Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from The Independence Fund. The Independence Fund, February 23, 2022. Hon. Mark Takano, Chair, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. Hon. Mike Bost, Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Takano and Ranking Member Bost: The Independence Fund endorses the Honoring Our PACT Act (H.R. 3976) and urges its quickest adoption by the full House of Representatives. We further urge the House to engage the Senate with an appropriate legislative vehicle to get a House-Senate conference started as soon as possible to work out a final legislative solution this spring. The Independence Fund's been proud to join with Wounded Warrior Project, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and numerous other veteran organizations through the Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition since August of 2020 and the initial introduction and Senate passage of the Toxic Exposure in the American Military (TEAM) Act of 2020 (S. 4393) and has applauded the serious and intensive work the House Committee on Veterans Affairs undertook over the last 16 months. Now, with the potential House passage of H.R. 3967, we commit to engaging the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible, and if necessary, proceed to a Conference Committee as soon as possible to ensure this bill can be enacted in this Session of Congress. We will also urge the other veteran and military serving organizations with which we work to join us in such an effort collectively. A veteran The Independence Fund serves, Nick Ooley, joined the Army in 2007 and deployed to Iraq the following year. Today, he is unable to run, jog, or even play basketball with his 11-year-old son. As he details, ``Burn pits were all over the place. We did convoy security, so we would travel to Al Taqaddum, Ramadi, Fallujah, Baghdad, all over the place. When we would drive through or get stationed in those areas, we would be breathing this smoke all the time. The smoke would be so thick during the day that the lights would come on like it was dark.'' But with 78% of all disability claims related to toxic exposure denied by the VA, disabled veterans are denied the help they desperately need and deserve. While The Independence Fund will always support disabled veterans like Nick through our disabled veteran assistance programs, the presumptive condition relief and mandated health care provided in The Honoring Our PACT Act will be a crucially needed lifeline for these veterans who have given so much in the defense of our country. We salute your leadership on this issue and stand ready to assist however we can in making this the law of the land. Very Respectfully, Bob Carey, Executive Vice President, Advocacy & Strategy.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, it is now time for the Members of this body to answer a simple question: Am I willing to support our troops and honor our Nation's promise to them? This bill addresses the true cost of war, and opposing it would be a vote against our servicemembers and veterans. Such a vote would be inconsistent with the thank-yous and patriotic displays so many of my colleagues offer on Veterans Day. Veterans want action, and they deserve our action. We made a promise to deliver comprehensive toxic exposure legislation, and I intend to keep that promise. The Honoring our PACT Act will address the full scope of issues affecting toxic-exposed veterans' access to VA care and benefits while reforming VA's presumptive decisionmaking process. It will expand VA healthcare eligibility for over 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits and establish a presumption of service connection for over 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers. There is no other toxic exposure legislation in Congress like this one in scope or in soundness. Before I close, I must emphasize something essential. We cannot renege on our responsibility to toxic-exposed veterans because of any perceived sticker shock. Cries for offsets and pay-fors did not stop Congress from passing a $1.9 trillion tax cut for corporations and the wealthy in 2017. Over the past 20 years, Congress and our country made the choice to spend trillions on other priorities while sending servicemembers into harm's way at the cost of $6.4 trillion. We know that this Congress is willing to find money when it wants to, as it recently demonstrated by adding $25 billion to the last National Defense Authorization Act. When our country goes to war, we don't nickel and dime the Department of Defense, and we shouldn't try to pinch pennies when it comes to covering the care for toxic-exposed veterans. We will not stand by and be lectured about fiscal responsibility when we have a moral obligation to America's veterans. And the time to meet that obligation is now. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), a person who has done more for veterans in modern times than any other leader of this body.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Luria), my good friend and cosponsor of H.R. 3967. She is the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and also a veteran herself and former commander of a naval surface ship.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining?

