Lane Evans

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, a measure to recognize the 60th anniversary of D-Day in honor of the Allied forces who participated in that battle. I want to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder), and the gentleman from California (Chairman Hunter) for their leadership as well. Mr. Speaker, the World War II era was a decisive time for this Nation and the world; and June 6, 1944 marked perhaps the most decisive moment of that time. Winston Churchill, while discussing with President Franklin Roosevelt the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy stated, ``This is much the greatest thing we have ever attempted.'' The D-Day landing on the Normandy beaches was the largest air, land, and sea invasion that was ever undertaken. Operation Overlord started in the early hours of June 6, 1944, and the battle for Normandy would continue throughout the summer. Indeed, the war in Europe would wage for nearly another year, until May 8, 1945. It is clear now, however, that D-Day was the beginning of the end for the war in Europe and Hitler's forces. The Allied forces participating in that invasion suffered nearly 10,000 casualties. American troops suffered over 6,500 casualties that day. Over 9,000 American servicemembers now rest on the hallowed grounds of the World War II Normandy-American Cemetery and Memorial, situated on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel, a peaceful and lasting tribute to a generation. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is indeed an important measure as we approach the anniversary of D-Day. Let us honor and celebrate the commitments and sacrifices of our servicemembers; their efforts that day will forever stand as a defining moment in history. I urge all Members to support the resolution.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. Con. Res. 95. As too many of us in this body know, this budget is a sham. It fails to account for the real costs of waging the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least on the House side, it allows tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to go forward unchecked, while spending for important domestic programs is laid to waste. Among those high priorities that will be severely underfunded is veterans' health care. Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Christopher H. Smith and I submitted Views and Estimates to the Budget Committee requesting that it add $2.5 billion to VA's budget for fiscal year 2004. This was not a ``pie in the sky'' request, but rather, focused on maintaining current services, restoring funds from the administration's failed proposals to increase copayments and introduce new enrollment fees, and slightly enhancing some services that will have to respond to the needs of demobilizing troops. The resolution we are voting on today will make less than half of these funds available to VA's discretionary programs. Mr. Speaker, sadly, I realize VA programs are among those considered ``protected'' in this budget fiasco. Many social programs will fare worse. Unfortunately, that's not good enough for our veterans, especially during a time of war when we should be most sensitive toward keeping our promises to the men and women who have borne the battle. Many of the major veterans' organizations have expressed great concern about the budget. As underfunded as the budget was by the Committee's reckoning, it is even more so according to the Independent Budget. The four major veterans service organizations who prepare this document estimate that VA requires almost $4 billion to maintain its services in fiscal year 2005. And that's not the worst of it--budget process bills that may be put forth in the near future may use the projections of future years spending to bind us to even more inadequate budgets. So as bad as fiscal year 2005 looks, the outlook for future years could be even bleaker. Mr. Speaker, we must do better by the veterans who have served us. We must do better by the American people. Vote ``no'' on accepting this Conference Report.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, and I want to thank the chairman of the full committee for bringing it to the floor today, and I want to thank the chairman of our subcommittee and the Democratic side for their hard work in bringing this together and this important resolution that I hope this House will pay close attention to. Mr. Speaker, the Servicemen's Adjustment Act of 1944, or as most people call it, the act of the GI Bill of Rights, was signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt nearly 60 years ago on June 22, 1944. The Nation was fighting World War II in the Pacific and the European theaters, and the civilian population came together like no other time in our history to support the war effort on the home front. It truly was the Greatest Generation of our veterans. This joint resolution is a timely tribute to one of the most important legislative measures passed into law, and the men and women who returned home to build and strengthen our economy and our society. The GI Bill of Rights sets the standard for how all other comparable legislation should be measured. Because of it, millions of young soldiers returning from the war went to college, an opportunity unimaginable to many before. In fact, just from the chairman's home State, Peter Rodino attended an institution as a result of the GI bill. Richard Nixon, John Kennedy, I guess John Kennedy did not need as much help with the resources that he had, but it has helped dozens of other people. So that the majority of the Congress in the year 1946 was comprised of World War II veterans, and I just think it shows us how good it is. I stand before my colleagues as one recipient who used my GI bill benefits for education and for housing opportunities. So I am very thankful, and I think the Nation should be proud of itself for doing something so right at that important time. Mr. Speaker, I stand before my colleagues, like so many other veterans, as a beneficiary. That is why I support this joint resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the GI Bill of Rights, and I want to thank Sonny Montgomery for making sure that we had this review and he with us today, if not in his presence, in our prayers and thoughts.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, although no resolution or parade will ever be able to express our appreciation enough to our World War II veterans, this resolution is indeed an honorable effort. Mr. Speaker, the World War II era was a decisive time for our Nation and the world. Sixteen million American men and women served in uniform, and many more came together at home to support the war effort. The men and women of the Greatest Generation, along with our allies around the world, stood up and turned back fascist tyranny and extremism in Japan. The World War II memorial soon to be dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. will be the culmination of many efforts. Its dedication will provide us an opportunity to revisit the history and sacrifices that our World War II veterans made, the civilian home-front efforts, celebrate the American spirit and high ideals. I support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the gentlewoman from Ohio for her work on this legislation. It was 20 years ago. We were both freshmen. She has stuck with this issue and pounded away. I am so proud of her and what she represents. It really tells me what kind of job she is doing as a Congresswoman. I thank the gentlewoman. Just so all the veterans in our country know that she made it happen more than anybody else.

