Michael Michaud

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5835, the Veterans Identity and Credit Security Act. Earlier this year, VA experienced a major breach in the data security of millions of veterans. Their very identities and financial lives were put at risk. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, and a great deal of luck, this breach did not turn into a disaster. While for many, this breach came as a surprise, the reality is that VA leadership has been warned repeatedly that VA's information security program is weak and could be compromised. The Veterans Affairs Committee has been calling on the VA to make changes. The VA's Inspector General and the GAO have issued report after report raising significant concerns about weaknesses in the security of VA's data and information systems. The sad reality is that this data breach, while larger than any other, was not unique. We do a disservice to the men and women who have served our Nation and their families if we allow VA's information security policies and practices to continue as the status quo. H.R. 5835 moves the VA toward greater IT security. It will create a clear line of responsibility through the Office of the Under Secretary for Information Security. It will put in place policies to improve IT security, notification and remediation. In cases of identity theft, this bill will help veterans recover their identities and their lives. I also believe that the provisions in this bill supporting further education in IT security are innovative and extremely important for addressing this challenge in the future. I want to congratulate the members of the Veterans Affairs Committee, especially Chairman Buyer and Mr. Filner, for working quickly to move this important legislation forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, each night nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless. They live on the streets, in alleys, in cars, in barns and under bridges. Many other veterans are just one paycheck away from being homeless. The Government Accountability Office has just reported that the Department of Veterans Affairs' largest program to provide homeless veterans with safe shelter has a shortfall of nearly 10,000 beds. While VA and community providers try to do right by homeless veterans, the GAO report found that the capacity is not there to meet demand. The situation will get worse because recent combat veterans are already homeless. Just last year, VA served nearly 600 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan in its Health Care for Homeless Veterans program. On September 30th, the authorization for two key programs for homeless veterans--the VA Grant and Per Diem program and the Homeless Providers Technical Assistance Grant program--is set to expire. If we fail to reauthorize these programs, we will be leaving homeless veterans behind. Homelessness is a problem that we can solve. I urge my colleagues to enact H.R. 5960, the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006, which reauthorizes key programs for homeless veterans and fortifies VA's efforts to prevent and end homelessness among veterans.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada who has been a true advocate for veterans health care, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, once again I would like to thank the good chairman of the committee, Chairman Buyer, and chairman of the House Subcommittee, Henry Brown, for their hard work that they have done on this legislation, really making it a concerted effort to bringing on board today so that we can vote on this legislation. But, once again, the staff. I know this is not an easy process. The staff on both sides of the aisle have worked very diligently in this effort. So I do want to commend the staff on both sides of the aisle, and I really appreciate the chairman's strong advocacy for veterans and veterans issues, and enjoyed working with him on this legislation.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman and fighter for veterans issues from the great State of Florida, Corrine Brown.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the good gentleman from California, Bob Filner

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 5815. This legislation will authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases for fiscal year 2006 and 2007. I wish to commend my good friend and colleague, the chairman of the committee, Chairman Buyer, for his willingness to bring this legislation forward to the House. It is an excellent piece of legislation. I want to commend also a good friend and colleague, the chairman of the Health Subcommittee, Henry Brown of South Carolina, for his work on this legislation as well. It is a good bill. It is long overdue that the Committee on Veterans Affairs and this Congress get back to our job of authorizing construction of veterans medical facilities. This bill takes important steps forward in rebuilding the VA's presence in New Orleans and Mississippi. It is important that we do all that we can to help our veterans in the Gulf region. This bill also authorizes many of the VA's most urgent projects, projects whose authorization expires at the end of the month. I am eagerly awaiting further study and discussion of possible collaborative efforts of the VA that may result in both enhanced care for patients and savings for our taxpayers. Although I am excited about these possibilities, we must also make sure that the needs of veterans are fully met and that the veterans health care system retains its distinct identity as a health care system dedicated to the unique needs of our veterans. If this health care system is to maintain its position at the forefront of American medicine, then we must make prudent investments in the infrastructure that will enable this care to take place. We must modernize these facilities that are antiquated, we must build new facilities in areas that are seeing increased numbers of veterans and we must take steps to ensure that the underserved areas do not remain underserved for long. I would like to thank the staff of both sides of the aisle for their hard work on this legislation. They put a lot of time and effort in this legislation. This is a good, bipartisan bill, and I hope our committee can bring more good bills like this one to the floor before the end of the year. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5815.

