Steve Buyer

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Michaud because he did his committee work. He did his committee work because we brought a bill to the floor. Yes, under suspension, Mr. Filner, but he did his committee work. He filed a report which allowed us to work with him. When you don't file a report, you deny the minority their opportunity to be heard. So I want to thank Mr. Michaud for working with us and for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman).

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman who just spoke. As a retired sergeant major, we benefit by his expertise not only on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, but also in Congress. We have a lot of people here who have been enlisted, and we have had officers and generals and admirals, but when you get a sergeant major, they speak softly. And there's a reason the sergeant major speaks softly, because he doesn't have to speak loudly because they are so well respected. And so, Sergeant Major, your contributions to the committee are recognized and appreciated. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's comments that he just made. Before you take off, this issue, and I appreciate your interest in it because this is one of our great challenges. We've got the best helmet that we put on our soldiers and marines in the field and even some of the Air Force personnel, Navy personnel. And it protects them against ballistics, and it's the best in the world. But when it comes to blasts and crash, what it does to the brain, we're now on the forefront, and we are pushing the boundary of our knowledge. And some of the world's experts now are not only at the polytrauma centers, but in particular, when these soldiers end up at Landstuhl, Germany, that's where they are. So they can immediately deal with these neurotraumas. And when the gentleman said that there could possibly be thousands, what we do know is that at the polytrauma centers, those who are actually being treated for traumatic brain injury, there's less than 400 cases. But the gentleman is right with regard to individuals who may have had a concussion. Yet, how severe is the concussion? And if the science is unknown, and we're trying to understand that. That's the purpose of Mr. Michaud's bill. And I appreciate the gentleman's interest, would love to continue to work with you in your interest. I'd bring to your attention the Veterans Health Administration Directive 2007-013 released April 13, 2007, establishes the VA policy and procedure for screening and evaluation of possible TBI in OEF and OIF veterans. This directive states, ``Not all patients who screen positive have TBI. It is possible to respond positively to all four sections due to the presence of other conditions such as PTSD, cervical cranial injury with headaches and inner ear injury, for example. Therefore, it's critical that patients not be labeled with a diagnosis of TBI on the basis of a positive screening test. Patients need to be referred for further evaluation.'' So we are in an area of science whereby the sand shifts directly under our feet, and I would look forward to working with the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is conceivable that at some point one of these needed Traumatic Brain Injury Centers of Excellence could be located in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which could be named the Raymond G. ``Jerry'' Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, if Chairman Filner would clear either H.R. 474 or take up Senate bill 229 for consideration on the floor of which that Senate bill, Mr. Speaker, sits at your desk. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. At the May 9, 2007, full committee hearing on the results of the President's Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes, in response to my questioning about the actual number of TBI cases treated in VA as inpatients, Secretary Nicholson responded that VA has treated 369 veterans in its polytrauma centers so far for TBI. Secretary Nicholson also commented that the VA has the capacity in their polytrauma centers, and that many of the patients in the polytrauma centers are active duty military. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, once again, reclaiming my time, the American people get to see the abuse of power that I have to deal with. Rather than working collegially with us, with regard to filing reports, it's just, well, we don't have to do it. We'll just bring it to the floor. It doesn't matter. Really? Is that how we're going to legislate? We're just going to be sloppy about the Nation's business? I don't think that's a proper way of paying respect to our Nation's veterans, and it's very unfortunate. I yield to my colleague, the chairman of the committee, to respond to my question that will you permit, under the suspension of the rules, to consider H.R. 474 when we return after Memorial Day break so that we may honor Raymond Jerry Murphy and rename the Albuquerque VA Medical Center after him. Mr. Chairman, I yield to you.

Mr. BUYER. Thank you. I would yield back to the gentleman, since he did not address a parliamentary inquiry during his question. I yield to him, if you would like to have a statement.

Mr. BUYER. I would yield to the chairman for a parliamentary inquiry and respond to the question.