Mr. EVANS. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. EVANS. I thank the gentlewoman.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today, I want to acknowledge April as Occupational Therapy Month. Occupational therapy is a health, wellness, and rehabilitation service provided by medically qualified professionals whose expertise includes anatomy, physiology, psychology and other disciplines which enable them to provide ``skills for the job of living.'' Occupational therapy is based on performing the meaningful activities of daily life, such as self-care, education, work, or social interaction, especially to enable or enhance participation in such activities despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning. Occupational therapy helps children with disabilities in schools learn, help adults with mental illness function safely in the community, and helps stroke and other neurological patients recover as much ability as possible to lead full, productive, meaningful lives. More than 2300 occupational therapists live and practice in the great state of Illinois of which 125 providers reside in my district, in western and central Illinois. This year's focus for Occupational Therapy Month is older driver issues. The number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to double to 70 million by the year 2030. With an increasing proportion of elderly persons expected to stay mobile longer, health care professionals, policymakers, and caregivers have raised concerns about addressing driving safety and quality-of-life issues among older adults. Occupational therapy can optimize and prolong an older driver's ability to drive safely, and ease the transition to other forms of transportation if driving cessation becomes necessary. By identifying strengths as well as physical or cognitive challenges, occupational therapists can evaluate an individual's overall ability by testing his or her vision, reaction time, strength, judgment, and endurance to operate a vehicle safely and recommend assistive devices or behavioral changes to limit risks. I want to recognize occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the important service they provide to millions of individuals and families and to our nation as a whole.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Alicia McCombs of Girl Scout Troop 47. Alicia is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill five requirements: earn four interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Alicia began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. Her project consisted of co-directing a school play with responsibilities including set building, costumes, makeup, and lighting. Alicia is currently a senior at Lewistown High School. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Alicia and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Kendall Juers of Girl Scout Troop 555. Kendall is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill five requirements: earn four interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Kendall began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. For her project, Kendall refurbished the Glen Oak Primary School library. Her efforts consisted of organizing new and slightly used books that were donated into the existing library. She also made bags that the children could use to carry home checked out library books. Kendall is currently a freshman at Illinois Central College. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Kendall and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Leslie Carter of Girl Scout Troop 47. Leslie is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill five requirements: earn four interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Leslie began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. For her project she was a personalized student aide for a girl with special needs during the summer school term. She planned lessons and activities that helped the girl improve her socialization skills and enabled her to be receptive to her lessons, try new skills, and improve her abilities. She is currently a freshman at the University of Illinois. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Leslie and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Tiffany Cremer of Girl Scout Troop 47. Tiffany is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill five requirements: earn four interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Tiffany began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. She increased public knowledge of Girl Scout events, service projects, and overall involvement by writing articles and taking pictures for the local newspapers within Fulton County. Tiffany is currently a freshman at Bradley University. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Tiffany and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Sarah Rosecrans of the Juliette Girl Scout Troop. Sarah is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill five requirements: earn four interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Sarah began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. Sarah's project consisted of an event at the council level for Brownie Girl Scouts. The event enabled the Brownie Girl Scouts to learn and prepare for the next level in Girl Scouts, which is Junior Girl Scouts. Sarah is currently a senior in Marquette Heights. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Sarah and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute an outstanding young woman who has been honored with the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award by Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council in Peoria, Illinois. She is Diana Newlan of Girl Scout Troop 555. Diana is being honored on May 2, 2004 for earning the highest achievement award in U.S. Girl Scouting. The Girl Scout Gold Award symbolizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning, and personal development. The Girl Scout Gold Award can be earned by girls ages 14-17 or in grades 9-12. Girl Scouts of the USA, an organization serving over 2.6 million girls, has awarded more than 20,000 Girl Scout Gold Awards to Senior Girl Scouts since the inception of the program in 1980. To receive the award, a Girl Scout must fulfill 5 requirements: earn 4 interest project patches, earn the Career Exploration Pin, earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award, earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge, and design and implement a Girl Scout Gold project. A plan for fulfilling the requirements of the award is created by the Senior Girl Scout and is carried out through close cooperation between the girl and an adult Girl Scout volunteer. As a member of the Girl Scouts--Kickapoo Council, Diana began working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award in September 2000. For her project, Diana completely reorganized her school's music library and cataloged, repaired, or replaced the sheet music. She is currently a senior at East Peoria High School. The earning of the Girl Scout Gold Award is a major accomplishment for Diana and I believe she should receive the public recognition due her for this significant service to her community and her country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important forum that took place in our Nation's capital last month. This forum, called by the U.S. Medicine Institute, convened scientific leaders from throughout the Federal Government to discuss the value of longitudinal studies in determining populations' risks for developing various health care conditions or diseases. Science has long recognized the value of such studies, but it is critical for us as policymakers to also understand their role in helping inform our decisions. As the Ranking Member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am aware of numerous occasions upon which the Committee employed data from such studies to determine matters related to compensation for service-connected conditions and eligibility for health care benefits. For example, Congress has used longitudinal studies to determine conditions that should be compensated due to veterans' exposure to dioxin and to identify the effects of various exposures on the health of veterans from the first deployment to the Gulf. In the near future, VA intends to propose a followup study that will examine the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on veterans. This will provide important information to current and future generations of veterans. Determining the effects of war-time exposures on veterans' health is often a convoluted task. During service, troops may be exposed to a variety of agents all of which may have health effects that are poorly understood. In combination, these agents may also have different effects. Further complicating matters, some exposures are known to cause health effects that do not appear until many years later. There are often too many unknown factors to determine exactly which troops were exposed to which agents at any point in time. While there have been some limited improvements in documentation of troop locations, troop exposures and servicemembers' health before, during and immediately following deployment, large information gaps are likely to exist well into the future. Longitudinal research can help fortify available information and ensure that Congress and the Administration give individuals the benefit of the doubt. I am pleased that