Mike Bost

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate James Frank Boucher, of Murphysboro, Illinois, who celebrates his 100th birthday on January 4, 2022. Known as Frank to his friends and family, Mr. Boucher was born on January 4, 1922, in Grimsby, Illinois, to James and Lillie Boucher and grew up with his three siblings: Dorothy, Fred, and Bernie. After graduating high school, Frank entered World War II as a reconnaissance pilot in the Army Air Corps, flying a single engine Stinson L-5 in the Pacific Theater and rising to the rank of Technical Sergeant. His family's favorite story to tell regards when Tech Sergeant Boucher was MIA for 14 days. Frank landed on a sandbar and traveled by night from village to village along the river. Using his pointy-talk book, he was able to communicate with the locals, which allowed him to work his way back to Yunan to be transported to Kumming Air Base. He was back flying missions the next day. In 1946, Frank returned home and married his wife, Zidania Francis Ogden. They were blessed with three boys. After working for the United States Postal Service for over 30 years, Frank retired and spent his newfound free time teaching his sons how to hunt and fish, and the importance of church and family. Over the years, his family grew to six grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Frank's wife of 73 years passed away 2 years ago, but he's still certain to cherish every moment shared with his family. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Tech Sergeant James Frank Boucher on his milestone 100th birthday. On behalf of Southern Illinois, thank you for your service to our Nation and happy birthday.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5545, as amended, the REMOTE Act. I am pleased to support this bill, which is very similar to my bill, H.R. 5509, the Student Veteran COVID-19 Protection Act of 2021. This bill will help address urgent needs of student veterans who are impacted by COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic, Congress worked to ensure that student veterans' GI bill housing allowance payments were not cut when in-person classes were moved online. The current authorization for this protection expires on December 21, 2021. H.R. 5545, as amended, would extend it through June 1 of 2021. This would provide veterans and schools with the certainty that students will not see a reduction in their monthly housing checks this school year. The bill also includes changes to ensure that GI bill students can attend foreign schools and give American schools time to comply with new consumer protection rules. It includes a change to the VA's rounding-out policy to allow students to retain their full monthly housing allowance, even if they finish their program-required coursework early. Finally, it also includes language sponsored by Congressman Lamb and Congressman Mann to remove the cap on the equal employment opportunity counselors at the VA. There is no place for discrimination at the VA. I am pleased that we can, once again, pass this important provision to help employees avail themselves of their right for a safe workplace. The costs of this bill are fully paid for by extending current VA home loan funding fees for a few months into 2030. This is a bipartisan offset that has been used multiple times in previous Congresses. This issue of whether to offset the estimated $220 million mandatory costs associated with this bill has been an issue of disagreement for many weeks, and I want to thank Chairman Takano for working with me and finding a mutually beneficial solution that is paid for and can quickly pass the Senate. This is win for the veterans, schools, and taxpayers alike. In the vast majority of circumstances, I strongly believe that Congress should do our job and pay for this new spending. We have a responsibility to pay for our bills, just like every American does. However, that does not mean that I will not consider the use of emergency spending when it is appropriate and necessary in the future as new emergencies may arise. Before I close, I would like to thank the dozens of higher education groups and veterans service organizations that have advocated for the passage of this needed extension and reform. I want to especially thank the American Council on Education and the Student Veterans of America for their continued support for this fully paid for legislation. They understand that if these changes are not made soon, many schools will be forced to stop accepting students who are using the GI Bill. I agree with them that such an outcome is simply unacceptable. While I wish we could have enacted these protections weeks ago, I am glad we are taking care of them today on a bipartisan basis that protects veterans and taxpayers alike. I, again, want to thank Chairman Takano for working with me and others on this issue, as well as our colleagues, Senators Tester and Moran, for their support. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I just want to let everyone know that I am very much in support of this legislation. I encourage my colleagues to support it as well, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed one vote on December 1, 2021. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 390.