Mr. MICHAUD. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. MICHAUD. And, likewise, it has been a real treat. And even though I do not represent the State of Florida, there are a lot of snow birds from the State of Maine, veterans that go to Florida. So I have heard from my veterans as well as far as the facilities in Florida. I really appreciate your comments, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I would yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the terrible events of September 11, 2001. On that day, murderers hijacked four planes. They flew two into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. Only the heroic actions of the passengers of United Flight 93 prevented the fourth from reaching its destructive destination in Washington, DC. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives in these senseless acts of violence. Today, I stand with all America, and much of the world, to mourn and remember that terrible day. We mourn our loved ones who are no longer with us, but we remember the courage of the firefighters, police officers and other first responders who rushed into burning buildings to save lives. We mourn our lost innocence and sense of security, but we remember the resolve of our Nation and the strength of our spirit. I stand with all America looking to the future for a united strategy to ensure the safety of our country and defeat of violent, radical ideologies that threaten our way of life. At this moment, we should be working together. We should be searching for the unity that we felt after September 11th. Unfortunately, and unlike the Senate which earlier this week passed a bipartisan resolution that I support, the House Leadership decided to turn this most solemn of moments into a bid to score partisan points. This resolution is a disappointing attempt to justify failed foreign policies that have not made our country safer. Five years later, world opinion towards us is overwhelmingly negative. The war in Iraq was based on inaccurate intelligence and incorrect assumptions about how successful our exercise in democratic nation-building can be. Al-Qaeda had no presence in Iraq before our invasion. The terrorist organization is now firmly entrenched carrying out murderous attacks, recruiting new members and gaining deadly combat experience. Iraq is stumbling towards civil war because of the mismanagement of the civilian leadership at the Pentagon. We have not found Osama bin Laden and brought him to justice. Instead, our flawed foreign policy provides bin Laden and his followers with fertile ground for new terrorist recruitment and training. We have failed to fully implement the recommendations of the bi- partisan 9/11 Commission. We have not done enough to secure our ports or major transportation networks. Thousands of tons of cargo arrive in the U.S. each day without being thoroughly examined. Our borders are porous and no real solutions to secure them have been reached. Despite the great work and dedication of our first responders, intelligence community and military personnel, this government has failed to meet the challenges of making our nation secure. We have also not offered any help to firefighters and other first-responders, who so selflessly rushed to the aid of their fellow Americans, and now are suffering from respiratory ailments and post-traumatic stress. As Tom Kean, Co-Chair of the 9/11 Commission recently stated, ``We are not protecting our own people in our own country. The government is not doing its job.'' At such a solemn moment, we should make every effort to unite to overcome the challenges that we face from a very real and terrible enemy. The Senate drafted and unanimously supported a respectful, honest and appropriate resolution remembering one of the worst days in American history. I am disappointed that we could not do the same in this body.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to send birthday wishes from the Congress to Carmen deCarlo on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Daughter of Italian immigrants Angelo and Delores, wife of her childhood sweetheart Mario, mother to Mark and Manon and adored grandmother of Alex, Jessica and Nicky, Carmen was born in New York City 90 years ago. Her parents worked tirelessly in their grocery business to bring up Carmen with good values and in a loving environment. Carmen and her husband were always very much dedicated to making the plight of the less fortunate and disenfranchised better. She championed the rights of the poor and strove to create an even playing field. As President of the PTA, Carmen started the first ``free milk program'' for the children of families that could not afford to provide this very basic necessity of life. Carmen has volunteered at the local schools and considers herself a surrogate grandmother to her little first and second grade students. Carmen has exemplified a love for her family and friends and must be commended for her life-long dedication to helping others. I offer my best wishes for continued good health and good fortune for Carmen and her family and for many more gatherings such as the one to celebrate her birthday at the gazebo on Moosehead Lake.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing H.R. 5960, the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006, to fortify our Nation's efforts to prevent and end homelessness among veterans. Each night, as many as 200,000 male and female veterans are sleeping in a doorway, under a bridge, in an alley, box, barn, car, or homeless shelter. While the number of homeless veterans has decreased somewhat, many veterans are on the brink of homelessness. Many veterans are at high risk of homelessness because of poverty, dismal living conditions, and lack of support. A third of homeless men living on the street are veterans. Women veterans are up to four times more likely to become homeless when compared with their peers in the general population. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the number of women among homeless veterans is increasing, from 2 percent of the homeless veteran population in 1996 to 7 percent at the end of 2005. About half of all homeless veterans suffer from mental illness. More than two-thirds suffer from alcohol or drug abuse problems. Behind these disturbing statistics are real men and women who have served our nation. We must lift the veil of invisibility that conceals the reality of homeless veterans. We must take action to honor these veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs has many good programs that need Congressional reauthorization to continue. However, even with these programs, we are not meeting the demand or providing adequate support to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness. Earlier this month the Associated Press reported that homelessness is a threat for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Herold Noel is a 26-year-old former Army private first class who served in Iraq during the beginning of the war. When he returned to New York, he could not find a job to support his wife and children. They ended up