing Authority.--In determining 
     whether the Commission has sufficient funds to complete 
     construction of the World War II memorial, as required by 
     section 8 of the Commemorative Works Act (40 U.S.C. 1008), 
     the Secretary of the Interior shall consider the funds that 
     the Commission may borrow from the Treasury under subsection 
     (d) as funds available to complete construction of the 
     memorial, whether or not the Commission has actually 
     exercised the authority to borrow such funds.
       ``(f) Voluntary Services.--(1) Notwithstanding section 1342 
     of title 31, the Commission may accept from any person 
     voluntary services to be provided in furtherance of the fund-
     raising activities of the Commission relating to the World 
     War II memorial.
       ``(2) A person providing voluntary services under this 
     subsection shall be considered to be a Federal employee for 
     purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation 
     for work-related injuries, and chapter 171 of title 28, 
     relating to tort claims. A volunteer who is not otherwise 
     employed by the United States shall not be considered to be a 
     Federal employee for any other purpose by reason of the 
     provision of such voluntary service, except that any 
     volunteers given responsibility for the handling of funds or 
     the carrying out of a Federal function are subject to the 
     conflict of interest laws contained in chapter 11 of title 18 
     and the administrative standards of conduct contained in part 
     2635 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
       ``(3) The Commission may provide for reimbursement of 
     incidental expenses that are incurred by a person providing 
     voluntary services under this subsection. The Commission 
     shall determine those expenses that are eligible for 
     reimbursement under this paragraph.
       ``(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to 
     require any Federal employee to work without compensation or 
     to allow the use of volunteer services to displace or replace 
     any Federal employee.
       ``(g) Treatment of Certain Contracts.--A contract entered 
     into by the Commission for the design or construction of the 
     World War II memorial is not a funding agreement as that term 
     is defined in section 201 of title 35.
       ``(h) Extension of Authority To Establish Memorial.--
     Notwithstanding section 10 of the Commemorative Works Act (40 
     U.S.C. 1010), the authority for the construction of the World 
     War II memorial provided by Public Law 103-32 (40 U.S.C. 1003 
     note) expires on December 31, 2005.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``2113. World War II memorial in the District of Columbia.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Public Law 103-32 (40 U.S.C. 
     1003 note) is amended by striking sections 3, 4, and 5.
       (c) Effect of Repeal of Current Memorial Fund.--Upon the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
     transfer amounts in the fund created by section 4(a) of 
     Public Law 103-32 (40 U.S.C. 1003 note) to the fund created 
     by section 2113(b) of title 36, United States Code, as added 
     by subsection (a).

     SEC. 202. GENERAL AUTHORITY TO SOLICIT AND RECEIVE 
                   CONTRIBUTIONS.

       Subsection (e) of section 2103 of title 36, United States 
     Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(e) Solicitation and Receipt of Contributions.--(1) The 
     Commission may solicit and receive funds and in-kind 
     donations and gifts from any State, municipal, or private 
     source to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The 
     Commission shall deposit such funds in a separate account in 
     the Treasury. Funds from that account shall be disbursed upon 
     vouchers approved by the Chairman.
       ``(2) The Commission shall establish written guidelines 
     setting forth the criteria to be used in determining whether 
     the acceptance of funds and in-kind donations and gifts under 
     paragraph (1) would--
       ``(A) reflect unfavorably on the ability of the Commission, 
     or any member or employee of the Commission, to carry out the 
     responsibilities or official duties of the Commission in a 
     fair and objective manner; or
       ``(B) compromise the integrity or the appearance of the 
     integrity of the programs of the Commission or any official 
     involved in those programs.''.

     SEC. 203. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND RELATED ITEMS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 21 of title 36, United States 
     Code, as amended by section 201(a)(1), is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following new section:

     ``Sec. 2114. Intellectual property and related items

       ``(a) Authority to Use and Register Intellectual 
     Property.--The American Battle Monuments Commission may--
       ``(1) adopt, use, register, and license trademarks, service 
     marks, and other marks;
       ``(2) obtain, use, register, and license the use of 
     copyrights consistent with section 105 of title 17;
       ``(3) obtain, use, and license patents; and
       ``(4) accept gifts of marks, copyrights, patents and 
     licenses for use by the Commission.
       ``(b) Authority to Grant Licenses.--The Commission may 
     grant exclusive and nonexclusive licenses in connection with 
     any mark, copyright, patent, or license for the use of such 
     mark, copyright or patent, except to the extent the grant of 
     such license by the Commission would be contrary to any 
     contract or license by which the use of the mark, copyright, 
     or patent was obtained.
       ``(c) Enforcement Authority.--The Commission may enforce 
     any mark, copyright, or patent by an action in the district 
     courts under any law providing for the protection of such 
     marks, copyrights, or patents.
       ``(d) Legal Representation.--The Attorney General shall 
     furnish the Commission with legal representation as the 
     Commission may require under subsection (c). The Secretary of 
     Defense shall provide representation for the Commission in 
     administrative proceedings before the Patent and Trademark 
     Office and Copyright Office.
       ``(e) Irrevocability of Transfers of Copyrights to 
     Commission.--Section 203 of title 17 shall not apply to any 
     copyright transferred in any manner to the Commission.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter, as amended by section 201(a)(2), 
     is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
     item:

``2114. Intellectual property and related items.''.

     SEC. 204. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

       Chapter 21 of title 36, United States Code, is amended as 
     follows:
       (1) In section 2101(b)--
       (A) by striking ``title 37, United States Code,'' in 
     paragraph (2) and inserting ``title 37''; and
       (B) by striking ``title 5, United States Code,'' in 
     paragraph (3) and inserting ``title 5''.
       (2) In section 2102(a)(1), by striking ``title 5, United 
     States Code'' and inserting ``title 5''.
       (3) In section 2103--
       (A) by striking ``title 31, United States Code'' in 
     subsection (h)(2)(A)(i) and inserting ``title 31'';
       (B) by striking ``title 44, United States Code'' in 
     subsection (i) and inserting ``title 44''; and
       (C) by striking ``chairman'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``Chairman''.

                    Subtitle B--National Cemeteries

     SEC. 211. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADDITIONAL NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     establish, in accordance with chapter 24 of title 38, United 
     States Code, a national cemetery in each of the four

[[Page 14595]]

     areas in the United States that the Secretary determines to 
     be most in need of such a cemetery to serve the needs of 
     veterans and their families.
       (b) Obligation of Funds in Fiscal Year 2000.--The Secretary 
     shall obligate from the advance planning fund in the 
     Construction, Major Projects account appropriated to the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2000 such 
     amounts for costs that the Secretary estimates are required 
     for the planning and commencement of the establishment of 
     national cemeteries under this section.
       (c) Reports.--(1) Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report on the establishment of the national 
     cemeteries under subsection (a). The report shall set forth 
     the four areas identified by the Secretary for such 
     establishment, a schedule for such establishment, an estimate 
     of the costs associated with such establishment, and the 
     amount obligated from the advance planning fund under 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Not later than one year after the date on which the 
     report described in paragraph (1) is submitted to Congress, 
     and annually thereafter until the establishment of the 
     national cemeteries under subsection (a) is complete, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that updates the 
     information included in the report described in paragraph 
     (1).

     SEC. 212. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON IMPROVEMENTS TO VETERANS' 
                   CEMETERIES.

       (a) Study.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall enter into a contract with one or more qualified 
     organizations to conduct a study of national cemeteries 
     described in subsection (b). For purposes of this section, an 
     entity of Federal, State, or local government is not a 
     qualified organization.
       (b) Matters Studied.--(1) The study conducted pursuant to 
     the contract entered into under subsection (a) shall include 
     an assessment of each of the following:
       (A) The one-time repairs required at each national cemetery 
     under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery 
     Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs to 
     ensure a dignified and respectful setting appropriate to such 
     cemetery, taking into account the variety of age, climate, 
     and burial options at individual national cemeteries.
       (B) The feasibility of making standards of appearance of 
     such national cemeteries commensurate with standards of 
     appearance of the finest cemeteries in the world.
       (C) The number of additional national cemeteries that will 
     be required for the interment and memorialization in such 
     cemeteries of individuals qualified under chapter 24 of title 
     38, United States Code, who die after 2005.
       (D) Improvements to burial benefits under chapter 23 of 
     title 38, United States Code, including a proposal to 
     increase the amount of the benefit for plot allowances under 
     section 2303(b) of such title, to better serve veterans and 
     their families.
       (2) In presenting the assessment of additional national 
     cemeteries required under paragraph (1)(C), the report shall 
     identify by five-year period, beginning with 2005 and ending 
     with 2020, the following:
       (A) The number of additional national cemeteries required 
     during each such five-year period.
       (B) With respect to each such five-year period, the areas 
     in the United States with the greatest concentration of 
     veterans whose needs are not served by national cemeteries or 
     State veterans' cemeteries.
       (c) Report.--(1) Not later than one year after the date on 
     which a qualified organization enters into a contract under 
     subsection (a), the organization shall submit to the 
     Secretary a report setting forth the results of the study 
     conducted and conclusions of the organization with respect to 
     such results.
       (2) Not later than 120 days after the date on which a 
     report is submitted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
     transmit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House 
     of Representatives and the Senate a copy of such report, 
     together with any comments on the report that the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.

                           TITLE III--HOUSING

     SEC. 301. PERMANENT ELIGIBILITY FOR HOUSING LOANS FOR FORMER 
                   MEMBERS OF THE SELECTED RESERVE.

       Section 3702(a)(2)(E) is amended by striking ``For the 
     period beginning on October 28, 1992, and ending on September 
     30, 2003, each veteran'' and inserting ``Each veteran''.

