Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Whenever it may be, this Congress or next?

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I support S. 656, the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant support of H.R. 9747, which does the bare minimum to avoid a government shutdown, keeping the bus moving only until we ultimately face another Republican-induced funding crisis just before Christmas. I say ``reluctant support'' because, for some unknown reason, this bill lacks a crucial $12 billion that we direly need for the Veterans Health Administration. No one in the majority has come even remotely close to explaining why, not Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, not even my counterpart on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Chairman Bost. Not a single person can articulate why we aren't helping veterans right now in this vehicle. We know VHA requires this funding to be able to care for veterans, and we know Congress will provide this money eventually, so I am baffled as to why we are waiting. We can and should be doing it now, yet the bus remains stuck in the station. What do we gain by holding veteran healthcare hostage to the majority's political whims? The answer is nothing. Yet, we still wait, our wheels spinning round and round, and veterans and their families are left in the lurch. Mr. Speaker, how much longer must we continue to idle while the majority party deludes themselves into thinking they can govern? This has been the least productive Congress in modern history. The majority can't even convince its own Members to support its own bills. The Speaker's no buses, anti-omnibus screed was as predictable as it was unrealistic in a divided government. Democrats have been repeatedly called upon to be the adults in the room and keep this body functioning. Let's drop the pretense and work together on legislation we know has broad support. I can think of nothing that has broader consensus than funding veteran healthcare. Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to get on board the bus and stop throwing veterans under the bus. Let's provide funding to the Veterans Health Administration as soon as possible.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. For decades thousands of servicemembers were discharged, not because of any serious infraction, but because of who they are. As ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it has been a mission of my office to chronicle some of the stories of servicemembers affected by this regressive ban. However, more deserve the chance to tell their story. I am sponsoring a bill to create a congressional commission to investigate the historic and ongoing impacts of discriminatory military policies on LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring these servicemembers and veterans who sacrificed so much to serve our country.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately missed the vote for the Anti-BDS Labeling Act (H.R. 5179). Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 428.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield for the purpose of a colloquy?

Mr. TAKANO. We could just call this give America over to private equity. The whole thing is designed to enrich a small group of people. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman for his dedication.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman, my colleague from the north coast of California, for yielding. Whether north or south, we Californians value things like a woman's right to choose, basic civil rights, human rights, and LGBTQ rights, so I thank him for hosting this Special Order hour to bring attention to the most antidemocratic agenda in the history of this country. I don't want to be too hyperbolic, but it certainly is the most antidemocratic that I have known in my lifetime. I can think back to the last century when we had far less democratic institutions. We had slavery, of course, and that was way more antidemocratic, but it is very disturbing what I see in Project 2025. Let us not mince words here. Donald Trump's Project 2025 is a manifesto for a potential Trump administration to undermine our democracy, to roll back our rights and freedoms, and to enrich large corporations at the expense of working-class Americans. This 900-page document outlines specific extremist policies that include criminalizing abortion nationwide, ending overtime pay, repealing the Affordable Care Act, ending Medicare as we know it, and putting Social Security on the chopping block. As the ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am deeply alarmed by the disastrous impacts that Project 2025 would have on America's veterans and the care they get from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The very first proposal in the VA section of Project 2025 would prohibit VA clinicians from performing abortions to protect the health and life of women veterans. It is the very first thing that was put into that section, and I know the person who wrote this section. As much as the President is trying to run away from ownership, the very person who wrote this was somebody who worked in a very responsible position in the VA at the time and reported directly to the Secretary under Donald Trump, Secretary Wilkie. This section is unconscionable. We have Republicans all across the country now claiming that they are for the exceptions, but the very first part of Project 2025 on the veteran section says that they would make it illegal or reverse Secretary