Mark Takano

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. 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.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4190, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), my good friend who is the author of H.R. 4190. He currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee. He is also a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO

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 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 have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 9456 would expand the kind of transactions that the Secretary of Agriculture is required to report to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., otherwise known as CFIUS, including any farmland transaction by foreign persons from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran. This broad definition of foreign persons would encompass all legal immigrants and refugees from these countries and require the Secretary to report on their agricultural land transactions. This opens the door to treating immigrants as national security threats solely because of their country of origin and harms Asian- American communities across the board. I recount that my own family, my father's family, was affected by the alien land laws that were prevalent on the West Coast of the United States. My grandfather, Esal Takano, emigrated to this country through the Port of Tacoma, and he married my American-born grandmother. He was not able to purchase land in his own name. In fact, in the mid-1930s, he purchased five acres of land in my grandmother's name because she was an American citizen. My uncle, who was returning in uniform from the 442nd Infantry, notified the family that there was a lien against the property, and they couldn't pay it in time because they were in internment camps. It is a terrible chapter in our history that this country passed alien land laws that affected so many of the families that my family knows. For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House Rules permitted, I would have offered a motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would add findings regarding the scapegoating of Asian and Iranian Americans as a long part of U.S. history and show instances of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationwide who have experienced discrimination and unfair treatment. We must send this bill back to committee and bring forth thoughtful proposals that help our communities without putting our national security at risk. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the text of this amendment immediately prior to the motion to recommit.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 405, I mistakenly voted NAY when I intended to vote YEA.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 3285, a bill to designate the community-based outreach clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Butte, Montana, as the Charlie Dowd VA Clinic. Charlie Dowd was Montana's last known survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Charlie Dowd had just settled into his cot after a long night shift in the early hours of December 7, 1941. Without hesitating, the 17- year-old Dowd leapt into action at the sound of the bombs, sprinting from the barracks to the armory in only his T-shirt and trousers. There, he retrieved his rifle and fired at low-flying enemy torpedo bombers, some of the first American shots fired in World War II. Mr. Dowd continued to serve aboard Navy fighting vessels in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. Never one to back away from a challenge, Charlie earned the moniker ``Devil Dog Dowd'' from his shipmates, who saw him volunteer for the most dangerous assignments time and time again. Mr. Dowd was honored with seven Bronze Star Medals before his honorable discharge from military service. Returning to his home of Rochester, New York, Mr. Dowd worked as a mason and contractor. He eventually relocated to Dunnellon, Florida, where, after completing his degree at the University of Florida, he became a high school teacher. Mr. Dowd shared his knowledge of industrial arts and drafting with his students, helping them to design and build residential houses and even commercial buildings and reinvesting the profits of these projects into the school and the local community. In recognition of his inspiring and transformative work, he was promoted to regional director for building trades in the Florida public school system to expand the success throughout Florida. Mr. Dowd was an advocate for his fellow veterans and worked to preserve the memory of the events of World War II as an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. After a long career in Florida, Mr. Dowd retired to Anaconda, Montana, in 1984. Mr. Dowd passed away in 2023 at the age of 99. Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation and ask that my colleagues do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am always moved by poignant examples of veterans who, once they take off their uniforms after valiant service, still go on to serve our country and serve their communities. Charlie Dowd is certainly an example of that, especially deserving of the honor of having the community-based outpatient clinic at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Butte, Montana, named as the ``Charlie Dowd VA Clinic.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 3285, 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 S. 3249, a bill to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas, as the Captain Elwin Shopteese VA Clinic. A member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Elwin Shopteese enlisted in the Kansas National Guard shortly after graduating from high school in 1940. As World War II grew, Mr. Shopteese was mustered into the Army as a corporal and sent to training. By 1941, Corporal Shopteese was in Europe, where he saw combat in Normandy, northern France, and Rhineland. He fought in the Battle of Omaha Beach, and he saw battle again in the Battle of the Bulge, where his regiment rescued soldiers trapped by German combatants. Mr. Shopteese was awarded the Bronze Star for his work in connection with military operations against the Nazis near Herne, Germany, in 1945. His courageous actions at Omaha Beach earned him a rare battlefield commission, one of the highest honors that could be bestowed on a combat soldier. After continuing his military service during the Korean war, Mr. Shopteese left the U.S. Army as a captain. Upon returning home, Captain Shopteese dedicated his life to alcoholism prevention programs, including forming the Indian Community Alcoholism Resources Expeditors Recovery Home to help Native Americans combat alcohol abuse and turn their lives around. He continued his important work as the home's executive director until his passing in 1992. Naming this clinic in his honor is a fitting way to pay tribute to Captain Shopteese's heroic commitment to the Nation and his service to his community. Mr. Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 3249 to designate the outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas, as the Captain Elwin Shopteese VA 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. 7333, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center. A recipient of the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, two Purple Hearts, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Valorous Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Combat Infantry Badge, Thomas Corey was a decorated combat veteran and a steadfast advocate for his fellow veterans, for his community, and for peace and reconciliation around the world. A native of Detroit, Mr. Corey was drafted into the United States Army in December 1966. He was deployed in Vietnam as a squad leader in the 1st Cavalry Division, and on the first day of the Tet Offensive, January 31, 1968, while engaged in an assault against enemy positions in the Quang Tri Province, Mr. Corey was shot in the neck and permanently paralyzed. He was medically retired from the U.S. Army in May 1968. Mr. Corey did not let his injury stop him from working to serve those around him. In 1972, he relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he became a veteran leader and advocate in his local community. Mr. Corey served on advisory boards with his local government, including VA medical centers in Miami and West Palm Beach. In fact, Mr. Corey served over 15 years as an ombudsman and program specialist in the medical center this bill will name in his honor. Mr. Corey's work went far beyond his home in Florida. He was the founding member of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He served on the national board of directors for that organization for 20 years, including as secretary, vice president, and president. In that role, he returned to Vietnam 16 times, leading the initiative to work with his Vietnamese counterparts to create the fullest possible account of those still missing in action from both sides of the war. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of this important work. As president of the Vietnam Veterans Peace Initiative, Mr. Corey was instrumental in building a maternal health clinic to provide medical support for those dealing with the lasting effects of Agent Orange. Mr. Corey's lifelong commitment to serving his country and his fellow veterans must be remembered. As he once put it: ``It is so important that the country just takes time to take a moment to recognize the sacrifice that the men and women that served our country in defending this Nation. Whether they went off to war or not, they joined the military or were drafted and did their job serving their country because they cared about it. Hopefully, more people will do that, take the time, and let them know and say: Thank you for serving. It is so important.'' I can think of no better way to thank Mr. Thomas Corey for his important service than to pass this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I support this piece of legislation and ask that my colleagues do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I certainly appreciate Congressman Mast bringing to the Nation's attention this great American. I am inspired and I am grateful that we are renaming this facility in Florida in his honor. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 7333, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in West Palm Beach, Florida, as the Thomas H. Corey VA Medical Center. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the resolution. The Biden administration's rule strengthens and clarifies protections against sex-based harassment and discrimination for LGBTQIA+ students, pregnant students, and parenting students. Consistent with the Bostock decision, the final rule clarifies that Title IX's protections extend to cover discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, and sex stereotypes. This is gravely needed for LGBTQIA+ students. Currently, 83 percent of LGBTQIA+ students face victimization at school. In States with laws that specifically target gay and transgender youth, the rate of hate crimes in schools has quadrupled. For these students, the explicit protections the Biden administration has finalized will make a life-changing difference. This rule will decrease absenteeism, improve mental health, and allow students recourse when they are targets of harassment and violence. Republicans, however, are seeking to overturn a rule precisely because of the protections it extends to queer students and, with the passage of this resolution, tear down all protections that this essential rule clarifies. This resolution will have drastic consequences. The protections that the administration offers for pregnant and parenting students would also be overturned. Survivors of sexual harassment and assault will continue to face significant barriers to completing their education. While Republicans claim this resolution is in the interest of women's rights, their proposed solution will make the situation worse for female students. What overturning this rule does is exacerbates existing inequalities, prevents any future administration from enacting a similar rule, and then places the blame solely on the LGBTQIA+ community. It is shortsighted, petty, and cruel. Madam Speaker, I will vote against overturning this rule, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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 include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here today with my friend, assistant Democratic leader Joe Neguse, to talk about my law, the Honoring our PACT Act. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden in August of 2022 and has since helped more than a million veterans and their survivors receive the healthcare and benefits that they have earned. In the 116th Congress, we passed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 that helped blue water Navy veterans receive care and benefits for exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. These veterans waited decades for this relief. I am so glad that we could help them cut red tape and make it easier for them to receive healthcare for certain conditions, but it took way too long to get it done. After blue water Navy, we were hearing from veterans around the country about being exposed to burn pits and other toxins when they were serving our country more recently. They were experiencing serious illnesses that they thought were connected to their toxic exposure. Many of these servicemembers were directed to throw trash, plastic, and other items into burn pits, and this meant breathing in the toxic air, or they were exposed to jet fuel for long periods of time due to their job in the service. It is easy to look back and think that this was not a good idea, but they did not have a choice at that time and were following orders. It was taking the Department of Veterans Affairs too long to address these veterans' illnesses on its own due to the perceived cost and the difficulty in obtaining the scientific evidence needed in order to help. We knew there was a strong need, and with the lessons learned from blue water, we knew we needed to act. This was the origin of the Honoring our PACT Act. When we send our servicemembers into harm's way, we make a pact to care for them when they come home. This is one of the most sacred promises in our country and the ultimate goal of this law. Thanks to the PACT Act, veterans no longer need to prove the connection between their service and an illness. The law outlines 23 categories of presumptive respiratory illnesses and cancers, representing over 300 individual conditions for which veterans can quickly get healthcare and benefits. Since the law was signed, several more presumptive conditions have been added to the list with more on the way. Congress was able to work together on a bipartisan basis to get this done for veterans. Unfortunately, not much has gotten done for veterans since then, which truly troubles me. Helping those who have served should be a nonpartisan issue and one that gets due attention, no matter which party is in charge. I will continue momentarily, but I yield to my friend from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), our assistant Democratic leader.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Landsman for his amazing advocacy for our Nation's veterans. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend from the State of New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment, Representative Melanie Stansbury.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend from North Carolina, a great champion of veterans, Representative Deborah Ross.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend from the State of Minnesota, another great champion of veterans and someone who has a veteran's medical center in her district, Representative Ilhan Omar.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend from Pennsylvania (Mr. Deluzio), a veteran, and up until recently, an esteemed member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Ilhan Omar for all her amazing work to help the veterans in her district and across our country. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy), who is the newest member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz), who helped me champion veterans last Congress, an amazing doctor, and an amazing neighbor of mine.