     SEC. 302. HOMELESS VETERANS' REINTEGRATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 41 is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``Sec. 4111. Homeless veterans' reintegration programs

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans' Employment and 
     Training, shall conduct, directly or through grant or 
     contract, such programs as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate to expedite the reintegration of homeless 
     veterans into the labor force.
       ``(b) Authority To Monitor Expenditure of Funds.--The 
     Secretary may collect such information as the Secretary 
     considers appropriate to monitor and evaluate the 
     distribution and expenditure of funds appropriated to carry 
     out this section, and such information shall be furnished to 
     the Secretary in such form as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term 
     `homeless veteran' has the meaning given that term by section 
     3771(2) of this title.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--(1) There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
     amounts as follows:
       ``(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000.
       ``(B) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2001.
       ``(C) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.
       ``(D) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2003.
       ``(E) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
       ``(2) Funds obligated for any fiscal year to carry out this 
     section may be expended in that fiscal year and the 
     succeeding fiscal year.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``4111. Homeless veterans' reintegration programs.''.

     SEC. 303. TRANSITIONAL HOUSING LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM 
                   TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.

       Section 3775 is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``During each''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) After the first 3 years of operation of such a 
     multifamily transitional housing project, the Secretary may 
     provide for periodic audits of the project.''.

             TITLE IV--COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS

     SEC. 401. AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE RULES AND REGULATIONS.

       Section 7254 is amended by adding at the end the following 
     new subsection:
       ``(f) The Court may prescribe rules and regulations to 
     carry out this chapter.''.

     SEC. 402. RECALL OF RETIRED JUDGES.

       (a) Authority To Recall Retired Judges.--Chapter 72 is 
     amended by inserting after section 7256 the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 7257. Recall of retired judges

       ``(a)(1) A retired judge of the Court may be recalled for 
     further service on the Court in accordance with this section. 
     To be eligible to be recalled for such service, a retired 
     judge must at the time of the judge's retirement provide to 
     the chief judge of the Court (or, in the case of the chief 
     judge, to the clerk of the Court) notice in writing that the 
     retired judge is available for further service on the Court 
     in accordance with this section and is willing to be recalled 
     under this section. Such a notice provided by a retired judge 
     is irrevocable.
       ``(2) For the purposes of this section--
       ``(A) a retired judge is a judge of the Court of Veterans 
     Appeals who retires from the Court under section 7296 of this 
     title or under chapter 83 or 84 of title 5; and
       ``(B) a recall-eligible retired judge is a retired judge 
     who has provided a notice under paragraph (1).
       ``(b)(1) The chief judge may recall for further service on 
     the court a recall-eligible retired judge in accordance with 
     this section. Such a recall shall be made upon written 
     certification by the chief judge that substantial service is 
     expected to be performed by the retired judge for such 
     period, not to exceed 90 days (or the equivalent), as 
     determined by the chief judge to be necessary to meet the 
     needs of the Court.
       ``(2) A recall-eligible retired judge may not be recalled 
     for more than 90 days (or the equivalent) during any calendar 
     year without the judge's consent or for more than a total of 
     180 days (or the equivalent) during any calendar year.
       ``(3) If a recall-eligible retired judge is recalled by the 
     chief judge in accordance with this section and (other than 
     in the case of a judge who has previously during that 
     calendar year served at least 90 days (or the equivalent) of 
     recalled service on the court) declines (other than by reason 
     of disability) to perform the service to which recalled, the 
     chief judge shall remove that retired judge from the status 
     of a recall-eligible judge.
       ``(4) A recall-eligible retired judge who becomes 
     permanently disabled and as a result of that disability is 
     unable to perform further service on the court shall be 
     removed from the status of a recall-eligible judge. 
     Determination of such a disability shall be made in the same 
     manner as is applicable to judges of the United States under 
     section 371 of title 28.
       ``(c) A retired judge who is recalled under this section 
     may exercise all of the powers and duties of the office of a 
     judge in active service.
       ``(d)(1) The pay of a recall-eligible retired judge who 
     retired under section 7296 of this title is specified in 
     subsection (c) of that section.
       ``(2) A judge who is recalled under this section who 
     retired under chapter 83 or 84 of title 5 shall be paid, 
     during the period for which the judge serves in recall 
     status, pay at the rate of pay in effect under section 
     7253(e) of this title for a judge performing active service, 
     less the amount of the judge's

[[Page 14596]]

     annuity under the applicable provisions of chapter 83 or 84 
     of title 5.
       ``(e)(1) Except as provided in subsection (d), a judge who 
     is recalled under this section who retired under chapter 83 
     or 84 of title 5 shall be considered to be a reemployed 
     annuitant under that chapter.
       ``(2) Nothing in this section affects the right of a judge 
     who retired under chapter 83 or 84 of title 5 to serve as a 
     reemployed annuitant in accordance with the provisions of 
     title 5.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 7256 the following new item:

``7257. Recall of retired judges.''.

     SEC. 403. CALCULATION OF YEARS OF SERVICE AS A JUDGE.

       Section 7296(b) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new paragraph:
       ``(4) For purposes of calculating the years of service of 
     an individual under this subsection and subsection (c), only 
     those years of service as a judge of the Court shall be 
     credited. In determining the number of years of such service, 
     that portion of the aggregate number of years of such service 
     that is a fractional part of one year shall be disregarded if 
     less than 183 days and shall be credited as a full year if 
     183 days or more.''.

     SEC. 404. JUDGES' RETIRED PAY.

       (a) In General.--Subsection (c)(1) of section 7296 is 
     amended by striking ``at the rate of pay in effect at the 
     time of retirement.'' and inserting the following: ``as 
     follows:
       ``(A) In the case of a judge who is a recall-eligible 
     retired judge under section 7257 of this title or who was a 
     recall-eligible retired judge under that section and was 
     removed from recall status under subsection (b)(4) of that 
     section by reason of disability, the retired pay of the judge 
     shall be the pay of a judge of the court (or of the chief 
     judge, if the individual retired from service as chief 
     judge).
       ``(B) In the case of a judge who at the time of retirement 
     did not provide notice under section 7257 of this title of 
     availability for service in a recalled status, the retired 
     pay of the judge shall be the rate of pay applicable to that 
     judge at the time of retirement.
       ``(C) In the case of a judge who was a recall-eligible 
     retired judge under section 7257 of this title and was 
     removed from recall status under subsection (b)(3) of that 
     section, the retired pay of the judge shall be the pay of the 
     judge at the time of the removal from recall status.''.
       (b) Cost-of-Living Adjustments.--Subsection (f) of such 
     section is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3)(A) A cost-of-living adjustment provided by law in 
     annuities payable under civil service retirement laws shall 
     apply to retired pay under this section only in the case of 
     retired pay computed under paragraph (2) of subsection (c).
       ``(B)(i) If such a cost-of-living adjustment would (but for 
     this subparagraph) result in the retired pay of a retired 
     chief judge being in excess of the annual rate of pay in 
     effect for the chief judge of the court as provided in 
     section 7253(e)(1) of this title, such adjustment may be made 
     in the retired pay of that retired chief judge only in such 
     amount as results in the retired pay of the retired chief 
     judge being equal to that annual rate of pay (as in effect on 
     the effective date of such adjustment).
       ``(ii) If such a cost-of-living adjustment would (but for 
     this subparagraph) result in the retired pay of a retired 
     judge (other than a retired chief judge) being in excess of 
     the annual rate of pay in effect for judges of the court as 
     provided in section 7253(e)(2) of this title, such adjustment 
     may be made only in such amount as results in the retired pay 
     of the retired judge being equal to that annual rate of pay 
     (as in effect on the effective date of such adjustment).''.
       (c) Coordination With Military Retired Pay.--Subsection (f) 
     of such section is further amended by adding after paragraph 
     (3), as added by subsection (b), the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of section 5532 of 
     title 5, if a regular or reserve member of a uniformed 
     service who is receiving retired or retainer pay becomes a 
     judge of the court, or becomes eligible therefor while a 
     judge of the court, such retired or retainer pay shall not be 
     paid during the judge's regular active service on the court, 
     but shall be resumed or commenced without reduction upon 
     retirement as a judge.''.

     SEC. 405. SURVIVOR ANNUITIES.

       (a) Surviving Spouse.--Subsection (a)(5) of section 7297 is 
     amended by striking ``two years'' and inserting ``one year''.
       (b) Election to Participate.--Subsection (b) of such 
     section is amended in the first sentence by inserting before 
     the period ``or within six months after the date on which the 
     judge marries if the judge has retired under section 7296 of 
     this title''.
       (c) Reduction in Contributions.--Subsection (c) of such 
     section is amended by striking ``3.5 percent of the judge's 
     pay'' and inserting ``that percentage of the judge's pay that 
     is the same as provided for the deduction from the salary or 
     retirement salary of a judge of the United States Court of 
     Federal Claims for the purpose of a survivor annuity under 
     section 376(b)(1)(B) of title 28''.
       (d) Interest Payments.--Subsection (d) of such section is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(d)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) The interest required under the first sentence of 
     paragraph (1) shall not be required for any period--
       ``(A) during which a judge was separated from any service 
     described in section 376(d)(2) of title 28; and
       ``(B) during which the judge was not receiving retired pay 
     based on service as a judge or receiving any retirement 
     salary as described in section 376(d)(1) of title 28.''.
       (e) Service Eligibility.--(1) Subsection (f) of such 
     section is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
     (A)--
       (i) by striking ``at least 5 years'' and inserting ``at 
     least 18 months''; and
       (ii) by striking ``last 5 years'' and inserting ``last 18 
     months''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(5) If a judge dies as a result of an assassination and 
     leaves a survivor or survivors who are otherwise entitled to 
     receive annuity payments under this section, the 18-month 
     requirement in the matter in paragraph (1) preceding 
     subparagraph (A) shall not apply.''.
       (2) Subsection (a) of such section is further amended--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``who is in active 
     service or who has retired under section 7296 of this title'' 
     after ``Court'';
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``7296(c)'' and inserting 
     ``7296'';
       (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(8) The term `assassination' as applied to a judge shall 
     have the meaning provided that term in section 376(a)(7) of 
     title 28 as applied to a judicial official.''.
       (f) Age Requirement of Surviving Spouse.--Subsection (f) of 
     such section is further amended by striking ``or following 
     the surviving spouse's attainment of the age of 50 years, 
     whichever is the later'' in paragraph (1)(A).

