Mike Bost

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 165th anniversary of ``The Old Cathedral,'' SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, in Alton, Illinois. The church, completed in 1857, remains a beautiful example of Gothic architecture in the Metro East region. On January 9, 1857, the Diocese Episcopal See was transferred to Alton from Quincy, and the Most Reverend Henry Damien Junker became Alton's first bishop. The Most Reverend Peter Baltes succeeded him in 1870, followed by the third and final Bishop of Alton, the Most Reverend James Ryan, in 1886. Below the church are the tombs of the first two bishops of the Diocese of Alton. During its life as the Diocese Cathedral, our country was torn apart at the seams by Civil War, was reunited, and then grew into a global power. We celebrated the St. Louis World's Fair, saw our dirt roads paved over, and had our lives changed by revolutionary inventions. In 2015, the SS. Peter & Paul Parish had a beautiful carillon installed in the bell tower to beckon all to come and worship. Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the 165th anniversary of ``The Old Cathedral,'' SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, and celebrating its many contributions to Alton and the surrounding communities.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6411, as amended, the Support The Resiliency of Our Nation's Great, STRONG, Veterans Act. This bill would improve VA's mental health and suicide prevention strategies by doing a number of things. It would expand the Vet Center workforce, and it would also allow student veterans the opportunity to seek counseling at Vet Centers during what can be yet another stressful time in that period of transitioning into civilian life. Additionally, the bill would allow family members of veterans who died by suicide to seek bereavement counseling at Vet Centers. This support, from counselors who know veterans and the challenges that their families often face, would be a valuable resource for those in mourning. This bill would expand training, scholarship, and loan repayment programs for the VA mental health providers. It would direct a series of actions to improve the Veterans Crisis Line, including enhanced training and oversight. It would codify an existing VA program that reaches out to veterans in their first year out of the military to provide them with information about relevant resources. This bill would require VA to conduct numerous studies with the goals of improving care for veterans with sleep disorders, refining inpatient care for veterans struggling with addiction, identifying treatments for veterans suffering from both mental health and substance use disorders, and assessing the possible secondary impacts PTSD and depression may have on veterans' families. This bill is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations between the Veterans Affairs' Committee leaders. I thank Chairman Takano for working with me to introduce this bill and move it forward today. I thank Senate colleagues Chairman Tester and Ranking Member Moran for their work on this bill. This bill contains many provisions that were in standalone bills introduced by many of our other Members, and I recognize them today. I send a particular thank-you to Dr. Murphy, Congressman Rouzer, and to two of my fellow committee members, veterans themselves, Dr. Miller- Meeks and Congressman Ellzey. Each of them spearheaded vital pieces of this legislation that will help veterans and their families thrive for years to come. I encourage any veteran listening to this who is struggling and in need of support to contact the veterans hotline by calling 1-800-273- 8825 and pressing 1. Once again, that is 1-800-273-8825 and pressing 1. Or you can also get there by texting 838255. That is 838255. Or you can actually visit the Veterans Crisis Line at veteranscrisisline.net, all one word. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help if you need it. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. First off, I say thank you to all the people who have worked on this important piece of legislation for the support that it is has received. The important thing is that we get the care, treatment, and support for all the veterans who are considering suicide and the families who suffer from the fact that they have done it. Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), my good friend.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate a dedicated professional with the Department of Veterans Affairs on the occasion of her retirement. Mrs. Stacy Coggin is an exemplary public servant who has demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism on a daily basis. She has served with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office for Congressional and Legislative Affairs the last five years of her more than 22 years in federal service. Her career in faithful public service is a testament to the importance of selfless service. For the last 5 years, Mrs. Coggin served as Congressional Relations Officer in the office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. She has been involved in a remarkable breadth of important VA programs across the Department including compensation and benefits claims, appeals, and field operations. In this capacity, she spearheaded support for more than nine hundred Congressional oversight actions, from requests for information to Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearings, helping this body ensure our Nation's veterans and their families receive the care and benefits they deserve. As Mrs. Coggin embarks on a new chapter in life, it is my hope that she may recall, with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, the outstanding contributions she has made to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and the veterans of the United States. May her life be filled with health and happiness.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5738, the Lactation Spaces for Veteran Moms Act. One of my priorities is strengthening services for women veterans. This bill would do that by ensuring that VA medical facilities have safe, clean, private spaces for them to use for breastfeeding. VA is already required to create these spaces for VA employees. It is only right that we give veteran mothers who use VA facilities the ability to take care of their families this way as well. I am grateful to Congresswoman Luria and Congresswoman Herrera Beutler for their work on this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in support of it today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6052, which requires VA employees to receive training on the work that the VA inspector general does. This training will help VA employees understand how to recognize and report instances of waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as their responsibility to comply with the investigations. VA's budget request for fiscal year 2023 is over $300 billion. Oversight of this Department's massive budget is a major priority of mine. This commonsense bill would lead to better oversight by informing all VA employees of their responsibility to identify and report fraud, waste, and abuse. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2533, the MAMMO for Veterans Act. This bill requires VA to develop a plan to improve breast imaging services. It also establishes a breast imaging telehealth pilot program to better serve women veterans in areas where VA does not have significant capacity, including rural areas. It also requires VA to upgrade breast imaging services at the VA facilities by using three-dimensional imaging and provide updated guidelines and genetic counseling for veterans diagnosed with breast cancer. Early detection is the key to fighting all forms of cancer, to include breast cancer. VA should make every effort to ensure veterans with breast cancer receive cutting-edge care, both in screening and treatment. I appreciate Senator Tester and my friend and fellow veteran, Congresswoman Miller-Meeks, for their work on this important bill. It has my full support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), my good friend.