John Boozman

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might use. I rise in support of H.R. 1037, as amended, introduced by the distinguished chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Ms. Herseth Sandlin. The Pilot College Work Study Program for Veterans Act of 2009 would expand the number and types of work study positions at colleges and universities. The types of work study jobs that can be funded through the Montgomery GI Bill are too restrictive. Expanding the types of jobs veterans may hold at schools benefits student veterans financially, but more importantly, in my view, it places them in positions where nonveteran students and faculty will see the advantages and results of military service to the Nation. Too often our young people see only the entitlement side of life that requires no commitment to something other than themselves. Just as the original GI Bill opened higher education to the masses of citizen soldiers after World War II, improved the experiences of all students, including nonveterans, this bill will broaden the impact on veterans throughout the Nation's higher educational system. I am reminded of the statement by James B. Conant, president of Harvard University, shortly after the World War II generation filled the campuses. In recanting his earlier concerns, he stated, and I quote: The mature student body that filled our colleges in 1946 and 1947 was a delight to all who were teaching undergraduates. For seriousness, perceptiveness, and studiousness and all other undergraduate virtues, the former soldiers and sailors were the best in Harvard's history. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1037, as amended, will provide our veterans on campus a unique opportunity to earn while they learn, to build their resumes and to influence campus life. Too often our young citizens see a distorted image of veterans, and this bill will help replace that image with one of men and woman who are dedicated to education and to making meaningful contributions to society. By enlarging the types of work study jobs veterans can hold on campus, we are putting them in the forefront of student life. As teaching assistants, administrative staff, student counselors, and other high-visibility jobs, nonveteran students and faculty will see them just as Harvard President Conant did over 60 years ago. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. I rise today to honor the Joe L. Allbritton family, the Allbritton Communications Company, and the Little Rock, Arkansas, ABC affiliate KATV for their generous contribution of an extensive video collection of historical events to the University of Arkansas. Through a partnership formed between Allbritton Communications and KATV with the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, KATV's video library, the largest in the State and one of the largest in the Nation, will be a treasure that all Americans can enjoy. This Master Cassette Recording Library contains more than half a century of KATV news coverage, including more than 26,000 hours of Arkansas history collected over the past 50 years. The bulk of this video footage has never been made available to the public, and with the additional funds from this gift, the Pryor Center will be able to offer this footage online. Arkansans and all Americans will be able to benefit from this great historical database that depicts the history of The Natural State.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as a part of H.R. 2997, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: Rural cooperative development grants Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) Address of Requesting Entity: 207 W. Center St., P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702 Description of Request: The funding would be used for the national sustainable agriculture information service, to offer technical information and assistance to farmers, ranchers and agricultural information providers Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: Rural-Business Cooperative Service Legal Name of Requesting Entity: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Address of Requesting Entity: 207 E212 AFLS Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: The funding would be used for the continuation of University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Endophyte Research programs Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: Salaries and expenses Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Agricultural Law Center, University of Arkansas School of Law Address of Requesting Entity: 107 Waterman Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: The funding would be used to provide a leading source of objective, scholarly, and authoritative agricultural and food law research and information Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Animal Science Food Safety Consortium, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Address of Requesting Entity: E212 AFLS Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: the funding would be used for the continuation of Animal Science and Food Safety Consortium programs Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: National Consortium for Rural Geospatial Innovations in America, RGIS--Mid-South Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies Address of Requesting Entity: JBHT 304, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: The funding would be used for the continuation of University of Arkansas participation in the National Consortium for Rural Geospatial Innovations in America (RGIS) Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2997 Account: SRG Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Institute of Food Science and Engineering, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Address of Requesting Entity: E212 AFLS Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Description of Request: the funding would be used to provide multidisciplinary research on value-added processing, safety, nutritional value, packaging, storage, and distribution of food products