     SEC. 406. LIMITATION ON ACTIVITIES OF RETIRED JUDGES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 72 is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``Sec. 7299. Limitation on activities of retired judges

       ``(a) A retired judge of the Court who is recall-eligible 
     under section 7257 of this title and who in the practice of 
     law represents (or supervises or directs the representation 
     of) a client in making any claim relating to veterans' 
     benefits against the United States or any agency thereof 
     shall, pursuant to such section, be considered to have 
     declined recall service and be removed from the status of a 
     recall-eligible judge. The pay of such a judge, pursuant to 
     section 7296 of this title, shall be the pay of the judge at 
     the time of the removal from recall status.
       ``(b) A recall-eligible judge shall be considered to be an 
     officer or employee of the United States, but only during 
     periods when the judge is serving in recall status. Any 
     prohibition, limitation, or restriction that would otherwise 
     apply to the activities of a recall-eligible judge shall 
     apply only during periods when the judge is serving in recall 
     status.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new item:

``7299. Limitation on activities of retired judges.''.

     SEC. 407. EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY FOR CURRENT JUDGES IN 
                   ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR STAGGERED TERMS OF JUDGES.

       (a) Retirement Authorized.--One eligible judge may retire 
     in accordance with this section with respect to each year 
     beginning in 1999 and ending in 2003.
       (b) Eligible Judges.--For purposes of this section, an 
     eligible judge is an associate judge of the United States 
     Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims who--
       (1) has at least 10 years of service creditable under 
     section 7296 of title 38, United States Code;
       (2) has made an election to receive retired pay under 
     section 7296 of such title;
       (3) has at least 20 years of service described in section 
     7297(l) of such title; and
       (4) is at least 55 years of age.
       (c) Multiple Eligible Judges.--If for any year specified in 
     subsection (a) more than one eligible judge provides notice 
     in accordance with subsection (d), the judge who has the 
     greatest seniority as a judge of the United States Court of 
     Appeals for Veterans Claims shall be the judge who is 
     eligible to retire in accordance with this section in that 
     year.
       (d) Notice.--An eligible judge who desires to retire in 
     accordance with this section with respect to any year covered 
     by subsection (a) shall provide to the President and the 
     chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for 
     Veterans Claims written notice to that effect not later than 
     April 1 of that year, except that in the case of an eligible 
     judge desiring to retire with respect to 1999, such notice 
     shall be provided not later than November 1, 1999, or 15 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever is 
     later. Such a notice shall specify the retirement date in 
     accordance with subsection (e).

[[Page 14597]]

     Notice provided under this subsection shall be irrevocable.
       (e) Date of Retirement.--A judge who is eligible to retire 
     in accordance with this section shall be retired during the 
     fiscal year in which notice is provided pursuant to 
     subsection (d), but not earlier than 90 days after the date 
     on which that notice is provided, except that a judge retired 
     in accordance with this section with respect to 1999 shall be 
     retired not earlier than 90 days, and not later than 150 
     days, after the date on which notice is provided pursuant to 
     subsection (d).
       (f) Applicable Provisions.--Except as provided in 
     subsection (g), a judge retired in accordance with this 
     section shall be considered for all purposes to be retired 
     under section 7296(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code.
       (g) Rate of Retired Pay.--The rate of retired pay for a 
     judge retiring in accordance with this section is--
       (1) the rate applicable to that judge under section 
     7296(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, multiplied by
       (2) the fraction (not in excess of 1) in which--
       (A) the numerator is the sum of (i) the number of years of 
     service of the judge as a judge of the United States Court of 
     Appeals for Veterans Claims creditable under section 7296 of 
     such title, and (ii) the age of the judge; and
       (B) the denominator is 80.
       (h) Adjustments in Retired Pay for Judges Available for 
     Recall.--Subject to section 7296(f)(3)(B) of title 38, United 
     States Code, an adjustment provided by law in annuities 
     payable under civil service retirement laws shall apply to 
     retired pay under this section in the case of a judge who is 
     a recall-eligible retired judge under section 7257 of such 
     title, or who was a recall-eligible retired judge under that 
     section and was removed from recall status under subsection 
     (b)(4) of that section by reason of disability.
       (i) Duty of Actuary.--Section 7298(e)(2) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
     and
       (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) For purposes of subparagraph (B), the term `present 
     value' includes a value determined by an actuary with respect 
     to a payment that may be made under subsection (b) from the 
     retirement fund within the contemplation of law.''.

                         TITLE V--OTHER MATTERS

     SEC. 501. REPEAL OF CERTAIN SUNSET PROVISIONS.

       (a) Enhanced Loan Asset Sale Authority.--Section 3720(h) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``(1)'' after ``(h)''; and
       (2) by striking paragraph (2).
       (b) Procedures Applicable to Liquidation Sales on Defaulted 
     Home Loans.--Section 3732(c) is amended by striking paragraph 
     (11).
       (c) Income Verification Authority.--Section 5317(g) is 
     repealed.

     SEC. 502. ENHANCED QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM WITHIN THE 
                   VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 77 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new subchapter:

                  ``SUBCHAPTER III--QUALITY ASSURANCE

     ``Sec. 7731. Establishment

       ``(a) The Secretary shall carry out a quality assurance 
     program in the Veterans Benefits Administration. The program 
     may be carried out through a single quality assurance 
     division in the Administration or through separate quality 
     assurance entities for each of the principal organizational 
     elements (known as `services') of the Administration.
       ``(b) The Secretary shall ensure that any quality assurance 
     entity established and operated under subsection (a) is 
     established and operated so as to meet generally applicable 
     governmental standards for independence and internal controls 
     for the performance of quality reviews of Government 
     performance and results.

     ``Sec. 7732. Functions

       ``The Under Secretary for Benefits, acting through the 
     quality assurance entities established under section 7731(a), 
     shall on an ongoing basis perform and oversee quality reviews 
     of the functions of each of the principal organizational 
     elements of the Veterans Benefits Administration.

     ``Sec. 7733. Personnel

       ``The Secretary shall ensure that the number of full-time 
     employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration assigned to 
     quality assurance functions under this subchapter is adequate 
     to perform the quality assurance functions for which they 
     have responsibility.

     ``Sec. 7734. Annual report to Congress

       ``The Secretary shall include in the annual report to the 
     Congress required by section 529 of this title a report on 
     the quality assurance activities carried out under this 
     subchapter. Each such report shall include--
       ``(1) an appraisal of the quality of services provided by 
     the Veterans Benefits Administration, including--
       ``(A) the number of decisions reviewed;
       ``(B) a summary of the findings on the decisions reviewed;
       ``(C) the number of full-time equivalent employees assigned 
     to quality assurance in each division or entity;
       ``(D) specific documentation of compliance with the 
     standards for independence and internal control required by 
     section 7731(b) of this title; and
       ``(E) actions taken to improve the quality of services 
     provided and the results obtained;
       ``(2) information with respect to the accuracy of 
     decisions, including trends in that information; and
       ``(3) such other information as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new items:

                  ``SUBCHAPTER III--QUALITY ASSURANCE

``7731. Establishment.
``7732. Functions.
``7733. Personnel.
``7734. Annual report to Congress.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--Subchapter III of chapter 77 of title 
     38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall 
     take effect on the later of October 1, 1999, or at the end of 
     the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.

     SEC. 503. EXTENSION OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MINORITY 
                   VETERANS.

       Section 544(e) is amended by striking ``December 31, 1999'' 
     and inserting ``December 31, 2004''.

     SEC. 504. CODIFICATION OF RECURRING PROVISIONS IN ANNUAL 
                   DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS 
                   ACTS.