Mr. BUYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank also not only you but also in particular Ms. Herseth Sandlin and Mr. Michaud for their work on this bill. I'm pleased to support H.R. 1470, the Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, that would require a phased implementation to provide chiropractic care in all VA medical centers by December 31, 2011. Under a policy guidance that I gave under the House Republican alternative budget resolution for fiscal year 2008, we provided an additional $100 million for veterans medical services to support the hiring of doctors of chiropractic care at all 155 VA medical centers. I have history dating back to the 106th Congress for supporting chiropractic care. The Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee worked to include chiropractic care services as a benefit in the military health facilities and through TRICARE. VA is currently offering chiropractic care in 30 VA medical centers and provides chiropractic care on a fee-for-service basis for veterans who are geographically distant from a VA medical facility. In fiscal year 2006, the VA paid over $1 million to fee-based chiropractic providers to treat roughly 3,000 veterans, and I support the passage of this bill. I would also note, Mr. Speaker, that I'm very concerned because the chairman just spoke that the reason, words to the effect, that he's brought these seven bills to the floor is to represent what a grateful Nation bestows. But what I'm concerned about the seven bills being considered today under the suspension of the rules, only one, H.R. 2199, is being considered with a bill report having been filed. I believe this is yet another way in which the majority of this Veterans' Affairs Committee is breaking with past practices. When you do not file a report with a bill that comes to the floor, you are essentially denying Members of the minority the opportunity to file supplemental, minority and additional views on legislation under House rule XI, clause 2(i). Since the time of Sonny Montgomery, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has filed bill reports with every veterans bill other than resolutions such as H. Res. 392 or a facility naming bill; which is what I'm asking for Mr. Filner to do to honor the recipient of the Medal of Honor with regard to the naming of the VA medical center in Albuquerque, NM, and the minority has thus had the opportunity to file views. The veterans bills being considered by the House today, H.R. 67, H.R. 1660, H.R. 612, H.R. 1470 and H.R. 2239, were all ordered favorably reported, with the exception of H.R. 1470, ordered reported from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs with amendments. However, the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs has filed no bill with reports on any of them. Not only does this deprive the minority of the opportunity to file views, but it deprives veterans and the rest of the interested public from having important legislative history which discusses the background of legislation and explains the committee's intent as well as the amendments. All of this is compounded by the fact that most of these bills were ordered reported without hearings that would have provided an historical record for legislation. The majority also has not bothered to obtain the position of the administration on most of these bills. There is no reason for taking such shortcuts. I would have filed additional views on H.R. 1660, in particular, if the opportunity had been available. These are not expedited pieces of legislation involving an emergency situation. There has been ample time to follow the customary regular order and do that which is right. We will now be at a disadvantage when conferring with the Senate. I fully expect the House to pass these bills overwhelmingly, but it is not a good way to legislate on behalf of our Nation's veterans. I understand all the committees operate under the suspension of the rules to bring legislation to the floor. I wish that there were a collegial relationship between the chairman and the ranking member. It does not exist, unfortunately. If, in fact, he would confer and work with us, we wouldn't have to work these things out or make an attempt to work these things out on the House floor. Once again, I will make an attempt, and I will ask Chairman Filner if he would call up Heather Wilson's bill and allow us, when we return after the Memorial Day break, to have Heather Wilson's bill, H.R. 1474, brought to the House floor under the suspensions. Mr. Chairman, I yield to you. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. BUYER. I do not yield for a parliamentary inquiry. I think the purpose of my yielding to the chairman was to get a good response, whereby we have criteria, before the committee, with regard to how we name VA medical centers. There is an individual, all the criteria have been satisfied, and I asked a very simple question of the chairman, if he would suspend the rules and bring it to the floor. I have written him twice. He doesn't respond to the letters. It has passed the Senate. A bill lays upon the desk, and I asked a very simple question. All he wants to do is a parliamentary inquiry. So maybe we will be enlightened if I let him do a parliamentary inquiry. Mr. Chairman, I yield to you for a parliamentary inquiry. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the chairman for amending this legislation to address my concern that, as originally drafted, the bill did not provide equity for those veterans whose eligibility period would have expired prior to the enactment of this bill. At my request, the bill was amended to make sure that those veterans whose eligibility period had ended prior to the enactment and did not enroll in the VA health care would be eligible for an additional 3 years of VA health care services. All veterans who served in combat should receive the same level of care, and I appreciate the chairman for adopting and agreeing to this amendment. In 1993, Congress enacted Public Law 103-210 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional authority for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide health care for veterans of the Persian Gulf War. The special health care authority allowed VA to treat those veterans who served in combat operations in the Persian Gulf for possible war- related illnesses, even though there was not definitive evidence that the disorders treated were related to wartime service. Subsequent congressional hearings on Persian Gulf veterans health care highlighted the