Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7158) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts and agreements for the payment of care in non-Department of Veterans Affairs medical foster homes for certain veterans who are unable to live independently, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the ranking member's desire to engage in talks regarding the toxic exposure fund. It is an important issue, which is the long-term implications of the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, otherwise known as TEV, and it was created by the Honoring our PACT Act. This fund is absolutely crucial to ensuring VA has the resources necessary to fully support our veterans and to deliver the new benefits available to them without having to sacrifice existing programs. As I have said repeatedly, any potential change to this fund and how it operates must be considered very carefully and requires the input of other committees that have a stake in this issue, to include appropriations and budget in the House and Senate. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5943) to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Greenville, South Carolina, as the ``Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell Outpatient Clinic,'' as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, 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. 5943, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 5943, as amended, which will appropriately honor the memory of Lance Corporal Dana C. Darnell as one of the more than 58,000 names etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial just down the street on The National Mall. Like so many of those who served our great Nation, Lance Corporal Darnell's life was tragically cut short. In April 1967, his Marine platoon was ambushed by enemy forces in the Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam. Lance Corporal Darnell, at just 19 years old, displayed remarkable bravery and selflessness in the face of adversity. When his platoon's mortar gunner was knocked unconscious, Lance Corporal Darnell quickly retrieved the weapon and began firing it into the enemy's position. After exhausting his ammunition, he moved from man to man, collecting additional mortar rounds to help silence the attack. In doing so, Lance Corporal Darnell undoubtedly saved the lives of others in his platoon. Even after being temporarily blinded by enemy fire, Lance Corporal Darnell refused to be evacuated. Instead, he quickly began caring for his wounded comrades. Two days later, Lance Corporal Darnell was killed in action. For his extraordinary heroism, Lance Corporal Darnell was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross by President Johnson. The Greenville, South Carolina, native also received a Purple Heart and National Defense, Vietnam Service, and Vietnam Campaign Medals for his meritorious service. I thank my colleague, Representative Timmons, for introducing this bill, which will designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Greenville, South Carolina, the Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell Outpatient Clinic. This bill has letters of support from The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Speaker, I include these letters in the Record. [From the American Legion] Whereas, The American Legion is always preserving the memories in incidents in all wars and to the men, women and families sacrifice to the country of The United States of America will never be forgotten; and Whereas, The American Legion has paid homage to the courage and commitments from the United States military and the values they have brought to our great nation; and Whereas, the United States is a grateful nation for the ultimate sacrifice of 58,220 United States Service members during the war with the North Vietnamese from 1955-1975; and Whereas, one of those conflicts was the battle of Quang Tri Provence the northern provincial capital of The republic of South Vietnam involving Company B, First Battalion, 9th Marines, Third Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force April 24, 1967; and Whereas, Greenville South Carolina's very own United States Marine Lance Corporal Dana Cornell was engaged in a search and destroy operation against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese ambushed Cornell as they entered a field; and Whereas, using heavy small arms Lance Corporal Dana Cornell was knocked unconscious while seeking cover and still managed to face extraordinary calmness in the face of enemy fire, Cornell retrieved the mortar, and was unable to set it up properly, due to the urgency of the situation, holding it between his legs and steadying it from his hands, began firing into enemy positions; and Whereas, Cornell exhausted all of his ammunition and moved from man to man collecting mortars until the enemy fire was silenced and his platoon began to withdraw from the clearing Darnell, was dragging two wounded Marines from the clearing when he was temporary blinded; and Whereas, Darnell showed exceptional courage staying in the field tending to the wounded. By his outstanding courage, exceptional fortitude, and valiant fighting spirit he served to inspire all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service; and Whereas, It has pleased almighty God, the Great Commander to summon his immortal and beloved comrade at arms Lance Corporal Dana Cornell while paying the ultimate sacrifice of his life at age 19 so that others could be free April 26, 1967; and be it finally Resolved, That South Carolinas Largest Veterans organization the American Legion, Department of South Carolina Executive Committee at a specially called meeting assembled on this day in November 10, 2022 that it supports designating the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Greenville, South Carolina, as the ``Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell Outpatient Clinic''. James Kvam, Chairman, Internal Affairs. James Jarvis, South Carolina Department Commander.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5943, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4772, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4772) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the application and review process of the Department of Veterans Affairs for clothing allowance claims submitted by veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, 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. 