[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 15080-15082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      VETERANS BENEFITS CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, 2014

  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 370, I 
call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 72) making continuing 
appropriations for veterans benefits for fiscal year 2014, and for 
other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 370, the joint 
resolution is considered read.
  The text of the joint resolution is as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 72

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of 
     applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, 
     for veterans benefits for fiscal year 2014, and for other 
     purposes, namely:
       Sec. 101. (a) Amounts are provided for entitlements and 
     other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided 
     in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 
     Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division E of 
     Public Law 113-6), to continue activities at the rate to 
     maintain program levels under current law, under the 
     authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
     appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, to be continued 
     through the date specified in section 103(3).
       (b) Notwithstanding section 103, obligations for mandatory 
     payments due on or about the first day of any month that 
     begins after October 2013 but not later than 30 days after 
     the date specified in section 103(3) may continue to be made, 
     and funds shall be available for such payments.
       Sec. 102.  Amounts are provided for ``Department of 
     Veterans Affairs--Departmental Administration--General 
     Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'' at a 
     rate for operations of $2,455,490,000: Provided, That such 
     amount shall be made available subject to the authority and 
     conditions as provided under the Military Construction and 
     Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     2013 (division E of Public Law 113-6) and shall be available 
     to the extent and in the manner that would be provided by 
     such Act.
       Sec. 103.  Unless otherwise provided for in this joint 
     resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal 
     year 2014, appropriations and funds made available and 
     authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be 
     available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) 
     the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or 
     activity provided for in this joint resolution; (2) the 
     enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for 
     fiscal year 2014 without any provision for such project or 
     activity; or (3) December 15, 2013.
       Sec. 104.  It is the sense of Congress that this joint 
     resolution may also be referred to as the ``Honoring Our 
     Promise to America's Veterans Act''.
        This joint resolution may be cited as the ``Veterans 
     Benefits Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The joint resolution shall be debatable for 
30 minutes, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations.

[[Page 15081]]