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 950, I call up the bill (H.R. 3967) to improve health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Guam (Mr. San Nicolas), my good friend who serves on the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3967, as amended, the Honoring our PACT Act of 2021. When we sent our servicemembers into harm's way, we made a pact to care for them when they came home. But for too long, Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs have been slow to accept responsibility and cost of that care, citing high costs or lack of absolute, scientific proof of illness connections to service. The result is a disability claims process that is cumbersome and places the burden of proof for toxic exposure on veterans themselves. Every day more and more veterans speak out about exposure to environmental hazards and other toxic substances during their military service. Recently, I put out a call encouraging toxic exposed veterans to share their experiences with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. We heard from thousands of veterans in 49 States. These reflections are very powerful, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to share some of them with you now. Navy veteran Ed described how toxic exposures overwhelmed his senses. He wrote: ``You could not escape the jet fuel. You could see it, smell it, and taste it.'' I heard from Marine veteran Mike who said: ``Even when we weren't actively engaged in dumping items into the burn pit, we were still exposed.'' Air Force veteran Christopher R. described his dealings with VA stating: ``I continue to be rejected because they say that it is impossible to prove that it is service related. I never worked with chemicals before my service or since. I feel like a nuisance to the VA health system.'' I heard from a widow of Army veteran Austin Monk who said: ``No wife should have to bury her 22-year-old husband because of his exposure to unsafe conditions while in service to his country.'' These stories are heart-wrenching and frustrating. Our veterans are fighting their own government to grant them the care and benefits they have earned. We should be outraged listening to these stories, and it should be clear how urgent passing the Honoring our PACT Act is for our veterans. Veterans and veterans service organizations agree. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from more than 42 veterans service organizations. February 24, 2022. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker, House of Representatives. Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader, House of Representatives. Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy: On behalf of the American service members and veterans we represent, the undersigned representatives of our respective Veterans and Military Service Organizations call on the House to expeditiously consider and pass into law the Honoring Our PACT Act (H.R. 3967). Throughout our history, and most recently over the course of more than 20 years of war in the post-9/11 era, service members and veterans suffered prolonged exposure to dangerous toxic substances, such as burn pits that destroyed trash, medical and human waste, chemicals, and fuel, in and around the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and other places. Of the hundreds of thousands of our members who have suffered these exposures, many have returned home sick (or would become ill), and many have also died of their injuries. Collectively, we have spent years educating Congress, national leaders, and the public on the enormous scope of the injuries faced by our community. There have been small-scale measures to boost education, training, research, and outreach to begin to address the problem. Over the last several years, many of our organizations have worked together to assemble the components of comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that provides VA health care, a new process to determine future presumptive conditions, and provide overdue disability benefits to thousands of veterans from all wars and eras suffering from toxic exposures. There have been a number of bills introduced in the House that address different aspects of the toxic exposures puzzle, however the Honoring Our PACT Act is the only bill that provides a truly comprehensive solution. Although many of us have supported some of these other burn pits and toxic exposure bills, none of them provides a complete and lasting solution for veterans who are or may become ill as a result of toxic exposures. Consequently, when the Honoring Our PACT Act is brought to the floor for consideration, if any such legislation is offered as an amendment or motion to restrict or substitute, rather than supplement, the underlying bill, we would urge all members to oppose such amendments or motions. Our organizations call on the House to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act without further delay, to finally provide those who have laid their lives on the line for all Americans with the health care and benefits they need and deserve. Sincerely, Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Army Aviation Association of America, Burn Pits 360, California Communities Against Toxics, Cease Fire Campaign, Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS), Environmental Working Group (EWG), Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Wives of America, GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer. Green Beret Foundation, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), Military Chaplains Association, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Military-Veterans Advocacy, Minority Veterans of America, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, National Military Family Association (NMFA), National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA). Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Student Veterans of America (SVA), Task Force Dagger Foundation, The American Legion, The Enlisted Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United Soldiers and Sailors of America, United States Army Warrant Officers Association, Veteran Warriors, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Veterans Prostate Cancer Awareness, Vietnam Veterans of America VVA), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