the U.S. Medicine Institute saw fit to give this important topic its time and attention. I am offering the Institute's executive summary from its March 4, 2004 forum entitled ``Taking the Long View: The Value of Studies Over Time'' for inclusion in the Congressional Record in the hopes that all Members will recognize the importance of supporting these studies to better inform our policy decisions. Taking the Long View: The Value of Studies Over Time Long-term studies help answer specific questions about health risks and consequences over time and often deliver byproducts not originally envisioned but with ongoing, exponential value. Consequently, long-term studies are essential for informed policymaking and provide liberal return on the substantial investment they entail. These were the views interwoven throughout a forum held on March 4, 2004, by the nonprofit U.S. Medicine Institute for Health Studies. The consensus among panelists and participants was that long-term studies undoubtedly deliver great benefit to society at large, as well as to the specific group or groups targeted in a particular protocol. For example, the 22-year-old Ranch Hand study of agent orange exposure in Vietnam offers a trove of longitudinal data on the aging process in men--with much of this data yet to be tapped. Forum deliberations found long-term studies of such value in answering questions relating to public health that they should become a byproduct of how ``we normally do business'' in healthcare--especially as digital patient records make collection and analysis of data amenable to routine analysis. These edited proceedings present the remarks of panelists at the forum and the ensuing discussion among participants. Observations presented during the group's deliberations include: Long-term studies are essential for the understanding of disease and, consequently, for disease management. They give policymakers the data and findings needed to make rational determinations about eligibility for compensation relating to occupational exposures. As long-term studies are done in future, they should be accompanied by ``clear'' business case analyses, ``so that there really is a clear understanding of the rewards that come from the . . . investment in conducting these studies.'' As disease patterns among Americans shift away from the acute toward chronic, multiple conditions, long-term studies will assume a greater role, because they allow examination of particular populations and pick up a ``different set of information'' about risk factors than short-term clinical trials can. Decades-long studies such as the Framingham Study that delineated risk factors in heart disease and the Harvard Nurses Study of risk factors for major chronic diseases in women are well-known examples of the importance that long- term investigations can have in shaping health practices and policies. Long-term studies conducted by federal agencies need the stability afforded by designated funding, rather than having their funds come through basic agency appropriations. The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments use long-term studies to help answer questions about potential deleterious health effects in troops from exposures during deployments-- questions now anticipated for every deployment: Who was exposed; are those exposed showing unusual disease; are those exposed dying at unusual rates or from unusual causes, or has their health changed over time; do those exposed show higher incidence of cancer(s); do the children of those exposed exhibit higher rates of birth defects? A classic longitudinal study is the Air Force Ranch Hand Study, initiated in 1982, which has seen the collection of 74,000 biological specimens and 19,000 x-rays and has involved more than 13,000 physical exams, more than 20,000 questionnaires and thousands of records on conception and birth. In addition, more than 2,800 death records have been obtained. This study is scheduled to terminate in 2006, but that directive has met with controversy on grounds there is much information yet to be mined. To resolve whether the study should be continued, Congress has asked the Institute of Medicine to examine the scientific merit of retaining and maintaining the medical records, specimens and other data collected for the study; the potential value of extending the study; and the advisability and costs of making study specimens available to independent researchers. An important longitudinal study that is just beginning in the military is the Millennium Cohort Study, which involves an initial study group of 10,000, with 20,000 more to be added this year and another 20,000 to be added in 2007. The study will examine employment exposures and post-deployment consequences in a group exposed in Kosovo or Southwest Asia, compared to a nonexposed cohort. Study participants will be followed every three years by postal surveys; demographic and health information will be obtained and correlated over a 22-year period. The Veterans Affairs Department regularly turns to the Institute of Medicine for objective, independent literature reviews of the long-term effects of exposure on troops--for Vietnam, for the first Gulf war and for the current Iraq conflict, for example. Results are used to help set compensation policy. Ti-service longitudinal studies might best be centralized and coordinated through the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, which encompasses all service branches as well as the U.S. Public Health Service. Doing longitudinal studies often is difficult in the academic setting, where there is pressure for immediate pay- off. At the same time, studies produced by federal researchers all too often are rejected by regular scientific journals as being of limited interest because they focus on military or veteran populations.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives will consider S. 2022, legislation to designate the Federal building located at 250 West Cherry Street In Carbondale, Illinois as the ``Senator Paul Simon Federal Building.'' I would like to take this opportunity to voice my support for this bill and to commemorate the life and work of my friend and mentor. A champion of working Illinoisans, Senator Paul Simon dedicated his life to public service. By the time he decided to run for the United States Senate in 1984, he had already spent 30 years serving the people of Illinois as a State Representative, State Senator, Lieutenant Governor, and a U.S. Representative. During his 12 years in the Senate he became known as a crusader for fiscal responsibility, affordable student loans, and against television violence, as well as for his trademark bowties. To name a Federal building after Paul Simon is an apt tribute, as his honesty, integrity, and hard work are an example of government at its best. Even though he has passed on, all those who aspire to a career in government can forever look to Senator Paul Simon as a role model for how to serve one's fellow citizens honorably, ably, and with humility. Mr. Speaker, the designation outlined in S. 2002 will serve as a permanent physical reminder of Senator Simon's work on behalf of the people of Illinois, and a source of comfort and pride for his family and all who knew him. I urge my colleagues to pass this important legislation today.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of H. Res. 581, which urges this administration to provide pay parity to civilian government workers and uniformed government workers. I was greatly disappointed at the President's meager pay raise for Federal workers and feel it should be closer in line to the raise our uniformed service members received. I represent the Rock Island Arsenal, which employs about 6,000 civilian Department of Defense workers. Many of these employees are directly supporting our uniformed personnel in the war on terror. This includes many working around the clock to produce an urgent order of armored kits for our Humvees and trucks being sent to Iraq. Hundreds of other workers are either deployed or recently deployed from service in the Middle East to support our service members. Yet, unlike their uniformed counterparts, they only received modest pay increases. Not only are Defense Department civilian workers serving in the war on terror, but Federal fire fighters, police, marshals, and armed agents of the FBI, DEA, ATF, Amtrak, Postal Service, and numerous other agents. This administration wants to outsource our Federal employees, rewrite their labor rules, and ask them to do more with less. And then they hit them in their pocket book. We need to support our Federal workers and this resolution sends a strong message. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and let the President know our Federal workers deserve his respect. Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, we are very disappointed, those of us who are veterans, and all of our veterans throughout the country, by this budget submitted by the administration and are equally disappointed and angered by the Republican budget resolution that was reported to this body. On February 26, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs reported its views and estimates to the Committee on the Budget, which they largely ignored. We called for an increase of $2.5 billion over the administration's inadequate proposal. This was not an unreasonable request. We only asked for a current services-level budget for the VA and sought to correct some of the most glaring deficiencies in the administration's budget. Instead, the Republican majority has presented us with a budget resolution that underfunds VA by at least the tune of $1.3 billion next year and endangers the delivery of services to our veterans and fails to even keep pace with inflation over 5 years. A coalition of four of the Nation's largest veterans service organizations has written to each one of us in the past 24 hours calling on us to ``reject this half-hearted attempt to fund veterans health care.'' In their words, ``Passage of the budget resolution, as presented, would be a disservice to those men and women who served this country and who are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world in our fight against terrorism.'' In contrast, the Democratic budget provides the levels needed to maintain services and improve health care access, and it rejects the fees and copayment increases sought by the administration. This is a matter of priorities, Mr. Chairman. We believe that veterans deserve adequately funded benefits and services. A vote against the Republican budget resolution and for the Democratic proposal says we support veterans. It is just that simple.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, on March 1, the Points of Light Foundation singled out two career employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for recognition as a Daily Point of Light. I know of no individuals more deserving of the honor than Fred Downs and Jim Mayer, each a remarkable success story. Both men were profoundly injured in Vietnam. Mr. Downs lost his left arm; Mr. Mayer lost both legs below the knee. Both were scarred by shrapnel and multiple surgeries. Their stories could have ended there. Instead, they turned their lives and their work into encouragement and inspiration for other veterans and for all who know them. Mr. Downs and Mr. Mayer have long volunteered to work with those who have suffered traumatic injury in service to their country. Their service began during the 1991 Gulf War. They heard news reports that Saddam Hussein had dispersed a million land mines to maim and kill coalition forces if they invaded Iraq. They strategized to figure how they could best help the wounded, utilizing their own experiences and recoveries and recalling when they most needed someone with whom to talk. Mr. Downs and Mr. Mayer organized field trips, picnics and hosted backyard barbecues for the injured from the Gulf War. After the war was over, the team continued visiting service members injured in training accidents or deployments. They keep in touch with many of the patients they have met. Twenty-two of the 58 wounded soldiers Mr. Mayer met during the Gulf War showed up at his house for a July 4th barbecue in 1996 for a five-year reunion. He and Mr. Downs also attend the annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games and the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, where they meet with and counsel veterans. As American troops began the build-up for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Downs and Mr. Mayer met with military surgeons at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. They shared their insights into traumatic injuries and talked to them about how they felt when they were injured. The pair also discussed how they thought the medical staff could help the wounded soldiers. They have continued to share their stories with servicemen and women who have similar injuries, who come to realize there is life after amputation. Since April 2003, the pair has visited more than 60 amputee soldiers at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, as volunteer amputee peer visitors. The following article from VA's in-house magazine, VAnguard, discusses what these two gentlemen are doing to help the young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Messages of Hope With their Kevlar body armor and rapid access to medical treatment, soldiers wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom are surviving what were once fatal injuries. One day they're busting down doors in Baghdad and the next they're lying in a hospital bed with busted-up limbs. ``When you first see them, they're still confused and can't seem to comprehend the magnitude of what happened to them,'' explained Frederick Downs Jr., VA's chief of prosthetics, describing his visits to wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., which has received almost 300 battlefield casualties from the war in Iraq. Downs knows exactly what they're going through. As a 23- year-old lieutenant with the Army's 4th Infantry Division, he was nearly killed when he stepped on a ``Bouncing Betty'' land mine on Jan. 11, 1968, near Chu Lai, Vietnam. He survived the blast, but lost his left arm above the elbow. Now, more than 30 years later, he shares his story with soldiers who have similar injuries. ``I want them to understand there is life after amputation,'' Downs said. a simple motive Since April, Downs and Jim Mayer, director of Leadership VA, have visited more than 60 wounded soldiers at Walter Reed and National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., as volunteer amputee peer visitors. Their motive is simple, according to Mayer, who lost both legs to a land mine on April 25, 1969, while serving with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. ``If you've been through an amputation and you see others who are experiencing that trauma, you just want to help them in any way you can,'' he said. Their efforts began during the 1991 Gulf War after hearing news reports that Saddam Hussein had dispersed a million land mines to maim and kill coalition forces if they invaded Iraq. ``We were concerned there were going to be a lot of casualties and we wanted to do something to help,'' Mayer recalled. The question was, how could they best help the wounded? Mayer found the answer when a friend asked if he could remember a particular turning point during his recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. ``I remember a former patient who came to visit us one day, it was just a chance encounter. He lost both arms and had these prosthetic hooks. I was mesmerized because I realized he had a life,'' he said. The encounter provided hope for his own future, something he said severely wounded soldiers rarely have. ``After a traumatic injury, you live hour to hour, day to day and you tend to block out the future. At first you put your hope on the shelf because hope is too far in the future.'' And so it was that Mayer, Downs and about a dozen other Vietnam veterans, many who worked for VA, started visiting wounded soldiers and sharing their stories of overcoming traumatic injury. During the first Gulf War, Mayer estimated he volunteered about 800 hours at military hospitals. He organized field trips, picnics and hosted backyard barbecues. He also started bringing milkshakes on each visit, leading patients to nickname him ``the milkshake man.'' Unforgettable Stories The group dwindled after the war, but Mayer and Downs continued visiting servicemembers injured in training accidents or deployments. Some of the stories are hard to forget. There was the soldier injured on the train to Bosnia when electricity arced from a cable to his helmet and blew off his legs. There was the Ranger who broke his back when he fell out of the Black Hawk helicopter during the 1993 raid in Mogadishu. And there was the sailor who lost his legs when he got tangled in a rope trying to rescue a shipmate and was dragged through a porthole. Mayer keeps in touch with many of the patients he's met over the years. Twenty-two of the 58 wounded soldiers he met during the