Bob Filner

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, on rollcall 859, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 857, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Thank you, Mr. Levin, and I appreciate the time. And thank you, Mr. Herger, for bringing us this bill. I rise in support of H.R. 674. Every day I get phone calls and letters from veterans telling me how rewarding their service was and what an invaluable experience they received in the military. But they are confused as to why potential employers don't value their time and service and why they get rejection letters for jobs they are qualified to perform. These veterans are highly skilled individuals who are ready to make an immediate impact to any job. Veterans bring real-world experience to any company and, unfortunately, employers fail to see this value. In August of this year, the President proposed a comprehensive plan to decrease the veteran unemployment rate. Part of his plan includes a tax credit for employers, and I'm happy to see that Senator Murray included this in H.R. 674. It would provide a tax credit for firms that hire certain unemployed veterans, and these tax credits are a win for veterans and a win for the companies. The credits will incentivize struggling businesses that need to increase their work force to hire veterans while getting a tax deduction. The bill also provides veterans with training, mentoring, and placement services and allows for the appointment of honorably discharged veterans to the civil service. I'm happy to see H.R. 674 move forward because it will provide individualized assessments for servicemembers in the Transitional Assistance Program, increase access to apprenticeship programs for separating servicemembers, provide authority to the VA to provide services to servicemembers with severe injuries, and many other positive programs that will help veterans. The President's message was clear. We must fight for our servicemembers and veterans by enacting legislation that will help veterans get jobs. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 674.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I have recently introduced a resolution that encourages every American to spend Veterans Day as a national day of listening to the experiences and stories of our nation's combat veterans, H. Res. 456. With more than 1.7 million veterans who have served tours of duty in the most recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, a whole new generation of heroes has returned home from war and started the transition from military life to civilian life. These veterans have joined the ranks of the nearly 22 million military veterans in the United States. These honorable men and women who have served in our armed forces have experienced unique and sometimes incomprehensible things while serving our country and as they have returned home. We owe them an immense debt of gratitude--and we can express our appreciation by asking about and listening to their experiences. My resolution, H. Res. 456, calls upon all Americans to observe Veterans Day by offering to listen with respect and without judgment to the stories of combat veterans from all conflicts. Veterans often feel less isolated and suffer less when they are offered the chance to have ordinary, civilian citizens simply listen to them recount their experiences serving their country. I invite my colleagues to join with me and encourage all citizens to honor the service of our nation's veterans this Veterans Day by listening to them share the stories of their military service.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 837, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 839, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' personal explanation

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 838, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall 836, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall 834, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Bishop of New York

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall 832, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Thompson of Mississippi

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall 833, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mrs. Napolitano

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chair, on rollcall 835, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 8 Offered by Ms. Slaughter

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 830, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 829, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 831, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, On rollcall No. 826, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 827, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall 828, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Energia Sierra Juarez cross-border transmission line between California and Mexico. I would like to insert into the Record Senate Joint Resolution 13, adopted by the California Senate. Senate Joint Resolution No. 13--Relative to Cross-border Transmission [Filed with Secretary of State September 15, 2011]

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, On rollcall No. 823, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 825, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present I would have voted ''aye.''

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 824, I was away from the Capitol due to prior commitments to my constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Like the chair, I rise in support of passage of this COLA act, S. 894, sponsored by my good friend, Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. And I'm proud to work closely with her in my role as the ranking member of the House committee. I thank the leadership of this body for bringing this uncluttered version of the veterans' COLA bill to the floor, which passed in the Senate last month, so that we may pass it without delay and get it to the President's desk. The veterans' COLA increase will be 3.6 percent for 2012, a figure tied directly to the Social Security COLA whose beneficiaries will also see the same increase in their payments. As it has since 1976, Congress, through the passage of the Veterans' Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act, directs the Secretary of the VA to increase the rates of basic compensation for disabled veterans and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation, what we call DIC, to their survivors and dependents, along with other benefits, in order to keep pace with the rate of inflation. This bill will enable disabled veterans, their families, and their survivors from World War I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the over 3.5 million veterans who receive disability compensation benefits depend upon these payments not only to provide for their own basic needs, but for those of their spouses, children, and parents as well. Without an annual COLA increase, these veterans, their families, and survivors would likely see the value of their hard- earned benefits slowly erode. Mr. Speaker, I think we would be derelict in our duty if we failed to guarantee that those who sacrificed so much for this country are able to receive benefits and services that keep pace with their needs and inflation. We funded the war; let's fund the warrior and his or her family and survivors. Let's ensure that their benefits make ends meet at the end of the month. I urge my colleagues to support this COLA bill, and I thank Senator Murray for sponsoring this important measure. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.