importance of early intervention in treating the kind of unexplained health problems experienced by many Persian Gulf war veterans. In 1998, with the potential of renewed combat in the Persian Gulf, Public Law 105-368, the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998, was enacted. This law authorizes the VA to provide medical care and other medical services to combat veterans for a period of 2 years following the service separation date for veterans who served on active duty in theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities after November 11 of 1998. Members of the National Guard and Reserves may be eligible for this care if they meet certain requirements which essentially satisfy the definition of a ``veteran.'' The experience of the 1990s taught us the importance of both increasing understanding of war-related illnesses generally, and ensuring that the VA is better prepared to treat veterans of future wars and military combat. I would also, at this moment, like to thank my colleague, Mr. Salazar of Colorado, who shared with me his statement that he gave honoring the life of a great American, Raymond Gerald Murphy. And I had an opportunity to read his statement that he read into the Congressional Record, and I appreciate him honoring such an American. My only regret is that I never had an opportunity to meet someone like this. And I'm sure that he touched the lives of many, many people. And so I suppose where we are, Mr. Speaker, is that with regard to how we recognize this Medal of Honor recipient by naming the hospital after him, the Veterans' Affairs Committee has specific criteria that we are to go by. And when you look at the specific criteria, we satisfy all the criteria. He's a Medal of Honor recipient. He has letters of support from all the veterans groups in the State of New Mexico, all of the recognized organizations, I have their letters here, Mr. Speaker, I'll be more than happy to get them to you, along with the support of the Governor, all the Members of Congress, and we should be able to get this done. There's no reason why we shouldn't. So here we have a situation whereby the committee has specific criteria for the naming of a VA hospital. This Medal of Honor recipient clearly applies. It passed the Senate. Yet we don't have criteria, as the chairman just spoke on the last bill, with regard to the naming of a cemetery. Yet we did it just for a political reason. And so now it's difficult for me to figure out how to follow the leadership of the chairman. We don't have criteria, but we take action on the floor. But where we do have criteria, we don't take action on the floor. So it is a puzzling moment that we have in how we are bringing these veterans bills to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 392 that encourages Americans and people of all nationalities to visit American cemeteries, memorials and markers operated by the American Battle Monuments Commission. More than 125,000 American war dead of the Mexican, Civil, Spanish American and both World Wars are buried in American cemeteries across the globe. Our overseas cemeteries are under the jurisdiction of the American Battle Monuments Commission. I believe they are the gold standard in preserving the final resting place of this Nation's heroes. I've had the privilege of visiting our cemeteries in Normandy, in Luxembourg and Cyrennes which is just outside Paris. I believe that those who work at these cemeteries, in fact, when I said they set the gold standard, it is a standard to which our VA cemeteries here in this country should achieve. It's emblematic, I believe, of our Nation's regard to those who made the highest sacrifice. They are true shrines to Americans who came to lands that they had never seen, to fight for a people that they had never met. They fought for no bounty of their own and left freedom in their footsteps. Normandy, the American cemetery, is probably the most famous of our Nation's overseas cemeteries. It is the final resting place of more than 10,000 Americans who died in one of the greatest and most decisive battles of the epic struggle against tyranny in World War II. This year the Commission will open a new visitors center to help communicate the story of this site to those who fought and died over its length and breadth in time. I had the opportunity to deliver the Memorial Day address, along with my friend Henry Brown of South Carolina, at Normandy as I stood there on the cliffs at Omaha Beach in 2005, an experience that I will never forget. When I visited the Luxembourg cemetery last year, I was in awe of the beauty of the white stone chapel flanked by two very large stone pylons as the centerpiece of this cemetery in which then-General Patton lies in rest before his men. These pylons have maps and inscriptions telling the achievements of the U.S. Armed Forces in the region. Inscribed here are the 371 names of missing who gave their lives near this site but whose remains were not recovered or identified. The Luxembourg cemetery is also the final resting place for some 5,000 GIs who repulsed Hitler's final offensive in the Battle of the Bulge, including several members of the famous Band of Brothers, deposed in Steve Ambrose's book. I think if you visited any of these cemeteries all over the world you can't help but walk away with the same feeling that I have, a strong sense of humility and very humbled that these individuals gave everything in the name of freedom and in the name of liberty. I just encourage everyone so when you go overseas and you're on a trip, or you go to Paris, pause for a moment and go visit one of our cemeteries on foreign land. And I'm pleased that after World War II we now make every effort to bring these bodies back to our own country. So from Korea and Vietnam and the first Gulf War, second Gulf War, we try everything we can to bring these bodies back. And speaking of Korea, now that the chairman is here on the floor, I would even ask of the chairman, there is a bill that was filed by one of our colleagues to bring recognition to Raymond Jerry Murphy, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New Mexico after this Medal of Honor winner. And I've given you several letters as to why this bill shouldn't be brought up. We're hopeful that you could have brought this bill to the floor while he was alive, but now he has since deceased. So I would ask the chairman if he has knowledge as to why this bill shouldn't be brought to the floor and given the same honor to which you're giving here with regard to this bill. I yield to the chairman.