in a homeless shelter after the housing programs for veterans in the city were full. Mr. Noel is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), caused by his experience in the service. Mr. Noel, who drove a fuel-truck in Iraq, has had to deal with nightmarish images that he saw during war. We must and can take steps to prevent homelessness among our returning troops. My legislation recommits our nation to preventing and ending homelessness among veterans. My legislation is the result of an ongoing dialogue with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, information and findings from a Congressional briefing sponsored by Democratic Members of House Committee on Veterans Affairs, which heard from VA experts, community providers of care for homeless veterans and former homeless veterans, reports from the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans, and annual reports from the VA evaluating VA's health care programs for homeless veterans. Specifically my legislation would extend expired authorization for VA's successful Homeless Veterans Grant & Per Diem Program through 2011 and reauthorizes yearly appropriations for the program at $200 million. In fiscal year 2005, the average per day payment to community providers to provide shelter, meals and intensive supportive services to veterans was $24.16. It would be hard to find a hotel room in most cities at that rate, let alone provide a veteran with meals and supportive services, such as mental health and vocational counseling. My legislation would put the per diem rate paid to community service providers on par with the per diem rates for State Veterans Homes providing domiciliary care, which is $31.30 for 2006. This increase will greatly improve the capacity of community providers to help homeless veterans recover, rehabilitate and reintegrate back into society. My legislation also improves accountability and performance of the Homeless Veterans Grant & Per Diem Program by requiring the Secretary to establish performance standards to evaluate and document clinical activities and outcomes. The legislation also would require each grant recipient to provide financial information necessary for the VA to verify that payments provide services to homeless veterans. VA provides grants for comprehensive homeless service centers that are open to homeless veterans on an unscheduled and drop-in basis. These centers are a vital access point to homeless veterans. The legislation clarifies that funding for these drop-in service centers for homeless veterans may be used to maintain adequate staffing for services. The authorization to treat veterans suffering from serious mental illness, including homeless veterans expires on December 12, 2006. In addition, the authority to expand and improve the provision of benefits and services to homeless veterans in the 20 largest metropolitan areas expires on December 31, 2006. The legislation extends both authorities for five years, through 2011. The legislation also extends authorization of program in 38 U.S.C. 2041 through 2011. At the May 18, 2005, Congressional briefing on homeless veterans, we heard from Denise Randolph, a former homeless woman veteran. She explained that when she went to the VA to stay at the domiciliary she felt unsafe because the space was not set up to house women. VA experts confirmed that many VA domiciliary programs are not equipped to handle the privacy and safety needs of female veterans, although VA is addressing this problem. Given that more women are serving in our armed forces and those women veterans are at greater risk for homelessness, we must ensure that female veterans have access to safe VA programs. The bill would require the VA to enhance its capacity to provide safe domiciliary care for women veterans. The VA has no specific programs to help community providers who focus on homeless veterans in rural and remote locations. This legislation would authorize special grants to community providers to meet the needs of homeless rural veterans. Dental care has consistently been identified in the top five unmet needs of homeless veterans. The legislation expands homeless veterans' eligibility for dental services and treatment. The legislation authorizes appropriations of $1 million each year through 2011 to provide technical assistance grants to assist community providers in addressing the problems of homeless veterans. The authorization for the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans expires on December 31, 2006. This committee has been very effective in assessing the effectiveness of VA policies, organizational structures and services to assist homeless veterans. The Committee has also been pivotal in identifying gaps in programs and barriers to addressing the needs of homeless veterans. The legislation reauthorizes the Committee through September 30, 2011. The legislation also clarifies that the Executive Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the VA Under Secretary for Health and VA Under Secretary for Benefits are ex-officio members of the Committee. Helping transition homeless veterans is a complex and challenging effort that requires vigilance and coordination. A number of geographic regions of VA hospitals do not have full-time staff as Homeless Veterans Coordinators. My legislation requires each Veterans Integrated Service Network, known as VISNs, to have at least one full-time Homeless Veterans Coordinator. Last August, our nation saw the destructive force of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The homeless shelters in New Orleans, like other structures, suffered damage from this disaster. The legislation would authorize the VA to make emergency grants to community shelters providing care for homeless veterans to repair or replace facilities that are damaged or destroyed by a disaster. Homeless veterans with severe disabilities, including mental health disorders, need supportive services to maintain their functional lives. Linking permanent housing to supportive services is an effective way to end long-term homelessness for veterans who have mental health disorders, including substance abuse or other disabling conditions. According to the Corporation for Supportive Housing, providing supportive services to individuals in permanent housing reduces costly emergency room visits by 57 percent, decreases inpatient hospital days by 58 percent and reduces use of public residential mental health programs by 100 percent. The VA's research has found that homeless veterans who have housing and supportive services can revive social networks and rebuild their family relationships. My good friend and colleague from New Hampshire, Representative Jeb Bradley, has introduced legislation to require the VA, in coordination with HUD, to provide financial assistance to non-profit organizations to coordinate the provision of supportive services for very low-income veterans residing in permanent housing. I support his bill and I have included a similar provision in my legislation. In addition to providing the services at-risk veterans need to remain in permanent housing, we must also take steps to prevent homelessness. The legislation authorizes the VA to conduct a demonstration program, in at least three sites, to identify veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless after discharge or separation from the armed services and provide referral and counseling services to help prevent such veterans from becoming homeless. The legislation makes permanent the successful pilot program to provide counseling and outreach to at-risk veterans who are transitioning from a penal institution or an institution that provides long-term care for mental illness. The Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006 has the strong support of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America and the Corporation for Supportive Housing. I urge my colleagues to support the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act of 2006.