[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12011-12012]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     EXPANDING ACCESS TO STATE VETERANS HOMES FOR GOLD STAR PARENTS

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4505) to enable State homes to furnish nursing home care to 
parents any of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4505

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

     SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF STATE HOME CARE FOR PARENTS OF 
                   VETERANS WHO DIED WHILE SERVING IN ARMED 
                   FORCES.

       In administering section 51.210(d) of title 38, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     permit a State home to provide services to, in addition to 
     non-veterans described in such subsection, a non-veteran any 
     of whose children died while serving in the Armed Forces.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FILNER. Madam 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. 4505.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this bill, legislation to support the families 
of fallen service men and women. The bill offers access to State 
veteran homes to parents who have lost a child serving in the Armed 
Forces. While this service is currently available to some parents, we 
must recognize that any parent who has lost even one child should be 
given our support and care.
  Madam Speaker, it is easy to understand the profound sacrifices that 
members of the armed services make daily in the service of their 
country. However, sometimes we forget that their fathers, mothers, 
husbands, wives and children also sacrifice deeply. When we memorialize 
the service of a dead servicemember, we must not forget the pain and 
sacrifice that their family has also endured.
  Madam Speaker, this bill represents an important step forward in 
honoring the sacrifices of not just our servicemembers, but their 
families as well. I urge the support of my colleagues.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Today, I rise in support of H.R. 4505 to enable State homes to 
furnish nursing home care to parents any of whose children died while 
serving in the Armed Forces.
  This legislation was introduced by my good friend and colleague from 
Texas, Mac Thornberry.
  The loss of a child is a heartbreaking tragedy for any parent. When 
that loss occurs in defense of American freedom and democracy, we as a 
grateful and compassionate nation, must do all that we can to ease 
their pain and provide for their needs.
  The State Veterans Home program is a partnership between the VA and 
the States to provide a broad range of long-term nursing home care for 
our veterans in need of such care.
  Although admission to a State Home is determined by each individual 
state, each Home is required to maintain a residency of at least 
seventy-five percent veterans. Non-veterans may be admitted to a State 
Home if they meet certain criteria. Under current law, eligible non-
veterans are veteran's spouses, widows, and Gold Star parents who have 
lost all of their children in military service.
  H.R. 4505 would allow Gold Star parents who have lost a child but not 
necessarily all of their children to service in the Armed Forces 
eligibility for admission to a State Home. This is a simple change, and 
simply the right thing to do.
  I want to thank Mac for recognizing this gap and taking the 
initiative to introduce legislation to correct the oversight and 
improve services for a parent who suffered the loss of a child in 
service to our country.
  It is important to note that this bill would not result in any 
additional cost to the VA. And, most importantly, would not in any way 
impact the space available to veterans in State Veterans Homes.
  Our highest admiration and respect should always lie with our 
servicemembers and veterans who knowingly and willingly put their lives 
on the line to protect our freedoms. And, we must also acknowledge and 
honor their beloved family members who also sacrifice in service to our 
country.
  H.R. 4505 is supported by the Gold Star Wives of America, other major 
Veterans Service Organizations, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  I urge each and every one of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
H.R. 4505.
  Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the author of 
the bill, Mac Thornberry of Texas.
  Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana, 
who has been a very strong advocate for veterans and a respected voice 
in national security during the time that he has been in Congress. We 
will surely miss him in another year when he is no longer in our midst.
  Madam Speaker, this is one of those issues that leaves people 
scratching their heads and saying, well, that doesn't make sense, 
because the way it works now is to be eligible for a State veterans 
home, a Gold Star parent must have lost all of their children. This 
bill will allow a parent to be eligible for a State veterans home if 
they have lost a child while serving in the military.
  Now, there are 137 State veterans homes in all 50 States. Those 
States will still be able to determine the priority level about 
admissions. They still have to have 75 percent of their beds occupied 
by veterans. But the average occupancy rate now across the country is 
86 percent. There is roughly 15 percent of empty beds in these homes, 
so this bill basically allows an added group of Gold Star parents who 
have lost a child while serving in the military to be eligible to fill 
those beds.
  Essentially, there is no cost. The Department of Veterans Affairs has 
come back and said it will not cost the Federal Government anything. 
Our visits with the States have gotten the same result. It is supported 
by the American Legion, the VFW, and the Veterans Department.
  Madam Speaker, I would say it has a practical benefit in that it 
gives an additional option for parents who have lost a child serving in 
the military, but in a larger sense, it gives a message of gratitude 
and support for the sacrifice that those parents have made.
  I want to thank the chair and certainly the ranking member for 
bringing this to the floor. I want to express my appreciation to Dr. 
Vic Snyder, the

[[Page 12012]]

gentleman from Arkansas, who was an original sponsor of this bill with 
me, as well as Senator Ensign, who brought this matter to my attention 
last year. He tried to resolve it last year and was not able to do so, 
but hopefully it can be solved this year. I thank the gentleman again 
for yielding.
  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman for 
bringing this, and I also thank the gentleman for his leadership on the 
House Armed Services Committee. You are filling a gap here. This is 
supported by the Gold Star wives, along with other major veterans 
service organizations.
  I urge all my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 4505.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 
4505, 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. 4505.
  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. FILNER. Madam 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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