  The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson) and the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Bishop) each will control 15 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on House Joint Resolution 72, and 
that I may include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  We bring before the House today, Madam Speaker, legislation that will 
ensure that our veterans are given the benefits that they have earned 
and that there's no delay in the processing of disability claims.
  Madam Speaker, the other day, President Obama gave us a list of 
things that are important and vital that the Nation do to make sure 
that there is no interruption in services. In particular, we as a 
Congress, as a House want to make sure that our veterans are taken care 
of. Everything they have earned through their service to their country, 
we want to make certain it is taken care of.
  This legislation before us today is essential because the VA has told 
us that funds for these benefits will run out by the end of this month. 
So it's essential we pass this legislation right now.
  Although the Veterans Health Administration is funded a year in 
advance, we have to pass this legislation today, Madam Speaker, to 
ensure that veterans and their survivors receive disability 
compensation benefits.
  We have to pass this legislation today to make sure that 517,000 low-
income veterans and their family members receive their pensions. We 
have to pass this legislation today unanimously so that three-quarters 
of a million students will receive their post-
9/11 GI education benefits. We need to pass this legislation today, 
Madam Speaker, so that 54,000 unemployed veterans will be able to be 
eligible for training assistance through the veterans retraining 
assistance program.
  Finally, Madam Speaker, we also have to make sure we get this 
legislation passed so that 67,000 veterans with service-connected 
disabilities receive their vocational rehabilitation and employment 
subsistence allowances.
  It's also important to note that this legislation will provide $223 
million for cemetery headstones and burial plot allowances that our 
veterans by their service to our Nation have earned.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Here we are again, deja vu all over again. The leadership of the 
other side of the aisle is again attempting to distract the American 
people from looking at their cynical shutdown efforts by trying to hold 
them under the torn and shredded garments of our veterans.
  This is a hoax. This is a fraud.
  Simply stated, this bill will not provide enough funding to pay for 
all the programs, where every Member of this House understands that 
veterans benefits are vital and crucial pieces of our ongoing 
obligation and commitment to our veterans.
  However, we should all be clear and we should understand that in 
accepting this piecemeal proposal, we are in fact cutting $6.2 billion 
in funding that this body voted in June, in the bill that we approved 
421-4.
  This proposed CR does not address, touch, or do anything for the 
remaining VA discretionary accounts, which are equally important to our 
veterans and our families:
  The Information Technology account, which includes $155 million for 
the Veterans Benefits Management System and is vital in speeding up the 
claims process, is not included;
  The Office of the Secretary account, which includes the Board of 
Veterans Appeals which provides decisions on claims appeals, is not 
included;
  The National Cemetery Administration is not included, which means 
that burials, Madam Speaker, at the national cemeteries will be 
conducted on a reduced schedule;
  The Office of Inspector General account is not included, which means 
that audits and evaluations, administrative investigations, health care 
inspections, and the Inspector General hotline will be suspended;
  The medical research account is not included;
  The construction accounts are not included;
  Grants to State veterans home and State cemeteries are not included.
  On June 4 we passed a full bill, a complete bill, a bipartisan bill. 
We provided more resources for veterans in the bipartisan bill we 
passed in June than are provided in this anemic attempt to hide the 
cynical Republican efforts to justify a government shutdown underneath 
the veil of the service and sacrifice of generation after generation of 
veterans.
  This is shameful. Veterans can see through this hypocrisy. The 
American people can see through this hypocrisy.
  We need to end this lifeboat strategy offered by the Senator from 
Texas, where the only visible functions of government he approves or 
sanctions will be opened.
  Open the entire government. Serve the American people by passing a 
clean resolution discharging our constitutional responsibilities and 
voting down this phantom of a funding bill that does a disservice to 
our Nation's heroes--our veterans.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, it is my privilege at this time to 
yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the 
distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding this 
time and thank you for bringing up this bill.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill.
  This bill continues to provide our Nation's veterans with access to 
important benefits that they have earned in service to their country. 
To let these important health benefits slow or stop would be to renege 
on our promise to our soldiers that, in exchange for taking care of 
this country, the Nation will take care of you.
  This legislation continues funding for the processing and delivering 
of disability claims and other health benefits at the current annual 
rate of approximately $82 billion until December 15, or until we enact 
full-year appropriations.
  Yesterday, when we considered this bill on the floor under 
suspension, Republicans and Democrats alike united behind the duty of 
this Congress to provide for our veterans. Frankly, I'm surprised it 
didn't pass with the vote of every single Member, but some of my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle chose not to support the care 
of our former servicemen and -women.
  But I believe that, given this second chance, where a majority will 
do, my colleagues will come together to pass this important bill. Not 
only is it important for the well-being of our veterans, but it's 
important for the well-being of the Nation as a whole. Every step we 
take to fund one section of the government is a step we can take toward 
reopening the entire government.
  Even if we do not agree on much, we can agree, Madam Speaker, that we 
can't allow this government shutdown to persist much longer and 
continue to inflict harm on the United States. The clearest path 
forward is coming together on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to work 
out our differences, find a solution, and end this shutdown. And the 
way to do this is laying right in front of us.
  The House passed the other night a motion to go to conference with 
the Senate on the differences that we have between us. It is the old, 
time-honored tradition of the House and Senate having a conference 
together to work out differences that is the way this place should be 
working; and yet the Senate refuses to sit down with us.
  Madam Speaker, our conferees are waiting at the table downstairs, 
even as I speak. And if the Senate would just send over their 
conferees, we can

[[Page 15082]]

work out the differences and the shutdown and solve the rest of the 
Nation's problems.
  I urge my colleagues to provide for our veterans and help us get out 
of this shutdown disaster. Vote ``aye'' on this bill.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes 
to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Lowey), ranking member of the 
full Appropriations Committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, of course we support funding for our 
veterans. The House already passed a full-year funding bill in June by 
a vote of 421-4, which was $6 billion more than the cheap ploy now 
being considered.
  It is essential that the VA can continue offering services, but we 
must also ensure that veterans receive job training, children receive 
immunizations, and that our food supply is safe.
  Radical Republicans have shut down the government because they refuse 
to allow a vote on a spending bill that they wrote, the Senate passed, 
and the White House would sign.
  Three days into the shut down, the majority can't even tell us what 
they want to reopen the government. Just yesterday, one of their 
Members said:
  We have to get something out of this. And I don't even know what that 
is.
  The House majority has shut down the government, but not to reduce 
spending or for some other policy reason. It is for pure petulance, and 
they don't even know what they're trying to accomplish.