first Gulf War showed up at his house for a July 4th barbecue in 1996 for their five-year reunion. He sees others at two of VA's National Rehabilitation Special Events--the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. Some even come to his April 25 ``Alive Day'' celebrations, an event he has held every year since 1970 to mark the day he almost died. The Emotional Side of Injury As American troops began the build-up for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mayer and Downs, along with their buddy Jack Farley, a Vietnam veteran and amputee who serves as a judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, expanded their volunteer role by meeting with military surgeons at Walter Reed to share their insights into traumatic injury. ``We talked about how we felt when we were injured and how we thought the medical staff could help the wounded soldiers,'' said Mayer. Dr. Artie Shelton, a retired Army colonel who commanded a field hospital in Somalia and now works as a consultant in VA's transplant program, helped arrange the meeting. He said the Army physicians are extremely qualified and well trained, but they may not fully understand the emotional and psychological complexities of traumatic injury. ``The doctors know the medical side, but Jim and Fred can tell them about the full impact and repercussion on these soldiers,'' Shelton said. Among the aspects of recovery Downs stresses are encouraging the soldiers to do things on their own. ``Never tell a guy he can't do something,'' he said. ``You need to encourage him to try, to test himself and see what he can do. It speeds up their psychological healing and helps them get back into life again.'' If they have doubts about what they can accomplish, Downs tells them about his own life after injury: going to school, getting married, starting a family, writing three books, and leading VA's multimillion-dollar prosthetic and sensory aids service. He also has gained international recognition for helping establish land mine survivor programs in several countries. The U.S. Agency for International Development recently asked for his assistance with a land mine eradication program in Afghanistan. (To learn more about his recovery and land mine eradication efforts, visit the Center for Defense Information Web site at www.cdi.org/adm/1250/Downs.html.) Mayer and Downs volunteer because they've been there and because they care. But also because they want to bring a little dignity to American troops who suffer traumatic injuries. ``Vietnam vets, to put it politely, never actually felt welcomed home,'' said Mayer. ``But these guys coming back from Iraq, we're going to welcome them home and become their friends, help them reconcile their injuries, and bring them a little dignity.'' Mr. Speaker, the selflessness, compassion and humanity of Fred Downs and Jim Mayer--all the more profound considering their own experiences--have been important to the young men and women recently injured in service and frightened about what such traumatic change can mean in their lives and how they can overcome it. I know my colleagues join me in expressing our gratitude and respect for their good works.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill, H.R. 2673, FY 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Mr. Speaker, this is a disappointing bill in many ways. Not only is it inadequately funded, it is not timely. For the second year in a row, we will fail to provide the Nation's largest federal health care system, the Veterans Health Administration, with a timely and adequate budget. After another year of fierce battles over funding, we are not likely to pass a budget for veterans' health care until we return in January--after almost a third of the fiscal year is gone. In the worst case scenario, the veterans' health care system will subsist on a continuing resolution through the rest of the fiscal year. Not only will the budget be late, which wreaks havoc on VA's ability to plan effectively to meet the demands of its burgeoning workload, it will be greatly inadequate and, far less than the $1.8 billion additional funding we promised veterans in the budget last April. What will this likely mean for veterans who rely upon the VA as their health care provider? Increases in waiting time: VA's workload has increased each year since 1997. Wait times reached a crisis point of hundreds of thousands of veterans waiting more than six months for care, around the beginning of the last fiscal year. VA's budget, on the other hand has not kept pace with the rate of growth in enrollees or medical inflation. VA began to make progress addressing waiting times for its major clinics last year, but with another late and insufficient budget it is likely that waits will be on the rise again. Possible additional curtailments in enrollment: For the first time since 1997, last January, the Secretary chose to prohibit new veterans in Priority 8--some of whom make as little as $25,000 each year--to enroll in VA for their health care. Fiscal pressure may drive additional prohibitions. New fees and additional copayments for veterans: Every year, this Administration has proposed new entrance fees and increased copayments for veterans as a means of making its inadequate budgets balance by deterring veterans' utilization of health services and enhancing its scarce revenues. Continued inabilities to recruit scarce clinical personnel: For the second consecutive year, VA will have missed the prime time in the academic cycle for recruiting physicians--this is particularly damaging for recruitment of those in high-demand specialties. VA has held hundreds of these positions vacant and was relying on a timely and adequate budget, in addition to legislation, to help with these vacancies. Nurse and pharmacist shortages also continue to be problematic. Inabilities to prepare for returning troops: VA must shore up programs, such as its renowned post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, readjustment counseling, prosthetics, and other programs for special disabilities in order to meet the needs of new veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This Congress must now seriously consider the question, ``Is this really the best we can do for our veterans in a time of war?'' Our answer must be an unqualified, ``no!'' The time has come for us to assure that an adequate and timely budget is available to our veterans' health care system at the start of each new fiscal year. The time has come for a rational way of determining VA's budgetary needs. The time has come for us to support, H.R. 2318, ``Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2003.'' This bill would automatically fund the veterans' health care system by the number of enrolled veterans and the anticipated changes in the hospital inflation rates for each year. We really can do better by our Nation's veterans.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 100, as amended, a bill to modernize, restate and improve upon the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, which provides protections from civil liability to persons serving in the Armed Forces. To be known as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, this measures recognizes the increasing presence of women in military service. I thank Members and staff on both sides of the aisle who have worked diligently with the other body in finalizing this bill. It has truly been a bipartisan and bicameral effort. I also want to acknowledge the considerable contributions of the Department of Defense, especially the Air Force, the American Bar Association, and the National Institute of Military Justice in assisting the Committee with the preparation of this bill. I note that the bill maintains the prohibition of interest in excess of 6 percent on debts incurred before military service. This provision is intended to assure that our servicemembers have smaller periodic payments on debts acquired prior to military service during the time when they are serving on active duty. I expect that this provision will be applied in a manner consistent with generally accepted mortgage practices, so that the monthly payment on the adjusted mortgage will be consistent from month to month. I am aware that there are concerns that the language could be interpreted in a manner which would result in different monthly mortgage obligations from month to month. It is my understanding that the committees do not intend to alter common industry practice of setting a monthly mortgage payment which does not change form month to month. I am