[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 15903-15904]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 WEB SITE INCLUSION OF VA SCHOLARSHIPS

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1172) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include 
on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of 
organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their 
survivors, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1172

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

     SECTION 1. PAT TILLMAN VETERANS' SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVE.

       (a) Availability of Scholarship Information.--By not later 
     than June 1, 2010, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs--
       (1) a list of organizations that provide scholarships to 
     veterans and their survivors and, for each such organization, 
     a link to the Internet website of the organization;
       (2) a statement that the information described in paragraph 
     (1) is not an all-inclusive list of scholarships available to 
     veterans and their survivors; and
       (3) a statement that the Secretary has not verified the 
     information available on the Internet websites of the 
     organizations referred to paragraph (1) and that the 
     Secretary does not endorse any offer made by any sponsor of 
     any such the website.
       (b) Maintenance of Scholarship Information.--The Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall make reasonable efforts to notify 
     schools and other appropriate entities of the opportunity to 
     be included on the Internet website of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs pursuant to subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the Speaker and also I thank my distinguished colleague from 
Arkansas, Congressman Boozman, for introducing this bill, H.R. 1172, 
and for his bipartisan leadership working as the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity with Chair Stephanie Herseth 
Sandlin of South Dakota. That committee is, I think, a model of 
bipartisan cooperation and we thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his 
efforts in that regard.
  As many veterans service organizations have testified to our 
committee, the lack of program awareness continues to be a major 
barrier preventing veterans from accessing the benefits they have 
earned. The same is also true for non-VA related education assistance 
such as grants and scholarships. This legislation provides a 
commonsense solution to provide useful scholarship information to our 
Nation's veterans and their dependents. Providing a list of all 
available scholarships on the VA Web site will allow veteran advocates 
to reach a larger population and simplify the search for veterans and 
their families.
  I am confident our Internet savvy veterans will come to rely on this 
tool to obtain up-to-date information on how to supplement their 
education benefits administered by the VA. Again I thank Congressman 
Boozman for introducing this bill. I urge all my colleagues to join us.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1172, as amended, 
a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the 
Internet Web site of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of 
organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their 
survivors.
  Mr. Speaker, the goal of this bill, H.R. 1172, is to provide a place 
on the VA Web site that lists as many sources of scholarships for 
veterans as reasonably possible.
  Beginning with the World War II GI Bill, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs has administered education programs designed to provide a wide 
range of education and training opportunities to veterans. Over the 
years, that mission expanded to include veterans, dependents, and 
survivors.
  Since World War II, the number of degree-granting institutions and 
nondegree-training schools has significantly increased. According to 
the U.S. Department of Education, there are about 4,314 degree-granting 
institutions and about 2,222 nondegree-training entities that qualify 
for title IV education assistance programs.
  Each of these may also offer non-Federal financial aid directly or 
indirectly to veterans through association with organizations such as 
foundations, but it is the very expansion of these

[[Page 15904]]

sources that makes it imperative to assist veterans in accessing 
scholarship information.
  With the proliferation of schools, the rapidly increasing cost of 
education and training, and the sources of potential financial 
assistance for veterans, there is a need for a centralized source of 
financial assistance where a veteran can find links to at least some of 
the aid available. For example, an Internet search for ``veterans 
scholarships'' yielded 8,570 sources of information. Mr. Speaker, I 
believe that the VA should also include sources of financial assistance 
for dependents and survivors if providers of such financial aid notify 
VA about the availability of such assistance.
  During the legislative hearing on H.R. 1172, VA expressed some 
concerns about the bill. In response to their concerns, in cooperation 
with Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin of the Subcommittee of Economic 
Opportunity, the committee amended the bill to better define the bill's 
objectives and to include appropriate limitations on VA's role in 
providing scholarship information to veterans. I appreciate the 
opportunity to work in bipartisan cooperation in making these changes. 
The substitute states that VA shall make reasonable efforts to notify 
schools and appropriate entities, such as foundations, of the 
opportunity to be linked by the VA Web site as a provider of 
scholarships for veterans.
  The bill, as amended, also requires VA to include statements on its 
Web site noting that VA does not endorse or guarantee any assistance 
offered by an entity included on the Web site, nor should the 
individual consider the list to be all inclusive.
  Finally, the amended bill sets an effective date of June 1, 2010, to 
enable VA to concentrate on getting the new post-9/11 GI Bill up and 
running, which is so important before adding to their workload. I 
believe this bill's provisions will help veterans identify scholarships 
intended for their use.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I would like to recognize the gentlelady from South 
Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) for as much time as she may consume, but I 
also want to thank her for her incredible leadership as Chair of the 
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Lots of bills have come forward 
from this committee and will continue to do so, and we thank her for 
her leadership.
  Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. I thank the gentleman, the distinguished 
chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, for yielding and for his 
kind words in support of the work of the Subcommittee on Economic 
Opportunity.
  I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1172, as amended. I would like 
to thank the chairman, Mr. Filner, Ranking Member Buyer, and the 
sponsor of the bill, subcommittee ranking member, Mr. Boozman, for 
their leadership and bipartisan support of this bill, which the full 
committee passed on June 10.
  As Mr. Boozman discussed, this legislation directs the Secretary of 
the VA to include a list of organizations that provide scholarships to 
veterans and their survivors on its official Web site. This list will 
help increase the educational opportunities available to veterans and 
their survivors by providing an easy-to-find portal to this 
information.
  A key part of the VA's responsibility to our veterans is properly 
managing and providing the educational benefits our veterans have 
earned through their service. Legislation such as H.R. 1172 helps 
fulfill this responsibility and will give veterans and their survivors 
easier access to college scholarships for which they are eligible.
  As Chair of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, I am extremely 
pleased to work with Ranking Member Boozman in a bipartisan manner to 
improve educational benefits for veterans. We have held a series of 
important hearings on the post-9/11 GI bill, as well as other 
educational assistance programs, such as the Vocational Rehabilitation 
and Education Service. I appreciate Mr. Boozman's efforts and 
cooperation on this important oversight, and I am pleased to support 
his bill today.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again extend my thanks to 
the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity chairwoman, Stephanie Herseth 
Sandlin, for her assistance on this bill, and also for her leadership 
in so many ways. Stephanie has done a tremendous job.
  Again, I would also like to thank the full committee chairman, Bob 
Filner, the ranking member, Steve Buyer, and the committee staff on 
both sides that have worked very hard on this.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1172, as 
amended, and urge its immediate passage.
  With that, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my 
time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 1172, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1172--to direct 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide 
scholarships to veterans and their survivors. This important measure 
would provide an invaluable resource for our veterans and their 
survivors. In an effort to increase information accessibility, this 
bill would create a convenient section within the Veterans Affairs 
Department website for veterans and/or their survivors to view all 
available veteran scholarship opportunities that various public and 
private organizations sponsor throughout the year. I commend Rep. John 
Boozman for bringing this measure before the floor.
  My veteran constituents frequently contact me with reports on the 
many administrative failures and shortcomings of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. Slow processes and backlogs have become the 
expectation rather than an exception in the level of service our 
veterans receive. This is unfortunate as we send these brave men and 
women to armed conflict, and yet, we cannot provide them with the 
necessary tools and resources to become reoriented with society. This 
bill provides one solution to a relatively simple problem. I have no 
doubt, however, that many veterans and their families will appreciate 
this information, especially in light of the economic recession.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to add my voice of support for H.R. 1172. I 
look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that we continue 
to provide the necessary resources towards improving our Department of 
Veterans Affairs' administration and services.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1172, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1172, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. 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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