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Martin Roenigk, a gracious contributor to the Third District of Arkansas, who unexpectedly passed away last week. Marty was a philanthropist, a preservationist, and, above all else, a friend to all who knew him. He spent the last 12 years as an Arkansan, and although he was a relatively new resident, you could never tell because of his compassion for the community. Marty has been described as a visionary, and traveling in northwest Arkansas you can see that vision come alive. His love of historic preservation transformed Eureka Springs. In 1997, Marty and his wife bought the 1905 Basin Park Hotel and then the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa. The Roenigks restored these historic hotels and helped revitalize tourism to this town. The Roenigks then purchased the War Eagle Mill and were instrumental in preserving the War Eagle Bridge. Madam Speaker, Marty will certainly be missed. However, his legacy will live on for generations to come because of his generosity. I ask my colleagues to keep Marty's family and friends in their thoughts and prayers during these difficult times.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as a part of H.R. 2996--the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2010. Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2996 Account: STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project Legal Name of Requesting Entity: City of Fayetteville Address of Requesting Entity: 113 West Mountain, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72704 Description of Request: The existing sewer line that provides service to eastern Fayetteville and the city of Elkins was constructed of clay tile pipe in the mid-1970s. This pipe is no longer water tight due to external and internal corrosion, and age. As a result, there is groundwater intrusion, likely small amounts of sewage leakage into groundwater and thence into the White River, and piping failures resulting in sewage overflows. The multi-jurisdictional issues coupled with the absence of adequate local financial resources render this an ongoing environmental challenge. The piping system is in such poor condition that sewage flows are increased by a factor of three due to extraneous rain and ground water that enters the system through the pipe defects. This extra flow overtaxes the entire wastewater system, causing sanitary sewer overflows during heavy rains and requiring greatly oversized wastewater treatment facilities.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, today my colleague Rep. Diane Watson and I are introducing the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act of 2009. This bicameral, bi-partisan bill is designed to improve upon the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, which was enacted to provide automatic U.S. citizenship to internationally adopted children of American citizens. International adoption has been a rewarding experience for many families across the United States. However, it is a process that is stressful, complicated, and costly. The FACE Act is intended to cut through some of the paper work and to treat internationally adopted children as we treat children born abroad to American citizens. Under the Child Citizenship Act, an internationally adopted child of a U.S. citizen receives U.S. citizenship once the child enters the U.S. to reside permanently. Once in the U.S., the child then has to go through the naturalization process. The FACE Act is intended to improve this process in many ways. First, it would amend the CCA so that once an international adoption is completed by an American citizen and the adopted child is determined to be adoptable under U.S. law, citizenship would attach. Therefore, instead of parents having to apply for a costly visa to bring their newly adopted child home to the United States, they would apply for a U.S. passport and Consular Report of Birth, making the process that of what is required from American citizen parents whose child is born while abroad. Passports are much less expensive than visas, and once in the U.S., the passport and Consular Report of birth would serve as proof of U.S. citizenship streamlining the application process for a social security card, filing for the adoption tax credit or even enrolling the child into school thus eliminating additional paperwork burdens for these new parents. In addition, the FACE Act allows for internationally adopted children who are now over the age of 18 and who were not naturalized by their adoptive parents, to apply for and receive citizenship without going through the naturalization process, if they so desire. Unfortunately there are many cases where adoptive parents failed to naturalize their internationally adoptive children prior to their 18th birthdays and prior to passage of the CCA in 2000. Many of these children grow up believing they are U.S. citizens only to find out they are not when they try to register to vote, enlist in the military, or apply for college. There are even cases of these children being deported to their country of origins, where they do not speak the native language nor know the culture, for committing misdemeanors. This act seeks to rectify this situation and give these children the privilege of two heritages--that of their country of origin and of their new home, the United States. Finally, this act seeks to amend Section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the section of law that provides U.S. citizenship from birth to biological children of American citizens who are born abroad. The FACE act would add internationally adopted children of American citizens to this section providing them citizenship from birth. Thus, internationally adopted children would be given the same opportunities given to American children born abroad, such as the chance to run for President. Together, these changes would finally treat internationally adopted children of American citizens as children of American citizens instead of as immigrants and would provide them equality with biological children born abroad to American citizens.