Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), my friend and colleague, would like to feed cabbage to his hogs, but I want to feed America's veterans, America's military families, and America's servicemembers. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in not only passing S. 2795, but we also need to fund the government, and we need to make sure that our military families, our veterans, and our servicemembers have enough to eat. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I remind my esteemed colleague and friend-- and I do believe the gentleman from Illinois is my friend--that we are about to tonight bring up, again, the rule for the Defense appropriations bill. This body failed to even pass a rule and to bring to the floor the Defense appropriations bill. Barring an ability to fund a continuing resolution before October 1, which is this Sunday, we are facing our military servicemembers going without a paycheck. This is a very serious moment. As far as I know, none of the 12 appropriations bills have been agreed to and been sent to the President's desk. The bill before us today, this moment, is a bipartisan, noncontroversial bill that needs to be signed by the President before Sunday. Time is of the essence, but we can't forget all the things that we are not accomplishing for veterans today, that we are not accomplishing for our servicemembers who are in harm's way. Servicemembers, veterans, and their families deserve to have access to food, deserve to have access to housing, and deserve to have access to healthcare and mental health care. If we look at the reauthorization of the agriculture bill, it is atrocious what is done to all the nutrition programs that our veterans and our military families depend on. Do not be fooled by the fact that we have passed a military construction bill that fully funds VA but has not yet been agreed to because of all of the poison pills that have been put into that bill. We stand here waiting to see if the House Republicans can fulfill the most basic role of Congress, which is to fund the government. The brinksmanship of extremists in control of this Chamber is putting servicemember pay and the WIC program at risk. This situation is both unconscionable and was totally avoidable, yet we are here at the precipice. Madam Speaker, again, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2795. Fund the government. Feed veterans, feed servicemembers, and feed their families. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, food insecurity is linked to many poor outcomes for physical and mental health, including increased risk of suicide. Food insecure veterans have a 400 percent higher rate of suicidal ideation. Food insecure veterans with a diagnosed mental health issue have a 900 percent higher rate of suicidal ideation. We, as Members of Congress, like to stand here on the floor of the House or in front of the press or at a Memorial Day parade in our districts saying that we are working every angle, trying with all our might to eliminate or at least bring down the rate of veteran suicide. But how we spend or don't spend taxpayer money reveals our true values. When we are trying to do everything possible to address veteran suicide, these pernicious cuts around the edges are simply increasing risk for vulnerable Americans, and this includes veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Maybe my colleagues don't want to think about the ugly truth of members of the military not getting paid. The ugly truth is that those who serve are being asked to go without. Is that fair? As noted in a recent article in Task and Purpose, cost of living and food insecurity are ongoing concerns for military families and veterans. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the Task and Purpose article titled ``More than a million veterans experience food insecurity.''

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, the plain truth is that military families depend on programs like SNAP and WIC to make ends meet. I have been working with my Democratic colleagues over the last several months on ways to address the barriers faced by veterans to access important services like SNAP and housing vouchers. We should be focused on increasing access rather than looking to undermine or cut services for veterans. The plain truth is just that the threat of a government shutdown, the uncertainty created by the House Republicans' inability to govern creates unknowns and stress for our servicemembers and families. We should be providing predictability and stability to those who serve. Instead, the Speaker can't even tell us what funding measures we will be voting on this week. This looming shutdown is a self-inflicted wound by the House majority, who are choosing politics over the responsibilities of governance. Mr. Speaker, the impact of this shutdown will be felt worldwide by military and veteran families. Mr. Speaker, S. 2795 is a good bill and I urge its support by all my colleagues. It is impossible to pass this legislation, which we should do, without recognizing what House Republicans aren't doing. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), my good friend who holds a seat on the House Budget Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and the House Judiciary Committee. She is indeed a staunch advocate for all of our military servicemembers and veterans.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining?