                              {time}  1415

  Ending the shutdown couldn't be more simple. Stop playing games. 
Allow a vote on the bill--with your number--to end the shutdown that 
the Senate passed and the President will sign.
  This could end in 30 minutes. Just take the bill with your number, 
let it pass here, send it to the White House, and that's the end; and 
we can get on with business to serve the people that we were elected to 
help.
  My constituents want us to work on these serious issues, as do you.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, the only question before the House 
tonight is: Will we unite to support our veterans?
  I am pleased, at this time, to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller), the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I rise for the second time this week to talk about this particular 
piece of legislation. Why the second time? Well, because the Democrats 
banded together to kill this veterans funding bill once before. And as 
I mentioned before the Democrats moved to kill this veterans funding 
bill, we worked to ensure that disabled veterans, low-income veterans 
going to school on the GI Bill, and survivors of those killed in the 
line of duty continue to receive their benefits that they are due, the 
benefits that they in fact have earned.
  Madam Speaker, the House Democrats must not know that Bernie Sanders, 
the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced a 
bill on Monday night that related to veterans funding, and I'd like to 
share with everyone a bit about that effort. And I quote from press 
reports:

       Veterans Affairs' Chairman Bernard Sanders introduced the 
     legislation (S. 1564) Monday night and quickly got the 
     backing from four other Democrats on the panel, as well as 
     Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the top Republican on the 
     committee . . . Specifically, the bill would protect 
     mandatory compensation and pension benefits for veterans and 
     families, including survivor benefits. It would also, among 
     other things, continue money flowing to educational programs 
     for veterans . . . The bill, he predicted, would be passed in 
     enough time to ensure veterans benefits are not disrupted. 
     Burr said he expects the Senate to adopt the legislation by 
     unanimous consent.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. CULBERSON. I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Does this sound familiar? It should. Because 
this is the very piece of legislation that we're talking about on the 
floor today. And I have a suspicion why the Democrats keep stalling 
this veteran funding bill--they are playing politics.
  I ask the Senate majority leader and my friends in the Democratic 
leadership to unite. Take up the bill that the ranking member has 
already said that fully funds veterans on June 4.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Takano) for a unanimous consent request.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, before I state my unanimous consent 
request----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for a unanimous 
consent request only.


                         Parliamentary Inquiry

  Mr. TAKANO. Parliamentary inquiry, Madam Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state his parliamentary 
inquiry.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, what do the House Republicans want to end 
this shutdown, because----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has been recognized only for a 
unanimous consent request.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House 
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to 
conference on a budget so that we can end this Republican government 
shutdown that is slowing our economic growth by .3 percent.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
  Under guidelines consistently issued by successive Speakers as 
recorded in section 956 of the House Rules and Manual, the Chair is 
constrained not to entertain the request unless it has been cleared by 
the bipartisan floor and committee leaderships.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Veasey) for a unanimous consent request.
  Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House 
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to 
conference on a budget so that we end this Republican government 
shutdown that is undermining our national security by leaving more than 
70 percent of the CIA furloughed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.
  As the Chair previously advised, the request cannot be entertained 
absent appropriate clearance.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Barber) for a unanimous consent request.
  Mr. BARBER. Madam Speaker, our servicemembers and our veterans have 
done their duty and they have stood steadfast in defense of our Nation. 
They deserve more than our thanks----
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. The gentleman is 
not recognized. The gentleman will suspend.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Clarke) for a unanimous consent request.
  Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House 
bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, the clean CR, and go to 
conference on a budget so that we can end this Republican government 
shutdown that is undermining public health by preventing the CDC from 
working on its annual flu vaccine or detecting disease outbreaks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman will suspend. The 
gentlewoman is not recognized.
  As the Chair previously advised, that request cannot be entertained 
absent appropriate clearance.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CULBERSON. Madam Speaker, at this time, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe).
  Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend.

                          ____________________