Mr. BUYER. I absolutely yield for a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. BUYER. So the chairman would raise an issue of germaneness rather than addressing the issue of how we honor the men and women who serve this country. That is disappointing. This is a Medal of Honor winner from the Korean War in which we tried to seek to give recognition, just like we're doing in this bill, in how we honor our Nation's sacred fallen. This is an individual of whom is so respected in New Mexico the entire delegation supports it. It passed by unanimous consent in the Senate. The Senate bill lies upon this desk, but the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee won't bring it to the floor, and I don't understand. I will now yield back to the gentleman for a better explanation, rather than germaneness, as to why you will not honor this veteran that the entire delegation of New Mexico supports.

Mr. BUYER. I will reclaim my time since the gentleman now is not speaking of a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. BUYER. No, the gentleman from Indiana yields to the chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I think by silence, by omission, the chairman just spoke, and how disappointed I am that veterans, that he just said that he wanted to come to the floor, that he was going to take this moment as a thank-you to veterans and all they do; yet here we have an opportunity in bipartisanship to recognize this Medal of Honor winner from Korea, whereby he wouldn't even do it when the gentleman was alive, and now he's deceased, and he still won't even give this individual the recognition. Yet the Senate bill, in a bipartisan fashion, lays upon this desk. I am very disappointed, and I don't know what it's going to take to get you to move this bill and give the recognition. The Governor supports it. The two Senators support it. The Members of Congress from New Mexico support it. All the veterans service organizations support the bill, and I support this bill. And if you know of a particular reason as to why this Medal of Honor winner, Mr. Murphy, should not receive this recognition by having the veterans hospital named in his honor, please let all of us know, because if you're blocking this for political motive, now we're upset.

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Reclaiming my time. I would like to work with the chairman, because I believe in that answer we do not have the criteria at this moment, and I think all the Members in this body need to know what the criteria would be with regard to placing a VA national cemetery. We have given such deference to the executive branch. And I know that both gentlemen from Colorado brought up the issue to us about rural areas in the country and felt that, given the way that these studies were structured, that this VA cemetery could never be built. So given that deference, the chairman was very responsive to you. We took up an amendment by Mr. Stearns, which both of the gentlemen from Colorado had agreed to, whereby we did not want this to displace any of the other present cemeteries in the present priority. I respect the gentleman, and I want to work with the chairman on coming up with criteria.