particularly pleased that the bill takes into account the high cost of rent in areas such as San Diego and Honolulu, where military families may occupy off-base rental housing. The bill also provides for an annual adjustment in these rental amounts according to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for residential rental housing. By providing for automatic increases linked to changes in the housing CPI, servicemembers and their families will continue to receive adequate protection as housing costs increase. The amended bill would permit servicemembers to terminate leases of motor vehicles when they are deployed outside the continental United States. In today's society, leasing of motor vehicles is common. When a person enters active military service or receives permanent change of station orders after entering into a long-term lease of a motor vehicle, the servicemember can suffer significant financial harm if he or she is unable to take the motor vehicle to the new station. This provision will allow a servicemember stationed at Pearl Harbor, for example, to terminate a motor vehicle lease and avoid additional financial liability for a motor vehicle which will not be needed during a deployment to the Persian Gulf. It will allow an Illinois reservist called up for active duty in Alaska to terminate an automobile lease. In order for this provision to be effective, the servicemember must be ordered deployed for not less than 180 days. I recognize that it was not possible to include every suggestion that was offered in the course of this bill's consideration. I trust that the Committee will continue its good work in this area and address additional bills concerning the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act in the next session of this Congress. Today, our service men and women are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world. This bill will help them to fulfill their responsibilities, secure in the knowledge that their rights will be protected by an up to date civil protection act. H.R. 100, as amended, is a good bill, and I urge all Members to show their support for our troops by voting for it.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remember my friend and former colleague, Congressman Joe Skeen, who passed away recently in his home State of New Mexico. Mr. Skeen was truly a giant in New Mexico politics, serving 22 years and entering the class just before mine. His is a great story of a rancher who won his first term through a write-in campaign and continued to win the next 10 terms. I will remember Joe's work, especially on Parkinson's disease. He and I worked together as co-chairs of the Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease. Although we differed on many issues, Joe and I agreed on the importance of working to eradicate this disease. We have both been personally affected by it. I am glad that Joe was able to spend time with his family on his beloved ranch after serving a long and distinguished career. He will be missed by us on both sides of the aisle for his candor and hard work on issues of importance to New Mexicans and all Americans.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2297, as amended. This bill is a compromise agreement that was carefully negotiated between the House and Senate, and contains a number of important measures to assist this Nation's veterans and their families. I want to take a moment to recognize and thank Chairman Chris Smith, Benefits Subcommittee Chairman Henry Brown and Benefits Ranking Democratic Member Michael Michaud for working with me to successfully craft this bipartisan, bicameral benefits package. I appreciate your leadership, professionalism and all of your hard work in guiding this legislation through the process and into law. I also would like to thank the staff members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for their work in preparing this legislative package and for their work throughout the year--Patrick Ryan, Darryl Kehrer, Paige McManus, Devon Seibert and Kingston Smith of the majority staff and Jim Holley, Mary Ellen McCarthy, Geoffrey Collver and Leah Booth of my Democratic staff. Likewise, I would like to thank Chairman Arlen Specter and Ranking Member Bob Graham of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, as well as the Senate staff who worked diligently on this conference agreement--Mary Schoelen, Ted Pusey, Jon Towers and Chris McNamee. Mr. Speaker, last week on November 11th we celebrated and honored the sacrifices and heroic deeds of our Nation's veterans with speeches and parades. Indeed, it is appropriate, necessary even, that we recognize and honor the many sacrifices of the brave men and women in uniform who have so gallantly served our nation. Mr. Speaker, speeches and parades are nice but they are not enough. Today, however, we match our complimentary words with actual deeds. We celebrate and honor those who have served the country and protected our freedoms by passing this legislative package, which truly honors their service and provides them and their families with important benefits that they most certainly have earned. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that this legislative package contains a number of measures that I introduced or of which I am an original cosponsor. Additionally, I commend all the Members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on both sides of the aisle who have worked diligently this session to bring important measures forward. This compromise agreement contains many bills introduced by Committee members. Indeed, crafting and passing this benefits package has truly been a bipartisan effort. I am pleased the provision to provide the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to children with spina bifida whose veteran parent was exposed to Agent Orange in Korea is drawn from my bill H.R. 533. During a hearing the Committee received moving testimony from Michael Ruzalski, a young man severely disabled by spina bifida. Michael's father John served in the region of Korea's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during the time that the Department of Defense acknowledges Agent Orange was used there. Congress has authorized benefits for children of veterans affected by such exposure in Vietnam. The children of veterans who served in the Korean DMZ are no less deserving. When military service results in harm to the children of our Nation's veterans, our country should assume the responsibility to compensate them for their disabilities. A provision to remove unnecessary and arbitrary time barriers for certain former prisoners of war to qualify for service-connection of their disabilities on a presumptive basis is drawn from H.R. 1838, which I introduced. I believe that we should consider additional presumptive conditions for former prisoners of war and will continue to support legislation to accomplish that end. Nonetheless, we need to take action now to assure those prisoners of war who were interred in Iraq for less than 30 days, as well as those from earlier conflicts, that no durational requirement will be imposed for certain psychiatric and physical disabilities which may follow a brief period of internment. The package includes a provision to permanently authorize the VA home loan program for members of the National Guard and Reserve. It also lowers their home loan fees. This provision is drawn from H.R. 1257, which I introduced with the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Benefits, Mr. Michaud. Now more than ever, our Reserve and National Guard forces are an integral component of our national defense policy. Making this program permanent for members of the National Guard and Reserve is the right thing to do, it's also the right thing to do financially--as Reservists have an exemplary record of repayment on VA home loans. I am also pleased that this package contains provisions that provide long overdue benefits for our Gold Star Wives. Specifically, it provides that remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran after attaining age 57 would not result in termination of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), home loan, or education benefits eligibility. This legislative package would also repeal current law restricting a surviving spouse or dependent children to receiving no more than two years of accrued benefits if the veteran dies while a claim for VA periodic monetary benefits is being processed. I have worked to end this unfair restriction for a number of years. This provision is drawn from a bill I