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, real wages have decreased 7 out of the past 9 months. The increase in the cost of consumer goods is at a 30-year high. What do these numbers actually mean in your daily life? You wake up in the morning and you go to make breakfast. You want scrambled eggs? They will be 11.6 percent more expensive. What about bacon? At a 20.2 percent increase on bacon, you might even take that off the menu. Don't forget your morning cup of coffee that is 5.6 percent more expensive. You make a mad dash to get the kids ready for school and then out the door. That will be a 4.3 percent increase in the cost of their clothing and a 7.5 percent increase in the cost of their shoes. You have gotten the kids on the bus and now you can go on to work yourself. Gas prices are now 51.3 percent higher, so it is going to cost you a lot more to drive to work. Have you been thinking about that new car? You can forget that, prices are up 9.8 percent on new cars. You want to save money and maybe get a used car? Good luck with that because they are up 26.4 percent. You arrive at work, but you realize you left your lunch at home. The cost of a plate at a nearby diner is up 5.3 percent. On your way home, you stop to pick up your kids to take them to practice. You make sure to tell them to take it easy though and make sure they don't wear out their sports equipment because their sports equipment is up 8 percent. Now you are home for dinner and those pork chops you are making for dinner are up 15.9 percent. The canned vegetables are up 6.6 percent. Your long day is finally over. You made it. Time to kick back, relax, watch some TV--wait a minute, the TV last year that you bought for Christmas is up 10.4 percent, and there is no doubt that last Christmas it was down that much. So what is the difference here? I think it is called the Biden economy. Maybe if people in the administration spent a day in the shoes of the average person, the person that goes to work every day, the person that has to pay these prices that we are talking about, maybe then they would realize that the policies that are being done right now and being put in place right now and have been put in place over the last 10 months is the cause of this, and that they would work with us to get it fixed.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Du Quoin High School's Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club for their generosity on World Kindness Day. After a good fundraising year, the students used their leftover club funds to purchase gift cards to distribute to community members outside their local grocery store. This act of kindness helped ensure that several local families were able to put food on the dinner table that evening. World Kindness Day is a wonderful opportunity to take a moment to give back to our communities. It serves as a reminder that even a gesture as simple as a smile or a helping hand can make someone's day. I am proud of each member and leader of Du Quoin High School's Family Career and Community Leaders of America club for their hard work and generosity during a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. On behalf of southern Illinois, thank you for giving back to our Du Quoin community.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the Build Back Better plan is a big, bloated joke. The problem is it is not funny. At a time when inflation is skyrocketing, House Democrats are doubling down on their socialist wish list. Is your family struggling financially after endless COVID shutdowns? Don't worry. The Democrats have a plan. They are going to be giving $80 billion to the IRS to double the number of agents who can track your spending habits. Worried about whether you can afford to put gas in your car or heat your home this year? Well, House Democrats have a plan for that too: huge tax hikes on natural gas, kneecapping American-made energy products to pour billions into the Green New Deal. Are you concerned about the security on our borders and keeping communities safe? House Democrats are providing amnesty for 8 million illegal immigrants. And we still don't know what the cost of this bill is going to be. There is no report here yet. Mr. Speaker, we should not be voting on this monstrosity, and I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, paying for something and doing the job that we are supposed to be doing here is not political gamesmanship. I said in my statement that I believe that we must continue to provide for these veterans, but it is our fiduciary duty to do it in the correct way. That is what I am asking for. I am also asking for it because that way we know it will move through the Senate and work in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to try to move it forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support the underlying bill that was discussed. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. At our full committee markup 2 weeks ago, I urged Chairman Takano to work with me and our Senate colleagues to find a way forward on the offset issue on a bipartisan basis. However, last week I was told that Congressman Trone's bill would be on the slate of bills, but the cost would not be offset. I registered my concern and was glad to see that the un-offset bill will not be considered under suspension of the rules today. I do understand, however, that the majority intends to take Congressman Trone's bill to the Rules Committee the week after next and pass it out of the House un-offset through a rule. Let me be clear, I support the policy, but I believe the cost of the bill must be offset. Schools like UC Riverside clearly agree with me. Even if the Democrats are able to get Congressman Trone's un-offset bill through the House--and that is a big ``if''--I don't believe that they can pass it in the Senate by unanimous consent. It is the responsibility of the leaders of our committee to solve this issue so that the bill can quickly make it to the President's desk. Although the chairman may not like it, my approach is the only way to get this done in time to help students in a fiscally responsible manner. The higher education community has told us that this extension needs to be enacted by Thanksgiving. I think we can see that under the majority's current plan, the deadline will be missed. After Thanksgiving we have only 9 legislative days left before these protections expire. We are simply running out of time. I do not have a preference for whether we take up my bill or amend Congressman Trone's bill to include the offset, but I urge the chairman to come back to reality and stop playing political games with it so that we can ensure that student veterans are protected in a fiscally sound manner. At the very least, I would advise the chairman not to let this inaction impact thousands of student veterans across the country, including the 179 right there in his own district. Mr. Speaker, I reserve 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. 