Bob Filner

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I urge my colleagues to unanimously support S. 407. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1172, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the Speaker and also I thank my distinguished colleague from Arkansas, Congressman Boozman, for introducing this bill, H.R. 1172, and for his bipartisan leadership working as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity with Chair Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota. That committee is, I think, a model of bipartisan cooperation and we thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his efforts in that regard. As many veterans service organizations have testified to our committee, the lack of program awareness continues to be a major barrier preventing veterans from accessing the benefits they have earned. The same is also true for non-VA related education assistance such as grants and scholarships. This legislation provides a commonsense solution to provide useful scholarship information to our Nation's veterans and their dependents. Providing a list of all available scholarships on the VA Web site will allow veteran advocates to reach a larger population and simplify the search for veterans and their families. I am confident our Internet savvy veterans will come to rely on this tool to obtain up-to-date information on how to supplement their education benefits administered by the VA. Again I thank Congressman Boozman for introducing this bill. I urge all my colleagues to join us. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1172) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include on the Internet website of the Department of Veterans Affairs a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. I would like to recognize the gentlelady from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) for as much time as she may consume, but I also want to thank her for her incredible leadership as Chair of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Lots of bills have come forward from this committee and will continue to do so, and we thank her for her leadership.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is undoubtedly one of the most significant bills that this Congress will pass in this or any other session. The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act was introduced in February, and this bipartisan measure is a response to years of chronic underfunding of the VA medical care system. During the last two decades, the VA budget has been in place at the start of the fiscal year barely four times. We all know that this delay in providing vital funding puts the provision of health care to veterans at a risk and hampers the VA's ability to plan its health care expenditures, hire needed health care professionals, and plan needed construction. In an unprecedented step, nine veterans groups formed the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform. These groups, including The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Vietnam Veterans of America, formed to advocate for a VA health care budget that is sufficient, timely, and predictable. These groups put forward the idea that resources for VA health care should be provided through advanced appropriations so that when the fiscal year starts on October 1, the VA will know what its budget is a year in advance. That is what will happen when H.R. 1016 passes. It will ensure the VA can best plan and utilize taxpayer dollars to provide veterans with the health care they have earned and deserved. It provides the framework with which we can realize advanced appropriations for VA medical care accounts. As part of the annual budget submission, the President will be required to submit a request for certain VA accounts for the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted. As part of the administration's FY 2011 budget, the President will include budget estimates for VA medical care, information technology, and medical and prosthetic research accounts for FY 2012. The VA will be required to provide detailed estimates in the budget documents it submits annually to Congress. Each July, the VA will be required to report to Congress if it has the resources it needs for the upcoming fiscal year in order for the Congress to address any funding imbalances. This will help to safeguard against the VA facing budget shortfalls such as it did just a few years ago. H.R. 1016 provides the framework for advanced appropriations, and we look to our colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to provide the dollars. I want to express our thanks to our colleague, Chet Edwards, who chairs the Military Construction/VA Subcommittee, for providing advanced funding for the VA medical care accounts for 2011, providing for an 8 percent increase for fiscal year 2011 above the historic fiscal year 2010 levels. I want to thank also Chairman Obey for supporting advanced appropriations and Chairman Spratt of the Budget Committee for including advanced appropriations language in his budget resolution. All of us, working together, have succeeded in providing veterans with their top legislative priority. They spoke and we listened. I ask the rest of the House to join us in support of this bill, H.R. 1016, which passed unanimously from the Veterans' Affairs Committee last week. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Veterans Nonprofit Research and Education Corporations Enhancement Act of 2009''. As the nation's largest healthcare provider network and the custodian of our veterans' health, the Department of Veterans Affairs has an important role to play in the development of innovative new healthcare technologies, medication, and practices. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Veterans Affairs research program is well respected within the research community. The program focuses on research that concerns the special health care needs of veterans especially war related injuries and illnesses. Some recent successes of the program include neuromotor prosthesis for paralyzed patients, development of an artificial retina for veterans who have lost vision due to retinal damage, and the use of a generic drug (prazosin) for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Importantly, this research program does not just benefit veterans but also American citizens as a whole. Years ago, this program was responsible for bringing to the medical community the pacemaker. Nonprofit Research Corporations were authorized by Congress in 1988. The intent of these Corporations was to provide a flexible funding mechanism to conduct research and education at VA medical centers. Today, there are 82 independent, state-chartered corporations. Nonprofit research corporations are a critical component of the overall VA research program. In Fiscal Year 2007 alone, nonprofits were responsible for securing $250 million from the private sector and non- VA public funding to support over 4,000 research and education programs at the VA. This includes providing nearly 2,500 without compensation research employees who work side-by-side with VA-salaried employees. This legislation authorizes the creation of multi-medical center research corporations that would allow two or more VA medical centers to share one Nonprofit Research Corporation. VA facilities with small research programs may join with larger ones. Additionally, smaller ones will be allowed to pool resources to support a Corporation. It also clarifies the purpose of the corporation by enabling Nonprofit Research Corporations to support functions related to the conduct of research and education. Additionally, this legislation will broaden the qualifications for the two mandatory non-VA board members beyond familiarity with medical research and education to acquire those with legal and financial expertise for sound governance and financial management. This provision would also remove the overly strict language prohibiting non-VA board members from having any financial relationship, current or past with a for-profit entity which funds VA research or education. This change would be consistent with the rules applied to federal employees in dealing with conflict of interest by allowing for means of recusal. This legislation further clarifies the powers of corporations. Some of the key authorities provided by this provision include allowing the Corporations to charge registration fees for education and training programs and to use such funds to offset program expenses or for future educational purposes. It will allow the VA to reimburse Nonprofit Research Corporations for the salary and benefits of NPC employees loaned to VA under Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments. Finally this legislation will improve accountability and oversight of corporations by requiring each Nonprofit Research Corporation to submit an annual report to the Secretary of the VA on operations, activities, and accomplishments. It would also require Nonprofit Research Corporations with revenues in excess of $300,000 in any given year to obtain an audit. I urge your support.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I urge all of my colleagues to join us in reaffirming our Nation's commitment to care for our servicemembers, veterans and their dependents, unanimously supporting H.R. 466, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 466, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. I am not sure whether the previous speaker supported or opposed the bill. I guess he opposes any help for health care for our citizens, any help for job security for our citizens, any help for the environmental protection of our citizens, any help for education for our citizens, any help for housing for our citizens. I still don't know where he stands on this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, I have been honored to bring bill after bill that says ``thank you'' to our Nation's veterans, and this is another bill that will in fact do that, to say thank you to those who have served our Nation. My distinguished colleague from Texas, Mr. Doggett, has introduced H.R. 466, the Wounded Veteran Job Security Act. His steadfast commitment to our men and women in uniform and this Nation's veterans is to be commended. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to Mr. Doggett to explain the bill.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 466) to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination and acts of reprisal against persons who receive treatment for illnesses, injuries, and disabilities incurred in or aggravated by service in the uniformed services, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today on a motion offered pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 25, 2009, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in House Concurrent Resolution 133, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, May is Huntington's Disease Awareness Month. I rise today with my colleague from San Diego, Congressman Bilbray, in support of the 250,000 Americans affected by or who are at risk for developing Huntington's disease. This disease is a degenerative brain disorder for which there is no effective treatment or cure. HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, think, talk, and to reason. Eventually, a person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for care. Because it is a genetic disorder, Huntington's disease profoundly affects the lives of entire families--emotionally, socially and financially. Over the last few months, several families in our San Diego area affected by HD have contacted us about the constant struggles they face. For example, Misty Oto lost her mother several years ago to HD. Her 40-year-old brother is now showing signs of the disease. Misty is also at risk for developing the condition as are her children. If that weren't bad enough, Misty and her family and countless others affected by HD are unable to receive the medical treatment and care they need. People with Huntington's disease are continually denied disability Social Security benefits because of outdated medical guidelines. Once people with HD begin to receive disability benefits, they still must wait 2 years before they qualify for Medicare. As a result, thousands of families affected by HD are unable to receive the treatment and care they desperately need. Many wind up losing everything they own in simply trying to survive. That is why Congressman Bilbray and I have introduced H.R. 678, the Huntington's Disease Parity Act of 2009. The bill directs the Social Security Administration to revise its criteria for determining disability, thereby making it easier for people with Huntington's disease to collect disability benefits. Mr. Bilbray, I appreciate our joined support. I would yield to the gentleman.