introduced a few years ago. I am pleased to finally have succeeded in repealing this two-year cut off. The provisions reinstating VA's vendee loan program that previously passed the House are included in H.R. 2297. I would note that the language has been changed slightly. The change is intended to assure that VA will be required to operate a vendee loan program through September 30, 2013. I believe that these changes are necessary after reviewing an opinion of the Comptroller General concerning VA's authority to terminate the program. H.R. 2297, as amended also contains a number of important measures that aim to expand self-employment training opportunities and provide valuable career and employment counseling to servicemembers transitioning from the military to civilian life. The bill also provides a substantial increase in monthly payments under the survivors' and dependents' educational assistance program. This action is consistent with my goals to improve and restore all veterans' education benefits to the necessary levels. As we all know, we have much to do in the area of veterans' education programs to keep up with the ever-increasing costs of higher education. Another important measure that I am pleased the negotiated bill contains is the provision to authorize certain contracting opportunities for service-disabled veteran owned and controlled small businesses. A fair opportunity is all that veterans request. This provision should lead to improved results with respect to federal contracting with disabled veterans. However, improved results will also require increased efforts by the Administration to reach out to disabled-veteran owned and controlled small businesses. Indeed, federal agencies have a 3 percent contracting goal for service-disabled veteran small businesses, and currently not one federal agency comes close to meeting this goal. Hopefully, this provision will allow all federal agencies to improve their record in this area, as well as provide more opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs and a much-needed spark to the small business sector of this economy. I am also pleased that in this package we have included provisions to permit state cemeteries to receive VA burial plot allowances for burial of all eligible veterans, including peace time veterans; allow a remarried surviving spouse to retain eligibility for burial in a national cemetery based on a prior marriage to a deceased veteran; and make permanent the State Cemetery Grants Program. We must do all we can to provide a dignified final resting place for our veterans and be attentive and caring to the surviving family members. Mr. Speaker, this bill also authorizes the receipt of full compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) and burial benefits to eligible members of the New Philippine Scouts, and other individuals who served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, including organized guerilla units, if the individual to whom the benefit is payable resides in the United States and is either a citizen of the U.S. or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The bill also extends the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to maintain a regional office in Manila, Philippines, through December 31, 2009. I want to thank Representatives Bob Filner and Juanita Millender-McDonald for their tireless work on this important issue. On another important matter contained in this legislative package, I would like to express my thanks and applaud the actions of my friend and colleague Representative Ted Strickland of Ohio. Representative Strickland, along with Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, introduced legislation to clarify the prohibition on assignment of veterans' benefits. This provision would protect veterans, their survivors' and dependents from unscrupulous business entities that attempt to prey on unsuspecting or elderly beneficiaries. Mr. Strickland's language would make clear that certain arrangements, including opening joint bank accounts that remove control and choice from the veteran over the receipt of veterans' benefits, are illegal. I am also pleased that the bill removes a provision that the VA has indicated could limit benefits to veterans. This language was contained in section 5103 of title 38, United States Code and was intended to provide claimants with one year to submit information or evidence requested by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Unfortunately, the language used in that section ``no benefits may be paid'' could be interpreted to bar consideration of evidence that a claimant submitted in connection with an appeal. That language has now been removed, so that no claimant should lose benefits as a result of its application. The bill also permits the VA to decide claims in less than one year. If the claim is denied and evidence supporting the claim is submitted within the year, the Secretary is required to consider the evidence. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2297, as amended, contains many provisions that will make a difference in the lives of this nation's veterans and their families. It is a good bill, and I urge all Members to show their support for the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of our country by voting to pass this legislative package.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset and Business Improvement Act of 2003. I want to start out by thanking the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) again for his willingness to work closely with me and the Democratic members of the committee to develop this as a final package. Credit goes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Simmons) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), for moving these measures to the floor today. The bill anticipates the final approval of the CARES plan, identifying Congress's priorities requiring notification of major initiatives that come before the plan. I will continue to work behind the curtain and in front of the public to get this legislation passed. The bill memorializes two great friends of mine: Bob Stump, who was an advocate for veterans throughout his career. We truly miss him not being on the committee anymore. He was a great American, and we salute his courage in standing up for what he believed in. Also, Jesse Brown, a veterans advocate as well, the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs for veterans. And we recognize these contributions of these two veterans with the passage of this bill. This is a laudable effort for improving services for elderly and mentally-ill veterans. It strives to make VA the first choice. I am proud of the committee's work. Madam Speaker, I rise to support the Veterans Health Care, Capital Asset and Business Improvement Act of 2003. I want to thank Chairman Smith for his ongoing commitment to veterans and his willingness to work closely with us on the development of this final package. There are many important provisions in this bill. I appreciate the good bipartisan work of Chairman Simmons and Ranking Member Rodriguez in shepherding these measures from the Health Subcommittee to our consideration of a final conference package on the floor today. This bill anticipates the final approval of the National Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Plan. This Plan may set the framework for the first significant investment in the VA medical care system's infrastructure in several years. We are now way behind in making the needed investments--some estimate that the deficit is as high as $6 billion in delayed VA projects. VA's Phase I Study in VISN 12 has offered interested parties a view to the future under a CARES- like process. I had to look no further than upstate Illinois to see how the administration might handle the hundreds of new proposals it has on tap if most of the recommendations in the Draft CARES Plan are adopted. The answers I received about the plan for VISN 12 were unsettling. This is particularly true since this Phase I study is the prototype for the larger National plan. VA planned to close one of the divisions of VA Chicago without sure funding for a modern new bed tower at the other division. This replacement facility was, in my view and many others, the linchpin to a successful integration. There are still no plans to develop the on-site multispecialty outpatient clinic veterans were promised. This spring I introduced H.R. 2349 which authorized funds to construct the new bed tower at the West Side division of VA in Chicago. It also attempted to