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2102, the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environment, or SERVICE Act. Dr. Thomas was a marine--oorah--veteran and a public health professional, who was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer following her deployment to Iraq. She was just 38 years old when she was diagnosed. She was just 42 years old when she died of breast cancer on April 5 of this year. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones. Dr. Thomas' passing is a tragic reminder of how high the stakes are when it comes to better serving veterans suffering from toxic exposure. Both VA and DOD have conducted studies that indicate that women who have served in the military have an elevated risk for breast cancer. The bill that bears Dr. Thomas' name would help more toxic-exposed veterans like her have access to breast imaging services from the VA, regardless of their enrollment status. The bill is sponsored by Senator Boozman of Arkansas, and I thank him for his work on this legislation. I also thank Congresswoman Miller- Meeks, the House sponsor, who has been a strong champion for it as well. Dr. Miller-Meeks is a veteran herself, and women veterans have no better advocate than she. I am proud to support the bill today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, as we have noticed today, this bill and other bills deal specifically with the promise we have made, I have made, and I know that Chairman Takano as well has made, to try to make things better for our women veterans. We also had the bills that dealt with the sexual trauma. These are issues that are vitally important. I appreciate what we have worked on today. We want to make sure that we provide for those needs. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this piece of legislation along with all the others that we have moved today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7335, the MST Claims Coordination Act. This bill requires VBA to provide claimants with outreach materials on VHA services for military sexual trauma survivors during the benefits claim process. Additionally, this legislation will allow the veterans to opt into a requirement that the VBA notify VHA when the veteran receives a disability exam or board hearing for a claim related to MST. This will allow the VHA to be better informed about the events in the claims process that may cause distress to the MST survivor in order to improve their care. Veteran claimants have reported that they are unaware of the services VHA provides to assist veterans who experienced MST, regardless of their service-connected disability status. It is critical that VA improves coordination between VHA and VBA to better support survivors of MST. I appreciate Congresswoman Luria, the Chairwoman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, for introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6961, the Dignity for MST Survivors Act, which was introduced by Congressman Mrvan, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. All veterans should receive an accurate decision the first time they file a claim, especially if the claim is related to MST. If the VA must deny that claim, this should be communicated in a compassionate manner. Moreover, the VA disability examiners should be sensitive to the needs of our veterans who are undergoing an exam for a condition related to MST. This bill would make several improvements to the MST claims process, including enhancing training on MST for adjudicators at the Board of Veterans' Appeals; improving decision notices for claims related to MST; and, requiring the VA to establish standards to ensure that disability examiners perform exams related to MST using trauma-informed practices. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6064, and I thank Congressman Nehls, Congresswoman Luria, and the leaders of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, for introducing this bill. This bill would require the VA to partner with the National Academies to conduct an independent review of the VA's delivery of benefits for claims related to MST. The National Academies would also provide recommendations that the VA could implement to improve the disability claims process for MST survivors. For decades, the National Academies has led research into the VA disability benefits process, including reports on the health effects of toxic exposures and VA's handling of traumatic brain injury claims. This study is needed to help Congress and VA better understand what changes need to be made in this process to ensure that veterans receive quality, timely, and compassionate consideration of their disability claims. For too long, we have heard that the MST claims process can be insensitive. This is unacceptable, and VA must do better. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2724, the VA Peer Support Enhancement for MST Survivors Act, which is sponsored by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Delgado). Veterans who file disability claims based on MST report that the process can be difficult and emotional. Peer support specialists can help these veterans through this stressful time. Peer support specialists provide critical help to veterans. Unfortunately, many veterans who file a claim for conditions based on MST may not be aware of, or eligible for, VHA peer support services. This bill would better ensure that these claimants are eligible for peer support services or are connected with an MST coordinator at VHA. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 4089, the Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program Restoration and Recovery Act. One of the few positive provisions that was enacted as part of the American Rescue Plan was the creation of the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program, or VRRAP. This program authorizes 1 year of GI Bill-style education benefits for training for an in-demand occupation for unemployed veterans. VRRAP was originally authored during the peak of COVID veteran unemployment by our former colleague Dr. Phil Roe and Congressman Levin. I was pleased to introduce the bill this year and was glad that it was made part of the American Rescue Plan. Under this program, eligible veterans only have one chance to participate in VRRAP. This became a problem for hundreds of students at Future Tech Career Institute in Chicago when the training provider lost their ability to administer GI Bill benefits earlier this year. If those students had been using a traditional GI Bill program, they would be eligible to have their benefits restored to continue their studies at another school. However, with VRRAP, that was not possible. This bill will fix that issue, authorizing VRRAP users to have another chance to use the program if their school closes or loses GI Bill approval in the middle of the semester. While I am very supportive of the policy in this bill, I do have concerns about the cost. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the cost of this bill to be at $6 million in mandatory costs over 10 years. For whatever reason, the Senate chose not to offset these costs before passing this bill. This decision is, unfortunately, not surprising, as we have seen repeatedly that the Democrat majority in both the House and the Senate loves to ignore costs and increase spending. Their overstimulation of the economy has led to soaring inflation and staggering price increases that Americans see every day. We must stop mortgaging our children's and grandchildren's futures. Our current level of spending is simply not sustainable. That being said, I am not going to stand in the way of providing restored benefits to unemployed veterans who need our help in this struggling economy. That is why I am going to reluctantly support the passage of this bill today. However, I caution my friends that this practice of un-offset spending must end. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.