[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6404-6405]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           VETERANS BENEFITS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is hard to comprehend why we have to file 
cloture on a motion to proceed to a bill dealing with veterans, but 
that is what is happening. It has been heard on this floor on many 
occasions in recent weeks, but it is hard to comprehend what the 
Republicans are trying to do with the country, other than maintain the 
status quo.
  We invoked cloture twice on a technical corrections bill, and now, on 
a veterans' benefits act, we have to invoke cloture on even being able 
to debate it. That is really too bad. There have been 4,039 Americans 
killed in Iraq; I read that in the newspaper this morning. The occupant 
of the chair indicated to me that he presented a flag to some Ohio 
people who lost a loved one. Tens of thousands of troops have been 
wounded. The morning papers report that 20 percent--one out of every 
five--of the Iraq veterans, our soldiers, coming home from Iraq have 
traumatic stress disorder.
  Mr. President, we have talked about those who have been killed in 
Iraq, those who have been wounded, but there are also, as a result of 
this huge military presence there--earlier this year, about 175,000--
people who are in the military who get hurt when trucks back over them 
by mistake or they may have falls--a lot of things happen to disable 
these veterans. We have been trying to bring this legislation to the 
floor since last August. In the height of the war, with soldiers being 
killed every day, being wounded every day, coming home from Iraq every 
day, we cannot even get to a bill to deal with their health. The 
Republicans are holding that up. We have been trying since August to 
bring it up.
  This comprehensive, budget-neutral legislation will provide much 
needed benefits for veterans young and old. The legislation, among 
other things, would expand the number of individuals qualifying for 
traumatic injury insurance.
  In the morning papers all over the country, there are headlines such 
as ``VA Suicide Hotline Set Up Last Year Credited With Saving 726 Lives 
So Far.'' As I said, we have these stories appearing all over the 
country.

       Twenty-two-year-old Joshua Omvig shot himself in his truck 
     outside his parents' home in Grundy Center, Iowa, on December 
     22, 2005. A local newspaper reported that he had talked to 
     his mother shortly before killing himself. Among his final 
     words: ``I've been dead ever since I left Iraq.''

  As a result of this, and in paying tribute to him, we have created a 
suicide hotline for veterans. That is what this is all about. We have 
saved 726 lives. Veterans need help. This is a war like we have never 
had before. We have never fought a war in big cities, street to street, 
house to house.
  Last night, I had a marine in my office, at about quarter to 7 last 
night. He came with his wife-to-be, his mother, and his father. They 
are from Illinois. He is a big, strong man. One of his ears was 
cauliflowered, as he had been a college wrestler. He was missing his 
right leg above the knee. He is going to be in and out of the hospital, 
and he will be able to go home soon. His problem is not with the leg he 
lost, it is with the leg he still has. He lifted up his pant leg and 
showed me the scars. He had major surgery and has scars. He is tough 
and said, ``I am going to be just fine.''
  We are trying to help people such as him. They are all over America, 
coming home from Iraq and are hurt and need help. We cannot even debate 
this legislation because Republicans are stalling it. We are having a 
vote at noon on Tuesday. I hope we will be able to get 60 votes and 
proceed. You would think there would be nine Republicans who are caring 
enough to allow us to go forward on this most important issue.
  We also extend eligibility for specially adapted housing benefits to 
individuals with severe burns. This war, which is within cities--I got 
carried away describing this man's injuries.
  I said, ``Tell me what happened.''

[[Page 6405]]

  He said, ``We came out of the house, climbed in the vehicle, and it 
blew up.''
  I said, ``How long were you in the truck?''
  He said, ``Maybe 20 seconds.''
  The road had been paved--a newly paved road. They put a bomb on it. 
When he drove over it, the compression caused it to blow up. He had 
burns--you could see them--on his face. The scars weren't bad, but 
there were burns.
  A lot of the people, because of these explosive devices, have 
terrible burns. This legislation we want to try to pass extends 
eligibility for these people who were burned badly to have special 
housing benefits.
  The legislation would extend and increase benefits for individuals 
trying to change what they do, with apprenticeships and on-the-job 
training programs.
  Also, the legislation would restore veteran status to Filipino 
veterans who served under U.S. command in World War II. One only need 
watch Tom Hanks's World War II series that appeared on television. It 
talked about the valor and the absolute necessity for the Filipino 
soldiers who were there fighting under our command. We have been trying 
for decades to extend benefits to them. They are getting very old with 
each day that goes by, and more of them are dying. Their average age is 
well over 80. We want to allow them certain benefits. They fought 
alongside U.S. troops during World War II. It is the moral obligation 
of this Nation to provide for those Filipino veterans who fought under 
the U.S. flag during World War II.
  After 8 months of obstruction by the Republicans, it is time to allow 
this bill to be debated. If there are people who don't like provisions 
in this bill, they can offer an amendment to try to take them out. Why 
hold up benefits for veterans?
  This legislation provides much needed benefits and includes 8 titles, 
with 38 benefits. If there were ever a piece of legislation that should 
not be stalled, obstructed, and delayed, it is this one. We have waited 
8 months to bring this up. With the Republicans, it is always tomorrow, 
we almost have it worked out, or how about tomorrow or next week or 
next month? We cannot wait any longer. People have to step up to the 
bar here, Mr. President, on Tuesday at noon and vote to find out if we 
can legislate for the veterans coming back from Iraq and those veterans 
who have, prior to Iraq, dedicated their lives to the service of their 
country, our country.

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