       (a) Codification of Recurring Provisions.--(1) Section 313 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsections:
       ``(c) Compensation and Pension.--Funds appropriated for 
     Compensation and Pensions are available for the following 
     purposes:
       ``(1) The payment of compensation benefits to or on behalf 
     of veterans as authorized by section 107 and chapters 11, 13, 
     51, 53, 55, and 61 of this title.
       ``(2) Pension benefits to or on behalf of veterans as 
     authorized by chapters 15, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of this title 
     and section 306 of the Veterans' and Survivors' Pension 
     Improvement Act of 1978.
       ``(3) The payment of benefits as authorized under chapter 
     18 of this title.
       ``(4) Burial benefits, emergency and other officers' 
     retirement pay, adjusted-service credits and certificates, 
     payments of premiums due on commercial life insurance 
     policies guaranteed under the provisions of article IV of the 
     Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 (50 U.S.C. 
     App. 540 et seq.), and other benefits as authorized by 
     sections 107, 1312, 1977, and 2106 and chapters 23, 51, 53, 
     55, and 61 of this title and the World War Adjusted 
     Compensation Act (43 Stat. 122, 123), the Act of May 24, 1928 
     (Public Law No. 506 of the 70th Congress; 45 Stat. 735), and 
     Public Law 87-875 (76 Stat. 1198).
       ``(d) Medical Care.--Funds appropriated for Medical Care 
     are available for the following purposes:
       ``(1) The maintenance and operation of hospitals, nursing 
     homes, and domiciliary facilities.
       ``(2) Furnishing, as authorized by law, inpatient and 
     outpatient care and treatment to beneficiaries of the 
     Department, including care and treatment in facilities not 
     under the jurisdiction of the Department.
       ``(3) Furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and 
     equipment.
       ``(4) Funeral and burial expenses and other expenses 
     incidental to funeral and burial expenses for beneficiaries 
     receiving care from the Department.
       ``(5) Administrative expenses in support of planning, 
     design, project management, real property acquisition and 
     disposition, construction, and renovation of any facility 
     under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department.
       ``(6) Oversight, engineering, and architectural activities 
     not charged to project cost.
       ``(7) Repairing, altering, improving, or providing 
     facilities in the medical facilities and homes under the 
     jurisdiction of the Department, not otherwise provided for, 
     either by contact or by the hire of temporary employees and 
     purchase of materials.
       ``(8) Uniforms or uniform allowances, as authorized by 
     sections 5901 and 5902 of title 5.
       ``(9) Aid to State homes, as authorized by section 1741 of 
     this title.
       ``(10) Administrative and legal expenses of the Department 
     for collecting and recovering amounts owed the Department as 
     authorized under chapter 17 of this title and Public Law 87-
     693, popularly known as the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.).
       ``(e) Medical Administration and Miscellaneous Operating 
     Expenses.--Funds appropriated for Medical Administration and 
     Miscellaneous Operating Expenses are available for the 
     following purposes:
       ``(1) The administration of medical, hospital, nursing 
     home, domiciliary, construction, supply, and research 
     activities authorized by law.
       ``(2) Administrative expenses in support of planning, 
     design, project management, architectural work, engineering, 
     real property acquisition and disposition, construction, and 
     renovation of any facility under the jurisdiction or for the 
     use of the Department, including site acquisition.
       ``(3) Engineering and architectural activities not charged 
     to project costs.

[[Page 14598]]

       ``(4) Research and development in building construction 
     technology.
       ``(f) General Operating Expenses.--Funds appropriated for 
     General Operating Expenses are available for the following 
     purposes:
       ``(1) Uniforms or allowances therefor.
       ``(2) Hire of passenger motor vehicles.
       ``(3) Reimbursement of the General Services Administration 
     for security guard services.
       ``(4) Reimbursement of the Department of Defense for the 
     cost of overseas employee mail.
       ``(5) Administration of the Service Members Occupational 
     Conversion and Training Act of 1992 (10 U.S.C. 1143 note).
       ``(g) Construction.--Funds appropriated for Construction, 
     Major Projects, and for Construction, Minor Projects, are 
     available, with respect to a project, for the following 
     purposes:
       ``(1) Planning.
       ``(2) Architectural and engineering services.
       ``(3) Maintenance or guarantee period services costs 
     associated with equipment guarantees provided under the 
     project.
       ``(4) Services of claims analysts.
       ``(5) Offsite utility and storm drainage system 
     construction costs.
       ``(6) Site acquisition.
       ``(h) Construction, Minor Projects.--In addition to the 
     purposes specified in subsection (g), funds appropriated for 
     Construction, Minor Projects, are available for--
       ``(1) repairs to any of the nonmedical facilities under the 
     jurisdiction or for the use of the Department which are 
     necessary because of loss or damage caused by a natural 
     disaster or catastrophe; and
       ``(2) temporary measures necessary to prevent or to 
     minimize further loss by such causes.''.
       (2)(A) Chapter 1 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 116. Definition of cost of direct and guaranteed loans

       ``For the purpose of any provision of law appropriating 
     funds to the Department for the cost of direct or guaranteed 
     loans, the cost of any such loan, including the cost of 
     modifying any such loan, shall be as defined in section 502 
     of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 661a).''.
       (B) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``116. Definition of cost of direct and guaranteed loans.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--Subsections (c) through (h) of section 
     313 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
     (a)(1), and section 116 of such title, as added by subsection 
     (a)(2), shall take effect with respect to funds appropriated 
     for fiscal year 2001.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2280.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2280, the Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 1999, 
is an important bill that is strongly supported by veterans and their 
service organizations. It contains a list of provisions affecting many 
benefit categories, including the cost of living adjustment for 
veterans receiving disability compensation and their surviving family 
members, improvements in the benefits for surviving spouses of former 
prisoners of war and others receiving dependency and indemnity 
compensation, and a significant increase in the authorization for the 
Veterans Homeless Reintegration Program at the Department of Labor.
  The bill also makes home loan eligibility for members of the National 
Guard and Reserve components permanent, as well as requiring the VA to 
begin planning for four new national cemeteries.
  Additionally, H.R. 2280 helps assure that ground breaking for the 
World War II memorial can take place on Veterans' Day next year by 
expanding the fund-raising authorities of the American Battle Monuments 
Commission. Mr. Speaker, we must complete this World War II memorial as 
quickly as possible. For those who have not made a contribution to this 
very worthy project, I would urge them to do so.
  Veterans of World War II are passing on at the astonishing rate of 
1,000 a day. We must not allow any further unnecessary delay in the 
memorial's construction schedule. Without this legislation, another 
half a million veterans could pass away before construction even begins 
on our national tribute to their heroic deeds. It has already taken 
longer to get the memorial project from inception to ground breaking 
than it did to win the war. I urge my colleagues to support the passage 
of 2280 as amended, and reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, as amended. I 
want to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) for his leadership 
on this important piece of legislation and for his continuing efforts 
on behalf of this country's veterans. I also want to thank the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), the chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Benefits, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) the ranking 
Democratic member of the subcommittee, for their hard work in crafting 
this important legislation.
  The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1999 is an excellent bill, 
providing improvements to a number of veterans benefit programs. I am 
very pleased some of the provisions in this bill are based on measures 
that I authored and introduced. H.R. 2280 is yet another example of our 
ability to work together in a bipartisan fashion to improve the lives 
of America's veterans and their families. It deserves the support of 
every member of this body. I urge my colleagues to vote for this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, as amended.
  I thank the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Stump, for his leadership on 
this important legislation and for his continuing efforts on behalf of 
the Nation's veterans.
  I also thank the gentleman from New York, Mr. Quinn, the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Benefits, and the gentleman from California Mr. 
Filner, the ranking Democratic member of the subcommittee, for their 
hard work in crafting this important legislation.
  H.R. 2880, the Veterans Benefits Improvements Act of 1999, provides 
improvements to a number of veterans benefit programs. In addition, it 
supports the timely construction of the World War II Memorial which 
will recognize the contributions made by all Americans to the war 
effort. This measure is deserving of the support of every member of 
this body.
  I am pleased several of the provisions in this bill are based on 
measures I authored and introduced.
  Section 104 of H.R. 2280 is taken from H.R. 708. It will restore 
eligibility for CHAMP-VA medical care, education benefits and home loan 
assistance to remarried surviving spouses who lost eligibility for 
these benefits upon remarriage and whose subsequent marriage has ended. 
During the 105th Congress, legislation was enacted allowing for 
reinstatement of eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation 
(DIC) cash benefits after termination of the remarriage. The present 
measure completes the restoration of eligibility for all VA benefits to 
surviving spouses if the subsequent marriage is ended.
  I am very pleased that section 211 of H.R. 2280 includes the 
provisions of my bill, H.R. 1476, the National Cemetery Act of 1999. 
This section would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish four new national cemeteries, each of which would be 
established in an area of the country, determined by the Secretary, to 
be most in need of cemetery space to serve veterans and their families. 
Although VA statistics show that the demand for burial benefits will 
increase sharply in the near future, with interments increasing 42% 
from 1995 to 2010, the Administration's FY 2000 VA budget proposal did 
not include funding for additional national cemeteries. Unless new 
cemeteries are established soon, however, VA will not be able to meet 
the need for burial services for veterans in several metropolitan areas 
of the country. In response to this situation, I introduced H.R. 1476.
  Section 301 includes the provisions of my bill, H.R. 1603, the 
Selected Reserve Housing Loan Fairness Act of 1999. This section would 
provide for permanent eligibility for veterans' housing loans for 
members of the Selected Reserve who complete six years of service. Last 
year, Public Law 105-368 extended Guard and Reserve eligibility for VA 
housing loans, which was to expire this year, through fiscal year 2003.