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 H.R. 3967, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Nancy Pelosi, our Speaker, for her commitment to bring this bill to the floor. After years of diligent input from my colleagues, our staff, VA, VSOs, and toxic- exposed veterans themselves, I am confident that we are bringing the best possible version of this bill up for a vote. The administration agrees and has stated that it ``strongly supports'' this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Statement of Administrative Policy for H.R. 3967. Statement of Administration Policy H.R. 3967--Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act--Rep. Takano, D-California and 100 cosponsors The Administration strongly supports H.R. 3967, which would expand veterans' access to health care and benefits to address the health effects of harmful environmental exposures that occurred during military service. The President believes that our Nation has only one truly sacred obligation: to properly prepare and equip our service members when we send them into harm's way and to care for them and their families when they return home. Far too often, military service comes with a cost, and we owe it to our veterans and their families to address these consequences comprehensively. Unfortunately, it has taken decades to understand the deleterious effects of environmental exposures--leaving too many without access to the benefits and services they need. H.R. 3967 would make changes to the definitions for who is eligible for VA health care based on presumed toxic exposure during military service, including from burn pits, radiation, or other environmental conditions. H.R. 3967 would also make changes to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA's) process for determining presumptive service connection and mandate several research studies related to military related environmental exposures. It would also establish new registries related to exposures, which would provide new data on the long-term impacts from environmental exposures. H.R. 3697 also would allow a Federal cause of action related to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and establish training requirements for health providers, and require an outreach plan to educate veterans about their eligibility for benefits and services related to toxic exposure. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to enact this legislation and ensuring it is effectively implemented. We must address the toxic legacy of environmental exposures sustained by veterans during their military service and fulfill our sacred obligation to our veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We must also ensure that VA has the resources it needs to implement this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Willie Lee Moses, a constituent of mine and a woman known to her community as the ``Mayor of Good Hope.'' The dedication that Mrs. Moses has to her community has made a profound difference in the Inland Empire, and it is my honor to recognize her work. The impact of Mrs. Moses' work is difficult to overstate. Born in northern Louisiana, Mrs. Moses and her husband settled in Perris in 1957 and immediately became active members of their community. Besides being a mother of five and an employee of Perris School District for over two decades, Mrs. Moses was also elected as the president of multiple Parent Teacher Associations at various schools and served in union leadership as a job steward for fellow school district employees. An avid organizer, Mrs. Moses ran voter registration drives, worked on political campaigns, and was a leader in the area's first Human Relations Commission, which worked to facilitate dialogue on race relations among the community of Perris Valley. The Moses Schaffer Community Center now bears her name, recognizing the tireless work she did in support of the construction of critical infrastructure that enabled her city to thrive. Mrs. Moses' generosity is well-known in the City of Perris. For 35 years, Mrs. Moses coordinated a free food program to ensure that low- income seniors always had resources to turn to. Over the decades, her family room has served as a gathering place for friends and neighbors, including the many years that she hosted meals for those stationed at the March Air Reserve Base with nowhere to go for the holidays. Her tireless work emulates her trailblazing spirit--she was often the first African American in the leadership positions she took on, and her commitment to civil rights and civic duty has forever changed the Inland Empire community for the better. Mrs. Moses has done more for her community in her 100 years than many could achieve in several lifetimes. It is with gratitude that I wish her a very happy birthday and thank her for her leadership and vision. Her example has set a high bar for all of us in public service, and I am honored to have her in our community.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to the late, former Congressman Esteban Torres, a devoted and beloved Chicano civil rights champion. I knew Mr. Torres in the 1990s during my first campaigns for Congress. I was honored by his support of my early campaigns and benefitted greatly from his counsel and his goodwill. We should all find inspiration in his rise from very humble beginnings to becoming a highly respected and influential Member of Congress. Indisputably, Mr. Torres was a trailblazing Latino leader and immigration advocate, who opened the space of greater diversity and representation in California politics for all people. Mr. Speaker, I salute the life of a Korean war veteran, labor leader, community development executive, diplomat, and Member of Congress who continued to make a difference in his retirement. To the Torres family and all those who have been inspired by him, I offer my deepest condolences.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember Lulamae Clemons, a champion for social justice and a longtime Riverside community activist. I knew Lulamae in the 1980s when I was getting involved in the Greater Riverside Urban League. To this day, I remember her graceful yet determined presence and her efforts to advance racial equality in our community. Lulamae was a true pioneer. She devoted herself to her community and was persistent in her fight for quality education and fairer housing. As the first Black administrator hired by the Riverside Office of Education and vice president of the Fair Housing Council of Riverside County, Lulamae empowered minorities and broke barriers. Lulamae understood the preciousness of civil rights, equality, and opportunity for all. To the family of Lulamae Clemons and all those who knew, loved, and respected her, I offer my deepest condolences. Her legacy will continue to live on.