[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        AMERICAN HEROES COLA ACT

  (Mr. RUIZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge the swift consideration of H.R. 
677, the American Heroes COLA Act.
  This bill includes two of my bills, H.R. 2691, the Veterans' 
Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act, and H.R. 732, the Veterans 
Access to Speedy Review Act.
  The claims and appeals backlog that is plaguing veterans in my 
district and across the Nation is unacceptable. The Veterans' Survivors 
Claims Processing Automation Act will allow veterans' surviving 
families to mourn their loss and grieve without unnecessary 
bureaucratic steps in the benefit claims process.
  The Veterans Access to Speedy Review Act will allow veterans to 
voluntarily use video conferencing technology to accelerate the appeals 
process. Veterans and their families deserve to have their claims 
reviewed and to receive the benefits that they have earned and deserve 
in a timely and efficient manner.
  I came to Washington to fight for pragmatic solutions to meet our 
Nation's most pressing needs. These two bills are pragmatic solutions 
for our veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, join me in honoring our veterans by bringing this 
legislation to a vote.

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