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 2795. Before I speak on the bill, I would like to note that September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. I remind everyone that help is available any time of day or night. If you are a veteran in crisis, or if you are concerned about a veteran, confidential help is available by calling 988 and selecting 1, or you can text 838255. You are not alone. The House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs have worked together in a bipartisan manner on S. 2795, which extends expiring authorities for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate passed this bill by unanimous consent, and I hope my colleagues will support it. This bill must be signed into law before Sunday so that important programs at VA do not lapse. It is a bit ironic that we all recognize the need to pass this bill before Sunday because of how important VA programs are and that we work to extend them the same week that we are facing a government shutdown that will shutter some important services at VA. Nevertheless, this is a must-pass piece of legislation. Section 1 of the bill extends VA's authority to enlist medical professionals across State lines for the purposes of conducting disability medical exams on behalf of veterans. When a veteran files a claim with VA for a service-connected disability, they are often required to receive an exam to document and substantiate their injury or illness and its severity. This exam requires a medical professional who is well-versed in the injuries and illnesses that are unique to the veterans population and in the forms VA requires to be submitted. It may be the case that a provider with this expertise is not reasonably near the veteran. To alleviate this problem, Congress enabled VA to authorize certain medical professionals to practice across State lines. This vital authority has been used by VA and its contract examiners to tremendous effect, greatly reducing the potential wait time a veteran may face in scheduling their exam and also reducing the distance many veterans must travel to attend that exam. Extending this authority means removing roadblocks to veterans accessing the care and benefits they have earned. Section 2 of S. 2795 provides relief to veterans who are affected by the closure or disapproval of an educational institution. Student veterans should not be the ones penalized when their school closes. While we can't give student veterans back their time when their higher education institution closes, at the very least we should give them back their GI eligibility. Section 2 of this legislation extends the relief established in the Isakson and Roe law for more than 2 years. Our committee remains committed to making it straightforward for student veterans to get their benefits back when a school fails to uphold its promise. While it is important to make sure that the authority being extended in the legislation before us today does not lapse on Sunday, I note that a permanent solution authored by Representative Ramirez, H.R. 1767, the Bipartisan Student Veterans Benefit Restoration Act, has been favorably reported out of the committee and is widely supported by the veterans service organizations but is still awaiting a vote before the full House. Representative Ramirez' bill would address the inequity in protections and relief for current and former student veterans who have lost their GI Bill benefits due to fraud when their benefits were not restored while their nonveteran classmates have had their student loans discharged. It is inexplicable that, in our current system, these student veterans are still waiting for their relief and that Congress allows this inequity to persist. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to take up and pass H.R. 1767 as soon as possible. It would grant relief to thousands of student veterans who have lost their GI Bill benefits due to fraud and would finally ensure that GI Bill beneficiaries have the same protections as student loan borrowers. Section 3 of the bill before us today will extend VA's authority to prepare for and respond to disasters and emergencies for the next 5 years. This authority is commonly referred to as ``VA's Fourth Mission.'' The bill authorizes appropriations to carry out this authority. Under its Fourth Mission, VA carries out several major responsibilities. First and foremost, it ensures VA medical facilities are prepared to protect veterans and staff during a public health emergency. Second, under this authority, VA serves as a contingency backup to the Department of Defense medical system during a national emergency. VA can also provide support under this authority, such as staff or medical supplies, to assist civilian patients. Finally, VA may furnish hospital care or medical services at its own facilities to nonveteran patients on a humanitarian basis during emergencies. The COVID-19 emergency proved what a vital role VA's Fourth Mission authority plays in protecting public health, not just for veterans but for all Americans. I could not be prouder of how heroically the Department of Veterans Affairs carried out this mission during the height of the pandemic. VA not only sustained its own capacity to provide care to veterans and prevent the spread of the virus among its workforce, but it also provided critical care to civilians, serving as the backstop to the American healthcare system through Fourth Mission assignments in nearly every State and territory. More than 6,000 VA employees volunteered to deploy to assist civilian or Tribal health systems. VA provided nearly 1.2 million pieces of PPE, such as masks, gloves, and gowns to non-VA facilities. VA admitted nearly 700 nonveterans for care at its medical facilities. The difference VA made through its Fourth Mission authority cannot be overstated. Countless lives have been saved, and it is imperative that we extend this authority. Finally, this bill includes a noncontroversial section regarding housing loan fees that provides an offset to the small cost of this bill. Congress has extended these authorities countless times with the support of the VSO community, which ensures that this legislation does not increase the debt or deficit. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is important that we pass this legislation, but it is cold comfort when the operation of the entire government is hanging in the balance this week. We aren't any closer to extending funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other Federal agencies that servicemembers and veterans depend on. I think we all need to consider what a shutdown means for servicemembers and veterans. It will undermine the PACT Act by delaying the onboarding of much-needed veteran service representatives, and negatively impact customer service for veterans. The claims backlog will grow, delaying benefits and services. Important research will come to a halt, including life-improving prosthetics research. There will be no setting of headstones at veteran cemeteries. Student veterans will have counseling appointments canceled. Hiring and training of new employees will stop, creating delays that will last for months. The Veterans Benefits Administration, the office that oversees student veteran benefits, veteran housing, pensions, and servicemember transition will have 40 percent of its staff furloughed. At the Department of Defense, over 1 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, space guardians, and their families will go without pay. Training will stop, impacting our long-term readiness and security. Commissaries will be closed on many bases, making it harder to get basic essentials that military families need. At the Department of Agriculture, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC food assistance, will be cut off. Nearly a quarter, 24 percent of the Active-Duty servicemembers and families are food insecure, and 9 percent of those families depend on WIC. You heard that right--9 percent of our military families depend on WIC. How are our servicemembers supposed to focus on their job, which is inherently dangerous, or a deployment when they are worried if their family has enough to eat? My colleagues may not think about these issues as they relate to veterans. They are too busy giving lip service to half-hearted attempts to cut the deficit that they helped create rather than thinking about the actual consequences of their rhetoric. There is growing evidence that both older and disabled veterans are suffering from food insecurity, as well as student veterans and Native veterans. The Rand Corporation released a study examining the issue of food insecurity among veterans. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Rand report be included in the Record.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will just point out again that the last speaker made the claim that it was a faulty interpretation by this administration. I would argue we sent a bill to the President that had a technical error. Let's place the onus of responsibility on a situation in which we had the choice of returning the bill back to the Senate with a technical correction, risking a potential derailment of a landmark bill. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act represents a significant step forward in terms of gun safety in our country. I will remind my colleagues that this was in the wake of the Uvalde shootings in Texas and the Buffalo shootings. The American people were demanding action from this Congress. I think the decision was made to not return the bill to the Senate with a technical fix but to send it to the President. The Senate, in my estimation, could have done a better job of making sure this language was clearer, but the administration has been enforcing the law according to the legislative text that we sent them. I will take a moment to talk about how significant this bill has been for our kids. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act included authorization for a lot of funding to address the mental health crisis that our students are facing across the country. This is also a bipartisan concern. I will let this body know that in my own district, I have seen the schools respond in a magnificent way. One school district has directly hired clinical social workers. Instead of having to refer students out to nonexistent therapists in the community, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is enabling us to expand this model where school districts directly hire clinical social workers. In fact, this one school district that I am talking about has a clinical social worker assigned to every school. This has made access to mental health much easier. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has made this happen. I will speak more on this as we continue the discussion. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act when it came to the House last year, and I am glad it was indeed a bipartisan bill. It was passed in response to the horrific shootings that occurred in Uvalde, Texas, and in Buffalo, New York. However, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was negotiated in a bipartisan manner in the Senate and then it came over to the House where we voted on it with no changes and sent it to the President for his signature. In attempting to make clear that Title IV funds provided under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act through the ESEA could not be used to arm teachers or school staff, Senate negotiators used language stating that no funds could be used to provide to any person a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. Now, the term ``dangerous weapon'' is broadly defined. So in using this language, Senate negotiators inadvertently, I believe, precluded the use of funds by students for certain activities in school and extracurricular programs that were previously permitted prior to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The gentleman from Wisconsin has made the claim that it is the Department of Education that is misinterpreting the law. They, in fact, are following the law to the very letter. If we want to place some scrutiny, it should be on the Senate, which I believe drafted this language imprecisely which resulted in the need for this technical fix. H.R. 5110 is an attempt to fix that language to permit the use of such items for students in school and extracurricular activities, and I am glad that we were able to work in a bipartisan manner once again to agree on the language that we are voting on today. As this issue has come to light, many people have targeted the Department of Education as the problem, stating that the Department has misinterpreted congressional intent in applying the law. That is absolutely incorrect. The Department has been following the law as written and passed by Congress and signed by the President. Of course, we all remember that the President takes an oath to faithfully execute the laws of our country. Today's legislation makes clear that we are not trying to preclude the use of items by students in the pursuit of educational and extracurricular activities, and the list in the example list in the legislative text is not exhaustive. That said, the language would preclude ESEA funding from being used to arm teachers or school staff or train teachers or school staff in the use of dangerous weapons remains intact. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act and urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, I believe, passed, as the title would suggest, with bipartisan support. It was a significant step forward, although, in my estimation, not enough in terms of addressing the gun violence issue that we have in our country. We have seen since the Uvalde shooting and the Buffalo shooting many more mass shootings occur in our country, and I believe the American people want to see more done. Instead of just thoughts and prayers, we did pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which came with many provisions that address gun violence in our schools. The most significant element of the bill, in my estimation, is the broad and deep support for expanding access to mental health care for our young people. This is truly a great achievement. I am very pleased that we are addressing the technical error that Congress made in drafting this language that it sent to the President. I am glad that we are correcting that today. I will point out that the President and his administration support this technical fix. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for H.R. 5110, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I just remind the chairwoman, the gentlewoman from North Carolina, that it was Congress that sent language in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which proscribed the ability for these activities to occur in our schools, and to characterize faithfully executing the laws of our country as ``crackpot'' I think is quite off base. The President and his administration support this technical fix that is being sought, and I support this technical fix. Congress needs to take care that we send language that reflects our intent. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hoyle).

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 1530, as amended, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act. I thank the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Luttrell and Ranking Member Pappas for working in a bipartisan manner on the issues in this package. I commend Representatives Ciscomani and McGarvey for their contributions, as well. Madam Speaker, this bill makes several important changes that will serve to help streamline the medical disability exam process for veterans. It will also help strengthen recruitment, hiring, and retention at the Board of Veterans' Appeals by creating a new internship program for law students and will expand the reimbursement programs for current employees to include student loans, professional development activities, and bar dues. This bill will also permanently expand the number of judges appointed to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, allowing the court to process cases faster and grant veterans and survivors the relief they deserve. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 1530, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend, the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs' Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 1530, as amended, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 3981, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 3981, as amended, the Isakson-Roe Education Oversight Expansion Act. Madam Speaker, before I came to Congress, I was a teacher. When I was entrusted with the gavel as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee in 2019, one of my primary focuses was helping student veterans. Now, I serve as ranking member. However, I am incredibly proud of what our committee did during our 4 years in the majority. In 2021, we passed a significant student-veteran focused law: Representative Mike Levin's Isakson-Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, named for former House and Senate chairmen Phil Roe and Johnny Isakson. That law was a massive leap forward in education quality and oversight for student veterans. Representative McGarvey's legislation, H.R. 3981, builds upon the Isakson-Roe Act and further improves the system of oversight we established in the 2021 law. Now, schools will join the process of reporting violations, no longer waiting for State approving agencies or VA to uncover errors before it is too late. The legislation before us also improves transparency for the risk- based surveys created by Isakson-Roe. VA started conducting these surveys in late 2022, but schools need to know how these surveys work so they can better deliver for our student veterans. The legislation improves schools' access to the risk-based survey database. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 3981, as amended. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey), my good friend, who is a member of our Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and also the sponsor of H.R. 3981.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 112, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Braun of Indiana. This legislation aims to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs' administration of an existing program that provides healthcare benefits and compensation to children of Vietnam war veterans who were born with spina bifida. This bill is endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Spina bifida is a birth defect that can cause paralysis, nerve damage, and bowel and bladder problems. Children born with spina bifida may receive benefits from VA if one of their biological parents is a veteran presumed to have been exposed to herbicides such as Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. The program is jointly administered by the Veterans Benefits Administration, or VBA, and the Veterans Health Administration, or VHA. It provides a monetary allowance, healthcare coverage, and vocational training and rehabilitation. As of 2022, fewer than 1,000 beneficiaries were enrolled in the program. According to a 2021 VA Office of Inspector General report examining the VA's administration of this program, VBA and VHA were not adequately communicating or sharing data on spina bifida program beneficiaries. This contributed to delays in some new beneficiaries being enrolled in healthcare and improper payments being sent to some beneficiaries after their deaths. The inspector general also found the VA did not consistently conduct outreach to eligible and enrolled beneficiaries and did not provide effective case management services for the most seriously disabled beneficiaries. In some cases, VA's call center agents provided inaccurate information about the spina bifida program or could not direct callers to reliable sources of information. S. 112 directs VA to establish an advisory council for the spina bifida program, which would be responsible for soliciting feedback from covered children and veterans about the program's effectiveness. This legislation also requires VA to establish care coordination teams, which will contact beneficiaries at least once every 180 days to ensure they are accessing needed care. Finally, S. 112 would require VA to report to Congress every 2 years on the number of covered children receiving benefits, the number of children receiving care coordination, and the outcome of the outreach conducted to these populations. Madam Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 112 to strengthen VA's benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 475, a bill to designate the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi ``Hershey'' Miyamura VA Clinic. This bill honors a great American from the Greatest Generation. I thank Senator Heinrich for sponsoring this bill and Representative Leger Fernandez for offering the House companion. Born in Gallup, New Mexico, the son of immigrants, Mr. Miyamura joined the Army in 1944. He was assigned to the now-storied 442nd Regimental Combat Team, although he arrived too late in Europe to see much action. However, his military service did not end with World War II. He enlisted in the Army Reserves after the war and was called into Active Duty with the outbreak of the Korean war. He became a squad leader in the 3rd Infantry Division. On the night of April 24, 1951, Corporal Miyamura's unit of machine gunners and riflemen came under attack. He killed 10 enemy soldiers with his bayonet. He then blasted away with his machine gun, a rifle, and grenades and wielded his bayonet again to allow his men to retreat. He killed more than 50 of the enemy before his ammunition was depleted and he was severely wounded. He was captured and held for 28 months as a prisoner of war until he was released in 1953 after the armistice. For his conduct, then-Corporal Miyamura was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. He was awarded the medal in secret in 1951 while he was a POW, but it was finally presented in public in 1953. Achieving the rank of staff sergeant, Mr. Miyamura returned to New Mexico. His dedication and patriotism continued after he returned from South Korea to share his experiences in the war. He also served as an integral part of the lives of veterans and others in his community. Mr. Miyamura once said: Until I saw that flag--the Star-Spangled Banner waving in the breeze--did I know. I've learned what it represents. That alone is what makes you feel so humble. So many of these fellas who deserve it never came home to any recognition. There are so many Americans who don't know what the medal represents or what any soldier or servicewoman or -man does for this country, and I believe one of these days--I hope one of these days--they will learn of the sacrifices that a lot of the men and women have made for this country. Madam Speaker, let this legislation be an opportunity to let our fellow Americans know about the service and sacrifice that came before. Madam Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New Mexico.