5603, as amended, the Protections for Student Veterans Act. This bill would protect student veterans who have to withdraw from a course of education under the GI Bill if they are called up for Active Duty or for training. This change would protect students from receiving a poor grade or an incomplete while they are doing their job to protect this country. The change proposed in this bill is needed, and it has my full support. I am also pleased that this bill, as amended, includes the text of Congressman Cawthorn's bill, H.R. 4874, the Fly Vets Act. His bill would close a longstanding loophole that allows public flight training schools to charge an unlimited amount in tuition and fees for GI Bill students. This bill would allow students to utilize a revolutionary accelerated tuition and fee model that would provide twice the amount of tuition and fees per month for 2 months of eligibility. This is commonsense legislation that would protect both the student veteran and the taxpayer. I thank Congressman Cawthorn for his hard work on this bill. I also thank Congressmen Wenstrup and Levin for their work on this bill in previous Congresses. I hope that this year we can get this needed change across the finish line. While we are talking about the GI Bill, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss another matter. At least at the start of the pandemic, we worked on a bipartisan effort to ensure that student veterans' GI Bill housing allowance payments are not cut when their in- person classes converted to online learning due to COVID-19. The current authorization expires on December 21, 2021. Chairman Takano and Congressman Trone are advocating for a bill that extends this protection, but it is not paid for. Instead, it relies on emergency spending to cover the more than $200 million mandatory score associated with the bill. I believe that is too high of a cost to consider through emergency spending and must insist that we offset the extension. To that end, I introduced a bill that would achieve the policy objective but pay for the cost of the bill with a regularly used offset. My bill also includes changes that are needed to ensure that GI Bill students can attend foreign schools. It would also give U.S. schools time to comply with the new reporting requirements passed last Congress. A coalition of 18 higher education groups has advocated for these changes for several months and support my proposal. They understand that if these changes are not made soon, many schools will be forced to stop accepting students who are using the GI Bill. I understand the chairman has recently received a letter from the chancellor of the University of California at Riverside, who agrees that this proposal must be offset. Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox wrote that by passing the bill without an offset, we would be ``no closer to a resolution on this critical issue.'' The letter goes on to say that passing a bill out of the House without an offset ``will jeopardize UCR's ability to continue to serve our veteran students.'' The chancellor also stated that this fall UC Riverside supported hundreds of military-connected students, including about 179 veterans who could be impacted by inaction. Unless I am mistaken, UC Riverside is in Chairman Takano's district. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the letter from Chancellor Wilcox. UC Riverside, Office of the Chancellor, Riverside, CA, November 12, 2021. Hon. Mark Takano, U.S. Representative, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Takano: I understand that you are planning to bring H.R. 5545, the Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions (REMOTE) Act, up for a vote in the House next week. The bill includes critical technical corrections to address unintended consequences stemming from several provisions in the Isakson Roe Act and the Training in High-Demand Roles to Improve Veteran Employment (THRIVE) Act that went into effect on August 1, 2021. The bill would also extend certain COVID-related flexibilities granted to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the wake of the pandemic. As the bill is currently written, however, it does not include an offset for the approximately $200 million cost for the extension of COVID-19 flexibilities. I am deeply concerned that without the inclusion of an offset, the bill will not be able to pass the Senate by unanimous consent and we will be no closer to a resolution on this critical issue. During the Fall of 2021, UC Riverside served 179 Veterans, 37 Reservists, 11 National Guard, and 15 Active Duty self- identified members of the U.S. military branches. Designated as a ``Military Spouse Friendly'' campus, UCR served over 350 dependents, and have utilized over $6M in Veterans benefits. Without an offset for the extension of COVID-19 flexibilities, it will jeopardize UCR's ability to continue to serve our Veteran Students, due to the compliance issues that require fixes. I would also urge you to include language to modify VA's current ``rounding out'' rule to ensure that more veterans can maintain full-time benefits during the last term of their program. I respectfully request that your staff work to pass bipartisan legislation next week that addresses these concerns and can be quickly passed through both chambers and signed into law. Sincerely, Kim A. Wilcox, Chancellor.

