Mike Bost

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, Friday is the March for Life. It is a moment for compassion, common sense, and a commitment to our most vulnerable. That is why I rise today in strong support of the pro-life bills included in this rule, including safeguarding funding for pregnancy resource centers act and the Pregnant Students' Rights Act. These bills are about something very simple: Protecting the dignity of the unborn and meeting very real needs of mothers and families. Pregnancy resource centers offer counseling, medical services, parenting resources, and support systems through some of the most difficult moments that a mother can face. They should never be targeted or defunded because they protect life. At the same time, no woman should be forced to choose between continuing her education or continuing her pregnancy. Women who choose life should be supported, encouraged, and empowered, not pushed aside or told that their dreams for the future don't matter. I have always been proud to stand for life, and that commitment has guided my work not only here in Congress but my work as a State legislator. My wife and I make sure that we put our money where our mouth is in supporting young women who find themselves in a situation with a pregnancy out of wedlock. Being pro-life is about doing more than just talking about it. It means standing up for life at every stage and backing it up with actions. This Friday, this Mall out here will be packed with a powerful demonstration of the sanctity of life. It is important that the people's House meets that moment. We should be unafraid to say that every life has value and that mothers deserve our support, not our silence. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and these pro- life, profamily priorities.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 659) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals to give priority to individuals with certain professional experience in recommending such individuals to serve as members of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and for other purposes.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 659.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 659. This bill would require the chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals to prioritize people with at least 3 years of relevant experience working in veterans law when recommending new veteran law judges to the VA Secretary for positions at the VA. This legislation does not alter the criteria the board currently uses to evaluate judges, and it does not restrict the board chairman from recommending other qualified candidates. Madam Speaker, this bill would ensure that the best judges with vitally important firsthand experience are serving our veterans at the VA. Veterans expect that those who are hearing their appeal or reviewing evidence in support of their appeal, have the skills, knowledge, and experience in veterans law to make sound decisions. I support this commonsense legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 659. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentlewoman from California for her time in service here. I wish her the best. Hopefully, we will continue working together, as we still have a lot of things to get done. This bill is a very good bill. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1663) to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1663, as amended.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1663, as amended, offered by Representative Calvert from California. This bill would protect veterans from scams and fraud that may target the benefits they earned through service. Too many veterans, along with their families, caregivers, and survivors, are being hit with savvy fraud schemes designed to steal personal information, drain bank accounts, and even redirect VA benefits to bad actors. When these scams happen, veterans often don't know where to turn inside the Federal system. The VSAFE Act would take direct action to fix this issue. This bill would add dedicated veterans scam and fraud evasion officer positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs. This would rightfully build up VA's fraud prevention and response efforts across VA, so this problem is treated like a real threat, not just an afterthought. Representative Calvert's bill would also require VA to improve communications during urgent fraud incidents, so veterans and their families are not left in the dark while scammers continue to strike. By building up VA's existing antifraud tools, adding new ones where necessary, we can combat fraud head-on. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, veterans should never lose their hard-earned benefits because the system failed to protect them from criminals. The VSAFE Act should strengthen the accountability, improve prevention, and give veterans the support and protection they deserve. This bill takes an important step toward safeguarding veterans and strengthening trust in the VA system, and I am proud to support it. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1663, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Someday, I would like to carry on this floor from our committee a bill that is actually sponsored by a Republican that my colleague can actually find totally good. We come out here every time, and he finds all the excuses of why this is bad, this is bad, and this is bad. This is a really good bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the person who has worked very hard on this bill to make sure it deals with the fraud that is out there.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. I encourage all Members to support this piece of legislation. I think it is a wonderful piece of legislation. It is way overdue. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ryan Whitehouse, who tragically passed away earlier this fall in an accident in Michigan. He was just 43 years old. Ryan was the Illinois Farm Bureau's Director of National Legislation, a friend, and great advocate of Illinois agriculture. As family, friends, and colleagues mourn his passing, we also reflect on the lasting impact he made on farming families across the State of Illinois. Ryan joined the Illinois Farm Bureau in 2013 and quickly set a high standard for service. In his role leading the Nation's legislative work, he made sure every county's interest was represented and respected. When he visited Washington, he brought with him the voice of the farmers he cared so deeply about and he made sure their voices were heard. Ryan treated everyone like a friend. He had a way of making you feel valued. Even through this tragedy, he continues to serve others through the Gift of Life Organ Donor Program. I also appreciate Ryan's dedication to Illinois agriculture and for the way he strengthened every community he touched. Mr. Speaker, the world would be a better place if we all carried the same spirit, kindness, and commitment. May his soul find peace and may God bless his family.