[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19757-19758]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          FOR VETS ACT OF 2010

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 3794) to amend chapter 5 of title 40, United States Code, to 
include organizations whose membership comprises substantially veterans 
as recipient organizations for the donation of Federal surplus personal 
property through State agencies.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 3794

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Formerly Owned Resources for 
     Veterans to Express Thanks for Service Act of 2010'' or ``FOR 
     VETS Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. RECIPIENTS OF CERTAIN FEDERAL SURPLUS PERSONAL 
                   PROPERTY.

       Section 549(c)(3)(B) of title 40, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (viii), by striking ``or'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in clause (ix), by striking the period and inserting 
     ``; or''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(x) an organization whose--''

       ``(I) membership comprises substantially veterans (as 
     defined under section 101 of title 38); and
       ``(II) representatives are recognized by the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs under section 5902 of title 38.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

[[Page 19758]]

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CHU. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform, I present S. 3794, the FOR VETS Act of 2010. The 
measure authorizes the transfer of Federal surplus property to State 
agencies for donation within the State for veterans organizations.
  S. 3794 was introduced by our colleague in the other Chamber, Senator 
Patrick Leahy of Vermont, on September 16, 2010. It was referred to the 
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and 
agreed to in the Senate, with amendment, by unanimous consent. The bill 
was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
on November 15, 2010.
  This bill, which was originally known as the Formerly Owned Resources 
for Veterans to Express Thanks for Service Act of 2010, adds veterans 
groups to the list of entities already eligible to receive the transfer 
of surplus Federal property from State agencies through donation. Under 
this measure, eligible groups will include education or public health 
organizations whose membership is substantially comprised of veterans 
and whose representatives are recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 3794 provides unneeded and unutilized Federal 
property to assist our veterans in their daily lives. This is a small 
token of our gratitude for their sacrifices on behalf of our country, 
but one that can make a great difference to those proud men and women 
who have given so much for us. I would like to thank Senator Leahy, 
Chairman Towns, and Ranking Member Issa for their hard work on this 
bill; and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
commonsense legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of S. 3794, the FOR VETS Act of 2010. Mr. 
Speaker, this is a simple bill that is long overdue. The FOR VETS Act, 
known as the Formerly Owned Resources for Veterans to Express Thanks 
for Service Act--that's a great acronym right there--makes 
organizations whose membership is comprised primarily of veterans 
eligible to receive excess personal Federal property. I think it's 
appropriate that we draw a distinction between personal property and 
real property. There are major differences, and the value is certainly 
one of them.
  Every day, Mr. Speaker, the General Services Administration, through 
State agencies, donates surplus goods, such as computers and home 
appliances, to a wide variety of organizations such as hospitals, 
schools, and public libraries. The FOR VETS Act simply adds veterans 
organizations to this list of eligible recipients who can receive the 
excess Federal personal property. The property being donated under the 
FOR VETS Act will be items that the Federal Government is no longer 
using. I can't imagine a more deserving segment of the population to 
which we should be donating this excess property.

                              {time}  1510

  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 3794.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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