[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19639]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      SUPPORT FOR VETERANS' BILLS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN BOOZMAN

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 28, 2009

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to express my 
support for several veterans' bills that are on today's legislative 
calendar under suspension of the rules. Before I proceed, I would first 
like to thank the sponsors of the legislation and the Chairman and 
Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Mr. Filner and 
Mr. Buyer, for working together to bring this legislation before the 
House today. As the number of veterans returning from their deployments 
in the Global War on Terror increases, it is imperative that those of 
us on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and all Members of Congress, 
continue working to improve benefits for our veterans and ensure that 
they and their families receive everything that has been promised to 
them. I am proud to be an original Cosponsor of H.R. 3219, the 
``Veterans' Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act,'' as well as H. 
Res. 483, which supports the goals and ideals of Veterans of Foreign 
Wars Day. H.R. 3219 contains numerous measures and technical 
corrections to modernize many of the life insurance and health care 
benefits that are received by disabled and non-disabled veterans. This 
bill also brings overdue recognition to many World War II veterans who 
have yet to receive their rightful recognition and benefits 
compensation from the United States government, including but not 
limited to the Flying Tigers of WWII and the Women Airforce Service 
Pilots of WW II (WASPs). H. Res. 483 supports the goal and ideals of 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Day, September 29th. Since 1899 the VFW has 
been advocating and fighting for the rights and benefits of our 
veterans, making invaluable contributions to the national dialogue 
surrounding how to care for those who enable us to live in safety and 
peace. It is also my privilege to be a cosponsor of H.R. 1293, the 
``Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant 
Increase Act of 2009,'' which makes much needed increases in the 
amounts our service-connected disabled veterans can receive to make 
alterations to their homes that enable them and their families to live 
the most fulfilling lives possible. I would also like to thank, once 
again, Chairman Filner and Congressman Michaud for their bills H.R. 
2770 and H.R. 3155, respectively, both of which I supported in 
Committee, and which represent a step in the right direction for 
improving veterans' benefits and care. It is my hope that the House 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs will continue with its spirit of 
bipartisan cooperation to help our nation's veterans; a spirit that is 
represented in all of this legislation before us today.

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