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As you heard, this resolution has been fully supported by major associations for the blind, principally, the American Council for the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the Blinded Veterans Association. It also has the support of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. I want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the House Transportation Committee for this resolution introduced by my good friend, Congressman Lane Evans. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 235. House Concurrent Resolution 235 expresses the sense of Congress that States should require candidates for driver's licenses to demonstrate an ability to exercise greater increased caution when driving in the proximity of visually impaired individuals. More than 1 million individuals are blind in the United States. Even more are visually impaired. Many of these individuals are veterans. These individuals face many obstacles in their daily lives and travel. The white cane and the guide dogs have become means to gain greater independence and mobility. The white canes have become one of the symbols of a blind person's ability to come and go on their own. Unfortunately, many States do not require candidates for driver's licenses to associate the use of white canes or guide dogs with potentially visually impaired individuals. Many drivers are not aware of the white cane as a symbol of a visually impaired or blind individual. And, tragically, hundreds of visually impaired individuals have had their white canes and guide dogs run over by motor vehicles and have suffered serious personal injury and death as a result of being hit by cars. If our Nation's visually impaired are to maintain their independence, it is important that drivers understand and respect State white cane laws. With a little education by States and some extra attention paid by drivers, we can greatly improve safety along our streets for those individuals who are visually impaired. H. Con. Res. 235 will make pedestrian travel a little safer for visually impaired individuals using mobility aids. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) for introducing this legislation. Mr. Evans has been a friend and mentor to me during my 10 years of serving on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I urge my colleagues to give this resolution their full support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, since the founding of our Nation, rural Americans have always answered the call to service in times of war. One in three of the patients seen at the Department of Veterans Affairs lives in a rural community. Veterans who live in rural settings are often older and have more physical and mental health diseases as compared to veterans who live in suburban or urban settings. According to the 2005 Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Rural Health, the smaller, poorer, and more isolated a rural community is, the more difficult it is to ensure the availability of high-quality health services. With some 44 percent of current military recruits coming from rural areas, we must help VA focus on meeting the pressing health care needs of rural veterans. I have introduced H.R. 5524, the Rural Veterans Health Care Act of 2006, to take a comprehensive and practical approach towards improving care for our rural veterans by increasing community based facilities and outreach, encouraging the training and recruitment of health care professionals, focusing on research to develop innovative solutions to the challenges of delivering rural health care, and developing the information technology infrastructure we need to enhance health care services in rural areas. Rural America has always answered the call to service. We should do everything we can to ensure that rural veterans have the same reasonable access to the high quality care available through the VA as veterans in suburban and urban areas. I urge my colleagues to support rural veterans and pass H.R. 5524. Mr. Speaker I would like to include in the Congressional Record a letter of support for H.R. 5524, the Rural Veterans Health Care Act of 2006, from the National Rural Health Association. National Rural Health Association, Kansas City, MO, July 17, 2006. Hon. Michael Michaud, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Michaud: On behalf of the National Rural Health Association, I am writing to express our strong support for H.R 5524, the ``Rural Veterans Health Care Act of 2006.'' The NRHA is a national nonprofit, non partisan, membership organization with approximately 10,000 members that provides leadership on rural health issues. The Association's mission is to improve the health of rural Americans and to provide leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education and research. The NRHA membership consists of a diverse collection of individuals and organizations, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health. The NRHA members are keenly aware of the disproportionate rates at which rural people serve in the military and the issues our rural veterans face in obtaining health and mental health care in rural communities. We are pleased to see so many provisions in this legislation to address these concerns. In particular, the provisions which call for expansion of and improved quality of services provided by Vet Centers, Outreach Health Centers, and CBOCs in rural areas. These services represent approaches that greatly increase access to quality care for these vets. Vet Centers, as is their role, will also educate returning rural veterans to their benefits and the services they have earned. The bill also addresses the long term care needs of rural vets, the use of an electronic medical record system to enhance patient safety and improve quality of care, takes advantage of the groundbreaking IOM report on the future of rural health care recommendations, and provides a provision for the training of health care professionals in rural facilities serving veterans. All of these provisions are included in NRHA's support. The NRHA is especially supportive of the call for a national Advisory Committee on Rural Veterans, and offer up any assistance we might make