hold VA's feet to the fire to fund and build the new bed tower by prohibiting VA from disposing of the closed facility until it began construction on its replacement. Instead of the restrictions I put on VA in my bill, I have agreed to establish priorities for spending appropriations designated for CARES projects. This conference package gives the highest priority to facilities, such as West Side, that are needed to replace capacity at facilities that CARES will recommend closing, consolidating or converting in some fashion. It also gives high priorities to projects that remedy life safety and seismic deficiencies. My bill contained additional projects that are worthy of our appropriators' consideration. It authorizes $48,600,000 for the correction of seismic deficiencies in San Diego, California, and $50,000,000 for medical care and research renovations in West Haven, Connecticut. My bill included lease authority for Las Vegas. We have since learned that VA's needs there may be evolving and settled on appropriating advance planning funds in the amount of $25,000,000 for a major medical facility project there. The bill also adopts language inspired by a provision introduced by my friend from Kansas, Dennis Moore. His bill has tremendous and broad- based support in this body. The provision requires VA to notify Congress in writing of actions proposed under the CARES initiative that would result in medical facility closures, significant staff realignments or medical facility consolidations and prohibits VA from taking these actions before 45 days following the notification or 30 days of continuous session of Congress. I plan to continue to look behind the CARES process to ensure that VA is making its decisions in the best interest of veterans--not the bottom line. In addition to honoring my friend, the late Jesse Brown, the former Secretary ``for'' Veterans Affairs by naming the VA Medical Center (West Side Division) in Chicago for him, this final package will name the Prescott VA Medical Center for our Committee's former Chairman, and my personal friend, the late Bob Stump. We honor two true veterans' advocates with the passage of this bill, and I am pleased to be associated with it. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that we are finally able to authorize VA to provide health care to certain Filipino World War II veterans of the Philippines Commonwealth Army and former Philippines ``New Scouts'' who permanently reside in the United States, in the same manner as provided to U.S. veterans. I commend my colleague, Mr. Filner, for his persistence in seeing this to fruition. Several years ago, my friend from California, Mike Thompson, discovered that many veterans had participated in a series of dangerous tests to identify the military's ability to detect and protect itself from biological and chemical attacks. His doggedness led the military to admit responsibility for conducting these tests which involved spraying American troops with agents that were, in some cases, extremely potent. The ranking member of the Health Subcommittee, Ciro Rodriguez, saw an opportunity to do some justice for these veterans by giving them access to VA health care for any condition for two years. This will allow these veterans to seek care for conditions they believe may be related to their exposures. I am pleased to support this provision. This bill is laudable for improving services for elderly and mentally ill veterans. One provision allows VA authority to provide work skills training and development services, employment support services and job development and placement services as part of a more comprehensive rehabilitation package. This is likely to improve the therapeutic outcomes for seriously mentally ill veterans, homeless veterans and veterans with substance use disorders--those who can truly benefit from hands-on job coaching services. It extends authority for VA to provide properties foreclosed under its home loan program to nonprofit homeless service providers. VA has made extensive use of this authority and nonprofits have provided many nights of care to homeless veterans as a result. The bill extend VA's authority to provide a range of non- institutional extended care services and a mandate to provide medically necessary, institutional nursing care services to severely service- connected disabled veterans through December 31, 2008. It allows VA to extend and add a site to its important pilot program on assisted living for veterans. It provides earmarked funding for specialized mental health services for veterans in each of the next three fiscal years. It also continues the reports of two important VA advisory groups who have made a series of solid recommendations to the Under Secretary for Health and the Congress about programs for seriously mentally ill veterans and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, this bill strives to make VA an employer of choice. We have reached one of those rare compromises that seem to offer something to everyone by creating a new appointment and promotion authority for certain clinical personnel, such as clinical psychologists, social workers, audiologists, kinesiologists, and others in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This authority will allow these employees to enjoy some of the same protections other Federal workers have, but will also provide VA with greater hiring and promotion flexibility. Some health care workers, mostly nursing assistants, will enjoy Saturday premium pay under this bill. It will allow VA to appoint employees of the Veterans' Canteen Service taking into consideration their time in service in that capacity. We have offered VHA the authority to hire chiropractors to enhance the types of health care services it routinely offers veterans. Madam Speaker, I am proud of the Committee's work on this bill and encourage all of my colleagues to approve it.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, this has been a disappointing week in Washington for seniors around the country. Not only are we voting on a bill that provides a meager prescription drug benefit through Medicare, but the once-regarded AARP has apparently put their profit margins before the health of the seniors by endorsing this Republican Prescription Drug bill. There are so many disturbing provisions in this bill that I will only take the time to mention a couple. This bill explicitly prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from negotiating lower drug prices on behalf of America's 40 million Medicare beneficiaries. With my support, the Veterans' Administration adopted this practice some time ago, and the VA enjoys the ability to negotiate drug prices for numbers of veterans. This restriction on the Secretary of Health and Human Services clearly crimps efforts to keep prices down for seniors. Another troubling provision is the ``demonstration project'' in this bill that coerces seniors out of the traditional Medicare program they know and enjoy to sign on with an HMO. Up to 7 million seniors may be forced to choose between staying in Medicare and purchasing a likely expensive drug-only plan from a private insurer or leaving their trusted doctors to join an HMO or other plan that would provide Medicare-like benefits including drug coverage. This is hardly a choice for our nation's greatest generation. As our healthcare delivery system moves increasingly toward managed care, many people have expressed concerns about the care they receive from HMOs. Today it is frighteningly common for insurance companies, rather than doctors, to make the medical decisions that affect people's lives. As these concerns are aired, we are ready to throw our seniors into this lion's den. Until doctors are free to give the best medical advice based on a patient's need, not an insurance company's bottom line, our seniors are better served by traditional Medicare. While others have let HMO reform legislation die away, I still believe that we need to address these concerns, and they should be addressed before seniors are coerced into the system. This debate has been fundamentally changed from one focused on providing seniors with a solid prescription drug benefit to defending the integrity of one of America's finest programs, Medicare. I have been part of the Democratic fight for years to add a meaning drug benefit for our nation's seniors, but I will not be a part of destroying a vital program that seniors have trusted for almost 40 years to settle for inadequate drug coverage. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this bad bill.