[[Page 14599]]

  The Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States 
pointed out, however, that this benefit cannot be used as a recruiting 
incentive because recruits must serve in the Selected Reserve for 6 
years before they may participate in the VA housing loan program. Under 
current law, a recruit enlisting today will not be eligible for a VA 
loan before the authority for the loan expires. H.R. 1603, by making 
the home loan eligibility permanent, will give the Selected Reserve the 
incentive they need to recruit ``the best and the brightest.''
  Section 502 of H.R. 2280 is drawn from H.R. 1214 which I introduced 
to assure that the Veterans Benefits Administration's (VBA) internal 
quality assurance activities meet the recognized appropriate 
governmental standards for independence and internal control. This 
measure requires VBA to have a quality assurance program which comports 
with generally accepted government standards for performance audits.
  Because of the fundamental importance of accurate and effective 
claims processing and adjudication by VA regional offices, and the need 
for effective oversight of regional office claims processing and 
adjudication by the Veterans' Benefits Administration (VBA), in July of 
1997, I requested the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to review the 
quality assurance policies and practices of the VBA. On March 1, 1999, 
GAO issued its report which determined that further improvement is 
needed in claims-processing accuracy. In particular, GAO determined 
that VBA's quality assurance activities do not meet the standards for 
independence and internal control.
  While VBA has made some improvements by developing an accuracy 
measurement which focuses on VA's core benefit work--rating claims for 
benefits--further improvements are needed in claims processing. In 
fiscal year 2000, the VA will pay over $22 billion in monetary benefits 
to veterans. Without a mandated program of quality assurance, which 
meets generally accepted governmental auditing standards for program 
performance audits, impartial and independent oversight of the quality 
of claims adjudication decisions will not be assured.
  With the establishment of independent oversight of the quality of 
claims adjudication decisions, veterans can have more confidence in the 
decisions made by VA and the number of claims which are remanded 
because of the poor quality of claims adjudication will be reduced. 
With better initial decisions and fewer remands for re-adjudication, 
veterans will receive a quicker and a more accurate response. More 
claims will be adjudicated correctly the first time. This will not 
occur overnight, but without an independent oversight of the quality of 
claims adjudication decisions it may never exist.
  H.R. 2280 is yet another example of our ability to work together in a 
bipartisan fashion to improve the lives of our Nation's veterans and 
their families. I strongly support all provisions of H.R. 2280 and urge 
my colleagues to approve this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), the chairman of the Subcommittee 
on Benefits.
  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today also in support of H.R. 2280, 
the bipartisan Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. The bill 
provides a cost of living adjustment for disability compensation, 
dependency and indemnity compensation, and other related benefits. The 
adjustment is computed using the same percentage increase as given to 
all other Social Security recipients.
  In addition, the bill makes a number of needed improvements to 
programs serving veterans, some of which we want to highlight briefly 
today during the time we have on the floor.
  With respect to burial needs of veterans, in addition to directing 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish four badly needed new 
national cemeteries, the bill would require the Secretary to contract 
for an independent, comprehensive assessment of VA national cemeteries, 
including the number of cemeteries that will be needed through the year 
2020.
  The bill would also authorize the American Battle Monuments 
Commission to borrow money from the Department of Treasury in order to 
begin construction of the monument that the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Stump) just spoke about. It is time to remind the American people as 
well as all the veterans who served the country that they have raised 
over $57 million already for this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, to me World War II veterans and their generation, as Tom 
Brokaw has said, is, in fact, the greatest generation. One of the 
greatest forms of thanks America can give to those veterans would be to 
build their memorial and to build it now.
  In other areas, H.R. 2280 would permanently extend the Home Loan 
Program to former members of the Selected Reserve and aggressively 
authorize appropriations to the Department of Labor for the Homeless 
Veterans Reintegration Program. More specifically here, Mr. Speaker, we 
remind all Americans and Members of the House that of all the homeless 
people in this country, fully one-third, almost 33 percent of those 
homeless people on our streets, are veterans of wars for our country.
  H.R. 2280 aims to help many of our almost 300,000 homeless veterans 
find jobs by authorizing a 5-year increase in the Labor Department 
funding for this competitively bid, nationwide community-based 
employment program. It would double the current authorization for all 
such programs to $10 million in fiscal year 2000, and increase that 
amount by $5 million per year, until it finally tops out at $30 million 
in fiscal year 2004. I know of no group that wants to break the cycle 
of homelessness more than those who have worn the uniform of our 
country.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2280 would make improvements to the 
retirement and survivor annuity programs at the Court of Appeals for 
veterans claims. This is where our veterans see their claims and their 
questions about their benefits adjudicated. Our intent here is to 
encourage staggered retirements since five of the remaining six 
original appointees will be eligible for retirement within one 11 month 
period beginning in 2004, and we would like to try to make personnel 
policy affecting the judges of this court more consistent with those of 
other Federal judges. These provisions passed the House, of course, 
last year, but because the Senate did not concur and act, they did not 
become law.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe and others believe that this is a very timely 
bill and benefits many veterans. H.R. 2280 is the result of a lot of 
hard work in a bipartisan fashion, for which I thank the members of the 
full committee, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), but I also want to 
specifically thank the members of our subcommittee.
  First of all, the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), the ranking 
member of the subcommittee, as well as the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Hayworth), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood), the gentleman from 
Utah (Mr. Hansen), the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. 
Berkley), all members of the subcommittee and hard workers when it 
comes to our job. I appreciate and recognize those unique contributions 
of all of our Members and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2280.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner)
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, as ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Benefits, I 
rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, the Veterans Benefits Improvement 
Act of 1999. As the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), the chairman 
of the subcommittee just indicated, we worked closely together on 
development of this measure, which includes provisions of bills 
introduced by Members from both sides of the aisle. This is the way the 
legislative process ought to work, and the real winners are America's 
veterans.
  The bill, as amended, includes many important provisions. Under this 
measure, the national cemetery system would be expanded and much needed 
burial space provided. Construction of the World War II memorial, as we 
have heard, would be expedited and certain

[[Page 14600]]

members of the Selected Reserve would be permanently eligible for VA 
home loans.

                              {time}  1430

  I am particularly pleased that the legislation reauthorizes and 
increases funding for the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program. 
Although this provision does not increase the program funding as much 
or as quickly as it would under the bill I introduced, H.R. 1484, it is 
a very, very satisfactory compromise.
  The graduated funding increase included in this bill will enable the 
Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service to 
effectively administer the program, and the increased funding will give 
thousands of homeless veterans the assistance they need to reenter 
employment.
  Let me also take a minute to thank the chairman of the Committee on 
Small Business, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), and the 
ranking Democrat on that committee, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. 
Velazquez), for bringing a later bill on the floor today, H.R. 1568, 
the Veterans' Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 
1999. The gentleman from Missouri has worked hard to craft this 
excellent bill, which is similar to H.R. 366, the Veterans' 
Entrepreneurship and Promotion Act, which I have introduced in the last 
two Congresses. H.R. 1568, which we will consider later, deserves the 
full support of all Members of our House.
  In closing, the bill under consideration, H.R. 2280, is an excellent 
bill that will enhance the lives of millions and millions of veterans 
and their families. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the 
Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), a very valuable member of the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my committee chairman and the dean 
of our delegation from Arizona for yielding me this time; and, indeed, 
as I see him manage the time on our side of the aisle, I cannot help 
but note his record of service not only in this institution but in 
wearing the uniform of this country. He is far too modest and self-
effacing to speak of his war record. There was a job to be done and, as 
a younger man, he stepped forward to do it.
  But, Mr. Speaker, our chairman bears living witness to the sacrifice 
of so many comrades in arms who fought in history's largest war and, 
indeed, in our greatest struggle to preserve our constitutional 
republic. And for those veterans and for those of us whom history has 
not called upon to sacrifice, this legislation provides a suitable, 
common-sense way to fund and expedite construction of a monument to 
remember all veterans of World War II.
  It is perhaps a comment on Washington, Mr. Speaker, that, as our 
chairman very capably pointed out in passing, it has taken longer to 
get to this point in terms of funding this wonderfully proposed 
monument than it took for us to fight and win that war. Washington, Mr. 
Speaker, it seems, has a marvelous way of complicating matters. We can 
step into the elevator here that brings us to the floor and see 16 
rules for House elevator operators. That, Mr. Speaker, when the Lord 
our God only gave us Ten Commandments to follow.
  So again we are trying to cut through what that wonderful acronym of 
that war brought us, a snafu. I will not elaborate any further, Mr. 
Speaker, noting the decorum of this floor, and move to get this 
monument in fact created and realized.
  But there is something else we should realize. No matter the 
conflict, no matter the time when men and women have worn the uniform 
of our country, this legislation also provides a much-needed cost of 
living adjustment for those veterans who have a service-related 
disability, for those veterans who depend on those benefits. Indeed, as 
our Constitution points out in its beautiful preamble, we are to 
provide for the common defense. But with this legislation, a common-
sense, well-crafted, bipartisan piece of work, we help to provide for 
those who have provided for our common defense.
  I would ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2280 as amended.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Indiana (Ms. Carson).
  Ms. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, when we were in school we would often sing, 
``My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land 
where our fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride,'' and that is very 
appropriate, I believe, for the consideration of H.R. 2280, the 
Veterans' Benefit Improvement Act of 1999.
  I am very happy to be a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
under the premier leadership of the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) 
and certainly the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Evans), when they deliberated on this piece of legislation, even though 
it does not include everything that we would like to see in behalf of 
our veterans. We have sat there and saw that veterans' programs have 
been the bank that we have been able to draw from to fund other 
programs, a bank capitalized with worthless currency and of broken 
promises. This country promised our veterans certain things when they 
offered themselves, their sacrifice, their families, to preserve the 
freedom across this land.
  So we have taken up the duty of looking after the needs of our 
veterans. We must also realize that we have an even more important duty 
that involves teaching and preaching to make the whole Nation 
understand all that we owe to our veterans.
  I am very happy to suggest items that have already been mentioned 
here today: The cost of living adjustment estimated to be 2.4 percent 
to the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-
connected disabilities; the expansion of the fund-raising authorities 
of the American Battle Monuments Commission to expedite the 
establishment of the World War II memorial in our Nation's capital.
  And I might mention that one of our premier actors, Tom Hanks, has 
been on a crusade in behalf of the World War II memorial, and I hope 
that from the sunny hills of California that he understands that his 
message is loud and clear, that this is a salute overdue to the 16 
million Americans who answered the Nation's call to duty in World War 
II, because, Mr. Speaker, fewer than 7 million are alive today, and we 
lose 1,000 more every day.
  This bill also makes eligible members of the Reserves and National 
Guard who served at least 6 years eligible for housing loans on a 
permanent basis. It authorizes $100 million in fiscal years 2000 to 
2004 to the Department of Labor for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration 
Program and will help homeless veterans find jobs through increased 
funds for community-based employment programs.
  I remember my chagrin when I saw on a national news program that the 
majority of the homelessness in this Nation is comprised by veterans.
  The bill also directs the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to establish 
four new national cemeteries.
  Mr. Speaker, I would strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to support House Resolution 2280.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman), one of our World War II veterans and the chairman of 
the Committee on International Relations.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280. I commend the 
distinguished committee chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Stump), for bringing this measure to the floor, and also the chairman 
of the Subcommittee on Benefits of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), and the subcommittee ranking 
member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), for their work on 
this measure.
  This measure authorizes a cost of living adjustment for veterans who 
receive disability compensation and dependency and indemnity 
compensation to surviving spouses of prisoners of war who received full 
disability at the time

