Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, nothing could be more important or a higher priority in defense of our Republic than to address the unaddressed grievances of our veterans. We are keeping our promise to our veterans. We are saying today that doing so is a cost of war. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and active member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on S. 3373, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin), my good friend who serves on the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I welcome the support of the gentleman from Montana. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz), my good friend and member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, where he is an active member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) who has been a tremendous supporter of this legislation.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I so welcome the support of the gentleman from Florida. He got it right the first time. He voted ``yes'' the first time. I know he is going to vote ``yes'' the second time. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Omar), my good friend who serves on the Education and Labor Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the even begrudging ``yes'' vote from the gentleman from Georgia. I will just say there is no budget gimmick here. This vote is going to unite America. It is going to heal America. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), my good friend who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I am delighted that the ranking member is offering his support for this bill. I accept that support, but I do not accept his objections. This bill, I mean, yes, I do say that we are creating entitlements. But the entitlements we are creating are 3.5 million veterans eligible for healthcare, veterans that were exposed to toxic substances. We are conceding exposure to them. We are making it possible for them to not have to fight their government. Yes, we are creating entitlements with our 23 presumptive illnesses. It is going to mean that those veterans are entitled to benefits, and their families will be entitled to benefits, so those veterans that are suffering from terminal illnesses are not going to have to worry about their families being without resources after they pass. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in finally doing what is right and passing this very important piece of legislation, S. 3373, as amended. I hope we get 400 votes. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I certainly welcome the support of the ranking member on this bill. May I inquire as to the time remaining in debate.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill (S. 3373), as amended, to improve the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant and the Children of Fallen Heroes Grant, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend who is the chairwoman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Mrvan), my good friend who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization and on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), who is my good friend. He is an active member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and serves on the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 42) authorizing the use of the rotunda of the Capitol on Thursday, July 14, 2022, for the lying in honor of the remains of Hershel Woodrow ``Woody'' Williams, the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient for acts performed during World War II, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendment of my friend and colleague, Congressman Lieu, that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs and community partners to address the needs of homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area by authorizing the use of innovative funding streams. Currently, the VA's West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016 restricts funding. Any Federal revenue generated from leases on the West Los Angeles VA campus may be used only for the renovation and maintenance of land and facilities. This means that while the VA can use proceeds from the leases to pay for things like running utility lines, they cannot use funds for the supportive services that veterans residing on the campus need. Los Angeles has the largest homeless veteran population in the country, with close to 10 percent of all homeless veterans across the U.S. residing there. The West LA VA hospital campus provides an enormous opportunity to provide shelter and support for those who have served our Nation, but face hard times, by building a supportive community for veterans. We have made great strides at the West LA VA campus to address veteran homelessness, but there is still so much more that needs to be done. Specifically, this amendment will ensure that the West LA VA is able to collect $25 million from the Los Angeles Purple Line Metro easement and put that money toward housing and supportive services for homeless veterans. Funds from easements and other use agreements at the West LA VA should be returned to the campus and used for those who served our country in the Armed Forces. This is simply common sense. Last November, I visited the West LA VA campus with VA Secretary McDonough, Congresswoman Brownley, Congresswoman Bass, and Congressman Lieu, who is leading this amendment. During that visit, we learned about how the VA campus was transitioning the care, treatment, and rehabilitative services, or CTRS, from using tents to small innovative shelters.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, this provides a much more supportive living situation for those veterans trying to escape homelessness. Currently, there are roughly 105 veterans residing in these innovative shelters, and over 550 unique veterans have been admitted to the program--it has proven to be a successful model for getting veterans connected to VA resources and quickly moved into permanent housing or treatment programs. The change Congressman Lieu's amendment will make is especially significant. VA has determined that under current law it is restricted from using funds from its leases and easements to pay for critical improvements for veteran safety and well-being, like security for CTRS. This amendment would also free up funding for permanent supportive housing to be built on the campus, which means more veterans will be off the streets and into a home to call their own with the VA care that they need close by.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, as Chairman of the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs, one of my top priorities has been to curtail unethical conduct aimed at the men and women that have worn the uniform of our Nation. The Cicilline/Takano amendment offered to H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 is another means to that end. This amendment would prohibit the enforcement of forced arbitration clauses in contracts covered by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). SCRA was created to extend important financial protections to military service personnel who are currently serving on active-duty and often targeted for exploitation. These protections can range from prohibiting lenders from repossessing cars and foreclosing on homes while servicemembers are actively deployed. Despite the protections granted in SCRA, corporations and big banks have been consistently targeting servicemembers and their families through the deceptive use of forced arbitration clauses. Forced arbitration has undermined the rights of servicemembers for years by forcing them to waive their ability to seek remedies through the courts. More often than not, these clauses are buried in the fine print of lengthy employment contracts. This amendment will expand these protections to remove a common tool used in an exploitation that has become all too common. Those who serve in our military are inherently at a disadvantage against aggressive lenders as the nature of their service makes it difficult to seek fair resolve in any claims. Lenders are acutely aware of this unique disadvantage of servicemembers and many seek to take full advantage. This prohibition on forced arbitration clauses would protect countless men and women from predatory lenders while deployed. Our servicemembers protect us both at home and abroad, and it is time we safeguard their rights against predatory lenders and others who shamelessly seek to exploit members of our military. I am hopeful that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will vote in favor of this amendment, and I thank Congressman Cicilline for his leadership.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pell Grant Program. Fifty years ago, Congress amended the Higher Education Act by creating the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant to provide direct financial aid to low-income students so that they would have the same opportunities and the same access to higher education as others. Since then, the Pell Grant has been a cornerstone investment in the lives and futures of nearly 80 million students across the country. In my district, more than $123 million in Pell grants have been awarded to students just last year. Think of the difference that has made. As a former educator myself, I know that cost is one of the largest barriers to higher education, and here in Congress I will continue to do everything in my power to support the Pell Grant Program and ensure it continues to break down that very barrier.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule, which would deem and pass a resolution condemning great replacement theory and white supremacy. The recent mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, that claimed the lives of 10 Americans was committed by a self-described white supremacist who referenced great replacement theory in a manifesto. The perpetuation of xenophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism by rightwing extremists who believe in a grand conspiracy theory that minorities, somehow facilitated by Jews, are actively seeking to diminish the political and cultural power of White voters must be condemned. Notably absent is the condemnation of our leaders on the right, who refuse to speak out against this senseless violence and call it what it is: hate speech meant to divide us and not unite us. This departure from logic and reason, and cozying up to fear, is leading people to violence and extremism in communities all across this country, and it must be stopped.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in passing S. 2533. In the last vote, the gentleman from Montana went out of my line of sight, and I thought we were going to pass this on suspension. I plead with him, let MAMMO go, let MAMMO pass on voice. By allowing us to pass it on voice, everybody says ``yes.'' Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on S. 2533.