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green), my good friend and member of the Financial Services Committee where he is chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close. I ask all my colleagues to support me in supporting these four amendments. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Escobar amendment to H.R. 4673. Mr. Speaker, seamlessly connecting veterans with the benefits and care they have earned through their service is paramount to the transition process. The Escobar amendment extends the automatic enrollment in VA healthcare to eligible veterans discharged within 90 days before enactment of the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, many of the 175,000 veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn are unaware of their eligibility for 5 years of VA healthcare upon separation. Automatically enrolling recently separated eligible veterans into VA healthcare will support our aim to prevent veteran suicides and improve their access to care during their transition to civilian life. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Escobar amendment.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of these en bloc amendments. Seamlessly connecting veterans with the benefits and care they earned through their service is paramount to the transition process. The Delgado amendment No. 1 makes sure that VA can easily notify veterans regarding care and services through mass texting. As technology and communication methods improve, so should how VA uses those capabilities to easily inform veterans of their benefits. Texting eligible veterans to tell them they have been auto-enrolled in VA healthcare is an effective, simple way to increase awareness of the care available to them. The Delgado amendment No. 2 requires GAO to submit a report to determine the best methods to notify veterans regarding their automatic enrollment in VA healthcare. This amendment will strengthen the underlying bill and inform best practices for how VA can ensure veterans have the information they need regarding their access to care and services. Getting information to veterans in an effective manner is crucial to their transition into civilian life, and the Delgado amendment No. 2 will help improve how VA communicates an eligible veteran's enrollment in VA healthcare so they can easily access the care they need. The Hayes amendment requires that VA notify veterans who opt out of automatic enrollment that they may elect to enroll at a later date. We understand there will be some veterans who opt out for auto-enrollment for a variety of reasons, but it is our duty that they know that the VA will be waiting for them if their future needs change. Ensuring VA adopts and scales best practices related to auto- enrollment while also learning from any issues that arise during its rollout is important to the long-term effectiveness of the aims of H.R. 4673. The Tlaib amendment requires the VA to submit a report a year after the first veteran is auto-enrolled in VA healthcare to preserve lessons learned from the rollout. This report will help improve auto-enrollment for both the VA administrators implementing the program and veteran users alike. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the en bloc amendments, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), my good friend who serves on the House Committee on Armed Services as chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and the Committee on Education and Labor.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to add that, in response to the esteemed ranking member, VA formally supports this legislation and has been discussing auto enrollment for years. VA has already been working to make transition into VA healthcare smoother with Solid Start and will soon have data showing that warm handoffs have a positive impact on veteran outcomes without overwhelming the VA system. In response to the criticism that VSOs have not had input, I want to point out that VSOs, including Paralyzed Veterans of America and Disabled American Veterans, have already formally endorsed EVEST. Why? Because the common sense of this legislation shines through. All VSOs have had a chance to weigh in, and many did. The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs, the American Federation of Government Employees, the Veterans Health Policy Institute, and the American Psychological Association also support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa), my good friend and a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee who now serves on the Agriculture Committee, Homeland Security Committee, and House Judiciary Committee.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, in response to my friend, the esteemed ranking member, that his MTR, which would delay implementation in order to avoid harm to our veterans, dare I say that the harm is in the delay. I am reminded of a quote from the VFW's Pat Murray that we had at yesterday's roundtable on toxic exposure: Our pay-for for this bill and our pay-for, frankly, for all that we do for veterans was the ticket that we sent servicemembers overseas to serve. I repeat: Our pay-for was the ticket we sent servicemembers overseas to serve. And a little further discussion on the pay-for issue: The Congressional Budget Office does not estimate that this bill will increase mandatory spending and does not require an offset. These are the rules we play by. Again, we are not creating new eligibility here. The only cost of this bill is veterans seeking care that they are already eligible for. We are all better off when veterans are seeking the care that they need, and we should not be hiding that care for which they are eligible. Automatic enrollment in VA healthcare for eligible veterans is a long-needed suicide prevention tool. We cannot put a price tag on protecting the health and safety of our veterans. Many of these veterans would go on to use VA healthcare even if they are not automatically enrolled, and the minority does not give a compelling reason why we should hinder or make that process more difficult for our veterans. Again, I repeat, we should not be hiding the care for which our veterans are already eligible. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues join me in passing H.R. 4673, as amended, and I anticipate we will see a big bipartisan vote today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 5 of House Resolution 860, I rise to offer the four amendments en bloc to H.R. 4673.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 860, I call up the bill (H.R. 4673) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the automatic enrollment of eligible veterans in patient enrollment system of Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.