4772, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4772, as amended, the Mark O'Brien VA Clothing Allowance Improvement Act. As it stands today, under 38 U.S.C. 1162, the Secretary may pay an annual clothing allowance payment to a veteran with a service-connected disability that requires the use of a prosthetic or orthopedic appliance, including a wheelchair, which the Secretary determines tends to wear out or tear the clothing of the veteran, or medication which, A, a physician has prescribed for a skin condition, or, B, the Secretary determines causes irreparable damage to the veteran's outer garments. Veterans who are entitled to a VA clothing allowance must reapply each year to receive the annual payment. This places the onus on veterans with what are, in most instances, permanent conditions to remember to reapply each year to receive the benefit they have already shown they are entitled to. Veterans must also remember to apply before August 1 or risk denial due to untimely application. Mr. Levin's bill would change all of that. It would amend 38 U.S.C. 1162 to allow for the VA clothing allowance to be an automatic annual payment, subject to periodic review by VA to determine continued entitlement. It would no longer force veterans to reapply each year and, instead, requires VA to complete periodic reviews to determine continued entitlement on its own initiation. This would require notice to the veteran if entitlement were no longer shown. Approximately 40,000 veterans were approved for the clothing allowance benefit in fiscal year 2020 alone. This bill would ensure these veterans no longer have to reapply every year to maintain their benefits. Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting Mr. Levin's beneficial and commonsense legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 4601, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Transgender Awareness Week. Trans Americans made history this year by running and winning in more elections than ever before. Breakthrough representations in media have led to historic numbers of transgender and nonbinary characters on screen. In many ways, transgender Americans are more visible than ever. At the same time, the trans community has been forced to withstand severe attacks from laws that would strip fundamental rights to dehumanizing vitriol deployed by elected officials and public figures. These attacks treat trans people as threats to society rather than neighbors, parents, children, friends, and loved ones. There are more than 2 million people in the United States that identify as transgender or nonbinary. Trans Americans exist in all walks of life all across the country. This transgender week, I call on my colleagues to turn awareness into action. To the trans community, you have allies in Congress. Let it be known that there has been no greater friend of trans people in this country or LGBTQ people than Speaker Nancy Pelosi. We will not cease the fight to protect and advocate for our transgender siblings, not just this week but all year long.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens) and all Members of the Michigan delegation for their initiative on this bill. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I share the sentiment of my colleague from Texas. You cannot be indifferent to the stories as we read the accounts of these great American heroes. I am personally affected by the part of Major General Dillard's history in terms of his opposition to Don't Ask, Don't Tell way before it was overturned. The fact that he himself knew the sting of discrimination and could not brook that this discrimination would apply to any other group of Americans is especially poignant to me. I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan for bringing Major General Dillard to our attention to memorialize him in the way that she has done. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7903, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7903, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Major General Oliver William Dillard, Sr., a decorated soldier, an exemplary Army intelligence officer, and a pioneer for other Black and minority military leaders. I thank my colleague, Representative Haley Stevens, for introducing this bill, H.R. 7903, as amended, which will designate the VA outpatient clinic in Canton, Michigan, as the Major General Oliver W. Dillard VA Outpatient Clinic. Originally from Margaret, Alabama, deep in the Jim Crow South, Major General Dillard enrolled at the Tuskegee Institute at age 15 shortly after the famed Tuskegee Airmen program was established. He was a proud ROTC cadet and student instructor at Tuskegee and an exceptional student as well. Major General Dillard postponed his academic studies, however, after being drafted into the U.S. military in 1945. He completed basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and was sent to Bavaria, Germany, where he served as an administrative specialist in the Army's 349th Field Artillery Group during World War II. Following the war, Major General Dillard chose to remain in the Army. He completed Officer Candidate School and was assigned to the all-Black 356th Infantry Regiment at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He served admirably throughout five campaigns in the Korean war and graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in 1958 as one of only three Black officers in his class. Major General Dillard later assisted a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Monrovia, Liberia, before returning to the United States and working as a senior intelligence officer in Washington, D.C. In 1964, he became the first Black officer to attend the Army's prestigious National War College and was selected to command a battalion of the 5th Combat Support Training Brigade at Fort Dix. He served honorably with the U.S. Military Assistance Command during the Vietnam war, and upon his return he was promoted to brigadier general, making him just the fifth Black flag officer in U.S. Army history. Major General Dillard went on to serve posts at Fort McPherson, Georgia; Fort Hood, Texas; and Heidelberg, Germany, before retiring from the Army after a 34-year career in 1980. He remained committed to advancement opportunities for Black and minority officers in his retirement and was a steadfast advocate for equality within all branches of the Armed Forces, supporting the overturning of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy for LGBTQ servicemembers before it was officially repealed in 2011. For his dutiful service to this Nation, Major General Dillard received nine military awards and two civilian medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge with a star. Veterans who receive care at the VA clinic in Canton, Michigan, should feel honored to enter a facility bearing Major General Dillard's name. I know we, as Members of Congress, are profoundly honored and grateful for his service to our country as well. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 7903, as amended, from The American Legion, VFW, and DAV, as well as the Michigan delegation. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, May 27, 2022. Hon. Mark Takano, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington,