in recommending members for this committee should the legislation be successful. In addition, we are pleased that the legislation increases the number of rural rotations for medical residents training at the VA and takes steps to enhance the education, training, retention, and recruitment of health professionals in rural areas. Research has shown that rural rotations are effective in increasing the number of medical personnel that choose to practice in rural areas. The NRHA is supportive and involved in the dissemination of research and resources developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Rural Research Centers, therefore, we support the provisions in the bill which would designate at least four centers as the location for research targeted at defining rural veteran health and mental health care needs, and chronic disease management. NRHA is keenly aware of the limited research on rural veterans and their families, and this provision will begin to address the dearth of research in this area. The NRHA maintains a Minority and Multicultural committee within our organization and develops many policy statements regarding the unique needs of rural minority groups and women. We are pleased to see the specific inclusion of Native American, Native Hawaiian and Native Alaskan veterans in this legislation. This legislation would expand VA's health care presence in these rural and remote communities. The NRHA also hopes that special consideration will also be given to the unprecedented number of African American women and all women serving at the highest rates ever seen in our country and the special needs that they will bring into the VA system in just a few short years. The NRHA developed the first national policy paper as a non-Veteran Service Organization on rural veterans in 2003- 2004, and we are pleased to see some of the recommendations called for in our policy paper addressed in this legislation. For these many reasons, the NRHA strongly supports your efforts to urge Congress to enact the ``Rural Veterans Health Care Act of 2006.'' Thank you for your leadership on this issue. Sincerely, William Sexton, President.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, last night several of our colleagues stood on this floor and listed all of the terrorists that are no longer threats to the United States. I couldn't be more pleased that this list of potential threats is getting shorter. So why are we going to vote today on a proposal that will add major new threats to that list? The Oman Free Trade Agreement would require the United States to allow any Omani company to provide landside U.S. port activities if they so choose. A new CRS report confirms that fact. We know that al Qaeda wants to launch more attacks here. Do you think that this deal presents a golden opportunity for al Qaeda to infiltrate our ports, to smuggle weapons of mass destruction into the United States? Last year more than 11 million cargo containers entered the United States. Do you want a company in Oman managing this flow of who knows what into our borders? Would you let any company that operates in Oman run our airport security? The Oman Free Trade Agreement hands over the keys to any company that operates in Oman. Think about it, and vote ``no'' on this stupid, ridiculous deal. When the American people find out about the port provision of this agreement they will be outraged.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 921. We must fully and clearly condemn the attacks on sovereign, undisputed Israeli territory as the terrorist attacks that they are. The June 25th murders and kidnapping carried out by Hamas are an act of war. The July 12th murders and kidnappings carried out by Hezbollah are an act of war. As a sovereign state, Israel has the right to defend itself and its citizens from these attacks. Hezbollah must immediately stop its attacks on innocent Israelis. All provisions of United Nations Resolution 1559 calling for the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon and the dismantlement of all independent militias in Lebanon must be fully implemented. Iran and Syria must end their proxy war with Israel at the expense of the Lebanese, Israeli, and Palestinian people. Israel has the right to defend itself from these most recent criminal attacks, but I believe Israel must show restraint and limit civilian casualties as it struggles to end the threat posed by the terrorist organization Hezbollah--an organization which is responsible for more American deaths in recent decades than any other group except Al Qaeda. The Lebanese government must be able in the future to provide security within its own country and return to the path of peace and mutual security. That is the path of hope. We all look toward the day when a secure Israel can live in peace with its neighbors, including a sovereign democratic and peaceful Palestinian state. If we are ever going to reach that goal, a goal shared by a majority of the world, then the United States and the international community must be fully diplomatically engaged in ending the terror and violence suffered in the region. My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese and foreign nationals who are all in harm's way. I condemn this new escalation of violence and the terrorist attacks on Israel. I join my colleagues in standing with our ally Israel during this time of struggle. I call on the terrorist groups to release their hostages and turn away from the path of violence. I pray for lasting peace and mutual security and prosperity for all who suffer through this terrible conflict.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the Oman Free Trade Agreement. I say to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, if we are really serious about national security, especially given the bipartisan outrage over the Dubai Ports World situation earlier this year, we must reject the Oman Free Trade Agreement. Simply put, foreign tribunals should not determine what is, in fact, a security threat to the United States of America. This provision should not be in this trade agreement. The international trade agreement would require the United States to allow any Omani company to provide landside aspects of U.S. ports activities. A new CRS report further confirms that a company operating in Oman could use the Oman Free Trade Agreement to obtain this new right guaranteed by the international trade agreement, Dubai-United States ports operations. Who is to say that al Qaeda would not set up shop in Oman to gain access and control of our ports? We have already seen how they have worked this in the past. They set their men in United States soil years before the September 11 attack to take flight lessons. They know how the system works. They are strategic in their planning. Do you really think terrorists could not take advantage of this provision? It is bad enough that we are asked to support agreements that will shift more jobs overseas, that undermine our environmental standards, and that ask us to stick our head in the sand over serious human rights violations. But it is simply unacceptable to ask this Congress to support legislation that could potentially undermine the security of our Nation. At the very least, USTR should exclude the ports from this deal and all future deals. Mr. Speaker, I cannot think of one Member of Congress who would support weakening our national security, and this agreement does do that. We should stand united and demand that these free trade agreements start with us negotiating for the best interests of the United States. We will continue to see more unless we do that today. I urge my colleagues to reject this agreement.