Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bill from Representative Connolly, H.R. 4016, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Beneficiaries in the fiduciary program are among the most vulnerable in VA's care. Because they are often elderly or mentally ill, they are at greater risk for financial abuse and theft of benefits. Unfortunately, in spite of VA's best efforts at vetting proposed fiduciaries, bad actors do arise from time to time. When that happens, theft or misuse can have a devastating impact on the financial stability of the beneficiary. Not only that, the strain of being taken advantage of can further erode their physical and mental health, as well. As such, I support this bill's goal of speeding restitution to those beneficiaries who may have suffered from theft or misuse of funds by a fiduciary. We must empower the VA to make these beneficiaries whole as soon as possible. It is the right thing to do. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez), who is my very good friend and a coauthor of this important piece of legislation. She also serves on the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 1767, as amended, a bill that will help some veterans have their earned GI Bill benefits restored in cases of fraud. The language before us is a narrower fix than our committee considered last summer, so while I will be supporting this bill, I want to send a message to some student veterans who, unfortunately, won't be helped by this legislation today. We hear them. We will not stop working on a comprehensive fix for all student veterans impacted by fraudulent actors in higher education. I thank Representative Ramirez for her tireless efforts on behalf of student veterans. From her first days in Congress, she has put student veterans first, and it is only right that she can lead the House in restoring benefits for our student veterans. I thank Chairman Bost for working with us on this language to get it to a place where he can support it. I look forward to working with him and his staff on improving this bill in the Senate to ensure that no student veterans are left out. It is, frankly, quite disappointing and shocking that student veterans lack the same access to relief that student loan borrowers have generally. At a minimum, our veterans deserve the same protections that traditional student loan borrowers can receive, especially when an educational institution closes, is suspended, or has terminated a program due to a determination of fraud. This bill does not get us all the way there, but I refuse to let perfect be the enemy of the good. This bill will help student veterans. Madam Speaker, for that reason, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5914, as amended, the VETT Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize a profound loss in the Japanese-American community, the passing of Sakaye Aratani. Her death coincides with an ever-dwindling number of adult Japanese- Americans, who endured the injustice of being forcibly removed from their homes and imprisoned in World War II internment camps here in the United States. She and her late husband, George Aratani, made a remarkable, successful post-war journey in business and became important philanthropic figures within the Japanese-American community and beyond. Every year, I would see her at community gatherings for various Japanese-American organizations that she and her husband supported, and, every year, I was struck by her grace, elegance, and intelligence. My heart goes out to the Aratani family, and I join with the rest of the Japanese-American community in mourning her passing.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 126.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of Staff Sergeant Ysmael R. Villegas, a distinguished American hero from California's 39th Congressional District. Born in Casa Blanca in 1924, Villegas, the eldest of 13 children, exemplified the values of our diverse community. Formerly an ``orange picker,'' Villegas answered the call to serve during WWII, displaying extraordinary bravery at the Battle of Luzon. Tragically, on March 20, 1945, one day before his 21st birthday, he made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. President Truman posthumously awarded him the Medal of Honor on October 19, 1945. Colonel G. B. Appleman presented the medal to his widow at Camp Haan on November 1, 1945, in our very own Riverside district. The ceremony drew thousands, a testament to the profound impact of Villegas's heroism on our community. As we commemorate what would have been his 100th birthday, let us remember Staff Sergeant Villegas's selflessness, dedication, and love for family. May his legacy inspire future generations, and the heroism of Staff Sergeant Villegas remains etched in the history and hearts of California's 39th Congressional District.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague and friend from the State of Texas (Mr. Roy).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that I must rise in opposition to the measure before us. I am anguished over it for one simple reason: Veterans' lives are on the line. I have the greatest respect for my colleague, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, and I know it was a difficult road to get to this point. I also appreciate the work of our Democratic leader to try and find consensus. There are many good things in this bill, things that will benefit everyday Americans, but as ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, this bill comes at the expense of our most vulnerable veterans and, therefore, I cannot support it. However, I will be clear that I am not asking my colleagues to oppose the bill. 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 need to shine a light on an ugly truth buried deep in section 413 of this bill. What is this section all about? When a veteran applies for benefits they have earned, they are screened to make sure that they are competent to use those benefits to not take advantage of. If a veteran is determined to be mentally incompetent, they are appointed a fiduciary, and by law, they are reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, otherwise known as the NICS list. A determination of mental competency is typically based on very serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia and dementia, and there are various serious reasons why a person with those conditions should not be able to purchase a firearm. It is also the case that firearms are used in 68 percent of veterans' death by suicide. Suicide is a serious problem among veterans, and since I have had the honor to be on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have fought to prevent the scourge of veteran suicide. So why on Earth would this Congress cede one more important safeguard against a veteran's death? I personally cannot, and that is why I cannot support this bill. Republicans have pushed this type of provision for over a decade. I know because I have fought every year against this provision. They have done so with misinformation and fearmongering. Democrats have successfully fought this legislation in committee, which is why Republicans did not have the courage to bring this to the floor in the light of day and to have this body consider it through the normal process through regular order. Instead, they crammed it into this must-pass bill, enacting policy through the back door of a spending bill. They have abandoned all of their other so-called priorities because they wanted this so badly. They wanted so badly to make sure that vulnerable veterans could access more firearms. This is wrong. Lives are on the line. Veterans' lives are on the line, and I will not agree to legislation that will cause more people's lives to be lost to gun violence. House Democrats have been working to put people over politics, but it is clear that the Republican majority is content to put politics over veterans, including prioritizing politics over veterans' lives. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 4366 and a statement from the Giffords organization, which both speak to the harm of this provision. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 4366--Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024--Rep. Granger, R-TX) The Administration strongly urges swift passage of H.R. 4366, making appropriations for fiscal year 2024, and for other purposes. This bipartisan legislation represents a compromise and neither side got everything it wanted, but it would prevent a damaging shutdown of several key agencies, protect key priorities and make progress for the American people. H.R. 4366 includes important investments that advance a range of key national priorities, building on the progress that has been made over the past three years both in annual appropriations and through legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The bill fully funds the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, protecting essential benefits for millions of women and children across the Nation. The bill also maintains rental assistance for millions of families. and expands assistance to an additional 3,000 households. The bill also sustains critical infrastructure programs, maintains pay raises for Federal wildland fire fighters, and fully funds veterans' medical care. In addition, the bill also increases funding for rural housing assistance, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Violence Against Women Act, and science investments at the Department of Energy. The Administration applauds the inclusion of other key priorities, including the Compacts of Free Association, which represents the bedrock of America's broader strategic interests and engagements in the Indo-Pacific. The Administration also appreciates the extension of several vital health care programs, including the Special Diabetes Program, as well as a seven-year extension of the Undetectable Firearms Act. While the Administration is pleased that hundreds of poison pill provisions and extreme funding cuts were rejected, the Administration opposes the language included in the bill that would potentially undermine the ability of the Veterans' Affairs Department to report a beneficiary to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to keep guns out of the hands of those prohibited under Federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms. The Administration remains committed to exploring every possible pathway to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn't have them and ensure the safety of these individuals and their communities. The Administration urges the Congress to send this critical legislation to the President's desk for signature without delay and to quickly act on the remaining funding bills as well as the bipartisan national security supplemental.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the distinguished ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing. I sadly must oppose the bill, but I do not urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I will not rest until this rider is gone from any future appropriations bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in that effort. For now I must oppose this bill. There are a lot of good things in this bill, and I don't ask my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill. I have a great deal of respect for my good friend, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, Ms. DeLauro, and the significant amount of work that went into this, but I must follow my conscience because of my responsibilities to veterans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the distinguished ranking member of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree), the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), the distinguished ranking member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of a man with a big heart: Daniel Hantman. Dan was a lawyer, leader, and tireless civic volunteer--earning him the title of ``Mr. Riverside.'' I was one of many people who knew Dan, who knew that friendly smile and his deep unshakeable desire to make his community a better place. He embodied that commitment of ``tikkun olam,'' meaning ``repairing the world.'' He volunteered his time in so many ways: from serving on civic boards at the Chamber of Commerce to picking up litter in a big sombrero. He made our little corner of the world a better place, and for that, I am one of many in Riverside who will miss him deeply. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and our community. May his memory be a blessing.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 485, the so-called Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act of 2023. I have to say that it is a bit rich to hear my colleague talk about preexisting conditions and their party's concern for it when he has been part of the party that has been completely opposed to protecting people with preexisting conditions because they have repeatedly, over and over, tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The bill before us today does almost nothing to protect healthcare for patients and, instead, would likely increase healthcare costs across the board. As the ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am especially alarmed at the impact this bill would potentially have on our veterans' care, and I have to say I wonder why this bill was not referred also to the Veterans' Affairs Committee, given its impact on this jurisdiction. Under current law, multiple Federal programs like VA's have special pricing arrangements for prescription drugs that rely on up-front discounts and rebates. It is a win-win system for both taxpayers and veterans. The VA keeps costs lower and is able to make sure veterans get access to the drugs they need. In fact, I would daresay the Department of Veterans Affairs has the most robust negotiations over the drugs on its formulary. However, this bill would upend this proven system and instead inject uncertainty into drug pricing. That chaos has a very real cost for VA and DOD: $240 million for the 2023-2033 time period, according to the CBO. ``Other similar measures'' simply does seem to have a measurable effect for CBO, those words, ``other similar measures.'' This will diminish VA's ability to deliver care to veterans and force the Department to make cuts to services elsewhere. Consequently, that begs the question, who benefits from this disarray? Big Pharma does. They reap the rewards and push up their profits. I have to say, their lobbyists will really have earned their outrageously large paycheck if this bill passes because it is so clearly a rip-off. Taxpayers and veterans lose, while Big Pharma wins? Give me a break. However, House Democrats are opposed to this blatant rip-off and will fight it tooth and nail. Instead of doing Big Pharma's bidding, we are focused on lowering drug prices for Americans. House Democrats are proud to have worked with the Biden administration to deliver on capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month for seniors, finally allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices, and requiring drug companies to pay rebates to Medicare if they raise prices faster than inflation.

Mr. TAKANO. Let me add, Democrats have also locked in $800 per year in health insurance savings for 15 million Americans. Members should ask themselves who has more credibility on protecting Americans' healthcare and saving them money and lowering costs. I would submit the Democrats do. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. It will cost taxpayers money, it will cost the VA more money, and just give more profits to Big Pharma.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall no. 13. personal explanation

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I wish that my Republican colleagues were more focused on helping and empowering workers. I urge opposition to the joint resolution.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Ofelia Valdez-Yeager--a trailblazer for the Latino community in the Inland Empire. She was a champion for all students, both in the classroom as a teacher and in her capacity as the first Latina to serve on the Riverside Unified School Board of Trustees. As a founding member of LaNet, commonly referred to as the ``Latino network,'' she helped give a voice to the growing Latino population in Riverside. Ofelia enriched our community and helped mobilize efforts that created the Cesar Chavez memorial and established The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture to downtown Riverside. I will miss her unwavering spirit and fierce advocacy dearly. My thoughts and prayers are with her family as they mourn the loss of a mother, wife, and grandmother.