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2392) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, 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, and for other purposes.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2392. Each year, Congress passes the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act. The legislation ensures that VA compensation benefits for veterans and their survivors keep pace with inflation and the cost of living. Millions of veterans and their loved ones depend on these benefits to pay for daily living expenses. This bill would help them meet that need by increasing certain VA benefits to the same percentage as the annual Social Security cost-of- living adjustment increase. I recognize this is something we could and should have taken up sooner, and there was real concern that if the shutdown dragged on, VA might not have had the staff in place to implement the COLA on time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors of this bill, Senators Moran and Blumenthal, for their bipartisan work on this vitally important bill to ensure our veterans get their benefits. I also thank Representative Luttrell for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support S. 2392, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Luttrell), who himself is a decorated veteran and knows these issues very well.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Moylan), my good friend.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am ready to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all of our Members to vote ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I thank our veterans. This is the right piece of legislation and something that we need to do, and make sure we do every year, to make sure that those costs of living are covered for our veterans and their survivors. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and recognize the heroic veterans of the Chosin Few. Seventy-five years ago, in the bitter winter of 1950, 30,000 United Nations forces, most of them United States Marines, were surrounded by more than 120,000 Chinese troops near the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Facing the freezing conditions, overwhelming odds, and heavy casualties, these men executed a successful fighting retreat to the port of Hungnam. In doing so, these heroes evacuated over 100,000 troops and civilians, through unyielding courage, sacrifice, and determination. The Battle of Chosin Reservoir is remembered not only for the extreme conditions that were faced, but more importantly the courage of those who fought. Over the course of 14 days, 17 Medals of Honor and 78 Service Cross Medals were awarded to these men for their actions in combat. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the Chosin Few and in recognizing the enduring legacy of courage, sacrifice, and freedom that their service represents.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I rise to include in the Record the following letter of support for H.R. 2701 from National Commander Scott P. Stevens, CW04, USA, (R). The Jewish War Veterans of the USA supports H.R. 2701, the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act. JWV appreciates the leadership of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) for their bipartisan introduction, as well as the support of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability and Memorial Affairs and the Full Committee in moving this critical legislation to the House floor. JWV urges swift passage of H.R. 2701 to start the process of properly marking graves and honoring these brave Jewish American servicemembers. The Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage Restoration Act requires the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) to create a program to identify Jewish servicemembers buried with grave markers that do not reflect their faith and to connect with their descendants. This vital effort will correct the historical record and ensure our fallen heroes are remembered as they lived and served. JVW understands that approximately 900 American-Jewish servicemembers who lost their lives during World War I and World War II and were buried in U.S. military cemeteries overseas (ABMC) were mistakenly interred under markers that do not represent their religion or heritage. JVW recognizes that most of these errors are unintentional; however, these mistakes hide the identity and legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. American-Jewish servicemembers served with honor and bravery, playing a crucial role in winning the Allied victory. They deserve to be remembered with dignity and accuracy. The United States has a solemn duty to ensure every fallen servicemember is honored correctly Enacting H.R. 2701 helps ensure that the Star of David marks the Jewish graves of servicemembers, currently marked in error.

Mr. BOST

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1107) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain heath care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver, distribute, or dispense to veterans certain controlled medications via telemedicine under certain conditions, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1107, as amended.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1107 offered by Representative Womack. This bill would allow telemedicine prescriptions for controlled substances at VA even before an in-person medical exam. During the COVID pandemic, VA waived requirements for an in-person appointment. As a result, providers could prescribe controlled substances by telemedicine. This waiver was helpful for continuity of care during the pandemic. We also realized that many veterans received more access than before due to this waiver. I cannot tell you how many times veterans in rural areas have told me stories about hours they have to drive to receive care or a prescription from the VA. Representative Womack's bill would close the loop and modernize the delivery of prescriptions by making the current waiver permanent. While telemedicine will never totally replace in-person care, the VA must be granted the tools to deliver 21st century healthcare. This bill would remove burdens on veterans who need VA care so they can get it sooner by telemedicine. I will continue to do whatever I can to ease access to care and critical treatment for veterans living in rural areas of this country. This bill would give VA power to meet the moment and the use of the latest medicine and technology for veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1107, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), the sponsor of this legislation and my good friend.