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens), another very good friend, who is the author of this legislation. She serves on the Education and Labor Committee, on which I also serve, and as the chairwoman of the Research and Technology Subcommittee on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be associated with the passage of this bill to honor Lieutenant Colonel Weathers. I have the distinction of representing the University of California, Riverside, where resides the Tuskegee Airmen Archives. I am reminded by the Speaker's presence on the dais and the presence of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey) that you are both veterans and that serving our veterans and remembering our veterans is not about two colors. It is not about red or blue, but it is about red, white, and blue, and that all colors of America have fought for the three colors, and they bled one color. It is important for us to remember the poignancy of our segregated fighting units of World War II, the last war in which we had segregated fighting units, and mark the progress that this country has made and that we must continue to make, so it is fitting that I call on all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6863. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7925) to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Palm Desert, California, as the ``Sy Kaplan Veterans Center'', as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of a remarkable Californian, Master Sergeant Richard Allan Pittman, by naming VA's brand-new, state-of-the-art outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic. I thank my friend and colleague, Representative Jerry McNerney of California, for leading this legislation, which will appropriately pay tribute to Master Sergeant Pittman, a marine who served his Nation with honor and distinction during and after the Vietnam war. A native of the San Joaquin Valley, Master Sergeant Pittman was born in French Camp, California, in 1945 and graduated from Franklin High School in nearby Stockton in 1964. Declared legally blind in one eye, Master Sergeant Pittman was considered medically unfit for combat by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, but he did not let that deter him. Set on serving in the military, Master Sergeant Pittman somehow bluffed a vision test and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1965. He was soon deployed to Vietnam. On July 24, 1966, as his unit moved along a narrow jungle path near the demilitarized zone, marines ahead of him came under heavy fire. Master Sergeant Pittman immediately leaped into action, grabbing a machine gun and several belts of ammunition as he rushed to his comrades' defense. Facing a frontal assault by dozens of North Vietnamese troops, Master Sergeant Pittman boldly repelled the enemy attack by using a combination of weapons he had at his disposal. His actions that day no doubt saved the lives of several wounded marines. For this ``conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life,'' Master Sergeant Pittman was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Johnson in 1968. He was discharged from the service that year, but Master Sergeant Pittman chose to reenlist. He went on to serve another 18 years in the Marines before retiring in 1988. He died in 2016 at the age of 71. In addition to the Medal of Honor, the U.S. Armed Forces' highest declaration for valor, Master Sergeant Pittman also received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. These distinctions, like the naming of this VA clinic, are just symbols, however. The true measure of Master Sergeant Pittman's character was revealed to the world on that July day in 1966 and is evident in the lives of the marines that he saved. I am humbled to be able to honor Master Sergeant Pittman's service, and I am proud to count him among the brave and dutiful servicemen and -women who have fought for centuries in defense of the American ideals we hold so dear. Mr. Speaker I include in the Record letters of support for H.R. 6722 from the California delegation, as well as The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, August 1, 2022. Chairman Jon Tester, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, DC. Chairman Mark Takano, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, DC. Hon. Jerry Moran, Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, DC. Hon. Mike Bost, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Tester, Chairman Takano, Ranking Member Moran, and Ranking Member Bost: We write in support of H.R. 6722, legislation that would designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, as the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic. In July of 2021, Congressman McNerney appointed a committee of five veterans to collect and review potential names for the clinic. He called upon local veterans to submit name suggestions to be considered for the process. The committee ultimately recommended naming the facility after the late Richard A. Pittman, a highly decorated veteran who was the embodiment of bravery and service. Richard Pittman was born in French Camp and enlisted in the Marines in 1965. On July 24th, 1966, his unit was moving along a trail near the Demilitarized Zone in the Republic of Vietnam when the Marines ahead of them came under attack. Upon hearing this, Pittman took a machine gun and several belts of ammunition and rushed to aid his comrades. As he moved towards the attacked Marines, Pittman came under heavy fire from two automatic weapons, which he was able to destroy. When he learned there were additional wounded Marines further along the trail, he endured enemy mortar and gun fire to get to them. As he reached his fellow service members, he faced an attack by 30 to 40 enemy fighters, and used a combination of machine-gun fire, an enemy submachine gun, a pistol from a fallen comrade, and a grenade to cause the enemy forces to withdraw. His actions that day saved many wounded comrades, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 14, 1968. We urge you to swiftly advance H.R. 6722 to recognize this heroic veteran and his immense contribution to our nation. We believe the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic will serve countless veterans throughout the region and uphold our promise to those who gave our country their all. Sincerely, Jerry McNerney, Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, Nancy Pelosi, Member of Congress, Mark Takano, Josh Harder, Alex Padilla, Kevin McCarthy, Jared Huffman, Scott H. Peters, Karen Bass, Jackie Speier, Ami Bera, M.D., Judy Chu, Katie Porter, Grace F. Napolitano, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Jim Costa, Jimmy Panetta, Members of Congress. Ken Calvert, Jay Obernolte, Anna G. Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, J. Luis Correa, Sara Jacobs, Tony Cardenas, Young Kim, John Garamendi, Raul Ruiz, M.D., Ted Lieu, Juan Vargas, Nanette Diaz Barragan, Mark DeSaulnier, Linda T. Sanchez, Julia Brownley, Alan Lowenthal, Brad Sherman, Barbara Lee, Mike Levin, Members of Congress. Eric Swalwell, Michelle Steel, Adam B. Schiff, Mike Thompson, Tom McClintock, Norma J. Torres, Pete Aguilar, Doris Matsui, Mike Garcia, Doug LaMalfa, Ro Khanna, Darrell Issa, Maxine Waters, Connie Conway, Salud Carbajal, David G. Valadao, Jimmy Gomez, Members of Congress.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6722) to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in French Camp, California, as the ``Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic''.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, 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. 6722.