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Madam Speaker, if we are really serious about national security, especially given the bipartisan outrage over the Dubai Ports World situation earlier this year, we must reject the Oman Free Trade Agreement. The Oman agreement allows foreign tribunals to second-guess American decisions about who can operate our ports and dictate to us what is in our national security interest. Simply put, foreign tribunals should not determine what is a security threat to the United States. We should. This provision should not be in this trade agreement, period. It is bad enough that we are asked to support agreements that will ship our jobs overseas, that undermine our environment, and ask us to stick our head in the sand over serious human rights violations, but it is simply outrageous to ask Congress to support legislation that can undermine the security of our Nation. Whether you consider yourself a free trader or not, I cannot think of one Member of Congress who would support weakening our national security, and this agreement does that. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Oman Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4843, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006. This is a good bipartisan bill. It will help to ensure that the real value of the benefits earned by our veterans does not decrease as prices rise. These benefits are critical for many veterans and their families to help make ends meet. Veterans and their families need to know that the purchasing power of their earned benefits will not decrease over time. This legislation also includes a provision similar to my bill, H.R. 1573. Last Congress, in response to a VA evaluation, we passed legislation to provide an increase of $250 to the monthly DIC, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, benefit for surviving spouses with children under 18 for the first 2 years of eligibility. While I believe that we should make this benefit permanent, especially in light of the brave men and women giving their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan; the provision in today's bill is extremely important and will ensure that this benefit maintains its value over time. I want to thank Ms. Berkley for her amendment in Committee to include this provision. This is a good bill that will help veterans and their families across the country and I urge my colleagues to support it. I hope that this is the first of many bills that we will now move forward to improve the benefits and quality of care provided to our veterans and their families. I congratulate Chairman Miller of Florida for introducing this important bill, and I thank full committee Chairman Steve Buyer and full committee Ranking Member Lane Evans for moving this legislation forward.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak against this politically motivated resolution. Our country is under a real and serious threat from extremists. We do not have time to waste on cheap political resolutions that distract us from the unity and sense of purpose that we should all have together, as Americans, in confronting the real threat. We need to have a real debate on real solutions to determine an effective course of action in Iraq. An honest debate does not undermine our soldiers' morale, as some have suggested in an attempt to silence all questions. What is actually demoralizing to our service men and women is to be sent into harm's way lacking body armor and supplies and a definitive plan for success; and then coming back as veterans only to be harassed by creditors because the VA did not take steps to protect them, or not receiving the necessary treatment for medical issues like PTSD. In fact, a real, open discussion of the facts on the ground and the challenges we face globally would show our soldiers that we are serious about this endeavor and their safety and that we want to be successful. That is good for our troops. The way our current debate on Iraq is conducted, with resolutions like this, hurts all of us--this is political grandstanding. We can no longer allow political leaders to shield a badly conducted policy in Iraq behind the cloak of 9/11. We were attacked on 9/11, and we had a united country and a united world join together in approval as we sought to stop the terrorists in Afghanistan. This had nothing to do with Iraq. And now, five years later, we find ourselves with a divided nation, and few allies who support our policies. This has everything to do with Iraq. Despite the courage, dedication and professionalism of our men and women in uniform, our military has been strained as a result of the poor and extremely shortsighted leadership of the Secretary of Defense. Recruitment is down. Our National Guard has assumed a greater burden in military operations then ever before and as a result our homeland security is weakened. The invasion of Iraq and our continuing occupation has damaged our standing in the world. Abu Ghraib, massive civilian casualties, lawlessness and little economic hope in Iraq have undermined the global support that we had to hunt down and destroy terrorists around the world. The war has not made us safer from terrorists--it has created more terrorists. 90 percent of the insurgents in Iraq are Iraqi. The sad reality is that we have created thousands of terrorists where there were none before. But a review of these errors does not solve the problems. Now, we must look forward. We must ask, what is the best course for our Nation, our soldiers, and the Iraqi people? A policy of ``Stay the course'' does not address the real situation on the ground in Iraq. It does not provide a clear and understandable path to success and to bringing our troops home. It does not help us to address the damage that we have seen to our moral authority around the world and it certainly does not provide a plan to destroy al Qaeda and similar terrorist organizations. Instead, we must have a new course in Iraq, a way of instituting fundamental change in our role there, and a way of removing our military presence. It is time for the Iraqi people to take full control of their country. The United States military cannot act as the dominant security force in Iraq indefinitely. I believe, as many leading military experts do, that our presence in Iraq incites and perpetuates the violence. We need a timeline for withdrawal so that the elected government of Iraq can fully assume its duties in the political, economic, and security arenas. The principle of our efforts must be this: that we cannot want a free and stable Iraq more than the Iraqis themselves do. It is time for them to take control of their own country, and their own destiny. I strongly believe that we must continue to support the efforts of the Iraqi people to establish a free, secure and sovereign state, but we cannot do this by occupying the country and dominating its internal security and economic development. International cooperation, economic aide, security training, and assistance for infrastructure development should be our aims. Too many American and Iraqi lives have been lost. Too much money has been diverted to this endeavor instead of going toward hunting down al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, who are the true enemies of our American freedom. It is time for us to move forward together, in support of our soldiers, in support of the Iraqi people, with the support of our allies, and in the firm belief that with a change in approach in Iraq, we can secure greater freedom and prosperity here and abroad.