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for bringing this bill to the Veterans' Affairs Committee and for his interest in outreach. In the bill previous to this one, I brought up an issue with regard to how we give proper recognition to a Medal of Honor recipient, Jerry Murphy of New Mexico. Jerry Murphy, in his tenure at the Department of Veterans Affairs, even after he retired, was a champion of veterans outreach. Like many of my comrades, when they come back from war, they have seen a lot of things, far worse than what I have ever seen. They call themselves generally, Mr. McIntyre, the lucky ones, because one of their friends or buddies is in worse shape than what they are; they dedicate their lives to them. That's exactly what Jerry Murphy did in his tenure, not only serving the Department of Veterans Affairs, but, in addition, he was the director of the Veterans Services Division of the Albuquerque, New Mexico, regional VA office from 1974 to 1997. This individual, dedicated his life and received not only the Medal of Honor, he also received the Silver Star. What I would like to do, so America can reach out and touch and understand the type of individual who would dedicate his life to the service of his comrades, and he would push them in a wheelchair, take them to an appointment in that hospital. The individual he was pushing, they had no idea that they were being pushed by a Medal of Honor recipient. This individual, Raymond G. Murphy, was a second lieutenant in the United States Marines Reserve, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, and 3 February of 1953 was an important date, because on that date, for his conspicuous gallantry, and the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a platoon commander of Company A, and actions against an enemy aggressor force, he rose up and distinguished himself. The citation that he received when he was given the Congressional Medal of Honor stated that although painfully wounded by fragments of an enemy mortar shell while leading his evacuation platoon in support of assault units attacking a cleverly concealed and well-entrenched hostile force occupying commanding ground, Second Lieutenant Murphy steadfastly refused medical aid and continued to lead his men up a hill through a withering barrage of hostile mortar and small-arms fire, skillfully maneuvering his force from one position to the next and shouting words of encouragement. Undeterred by increasing intense enemy fire, he immediately located casualties as they fell and made several trips up and down the fire- swept hill to direct evacuation teams for the wounded, personally carrying many of the stricken marines to safety. When reinforcements were needed by the assaulting elements, Second Lieutenant Murphy employed part of his unit as support, and, during the ensuing battle, he killed two of the enemy with his pistol. With all the wounded evacuated and the assaulting units beginning to disengage, he remained behind with a carbine to cover the movement of the friendly forces off the hill, and, through the suffering of intense pain from his previous wounds, seized an automatic rifle to provide more firepower when the enemy reappeared in the trenches. After reaching the base of the hill, he organized a search party again to ascend the slope for a final check on missing marines. Locating and carrying the bodies of a marine gun crew back down the hill, he was wounded a second time while conducting the entire force to the line of departure through a continuing barrage of enemy small arms, artillery, mortar fire. He also, once again, refused medical assistance until assured that every one of his men, including all casualties, had preceded him to the main line. His resolute, inspiring leadership, exceptional fortitude and great personal valor reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Raymond Murphy, and he enhanced the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. This was the citation he received, was given to him when he received the Medal of Honor. This is the same individual whereby the three members of the New Mexico delegation, led by Heather Wilson, have brought a bill, H.R. 474, to the floor about the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he worked. As a matter of fact, he was always the humble servant. Even after his retirement, as I said, he became a volunteer. This brave marine, who earned the Medal of Honor, chose to be buried wearing his VA hospital volunteer smock. This is the type of individual of whom, at a moment like this, as we go into Memorial Day, we think of these individuals, not only what they have done, not only at the moment of calling, it was most difficult during war, but then how did they dedicate their life. Memorial Day, yes, it's that day, but it's also a day whereby, not those who just died in service to country, but what do they do later on with their life, and we think of them. Here is a gentleman, Mr. McIntyre, I know exactly this is the type of person you are thinking about, who dedicated themselves to outreach. So I ask you to talk to the chairman, because he is the sole impediment as to why the House and the Senate do not honor this gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 67, the Veterans Outreach Improvement Act. I thank my colleagues, Mr. McIntyre and Mr. Filner, for bringing the legislation to the floor. H.R. 67 requires Secretary Nicholson to coordinate and implement a plan throughout the VA to help provide veterans with outreach so that they are aware of potential benefits and understand how to apply for them. The bill also authorizes a matching fund grants program for State and local governments to provide such outreach. I'd also like to thank my colleague, Mr. Lamborn from Colorado, for his amendment to this legislation with reporting and grant requirements to strengthen accountability for admission. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to myself such time as I may consume. I would ask the Chair how much time I have.

Mr. BUYER

Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill and compliment Ms. Herseth Sandlin for her work and Mr. Boozman. Mr. Speaker, the bill, as amended does two important things. First, it lowers the existing eligibility for servicemembers undergoing treatment prior to discharge to 10 percent vice the current 20 percent. Second, it clarifies existing law to reaffirm Congress' intent that VA provide vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits to eligible service members undergoing what is normally long-term convalescence. This bill will be especially important to service members being treated at our major trauma centers such as Walter Reed, Bethesda, Palo Alto and Tampa Bay. Many of these service members are facing what may be years of physical and emotional therapy and it makes good sense to begin the process of reintegration into the workforce prior to discharge from active duty. Voc rehab benefits available under this bill will also provide positive reinforcement to DoD and VA therapy sessions by concentrating on issues other than any residual disability(s) they may have from their injuries. Mr. Speaker, this is an excellent bill and I strongly urge my colleagues to support it.