[[Page 14601]]

of death due to service-related injuries and becomes effective in 
December of this year.
  It also restores CHAMPVA medical care, which is a Veterans' Affairs 
health benefits program that shares the cost of certain health care 
services and supplies for eligible beneficiaries. Those eligible 
include the spouses and children of totally disabled veterans and the 
survivors of veterans who died as a result of service-connected 
injuries or illnesses. And I want to commend the committee for 
undertaking that portion of this measure.
  It also expands fund-raising authorities and authorizes $65 million 
in loans from the Treasury for the American Battle Monuments Commission 
to hasten construction of the long overdue World War II memorial. In 
addition, it authorizes $100 million for the Labor Department to 
administer the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. That program 
uses community resources to help our homeless veterans, and there are 
too many of them out there this day.
  It also addresses a potential future problem for the Court of 
Veterans Appeals beginning in the year 2004. Five of the six original 
appointees on this court are going to be eligible for retirement, and 
this measure allows them to continue. The goal of this provision is to 
broaden effective measures to help reduce overall workloads and shorten 
the time veterans must wait for a decision on their appeals.
  Moreover, this measure makes permanent the authority of the VA to 
guarantee home loans for our National Guard and Reserve members. That 
authority was previously set to expire in September of this year.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that this is a worthy piece of legislation, an 
appropriate response by this legislative body to the sacrifices made by 
our Nation's veterans and their families.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Reyes).
  Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time; and as a member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am proud 
we are considering today H.R. 2280, the Veterans Benefits Improvement 
Act of 1999.
  This bill is truly a product of our concerns and the input and 
concerns of all the Members of this House, the VA, our veterans service 
organizations, and the rest of our committee. It improves veterans 
benefits on many issues of vital importance to our veterans and their 
families.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill recognizes the needs of our aging veterans; 
and we can all be proud of this bill's provisions that provide for 
additional borrowing which gives authority for the World War II 
memorial. This will expedite the construction of this monument and 
allow for its completion.
  In addition, the bill will establish four new cemeteries and requires 
a complete study to improve and enlarge all of our existing national 
cemeteries. Our veterans deserve nothing less. And they deserve to be 
buried with dignity and honor, and their families deserve to have the 
ability to pay their respects without any further sacrifices.
  I am also encouraged that this bill assists our homeless veterans by 
expanding upon the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. Too many of 
our brave men and women are out on the streets without shelter and 
without hope. This bill will expand the outreach of this program.
  Let me also say that I am pleased that this bill improves benefits in 
a number of other areas that reflects on our Nation's commitment to our 
veterans. A key provision of the bill will provide permanent 
eligibility of our reservists who spend more than 6 years and will 
qualify them for VA housing benefits. Also, the bill expands 
eligibility for surviving spouses of former POWs who are currently 
disqualified from receiving dependency and indemnity compensation.
  The bill, as has been mentioned this morning, will further provide 
for annual cost of living allowances for those veterans receiving this 
kind of compensation. All of these provisions will enhance our 
commitment to our veterans and their loved ones.
  In addition, I am pleased we are continuing to work to recognize the 
circumstances of our atomic era veterans through an additional 
presumption of service-connected disability for a rare form of cancer.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, as a veteran myself and someone that represents 
over 50,000 veterans in my district, I can tell my colleagues that the 
delays and errors in the veterans' benefits claims process are very 
frustrating. The enhanced quality assurance program set forth in this 
bill will help to address this very serious situation for all our 
veterans.
  Given the courage and the valor of our veterans and the sacrifices 
that have been made by them for our country, we owe them nothing less. 
I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues and the 
entire House to join in the passage of this comprehensive veterans 
legislation.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Barr).
  Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the distinguished 
chairman and ranking member for their work on behalf of our veterans 
and also thank the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Quinn), for the tremendous work that he has done and 
continues to do, and certainly as reflected in this bill, is doing with 
regard to so many matters that affect our veterans.
  I would like, Mr. Speaker, to address one particular aspect of this 
bill to which I would urge Members on both sides of the aisle to 
support, and that is section 211 regarding authorizing the Secretary of 
Veterans' Affairs to establish a national cemetery in each of the four 
areas of the country that he deems most in need.
  Specifically, Mr. Speaker, I direct the Members' attention to the 
greater Atlanta metropolitan area in Georgia. For 21 years, the 
national cemetery in Marietta, Georgia, which is the only one in the 
greater Atlanta metropolitan area, has been full; and over those 21 
years, Mr. Speaker, the population, both the veterans as well as the 
civilian population of Atlanta and northwest Georgia, has grown 
immensely. The population during 1980 to 1996 has grown from 2 million 
people to well over 7.4 million in the greater Georgia area, and in 
metropolitan Atlanta the increases have been just as startling.

                              {time}  1445

  As well, Mr. Speaker, the increases in our veterans population, 
which, as other speakers have mentioned today, is unfortunately aging, 
necessarily so. It has increased dramatically.
  Studies have shown, Mr. Speaker, that families of loved ones who have 
veterans in their family who are entitled to be buried in our national 
cemeteries will not travel long distances to a national cemetery. The 
studies have indicated that the furthest that families will be able or 
willing to go is about 75 miles. There is no national cemetery anywhere 
near 75 miles from the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan area, Mr. Speaker. 
And that is why, with the tremendous increase in the veterans 
population, the tremendous increase in the population generally in west 
Georgia, it is so essential that we have, as one of those cities, a new 
national cemetery in Atlanta. There is plenty of land in the area.
  I would urge certainly that this particular section of the bill, 
section 211, which moves us in that direction and which reflects 
legislation, H.R. 1249, that I introduced earlier this year with the 
support of the entire Georgia Delegation, including our two senators, 
Senators Cleland and Coverdell. It also reflects the needs and desires 
of the Georgia delegation.
  So I would commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), the 
chairman of the committee, and the ranking member and others for moving 
this bill forward. I would urge its adoption and would urge particular 
attention be paid and urge the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, Mr. 
West, to include Atlanta as one of those four areas.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Veterans' Benefits 
Improvement Act, H.R. 2280. This legislation touches on a number of 
issues important to the veterans community. While, I support the 
provisions of the bill, I

[[Page 14602]]