McDonough's rulemaking on allowing for abortions to be available at the VA to the very women who wore the uniform of our country. Women veterans fought for our rights and freedoms. They fought for the rights and freedoms of all of us, but the very first thing that Republicans want to do is take their freedom to make decisions about their own bodies away. Trump's Project 2025 will hurt veterans and reduce VA to ruins. I have already mentioned our women veterans. In order to execute its mission of serving America's heroes, VA needs to keep wait times low. In order to keep wait times low, they need to hire sufficient medical staff and offer employees competitive salaries. The Honoring our PACT Act, which I was proud to author, has already seen nearly 1.2 million claims approved in just 2 years. Yet, instead of bolstering the VA with the necessary resources to ensure that all veterans get the world-class healthcare that they were promised, Trump's Project 2025 would push more veterans out to for-profit care, which is far more expensive than VA's direct care, to further a far- right agenda. Already, over a third of the Veterans Health Administration's budget goes to referring veterans into very costly for-profit, private-sector care. As more veterans get referred out, the VHA will be forced to spend more money out of their budget. I am not opposed to referring veterans out to care when VA is not able to provide certain specialty care inside the VA. It is a very necessary part, but it has to be in the right balance, and we are reaching a tipping point right now where for-profit care is going to seriously jeopardize VA's ability to provide direct care. That will mean reduced staffing, increased wait times, fewer upgrades to VA's aging infrastructure, and fewer new VA facilities. Many of our VA facilities date back to World War II, and that will mean worse care for our veterans. The VA would become a skeleton or a shell of its former self if Project 2025 is enacted. That is not all. Republicans on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, in order to get a head start on Project 2025 initiatives, are working to weaponize VA by politicizing nonpartisan jobs, to undermine congressional oversight of veterans' healthcare, and to prohibit VA from providing gender-affirming care to our trans veterans. Under Trump's Project 2025, the VA will become nothing more than a payment processor for large corporations focused on maximizing profits rather than an institution that keeps America's promise to those who have served. This is an unacceptable outcome for veterans. We cannot allow Project 2025 to be implemented. I will work tirelessly with my Democratic colleagues to fight back on this radical, extremist manifesto.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, have my colleagues across the aisle proposed a plan to leadership to address these additional funds needed by the VA? No. Of course not. My Republican colleagues would rather point fingers under the guise of accountability than legislate. In the process, my colleagues are shortchanging veterans. Why do my colleagues insist on wasting time? We are wasting time voting today on a CR we know will not pass and will never become law, and we are wasting time by not doing our jobs and prioritizing funding for the VA. Mr. Speaker, we have the opportunity to stand with veterans and fix this now.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 9494, a fundamentally flawed attempt by the Republican leadership to save face for their inability to govern and a bill which lacks $12 billion in critical funding for the Veterans Health Administration. Leaving out this critical funding for veterans' healthcare is the latest in a cynical political game playing that we have seen in this Congress. It is blatant, and I know my stating this fact will cause some howling complaints on the other side, just as it did last night when the House approved almost $3 billion in funding for the Veterans Benefit Administration. This was done with a lot of misinformation and mudslinging about how this is all the fault of the Biden-Harris administration rather than recognition that this is the bill coming due for the true cost of war and what we owe to veterans, which we finally started paying with the Honoring our PACT Act. This is not a last-minute request, and it is certainly not grounded in mismanagement, despite my Republican colleagues making this accusation. This $12 billion shortfall is a direct result of President Biden and the VA's rapid implementation of the Honoring our PACT Act, which I got signed into law in 2022. The VA Secretary McDonough told Congress in July that the Veterans Health Administration will need the $12 billion to continue to provide world-class care and ensure it has the resources and staff to uphold that standard. Therefore, why not include the needed funds in the CR? My colleagues think that I am somehow opposed to oversight on this issue, which is not true. I support oversight when it is well-intentioned, and we want to ensure we improve the budget process and not put veterans in a position that they become concerned about the availability of healthcare or benefits. I agree with my colleagues' calls for more oversight, but let's be honest about that oversight because what is needed is significantly more oversight of the funding going from VHA direct care to for-profit healthcare, a part of the budget that has grown over 15 percent year after year, and this is unsustainable. With these growing costs, I would think the Veterans' Affairs Committee would have held several oversight hearings to determine whether veterans are receiving the same quality of care by the for- profit providers and that taxpayers are getting the best value from these providers. We have held no such hearings. The VA has been transparent about both the VBA and VHA shortfalls. The VBA supplemental passed the House unanimously last night and is awaiting prompt action in the Senate. The need for the VHA funding is fast approaching, so why add the uncertainty for veterans who receive their care at VA? Let's end the political games and get serious.