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. 3730, to create a VA advisory committee on better serving veterans' needs in the territories. For a number of Congresses, Congresswoman Radewagen, Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon, Congressman Sablan, and other delegates from the territories have honorably served their veterans and constituents. Committee staff has traveled with many of our delegates and colleagues to the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. We have seen firsthand the disparities and the difficulties that their veterans face when trying to access healthcare and benefits from the VA. The combination of limited transportation options, the lack of local resources, the overlapping Federal agency jurisdictions, and the complexities around VA care in neighboring foreign nations make the territories different from the rest of the Nation and difficult to work in. Unfortunately, the challenges that the veterans in the territories face always seem to slide down to the bottom of VA's priority list. While I am generally skeptical of new advisory committees, I believe the voices of the veterans in the territories are not being heard, and I share Congresswoman Radewagen's and Congressman Sablan's goal of elevating their needs. For those reasons, I support the bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

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. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 147, as amended, the BRAVE Act. Every year, nearly 200,000 servicemen and -women transition out of Active Duty and into the civilian sector. This bill would require the Department of Defense to provide information on apprenticeship programs to separating servicemembers who are practicing in the Transition Assistance Program. The BRAVE Act would also require the Department of Labor to establish a website that includes information on national apprenticeships and those approved for the GI Bill benefits so it is readily available to the transitioning servicemembers. Last month's unemployment numbers showed that while the unemployment rate for nonveterans decreased, the unemployment rate for veterans increased slightly. This is concerning, and I am hopeful that improving the way that we provide information to our veterans about available apprenticeships may provide veterans with more opportunity for great jobs. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 147, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

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. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4233, the Student Veterans Counseling Centers Eligibility Act. This bill would allow student veterans to access readjustment counseling and peer support services at vet centers. Student veterans have unique needs and stressors. This bill would help them get the support they require to thrive in school and in their post-military lives. I am grateful to my good friend and committee colleague, Dr. Greg Murphy, for introducing this bill. I thank him for his leadership on behalf of student veterans, and I am confident this bill would benefit them for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, I urge every one of my colleagues to support H.R. 4233 today. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill. 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 in support of S. 796, the Protecting Moms Who Served Act. This bill would require VA to improve the care that is provided to veterans who are pregnant. More and more women are volunteering to serve in the military and seeking services from VA as veterans. As they grow their families, VA must provide them with high-quality, easy-to-access, pre- and postpartum care. Strengthening services to women veterans is one of my priorities as the lead Republican on this committee, and I am proud to help do that by supporting this bill today. I thank Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth for sponsoring this bill on behalf of our fellow veterans. I urge my colleagues to support it today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

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. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman).

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4626, as amended, the VA Assessment by Independent Measures Act, or AIM Act. The AIM Act is sponsored by my friend and fellow Marine Corps veteran, General Jack Bergman. General Bergman is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, and I thank him for his dedication to ensuring that the VA is providing good care for each one of our Nation's veterans. The AIM Act would require an independent assessment of the VA healthcare system once every decade, starting in the year 2025. When the VA was in the midst of a nationwide access and accountability crisis in 2014, Congress passed the Choice Act to help right the ship. The Choice Act included a provision requiring an independent assessment of the VA healthcare system. That led to many of the reforms that are occurring across the VA system today. Establishing a mechanism for regular independent assessments will ensure that the VA continues to improve in the decades ahead. I appreciate Chairman Takano and his staff for working with me and General Bergman while the AIM Act was pending in committee. I hope that this bill will have the same level of bipartisan support today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this piece of legislation, 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. 2433, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act. This bill is cosponsored by Congressmen Raul Ruiz from California and Brad Wenstrup from Ohio. Dr. Ruiz and Dr. Wenstrup are co-chairs of the House Burn Pit Caucus. I thank them for their work on this bill and continued advocacy on behalf of the veterans exposed to burn pits. Many servicemembers and veterans are grappling with serious health conditions that they believe are the result of the burn pit exposures. That is why Congress required VA to create an Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry in 2013. The registry was intended to provide a forum for servicemembers and veterans to document their burn pit exposures and health status so that the VA could better target research and outreach. The registry continues to be an important tool for veterans worried about burn pit and other toxic or environmental exposures. Last Congress, two important stakeholders, Burn Pits 360 and VFW, recommended family members be allowed to update the registry in the event of the death of a servicemember or veteran listed on it. This would ensure that the registry contains a more complete picture of the possible effects of burn pit exposure. This bill would do that. When a servicemember or a veteran listed in the registry passes away, it would allow an immediate family member to report their death and cause of death to the registry. As ranking member, improving the care and benefits provided to veterans who have experienced toxic exposure continues to be one of my top priorities. There have been bipartisan bills introduced in the House and Senate this Congress. One of those bills is my bill, the TEAM Act. And last week, VA announced some new initiatives aimed at improving the presumptive process for toxic-exposed veterans. I still have many outstanding questions about that announcement, and am concerned by the stalled legislative efforts of the Democrat-controlled Congress. Toxic-exposed veterans are sick and dying. We cannot let burn pits, PFAS, or particulate matters become this generation's Agent Orange. We cannot fail to take proactive action on behalf of the future generations of warfighters. I hope that we can soon come together in the House and the Senate in a bipartisan manner to take meaningful, fiscally responsible, and scientifically sound action to address toxic exposures. In the meantime, I am pleased to support this bill today, and hope it has the support of all of my colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.