want to take a moment to focus especially on Section 211.
  Section 211 directs the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to establish, 
in accordance with Chapter 24 of Title 38, United States Code, national 
cemeteries in the four areas in the United States, which the Secretary 
determines to be most in need of such a cemetery to serve the needs of 
veterans and their families. I believe once the Secretary looks 
carefully, at this matter he will determine that a national cemetery is 
a high priority for the Atlanta metropolitan area in the state of 
Georgia.
  On March 24, 1999, I introduced H.R. 1249, with the full support of 
the entire Georgia delegation, including Senators Cleland and 
Coverdell. This legislation authorizes the Secretary of Veterans' 
Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the Atlanta, 
Georgia metropolitan area. Today, with the actions of the House of 
Representatives, the veterans in Georgia are a major step closer to 
having a new national cemetery located in the state.
  The metropolitan Atlanta area has been at the top of the list for a 
new national cemetery for 21 years. During this time, the population of 
the Atlanta metropolitan area has undergone dramatic change. According 
to the 1980 census, Georgia had a population of nearly five and a half 
million, over two million of which resided within the metropolitan 
Atlanta area. By 1996, the population of Georgia had increased two 
million, to nearly 7.4 million and that of metropolitan Atlanta had 
exploded to more than three and a half million. Included in this 
population, are 450,000 veterans in the metropolitan area, and 700,000 
state-wide. Clearly, the need for an easily accessible national 
cemetery has increased significantly in the past several years.
  Studies in 1987 and 1994, both titled Report on National Cemetery 
System in Regard to Public Law 99-576 sec. (4.2), again reiterated the 
need for a new national cemetery in the metro-Atlanta area. Presently, 
the National Cemetery System ranks Atlanta as the number one city in 
need of a national cemetery. There are several reasons why this need 
has been recognized for the past 21 years. Data regarding veterans, as 
well as the rapidly changing demographics of Atlanta and north Georgia, 
create a compelling case for a new facility to be created immediately. 
Since a consensus among Veterans Administration officials, veterans 
groups and politicians has been reached, the next step is to choose the 
most logical and cost-effective site for the project.
  There are no open national cemeteries in the state of Georgia. 
Veterans residing in metropolitan Atlanta, who desire to be interred in 
a national cemetery, must either go 298 miles to Beaufort, South 
Carolina; 128 miles to Chattanooga, Tennessee; or 100 miles to Fort 
Mitchell, Alabama. Studies have shown that veterans and their families 
rarely choose to be buried in national cemeteries more than 75 miles 
from their residence. It is also established that surviving spouses 
visit the grave sites of the deceased located farther than 75 miles 
from their home, much less frequently than grave sites located closer. 
In this context, the three aforementioned cemeteries (South Carolina, 
Tennessee and Alabama) clearly do not adequately serve the veteran 
population of metropolitan Atlanta.
  Currently, there are national cemeteries scheduled to open in the 
near future in Saratoga, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; 
and Cleveland, Ohio. Two years ago, a new cemetery opened in Tacoma, 
Washington near Seattle. Obviously, none of these cemeteries are 
expected to alleviate the demand for new burial space in the 
southeastern United States.
  The growth in the number of veterans in Georgia, has led to several 
trends that point to an increased demand in burial space in national 
cemeteries for the coming years. Currently, the median age of World War 
II veterans is more than 70 years. These veterans are passing on at the 
rate of more than 1,000 per day (some 377,000 per year). This number 
will continue to increase; and when including all vets, should peak at 
620,000 per year by the year 2008. These same studies have shown that 
the years 2005 to 2015 will continue to exhibit especially high 
mortality rates among veterans. When factoring in peacetime veterans of 
the post-Vietnam era as well as Gulf War veterans, mortality rates will 
continue to remain high well into the next century, at least until the 
year 2040. On average, ten percent of the veteran population opts to be 
interred in a national cemetery. Past experience has shown it takes 
approximately five to seven years to construct one of these sites. 
Therefore, in considering the above statistics, it is imperative that 
we immediately begin the process of establishing a national cemetery in 
metropolitan Atlanta in order to meet the current and certainly the 
unavoidable demands in the next decade.
  When choosing a location for a new national cemetery, two factors 
must be addressed. First, it should be situated in an area that will 
serve the greatest number of veterans. Second, it must be cost-
effective to taxpayers. As noted previously, veterans tend to choose to 
be interred within 75 miles of their residence. Atlanta's veteran 
population of 450,000 is the largest in the nation not served directly 
by a national cemetery, and establishing a national cemetery in or near 
a population center with a large amount of veterans is the best way to 
ensure that the facility will be utilized by veterans. (Instances where 
this was not done, indicate clearly that veterans and families will not 
patronize a national cemetery located far from a metropolitan area.)
  When developing new cemeteries, the National Cemetery System is also 
aware of economics of scale. There are many factors, such as land 
prices and availability that must be considered, and those who 
administer the Cemetery System certainly try to buy larger plots of 
land, which will serve for years to come. The cemeteries currently 
under development are evidence of this, with Saratoga having 273 acres, 
Chicago 980 acres, Dallas 673 acres, Cleveland 250 acres and Tacoma 158 
acres. These sized lots are able to accommodate the net burial acreage 
plus the amount of additional land required for roads, easements, and 
drainage. The net burial acreage is arrived at by analyzing the 
demographic factors of the local veterans population as well as 
recognizing the standard of 800 burials per acre. In general, the net 
acreage is then doubled to determine the optimum size of the facility. 
These larger cemeteries not only meet the demand exerted by the local 
veterans populations, they also prove to be more cost-effective than 
smaller facilities.
  Consideration of the factors presented here are paramount in the 
successful choice of a new location for a national cemetery. The first 
step in rectifying this current and anticipated critical shortfall is 
to authorize the construction of a new national cemetery in 
metropolitan Atlanta. With the passage of this bill today we begin to 
move in that direction. We then need to appropriate the funds, and 
begin construction; which will likely take up to five years. Time is of 
the essence. This commitment we ask today will fulfill the promise to 
the veterans who have for 29 years been without reasonable access to a 
national cemetery. Even though land in the immediately vicinity of 
Atlanta has become heavily developed, there are numerous potential 
locations suitable for a new national cemetery.
  Our nation has a sacred obligation to fulfill the promises we made to 
our veterans when they agreed to risk and, in many cases, give their 
lives to protect the freedoms we all enjoy. One such commitment is a 
military burial in a national cemetery. Establishing a national 
cemetery in Georgia would provide veterans and their accessibility and 
the recognition they deserve. This has been a long-awaited process for 
Georgia veterans. These men and women deserve a proper resting place in 
their home state.
  I want to thank Committee Chairman Stump and Ranking Democrat Lane 
Evans, as well as Benefits Subcommittee Chairman jack Quinn for all 
their work on this very important legislation. On behalf of all 
veterans, and especially the veterans of the state of Georgia, I ask my 
colleague to support this very important legislation.
  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, it is important 
to point out I think at this time that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Barr) has worked with the full committee and the subcommittee to make 
sure that this is brought to our attention. We appreciate his efforts 
all along the way.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, the Veterans 
Benefit Improvement Act.
  Veterans have sacrificed to defend our Nation and have earned health 
care and other benefits through their service. They came forward when 
America needed them. Now Congress must continue to keep its promises to 
those who served.
  H.R. 2280 keeps our promises to veterans by increasing the Cost of 
Living

[[Page 14603]]

Adjustment to millions of disabled veterans. It also restores medical, 
educational, and housing loans to surviving spouses who have remarried.
  Consideration of this legislation is timely since it helps to remind 
us to commemorate the anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. For 
100 years, the VFW has been active not only with veterans programs but 
also with a host of civic and volunteer activities. During 1997 and 
1998, the VFW and the Ladies Auxiliary contributed over 12 million 
hours of volunteer services and donated nearly $55 million to various 
community service projects.
  I would also like to single out the Heart O' The Hills VFW Post in my 
district in the Hill Country of Texas. It is one of the oldest and most 
active in the State. Two weeks ago, it celebrated its 84th anniversary. 
It is because of the selfless dedication of the veterans in the Hill 
Country and veterans around the Nation that we enjoy prosperity and 
freedom today.
  Mr. Speaker, our veterans willingly served to defend our Nation. They 
were there when we needed them, and now we must be there when they need 
us.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member on the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs, as well as the gentleman from New York, the chairman 
of the subcommittee, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) and 
the rest of the members of the committee that have done such a great 
job in helping formulate this bill and bring it to the floor.
  This is a bipartisan bill, and I urge everyone to support it.
  Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, this Member wishes to add his strong 
support for H.R. 2280, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act, and 
would also commend the chairman and ranking Member of the House 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs for bringing this important legislation 
to the House floor today.
  This Member wishes to express his belief that even more attention 
needs to be paid to the needs of America's veterans; in fact, these 
essential benefits must be met to the fullest extent possible. Veterans 
fought to protect our freedom and way of life. As they served our 
nation in a time of need, the Federal Government must remember them in 
their time of need. The people of the United States owe our veterans a 
great deal and should keep the promises made to them.
  It is important to note some of the important provisions of this 
legislation, including a cost-of-living adjustment for disability 
compensation, permanent eligibility of housing loans, further 
authorization of payment of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for 
surviving spouses, provisions for homeless veterans, and recognizing 
the 100th anniversary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
  While the veterans legislation appearing on the House floor today is 
commendable and significant for our nation's veterans and their 
families, it must also be noted that we must continue to give veterans 
the benefits they need and deserve, including health benefits. As a 
greater number of veterans, especially World War II veterans, are 
reaching the stage in life where they need more health care, Congress 
must insure that there are adequate funds and services available for 
these veterans, and that the current Veterans Equity Resource 
Allocation (VERA) formula should be changed since it is very unfair to 
sparsely settled states like Nebraska, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.
  Mr. Speaker, this Member is committed to insuring that veterans 
receive the benefits they deserve; benefits they have been promised and 
which the American people support. As additional legislation appears 
before the House of Representatives, be assured that this Member will 
continue to support necessary and meaningful veterans legislation.
  Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, the 
Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. The provisions of this bill 
include: a disability compensation cost of living adjustment for fiscal 
year 2000; permanent housing loan eligibility for veterans who have 
served in the selected reserve; expanded authority to solicit and 
receive contributions for the World War II Memorial; and increased 
funding for the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor 
force.
  H.R. 2280 also incorporates provisions of H.R. 2040 that would direct 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to build four new national cemeteries 
in areas of the country most in need of such a cemetery. The bill also 
would require the VA to contract for a study to assess the one-time 
repairs needed at each national cemetery and the feasibility of making 
standards of appearance of our national cemeteries commensurate with 
the finest cemeteries in the world.
  On May 20, 1999, the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and 
Investigations, which I chair, held a hearing that addressed planning 
for new national cemeteries and cemetery maintenance. Following the 
hearing, the Subcommittee issued a report with recommendations for 
legislation requiring the VA to submit a cemetery construction plan and 
identify locations for new national cemeteries, based upon demographic 
priority. The Subcommittee report also recommended increasing the 
National Cemetery. Administration budget by $6 million for routine and 
deferred maintenance, and equipment needs. Finally, the report 
recommended increasing the budget for Arlington National Cemetery by $3 
million for construction and maintenance projects. The Subcommittee's 
report gives strong support to this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, America's national cemeteries are not adequate to serve 
the needs of veterans over the next decade. The demand for burial space 
in national cemeteries will be one of the greatest in the country's 
history as World War II veterans reach the end of their lives. Unless 
new national cemeteries are funded and planning for them begins soon, 
veterans in major population areas will be effectively denied the final 
honor of burial in a national cemetery.
  Funding for maintenance of America's national cemeteries, including 
Arlington National Cemetery, is insufficient. Unless national 
cemeteries receive increased funding for their maintenance needs, 
necessary work will be deferred, and their appearance will not meet 
public expectations for these national shrines as places of honor for 
the men and women who have defended our freedom.
  I would like to thank Mr. Quinn, chairman of the Veterans' Affairs 
Subcommittee on Benefits, for his cooperation regarding these very 
important issues for our veterans and for his initiative in moving H.R. 
2280 through his subcommittee. I would also like to commend Chairman 
Stump of the full committee for his leadership on issues affecting 
national cemeteries and for his authorship of this important 
legislation.
  This is bipartisan legislation, and I want to recognize the active 
contributions in the formulation of H.R. 2280 by Mr. Evans, the full 
committee's ranking Democrat; Mr. Filner, the ranking Democrat on the 
Subcommittee on Benefits; and Ms. Brown, the ranking Democrat on the 
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve this significant 
veterans legislation.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today the House is considering 
H.R. 2280, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. I am 
particularly pleased this legislation includes the provisions of H.R. 
690, legislation I have introduced to add bronchiole-alveolar carcinoma 
to the VA's list of diseases that are service-connected due to 
radiation exposure. I testified on behalf of H.R. 690 before the House 
Veterans' Affairs Benefits Subcommittee just three weeks ago and I had 
the opportunity recognize Joan McCarthy, a resident of New Jersey who 
first brought the need for this legislation to my attention ten years 
ago.
  This bill needs to be enacted as a matter of fairness. The provisions 
of H.R. 690 included in today's bill essentially state that if you were 
a veteran exposed to ionizing radiation in a government nuclear test, 
like those in Operation Wigwam (a nuclear test in Pacific during 1955), 
and you develop a rare form of lung cancer unrelated to smoking 
tobacco, our government will take care of you. Sadly, this is not the 
case today. For the families of veterans and for widows, like Joan 
McCarthy, the enactment of H.R. 2280 is necessary to ensure that 
America does not abandon those who suffered and died solely because of 
their selfless, faithful services in the United States Armed Forces.
  Joan's husband, Tom McCarthy, participated in Operation Wigwam, a 
nuclear test on May 14, 1955 which involved a deep underwater 
detonation of a 30-kiloton plutonium bomb in the Pacific Ocean, about 
500 miles Southwest of San Diego, California.
  Tom served as a navigator on the U.S.S. McKinley, one of the ships 
assigned to monitor the Operation Wigwam test. The detonation of the 
nuclear weapon broke the surface of the water, creating a giant wave 
and bathing the area with a radioactive mist. Government reports 
produced by the Defense Nuclear Agency indicate that the entire test 
area was awash with the airborne toxins from the detonation. The spray 
from the explosion was described in the official government reports as