Mr. FILNER. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from San Diego. When we were both in local government, we worked together on numerous issues in San Diego, and I'm so glad we are working together here in the Congress. As we said, there are two major parts of H.R. 678. Number one, the Social Security Administration must revise its criteria for determining disability to make it easier for people with Huntington's disease to collect their benefits. It also removes the 2-year waiting period between receiving Social Security disability payments and their Medicare benefits. This will allow HD patients to get the treatment they need at the onset of the disease, when it's most important. This is not without precedence, Madam Speaker. In 2000, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services waived this waiting period for those suffering from ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Huntington's disease is tragic, but our bill, H.R. 678, will help those who suffer from this disease. We urge the support of our colleagues for this bill.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1170) to amend chapter 21 of title 38, United States Code, to establish a grant program to encourage the development of new assistive technologies for specially adapted housing, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1170, as amended.

Mr. FILNER. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in about a week, on Monday, May 25, our country will mark the 38th year in which Congress has formally recognized the last Monday of May as Memorial Day in honor of our brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, so I stand before you today with a series of bills to honor our fallen men and women and our current veterans and those on current active duty with deeds and not just with words that we speak on Memorial Day. So we want to honor the legacy of our fallen servicemembers. We look forward to ensuring that our veterans are cared for at the same level of dedication and service that they have provided while in service to our country. The bills before you today have all come through our Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, chaired by Ms. Herseth Sandlin from South Dakota and with her ranking member, Mr. Boozman from Arkansas. They have proven to be a formidable team, a team which works well together, which brings our committee together and which brings us bills that are very important to our veterans today. So I thank both the Chair and her ranking member for all of the good work that they do with our committee. I think I will yield to Ms. Herseth Sandlin to explain the bills because she has played such an important role in them. I will yield to her such time as she may consume.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I continue to reserve.

Mr. FILNER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield myself as much time as I may consume I think it is only appropriate, Mr. Speaker, that we bring this resolution to the floor as we approach Memorial Day. The resolution encourages people to visit the cemeteries, memorials, and markers overseen by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Now, that is a commission that I am sure many people have not heard of. What is the American Battle Monuments Commission, and what do they do? Back in 1923, Congress created this commission to control the construction of military cemeteries, monuments, and markers erected to honor American servicemembers killed on foreign soil. Host countries provide the necessary lands for the sites to the United States in perpetuity and free of charge. The commission cares for 24 military cemeteries, 25 memorials, monuments and markers in 15 countries around the world. These sites serve as the final resting place for almost 125,000 Americans who fought in the Mexican-American War, World War I and World War II. The commission takes special care that all cemeteries under its supervision are maintained to the highest standard attainable. The commission extends an open invitation for all to visit these magnificent shrines and to go beyond the most well known, like Normandy, and venture into others. Each site has its own sense of history, sacrifice and beauty, and each offers a unique experience. For example, no two have the same guard nor architecture. Perhaps only the spiritual qualities are similar. In less than a month from now, on June 6, the commission will commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the D-day landing by opening a new Normandy-American cemetery visitors center. This center, which has been under construction since 2002, will tell the story of the American soldiers memorialized at Normandy. I encourage all to visit this new D-day center and any of the sites under the jurisdiction of the commission. Overseas cemeteries are the lasting reminders of America's willingness to come to the defense of others. These tangible symbols of American values endure long after the fighting is over. Mr. Speaker, I would reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FILNER. Does the gentleman have further speakers?

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was introduced by Ms. Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota. She has demonstrated her commitment to our Nation's veterans for many, many years. Her work as Chair of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, with Mr. Boozman, always bears fruit. H.R. 1088 is one of those bills. I yield to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) as much time as she may consume to explain the bill.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1089, as amended.