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 6324, the Fiscal Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act, as amended. I have always supported providing sufficient funding for VA construction projects which make critical investments in improving veterans' access to healthcare and modernizing the facilities where they receive their care. These investments come at a critical time, when VA employees are being asked to do more with less and provide world-class care in aging and outdated buildings. The average age of VA-owned buildings is approaching 60 years old, with 1,800 buildings still in active use that are designated as historic or eligible for historic status. Meanwhile, private-sector hospitals are less than 15 years old on average. Despite its aging infrastructure and these challenges, the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to deliver high-quality healthcare, with VA hospitals once again this year outperforming private hospitals on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' annual hospital quality star ratings. To ensure VA can continue providing exceptional care for years to come, we must invest appropriately in its infrastructure. H.R. 6324, as amended, authorizes more than $3.35 billion for major medical facility construction projects in 11 locations, including: $759.2 million for construction of a new healthcare center and utility plant in El Paso, Texas; $274.3 million for replacement of a community living center and expansion of parking facilities in Perry Point, Maryland; $613 million for seismic retrofitting and renovation of buildings, construction of a new specialty care facility, and parking upgrades in Portland, Oregon; and $311.7 million for construction of a new spinal cord injury building, utility plant upgrades, seismic retrofitting, and other projects in San Diego, California. These projects will ensure the veterans in these communities have access to the highest level of care VA can provide. This legislation is a crucial step to continue our goal of making critical investments in the modernization of VA medical facilities. Mr. Speaker, I wholeheartedly support H.R. 6324, as amended, I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6324, the Fiscal Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 7777, the Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2024. As we do every year, today, we are considering legislation to increase payments for wartime disability compensation, compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Specifically, this bill mandates that the VA raise these benefit amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, provided to Social Security recipients. This ensures that veterans and their families maintain their quality of life and are protected from reductions in their earned benefits as economic conditions shift. The cost-of-living adjustment reflects our Nation's ongoing gratitude for the service and sacrifice of not only those who have bravely worn our Nation's uniform but also to their families, who bear significant burdens as well. As the ranking member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I am honored to support this effort. I also commend the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs and extend my thanks to Ranking Member Pappas and Chairman Luttrell for sponsoring this year's House bill and for their steadfast commitment to supporting our veterans. I fully support H.R. 7777 and urge my colleagues to do the same. I also call on the Senate to swiftly pass this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7777, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2024, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 7100, the Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act. This bill would require VA to move the Office of Survivors Assistance, or OSA, to a position directly reporting to the Office of the VA Secretary. The Office of Survivors Assistance was established by statute in 2008 to serve as a resource regarding all benefits and services furnished by the Department to survivors and dependents of deceased veterans and members of the armed services. OSA also serves as a principal adviser to the Secretary and promotes the use of VA benefits, programs, and services to survivors. Recently, VA moved supervision of OSA from the Office of Outreach, Transition, and Economic Development to VBA's Pension and Fiduciary Service. VA made this move with the idea that it would increase emphasis on the office and oversight of OSA, as VBA has more capacity to properly oversee the function. However, the survivor community has been critical of this move, characterizing it as a downgrade of the function and a diminishing of the importance of survivors in VA's mission. H.R. 7100 is responsive to those concerns. Historically, there has been a lack of resources dedicated to the mission of serving survivors. For example, there are only three