[[Page 14604]]

an ``insidious hazard which turned into an invisible radioactive 
aerosol.'' Tom spent four days in this environment while serving abroad 
the U.S.S. McKinley.
  In April of 1981, at the age of 44, Tom McCarthy died of a rare form 
of lung cancer, bronchiolo-alveolar pulmonary carcinoma. This is an 
important point, because Tom was a non-smoker, and this illness is a 
non-smoking related lung cancer. Indeed, according to he American 
Cancer Society, 87% of all lung cancers are related to smoking. On his 
deathbed, Tom told Joan, his wife, about his involvement in Operation 
Wigwam and wondered about the fate of the other men who were also 
stationed on the U.S.S. McKinley and on the other ships in the area.
  As my colleagues on the committee will remember, Congress passed H.R. 
690 at the end of the 105th Congress. Unfortunately, our Senate 
colleagues failed to take up this legislation before Congress 
adjourned. However, I am happy to report that our former colleague on 
the committee. Senator Tim Hutchinson is sponsoring this legislation on 
the Senate side and believe that our early consideration of H.R. 690 in 
the House will help in his efforts in the other chamber. The enactment 
of H.R. 690 is long overdue and I would like to thank Chairman Stump, 
Subcommittee Chairman Quinn, Ranking Member Evans, as well as the other 
members of the committee have lent their support as cosponsors of H.R. 
690.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2280 so that the Senate 
may move expeditiously on this legislation and so that Joan McCarthy 
and the handful of widows around the United States who have lost their 
husbands to this cancer may finally receive the recognition and 
Disability and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits from the VA which 
they so rightly deserve.
  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Veteran's Benefits 
Improvement Act, HR 2280 and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  This bill will provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 
veterans with service connected disabilities, it will authorize $100 
million to provide homeless veterans with job training, and it will add 
a form of lung cancer to the list of presumed to be service connected 
illnesses. All are steps in the right direction for veterans, all are 
steps we should be taking.
  However, I take this opportunity to address a very serious problem 
facing our veterans. Funding for veterans' health care continues to be 
cut. The FY 2000 budget allocation is $66.2 billion, which is $5.8 
billion lower than the FY 1999 enacted levels.
  Last month VISNI was on Capitol Hill updating member offices on the 
financial status of veterans' health care in the region. One glaring 
fact brought to light during these briefings was that further cuts to 
the veterans health care budget would mean a reduction in services for 
our veterans. It is time that we stop this downward trend and begin 
restoring the necessary funds to provide our veterans with the quality 
health care they deserve.
  Recently, I along with several of my colleagues, wrote to the 
Chairman and Ranking member of the VA/HUD and Independent Agencies 
Appropriations Subcommittee asking that they provide $1.2 billion above 
the current budget resolution to address the medical crisis facing our 
veterans. I strongly urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, 
the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. In addition to 
providing veterans and their dependents with a cost-of-living 
adjustment (COLA), H.R. 2280 includes a bill that I introduced to 
assist the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners-of-war. 
Specifically, the provisions included in H.R. 2280 will allow certain 
spouses of former POWs to quality for survivor benefits. These women 
might not otherwise be eligible for such benefits under current law.
  The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program provides 
monthly benefits to the survivors of veterans who die of service-
connected conditions. Under current law, DIC payments may also be 
authorized for the survivors of veterans whose deaths were not the 
result of their service-connected disability. In this case, a spouse 
only qualifies for DIC benefits if the former POW was rated totally 
disabled for a period of 10 years or more immediately preceding his 
death.
  There are approximately 20 presumptive service-connected conditions 
for former POWs who were detained or interned for at least 30 days. 
Unfortunately, some of these presumptions have been in effect for less 
than 10 years. This means that a spouse of a former POW may not qualify 
for DIC benefits if the veteran dies of a non-service-connected 
condition before meeting the 10 year time requirement.
  Even if a presumption has been in effect for 10 or more years, many 
ex-POWs will not have been rated as totally disabled for the minimum 
period required at the time of their deaths. This may occur for a 
variety of reasons. For example, the POW may not have filed a 
disability claim as soon as the presumption was enacted, or it may have 
taken a while for his claim to be adjudicated. Alternatively, the POW 
could have had a lower disability rating that worsened over time.
  This issue was first brought to my attention by a very close friend 
of mine, Wayne Hitchcock. Wayne is the past National Commander of the 
American Ex-Prisoners of War and is now seriously ill.
  After talking to Wayne, I introduced a bill to waive the 10-year time 
requirement for the surviving spouses of former POWs. H.R. 784, has 
received strong bipartisan support. To date, the bill has over 100 
cosponsors, including 23 members of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I 
would like to thank full Committee Chairman Bob Stump and Ranking 
Minority Member Lane Evans, as well as Benefits Subcommittee Chairman 
and Ranking Minority Member, Jack Quinn and Bob Filner, for their 
strong support of my legislation.
  We all know that military service does not take place in a vacuum. 
Many POWs experience unimaginable horrors. Today, many continue to 
experience prolonged battles with various illnesses and other 
disabilities. Consequently, their spouses have spent years caring for 
them after their release from prisoner-of-war camps. These women 
deserve DIC benefits.
  I am pleased that the House of Representatives is acting on this 
important issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2280.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
2280. This Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999, would give 
veterans a cost-of-living increase, expand eligibility for compensation 
and survivor's benefits, and accelerate progress on the World War II 
Memorial. This package contains a wide range of proposals to improve 
veteran's benefits.
  Some 1,646,700 veterans live in the state of Texas alone. It is 
through their unwavering devotion to duty and country that our nation 
has come through two World Wars and numerous costly struggles against 
the forces of aggression. American veterans have provided the 
leadership, courage, and even their lives time and time again. These 
genuine heroes have often been ignored and denied their proper place in 
America's melting pot. We need to remember that America owes these men 
and women the best it can offer because they have given us the best 
they could when America was in need.
  I am pleased that this bill will provide a cost of living adjustment 
to the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-
connected disabilities and the rates of Dependency and Indemnity 
Compensation.
  In addition, the bill addresses the burial needs of veterans. It 
directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish four new 
national cemeteries. During a recent visit to Arlington National 
Cemetery, I was moved by the beauty and reference, which was reflected 
on this small hillside in Virginia. This bill will ensure that all of 
our veterans will receive the same compassionate treatment, which has 
already been shown to those soldiers who now rest in these grounds.
  I am also pleased that this bill addresses America's homeless 
veterans. The measure authorizes $100 million over five years for the 
homeless veterans reintegration program. This provision will allow 
community based employment programs that are working with our homeless 
veterans to continue their work within the communities they serve.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in 
supporting this bill which continues our nation's efforts to honor the 
commitment it made to the veterans.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, 
the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. I commend the Chairmen 
and Ranking Members of both the Full Committee and the Benefits 
Subcommittee for their work. This bill brings together elements on 
benefits improvements from numerous bills.
  It would give veterans a cost-of-living increase expand eligibility 
for compensation and survivor's benefits, and accelerate progress on 
the World War II Memorial.
  In addition to the approximate 2.4% COLA, this bill would improve the 
benefits claims for certain surviving spouses. This change is long 
overdue.
  This bill would also enhance the oversight of the claims processing 
system. We have experienced long delays in Texas and throughout the 
country, and this bill takes steps at addressing this problem:
  Enhancing the quality assurance program of the Veterans Benefits 
Administration; and

[[Page 14605]]

  Requiring quality reviews at the Compensation and Pension Service, 
the Education Service, the Vocational Rehabilitation Service and other 
programs.
  It expands to members of Reserves and National Guard who served at 
least six years eligible for housing loans on a permanent basis.
  I look forward to these elements being included in any package which 
is ultimately enacted into law.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I have no further questions for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2280, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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