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, today my colleague Rep. Diane Watson and I are introducing the Families for Orphans Act of 2009. This bicameral, bi-partisan bill seeks to provide children in the United States and around the world the best opportunity for the full development of his or her potential by growing up in a permanent family. Despite good efforts of countless governments and nongovernmental organizations, the number of children growing up without parents is at epidemic levels. Thus, these children are forced to live on the streets, in child-headed households or in institutions, hardly the nurturing environments needed for these children to reach their full potential as productive citizens of the world. Permanency is one of the most important things we can offer children and is something that every child craves. The United States has long been interested in developing a global strategy for providing permanent parental care for orphans; however, we still lack a clear diplomatic authority to represent these interests. This bill aims to establish the Office of Orphan Policy, Development and Diplomacy, a specialized office in the Department of State. A specially appointed Coordinator would head this office, which would be responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive, evidence- based strategy to support the preservation of families and the provision of permanent families and for orphans. As our diplomats work with countries to prevent terrorism and child trafficking, this office is one more service we can offer. Our government will now be set up to identify and develop government infrastructures, services and programs that help forge permanent family care in different cultures. The ultimate goal is to find children permanent families with the focus on legally-recognized relationships between responsible adults and children without parents. It also provides resources for preserving families, seeking social, therapeutic and financial programs and services designed to enable birth families to provide safe, permanent, and nurturing care to their children and strengthen and support families at risk of dissolution, separation or domestic violence. The bill establishes a minimum set of standards for the preservation of families and provision of permanent care by foreign governments. These standards are designed to ensure that partner countries are making the necessary steps to reduce the number of abandoned children, to reunify children with family when possible, and to promote adoption and guardianship when appropriate. The millions of children growing up without parents have a devastating impact on society across the globe. Without a permanent family, the risk of suicide, homelessness, an incomplete education, and teen pregnancy is all far greater. Every child deserves to grow up in a loving family. This bill is a giant step to ensuring just that for all the children of the world.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1016, as amended, a bill that would authorize appropriations for several veterans health care accounts a year in advance beginning with fiscal year 2011. I also thank Chairman Filner for bringing this bill forward and trying to solve a problem that we've had in the past. The goal of the bill is to provide an increased level of fiscal certainty regarding operations of the VA hospital system. By funding the accounts for medical services, medical support and compliance, medical facilities, information technology systems, and medical and prosthetic research, the Department of Veterans Affairs should be able to manage its health care personnel needs in day-to-day operations. I would note that the last three accounts that I mentioned were included in the bill by an amendment offered by the ranking member, Mr. Buyer, and adopted by the full committee. Adding these accounts has improved the bill by providing more complete medical funding needs. Advanced funding alone will not solve the VA's ability to provide quality medical care. Without accurate predictive data, advanced appropriations will not necessarily provide the right amount of funding the VA needs to operate its health care system. Therefore, the bill also contains provisions that require a combination of reports and analysis to determine the quality of the data VA will be using in its financial model to determine funding needs. Mr. Speaker, this bill, while not a perfect solution, is a very reasonable way to allow the advanced funding concept to be tested in practice, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1016, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, again I would ask that my colleagues vote for this bill. I appreciate Mr. Filner's hard work on the bill. I think it's a great step in the right direction. And then also I would like to thank Ranking Member Buyer for offering a good amendment that I think helped the bill also. So with that I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1211, as amended, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans from the Department of Veterans Affairs and for other purposes. I appreciate the hard work of the gentlelady from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) on this bill and in bringing it forward. Throughout history, women have played a vital role in supporting our national defense. Currently women make up 8 percent, about 8 percent of the total veteran population, and VA estimates that by 2020, women veterans will comprise about 10 percent of the veteran population. Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, and it's essential to make sure that VA is providing specialized programs and services to meet their unique physical and mental health needs. I want to thank again my good friend and colleague, the gentlelady from South Dakota, for introducing this legislation, and I am pleased to have joined with her as an original cosponsor for H.R. 1211. This legislation would expand and improve benefits and services for our female veterans, especially our newest generation of women veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The VA would be required to conduct independent studies to look at the barriers women veterans face in obtaining VA health care, assist the services currently being provided, and develop a plan to better meet their needs. In the past 5 years, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of women veterans of child-bearing age enrolling in the VA health care system. H.R. 1211, as amended, would aid this population by authorizing VA to provide care to newborns of women veterans receiving maternity care through VA. Additionally, the bill would establish a pilot program to provide child care assistance for certain qualified veterans while they are receiving care at the VA. Recognizing that the largest number of women veterans are serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the bill would also ensure that recently separated women veterans have a voice on the advisory committee on women veterans and minority veterans. I urge my colleagues to support 1211, as amended. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the Health Subcommittee, Chairman Mike Michaud and Ranking Member Henry Brown of South Carolina, for their hard work on this bill. I would also like to thank Chairman Bob Filner, Ranking Member Steve Buyer, for working together to move this bill quickly and get it on this floor. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Ms. Herseth Sandlin for her leadership and recognizing the problem and then moving forward with legislation that hopefully will be of great help to women veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1211, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I agree with the chairman in the sense that this is the perfect time of the year to bring these bills forward. These are excellent bills that will help our veterans, and I rise in strong support of S. 407, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Act of 2009. I would like to thank my House colleagues, Mr. Hall of New York, chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, as well as the House bill's sponsor, Mrs. Kirkpatrick of Arizona, for their leadership on H.R. 1533 which passed on March 30, 2009. Mr. Speaker, S. 407 would increase effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. The COLA adjustment includes veterans' disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, clothing allowance dependency, and indemnity compensation to surviving spouses and children. Mr. Speaker, this is an important annual authorization which provides much-needed assistance to our Nation's veterans, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support the bill. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Chairman John Hall and Ranking Member Doug Lamborn on these issues. I would also like to thank Committee Chairman Bob Filner and Ranking Member Steve Buyer for moving this bill forward for consideration. I urge my colleagues to support S. 407 and yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1172, as amended, a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet Web site of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors. Mr. Speaker, the goal of this bill, H.R. 1172, is to provide a place on the VA Web site that lists as many sources of scholarships for veterans as reasonably possible. Beginning with the World War II GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs has administered education programs designed to provide a wide range of education and training opportunities to veterans. Over the years, that mission expanded to include veterans, dependents, and survivors. Since World War II, the number of degree-granting institutions and nondegree-training schools has significantly increased. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are about 4,314 degree-granting institutions and about 2,222 nondegree-training entities that qualify for title IV education assistance programs. Each of these may also offer non-Federal financial aid directly or indirectly to veterans through association with organizations such as foundations, but it is the very expansion of these sources that makes it imperative to assist veterans in accessing scholarship information. With the proliferation of schools, the rapidly increasing cost of education and training, and the sources of potential financial assistance for veterans, there is a need for a centralized source of financial assistance where a veteran can find links to at least some of the aid available. For example, an Internet search for ``veterans scholarships'' yielded 8,570 sources of information. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the VA should also include sources of financial assistance for dependents and survivors if providers of such financial aid notify VA about the availability of such assistance. During the legislative hearing on H.R. 1172, VA expressed some concerns about the bill. In response to their concerns, in cooperation with Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin of the Subcommittee of Economic Opportunity, the committee amended the bill to better define the bill's objectives and to include appropriate limitations on VA's role in providing scholarship information to veterans. I appreciate the opportunity to work in bipartisan cooperation in making these changes. The substitute states that VA shall make reasonable efforts to notify schools and appropriate entities, such as foundations, of the opportunity to be linked by the VA Web site as a provider of scholarships for veterans. The bill, as amended, also requires VA to include statements on its Web site noting that VA does not endorse or guarantee any assistance offered by an entity included on the Web site, nor should the individual consider the list to be all inclusive. Finally, the amended bill sets an effective date of June 1, 2010, to enable VA to concentrate on getting the new post-9/11 GI Bill up and running, which is so important before adding to their workload. I believe this bill's provisions will help veterans identify scholarships intended for their use. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again extend my thanks to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity chairwoman, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, for her assistance on this bill, and also for her leadership in so many ways. Stephanie has done a tremendous job. Again, I would also like to thank the full committee chairman, Bob Filner, the ranking member, Steve Buyer, and the committee staff on both sides that have worked very hard on this. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1172, as amended, and urge its immediate passage. With that, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2487--the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2487 Account: DOJ, OJP-Byrne Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at the University of Arkansas, 7723 Colonel Glen Road, Little Rock, AR 72204 Address of Requesting Entity: see above Description of Request: The funding of $600,000 for the Arkansas School Resource Officer Program will be used to create a uniform School Resource Officer Program for Arkansas, which currently has no uniform standards, training guidelines or certification requirements for School Resource Officers. The funds will provide education and training for SRO's and school officials and provide safe school on-site assessments of Arkansas schools. Requesting Member: Congressman John Boozman Bill Number: H.R. 2487 Account: DOJ, COPS-Meth Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Criminal Justice Institute (CJI) at the University of Arkansas, 7723 Colonel Glen Road, Little Rock, AR 72204 Address of Requesting Entity: see above Description of Request: The funding of $575,000 for the Arkansas Methamphetamine Education and Training Project will be used to provide the Arkansas law enforcement community with methamphetamine-focused courses that emphasize officer awareness and safety, effective management and investigation of methamphetamine-related cases, and the identification and rescue of Arkansas's methamphetamine-affected children.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bobby New, who has devoted his life to the education of our youth. Mr. New is retiring from 35 years of public education, 13 of which were as the superintendent of the Fayetteville School District. During his time as superintendent, he provided the school district with the ideas and the innovation required for a growing area, including updating the grading structure and increasing technology throughout the district. We are blessed to have educational professionals like Mr. New. I commend him for his service as a superintendent of the Fayetteville Public Schools, for his passion in educating our youth and for his commitment to improving our schools. I wish him success in his future endeavors. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. New, an educator and friend whose continued devotion to the Third District of Arkansas has not gone unnoticed and will never be forgotten.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize and commend the Leadership Training Institute of America for its outstanding contributions to the development of our nation's youth. This organization is changing the world and shaping the future by inspiring Christian leaders to develop their critical thinking skills, study world view agendas and strategies, influence their communities with a Biblical world view, and excel as leaders. LTIA, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, is a cultural think tank that provides high school and college age students with training and opportunities in cultural dynamics and leadership values. This organization's mission is to identify, inspire, and instruct students for world view leadership and it has done that with hundreds of youth around the world. It is imperative for us to have organizations like this that are on the forefront of training youth in world view struggles, which enables them to defend their beliefs and to understand why traditional, conservative values are important to a free and secure society. These are the biblical values that our country was founded on. The students are encouraged to apply and excel in leadership, critical thinking skills, scientific knowledge, historical facts, world view conflicts and strategies and Biblical wisdom. They are exposed to the major philosophies, views, and issues of our world today and are encouraged to pursue careers in influential sectors of society. With great pride, I salute the Leadership Training Institute of America for its unrelenting dedication and commitment in training and equipping our youth for the challenges they will face tomorrow in the dynamic and ever changing world.

Mr. BOOZMAN

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, having no more speakers on the bill, I would like to extend my appreciation once again to Mr. Doggett for bringing the bill forward, to Ms. Herseth Sandlin, Chairman Filner and Ranking Member Buyer for their support and everyone working together to improve the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Again, you know where I am at on this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 466, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun).

Mr. BOOZMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the manager's amendment to H.R. 466. This bill would add protections against employment discrimination due to continued treatment for a service-connected disability to the Uniform Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA; and that is the right thing to do. Those who are seriously injured serving in the Nation's military should not be disadvantaged in the workplace beyond what their injuries have already put upon them; and allowing a reasonable amount of time off from their jobs for continuing service-connected medical treatment is the least thing that we can do. I believe that including them in USERRA is appropriate because it leaves no doubt as to an employer's obligation to service-disabled employees. I extend my appreciation to the distinguished chairwoman, Ms. Herseth Sandlin, who has worked with us to improve the bill. Together we have clarified issues related to service-connected disability leave as well as other issues such as pension benefits and protections for businesses whose circumstances have changed so significantly that the application of these provisions would impose a serious burden on the employer. This is a very worthy bill, and we appreciate Mr. Doggett bringing it forward. I would urge my colleagues certainly to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.