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing H.R. 5524, the Rural Veterans Health Care Act of 2006, to strengthen and improve access to health care for rural veterans. The Memorial Day weekend has recently passed us by. The holiday reminded us all of the great sacrifices made by our Nation's veterans and their families. It is important that we honor our veterans with action and not just words. We must not forget that we have soldiers in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they too have earned the support of a grateful nation, just as generations before them. Meeting the needs of our veterans and their families should be a top priority. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does a good job in delivering quality medical care, treatment is sometimes harder to access for veterans in rural areas. Rural communities have always answered their Nation's call to service. Nationwide, more than 44 percent of recent U.S. military recruits come from rural areas. This tradition of service is true in my home State of Maine where approximately one in six residents is a veteran--one of the highest proportions in the country. Across the country, one in five veterans who is enrolled to receive VA health care lives in a rural area. Veterans who live in rural settings are often older and have more physical and mental health diseases as compared to veterans who live in suburban or urban settings. According to the 2005 Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Rural Health, ``the smaller, poorer, and more isolated a rural community is, the more difficult it is to ensure the availability of high-quality health services.'' It is important that we address the unique challenges that rural veterans face in accessing health care. At my request last summer, the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor to raise awareness of this issue and to search for solutions. The field hearing focused on rural veterans' access to primary care and gave the Chairman and me the opportunity to hear directly from veterans and health care providers in Maine. It was clear to the Chairman and me that if our rural veterans are going to get the care they deserve, the VA needs to have a focused effort to increase access to quality health care for those living in non-urban areas of our country. My legislation is a result of the findings from the Maine field hearing, an ongoing dialogue between my office and Maine veterans and health care providers, and reports published by the Institute of Medicine that focused on improving health care in rural areas. Specifically, my bill would help rural communities address the needs of returning veterans who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by requiring the VA to conduct an extensive outreach program to these veterans who reside in rural communities. The VA would be required to collaborate with employers, state agencies, community health centers, rural health clinics and the National Guard to conduct this extensive outreach program to ensure that returning troops have access to the benefits they have earned. The legislation would also build on the strength of the Vet Centers program. Vet Centers are located in the community outside of the larger VA medical facilities, in easily accessible, consumer-oriented facilities. They are highly responsive to the needs of local veterans. In 2005, the 206 Vet Centers saw over 132,853 veterans. For nearly one out of four veterans seen at Vet Centers, these centers are their access to VA programs and benefits. This core group of veteran users primarily received counseling for military-related trauma. My bill would require the VA to expand its presence in rural areas and to establish a pilot program to have mobile Vet Centers that could help reach veterans in the most rural and remote areas. Consistent with the promise made to veterans in the CARES process, my legislation would hold the VA accountable for improving access for rural veterans through Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) and other access points by requiring the VA to develop and implement a plan for improving veterans' access to quality care in rural areas. The May 2004 Secretary's CARES decision identified 156 priority CBOCs and new sites of care nationwide. The VA Secretary would also be required to develop a plan for meeting the long-term care needs of rural veterans, expanding adult day-care and respite care programs for rural veterans, expanding the use of telemedicine to enhance the care of rural veterans, and expand access to mental health care for rural veterans. The 2005 groundbreaking Institute of Medicine report on The Future of Rural Health recommended that the federal government incorporate a rural focus in planning and developing a national health information infrastructure. The VA has been a leader in developing an electronic medical record system to enhance patient safety and improve quality of care. This legislation recognizes that VA has a leading role and responsibility to help rural veterans and their providers. The bill would establish a health information technology pilot to ensure a continuum of quality of care for veterans that rely on VA provided care, VA fee-basis care and contracted care. The pilot would have the VA partner with a range of providers including community health centers, rural health clinics and critical access hospitals, where appropriate. Rural veterans, veteran service organizations and other experts need a seat at the table to help the VA consider important program and policy decisions that affect rural veterans. The legislation would establish a Rural Veterans Advisory Committee to harness the knowledge and expertise of representatives from other federal agencies, academic affiliates, veterans and other experts to recommend opportunities to meet the challenges of veterans' rural health care. This legislation would also put VA in the forefront of researching, developing and evaluating innovative approaches in the delivery of rural health care by establishing four Rural Health Research, Education, and Clinical Care