[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15359]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     DISCHARGE PETITION ON H.R. 303

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 18, 2003

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, on June 17, I signed onto the discharge 
petition H.R. 303, and I rise today to express my continued support of 
the efforts to release this bill from committee. Concurrent receipt is 
an issue that warrants the attention of this House, the Senate and the 
President of the United States.
  Currently, veterans who have served our country nobly and suffered a 
service-connected disability receive a retirement check reduced by the 
amount of their disability compensation. With that reduction, the 
disability compensation becomes negated as it simply fills the hole 
left by the federal government in the veterans' retirement checks. 
American men and women who served in our Armed Services need not be 
slighted anymore after putting their lives in harm's way for the 
survival of this great democracy. This discharge petition will draw out 
those that believe the codes of valor and honor outrank fiscal 
tightfistedness.
  By releasing H.R. 303 from committee and allowing debate on the bill, 
we can begin to address the issue of concurrent receipt. The bill was 
introduced with bipartisan support, but the discharge petition lacks 
that same support. You and I both know, Mr. Speaker, that there are 
bills introduced everyday that are never intended to reach the House 
floor. This should not be one of those bills. This should not be one of 
those issues.
  In these times when we ask so much of our military community, the 
women and men of our Armed Forces need our help. The rising costs of 
prescription drugs and VA enrollment fees and a struggling economy only 
hamper the efforts of our veterans trying to continue their lives in 
the nation they spent their careers defending. Disabled veterans have 
paid their price, and I would urge this body to not make them pay 
twice.

                          ____________________