employees in the Office of Survivors Assistance to serve over 450,000 employees--I repeat, three employees in the Office of Survivors Assistance to serve over 450,000. We also see a lack of awareness of whom is part of the survivor community, where the community is, and a lack of direct and targeted outreach. As such, we have seen an underutilization of survivor benefits, so we must do whatever we can to remedy that situation. This bill is a small but important step in that process. I would be remiss, however, if I didn't also point to other legislation that we can and should be taking up to improve benefits for survivors. I have introduced H.R. 7150, the Survivor Benefits Delivery Improvement Act, a bill that puts new tools in VA's hands to aid in reaching survivors where they are and better inform them of the benefits they have earned. We have Members like Julia Brownley, who has introduced legislation to extend CHAMP-VA eligibility. Representative Jahana Hayes has also introduced legislation to raise the levels of dependency and indemnity compensation benefits on par with other Federal survivor programs. We have Members like Representative Dean Phillips who has introduced Love Lives On Act that would repeal the ridiculous penalties survivors face when they choose to remarry. We have legislation introduced by Representative Frank Mrvan to increase benefits for those using chapter 35 education benefits, but making those individuals eligible for more robust, comprehensive benefits equal to the Forever GI Bill. My hope is that in the waning days of this Congress, we see fit to consider these other pieces of legislation, as well. In the meantime, however, I do support this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support it, as well. I extend a special thank-you to the survivors who may be listening today and those who are with us only in spirit. Their stories demonstrate bravery and courage, and they deserve every ounce of our effort in creating a VA that is welcoming and accessible, and every dollar of benefits we can muster on their behalf. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7100, the Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4424, the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, as amended. Liver fluke is a serious parasitic infection that is a well- recognized risk factor for the development of bile duct cancer. H.R. 4424, as amended, would require VA, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to commence an epidemiological study on the prevalence of bile duct cancer in veterans who served in the Vietnam war versus their nonveteran U.S. resident counterparts. This legislation requires VA to submit a regular report with the results of the study broken out by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic location. I certainly understand why Vietnam war veterans would be concerned about their exposure to this disease and believe we should do everything possible to ensure veterans have access to care and treatment for diseases they may have been exposed to as a part of their service. Mr. Speaker, while I have concerns that this effort is duplicative given VA's previous and ongoing research on this disorder, I welcome additional research and will support the bill today, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4424, the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7342, as amended, the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2024. This bill establishes an advisory committee that brings disabled veterans' voices into the fold and provides a seat at the table with top decisionmakers at VA. Access is an issue I have sought to champion during my time in Congress, and particularly during my time with the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Disabled veterans still face many barriers in accessing the care and services they have rightfully earned. Those barriers deserve the time and attention of a VA advisory committee so that experts can come together to improve how veterans with disabilities access their care and benefits. Advocates like the Blinded Veterans Association, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Disabled American Veterans, have been tireless voices in our communities, raising awareness of these issues. Establishing a Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee will provide a direct line for these voices to be heard and for change to be made at VA so that all veterans can access their care and benefits with ease. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7342, the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2024, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 7816, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, as amended. When a veteran applies for benefits at VA, the agency corresponds with that veteran at multiple points in the process regarding their claim. This communication is often through letters which can be densely laden with legal jargon and confusing information which makes it hard for the veteran to understand what is required of them or the benefits decision VA has arrived at. Now, this can lead the veteran to miss important deadlines or fail to submit proper documentation which can ultimately lead to the rejection of their claims. Now, VA has launched an internal review of these notice letters and has already redrafted many of them to be more direct and easier to understand. However, VA can also use some outside help in reviewing the literally thousands of different possible letters they might send a veteran. H.R. 7816 seeks to provide that assistance. Specifically, it mandates that VA make its notice letters, documents that explain decisions on benefits, shorter, clearer, and easier for veterans and their families to understand. This bill requires the VA to contract with a third party to assess and recommend improvements to these letters, which often contain complex legalese that can confuse veterans. The bill also sets deadlines for action. The VA must contract with a federally funded research and development center, or FFRDC, to evaluate these communications within 30 days of the bill's enactment and submit its recommendation within 90 days. This effort aims to streamline the claims process and reduce the stress and confusion many veterans face when dealing with their benefits. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 7816 and urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I ask all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 7816, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 5464, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic. Colonel Mize's story is one of heroism and perseverance. His actions saved lives and helped turn the tide of conflict. I am glad to support this bill to honor his service. Like many servicemembers, Mr. Mize joined the Army seeking to support his family. He was the son of Alabama sharecroppers and had to leave school in the ninth grade. Despite initially being rejected due to his small stature, he persevered and was accepted. After a peacetime tour of duty, Mr. Mize reenlisted when the Korean war began. As a member of the Army's Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and now a sergeant, Mr. Mize was stationed to defend a strategic posting known as Outpost Harry. His actions in this posting are nothing short of heroic. He bravely answered the call to help a medic rescue an injured soldier at a listening post and brought him back to safety. Sergeant Mize then fought his way to assist an American machine gun nest that had been overrun. On his way, he was blown down three separate times by artillery and grenade blasts, but he returned to his astounded men alive. Sergeant Mize brought down as many as 65 enemy soldiers and helped rescue the outpost for the American forces. Of 56 Americans involved in the Outpost Harry fighting, only 8 survived, but Sergeant Mize's actions helped ensure that number was as high as it was. In a testament to his loyalty to his men, Sergeant Mize initially refused the Medal of Honor when he was told that he would be honored with it, saying it should go to mark their bravery instead. When he did finally accept it from President Eisenhower in 1954, he accepted it on behalf of his men. Despite demonstrating more than enough valor for one lifetime, Colonel Mize received a commission with the U.S. Special Forces and served four tours of duty, including three in Vietnam with the Army Green Berets. In addition to his Medal of Honor, throughout his military career, he was awarded the Legion of Merit twice, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star five times, and the Purple Heart, among others. After an assignment to the Special Forces School, he retired as a full colonel in 1981. As a nation, we must remember Colonel Mize's sense of duty, loyalty to his men, and heroism. I can think of no better way to honor him. Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation. I ask that my colleagues do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5464 to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Guntersville, Alabama, as the Colonel Ola Lee Mize Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4190, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, as amended. Mr. Speaker, it is an unfortunate reality that veterans, especially elderly veterans, find themselves as prime targets for fraud. It is even more unfortunate that oftentimes this fraud is perpetuated by those closest to the veteran, sometimes even family and friends who are tasked with assisting that veteran. Thankfully, VA has a set of policies and procedures for uncovering, investigating, and prosecuting that fraud, which includes making restitution to the veteran. Earlier this year, we passed H.R. 4016, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, introduced by Representative Gerry Connolly, to help expedite that process. I urge the Senate to quickly take up that bill, as well. Sadly, though, it sometimes happens that the veteran who was the victim of this fraud passes away before VA is able to make restitution, but VA is currently barred from making the estate of that beneficiary whole. H.R. 4190, introduced by Representative David Trone, seeks to create a set of procedures for VA to follow to restore or reinstate benefits for veterans who were defrauded but unfortunately die before VA can compensate them. More importantly, for those veterans who may have been defrauded by a family member, it also prevents VA from repaying benefits to anyone who may have been a party to the fraud, regardless of whether they may have been named in the veteran's will as an heir. Mr. Speaker, we owe our veterans and their survivors all the protections we can possibly afford them through the law. H.R. 4190 offers one more avenue to ensure veterans are receiving the benefits they have earned in spite of those who seek to defraud them. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I encourage the Senate to quickly pass this bill, as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.