Centers. These centers of rural health care excellence will conduct research on rural health services, allow the VA to pioneer models for furnishing services to treat rural veterans, provide education and training for health care professionals, and develop and implement innovative clinical activities and systems of care. These centers would maximize the investment of federal tax dollars by collaborating with Department of Health and Human Services Rural Research Centers. Health workforce shortages and recruitment and retention of the health care workers are key challenges to rural veterans' access to care and quality of care. Rural Americans face a unique combination of factors that create disparities in health care not found in urban areas. Only 10 percent of physicians practice in rural areas despite the fact that one-fourth of the U.S. population lives in these areas. State offices of rural health identify access to mental health care and concerns for suicide, stress, depression, and anxiety disorders as major rural health concerns. The 2005 IOM report recommended that the federal government initiate a renewed, vigorous and comprehensive effort to enhance the supply of health professionals working in rural areas. The VA's involvement in medical and nursing education of future rural providers is essential. Almost 28,000 medical residents and 16,000 medical students receive some of their training in the VA every year. In addition, over 32,000 associated health students, including future nurses, pharmacists, dentists, audiologists, social workers, psychologists, physical therapists, optometrists, respiratory therapists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, receive training through the VA. This legislation would place VA at the forefront of enhancing the rural education and training of health professionals. The legislation requires the VA Secretary to institute additional rotations for medical residents in rural areas; establish programs to enhance the education, training, recruitment and retention of nurses in rural areas; and create programs to enhance the education, training, recruitment and retention of allied health professionals in rural areas. Helping homeless veterans in rural and remote locations recover, rehabilitate and reintegrate into society is complex and challenging. The VA has no specific programs to help community providers who focus on homeless veterans in rural and remote locations. This legislation would authorize special grants to community providers to meet the needs of homeless rural veterans. Native American, Native Hawaiian and Native Alaskan veterans have unique needs. This legislation would expand VA's health care presence in these rural and remote communities. Rural America has always answered the call to service. We should do everything we can to ensure that rural veterans have the same reasonable access to the high quality care available through the VA as veterans in suburban and urban areas. I urge my colleagues to support the Rural Veterans Health' Care Act of 2006. The American Legion, Washington, DC, June 5, 2006. Hon. Michael Michaud, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Michaud: On behalf of the 2.7 million members of The American Legion, I would like to express our support for your legislation addressing rural veterans health care. The American Legion understands the dire straits that many veterans who reside in rural and highly rural areas find themselves. As the Global War on Terror and the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq continue to escalate, the need for the nation's Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members to deploy not once, twice, but three times is becoming the rule and not the exception. The need for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reach out to these veterans, many of them in rural communities, has reached an unprecedented scale. The time is now for VA to take responsibility to bring those veterans in and provide them the services they not only need, but also earned. Adequate and directed outreach, rural mental health services, trained medical staff, rural health research and homeless rural veterans are all key components of your legislation that address the growing dilemma that is access to rural health care. The American Legion believes this legislation will go a long way in addressing this crucial issue and we thank you for your continued leadership and support of America's veterans and their families. Sincerely, Steve Robertson, Director, National Legislative Commission.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for S. 1235, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2005. This legislation will improve the benefits provided to our veterans and their families. During war and equally importantly, after our soldiers come home and take off the uniform, we as a nation must support them fully. The Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2005 contains many provisions that will help us achieve this goal. I would like to point out one particular provision that is similar to a bill, H.R. 821, which I have introduced. Like H.R. 821, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act will amend title 38 to extend the requirement for reports from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the disposition of cases recommended to the Secretary for equitable relief due to administrative error. Extending this reporting requirement will assist the VA in its efforts to properly care for our veterans and their families. Adminstrative error should not prevent a veteran or their loved one from receiving the benefits they have fully earned. I would like to thank and congratulate Chairman Buyer and Ranking Member Evans as well as the other chairmen and ranking members from our committee who have worked so hard to move this important legislation forward. It is my hope that we will also be moving a health bill forward with the same bipartisan spirit our veterans have come to expect from our committee. I support this legislation and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. MICHAUD

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to make my colleagues aware of a GAO study being released today. GAO studied services at the Department of Defense and the VA to help identify and treat veterans of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom who may be at risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. GAO found only 22 percent of personnel who were at risk for PTSD were referred by DOD providers for further evaluation. When 78 percent who were at risk do not get referrals, then this is clear the assessment system is not working. Health assessment and reassessment are absolutely the right thing to do, and I applaud DOD for these programs. But if we are not confident that those who need further evaluation will actually receive it, what purpose does it serve? We need early assessment, diagnosis and counseling to prevent the effects of PTSD. This Congress needs to press both DOD and VA to do a better job in helping veterans with PTSD and other mental health issues.