Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6589) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and submit to Congress a plan to address the material weakness of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAKANO

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

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the comments that I made on my previous motion that I withdrew be inserted in the Record in conjunction with my motion to pass H.R. 6589, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4908) to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the collection of a health care copayment by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from a veteran who is a member of an Indian tribe, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the passage of this important legislation is necessary to continue to make it easier for veterans to submit medical evidence in support of their disability claims. I urge all of my colleagues to support the legislation, H.R. 7795, brought forward by Congressman Barr of Kentucky, and the cosponsor, the chairwoman of our Subcommittee on DAMA, Elaine Luria of Virginia. Mr. Speaker I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to condemn the xenophobic anti-Asian rhetoric that President Trump and his allies have been using to distract us from their woefully inadequate response to COVID-19. By referring to COVID-19 almost exclusively as the ``China virus,'' the President is fueling racism and inspiring violent attacks on Asian Americans and Asian immigrants. Rather than condemning this divisive language and unifying our Nation in response to the pandemic, my Republican colleagues are blindly following suit. This partisanship is so pervasive that Congresswoman Meng's simple resolution condemning this anti-Asian sentiment could not be passed unanimously out of this Chamber. This is a disgrace. A disgrace. The COVID-19 pandemic has become a defining moment in our Nation's history. Instead of unifying to confront this disease head-on, Republicans have instead weaponized this to revive the racist blemishes of the past. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a visionary who believed in education for the masses, Salvatore ``Sal'' Rotella. He dedicated his life to a uniquely American form of education--America's community colleges. He led the Riverside Community College District from 1991 to 2007 while I was a trustee. Sal oversaw the expansion of RCCD into a system of three separately accredited colleges while facing severe fiscal constraints. He healed a divided faculty and continually challenged the board of trustees to do the right thing. One of Sal's signature achievements was Passport to College which helped students believe that college was an attainable dream for them. But Sal was more than just a leader. He was an exceptional family man and a mentor to me and so many others. He had a way of getting people to take their lives seriously, as if they really mattered. Now that he is gone, I take comfort in knowing that his life's example will live on through others who have learned from him.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, this week, the Senate Republicans allowed expanded Federal unemployment benefits to expire and unveiled a grossly inadequate counter to the HEROES Act titled the HEALS Act. The HEALS Act slashes expanded Federal employment benefits by $400 a week during a time when families need our support the most. Even after some States have gradually reopened, the economy has not made a miraculous comeback. Millions of workers are still out of work, and too many of them do not have a job to return to. Workers are relying on these unemployment benefits to cover basic life necessities while our economy recovers. The HEALS Act is a moral failure. It puts corporations first instead of helping the people we were elected to serve or supporting the local governments battling this crisis. This is not a time to play politics. We have to be bold and act with urgency.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today because supplemental Federal unemployment benefits expire next week, and Republicans in the Senate refuse to extend these benefits for the American people. Average daily expenses are weighing heavily on millions of families as our economy struggles and unemployment is at a record high, with over 17 million still unemployed. Rent is due, bills are due, loan payments are due, but people are still out of work. Americans are fighting against financial hardships and the housing affordability crisis. Failure to extend unemployment benefits in the midst of this pandemic would be cruel and inhumane. It would cause financial ruin for millions who are already struggling. Our communities need the additional $600 weekly unemployment benefits. It could be the difference between getting evicted or making rent for another month. I urge the Senate to pass the HEROES Act to extend Federal unemployment benefits. Millions of Americans are depending on it.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the passion of a dear friend, a colleague, a personal hero of mine, Congressman John Lewis. Mr. Lewis often spoke of building a beloved community, one that required us to get into ``good trouble'' to achieve. His vision for America and her world was one of justice, equality, and compassion for one another. During dark times, his strength and his optimism lit the way to a path forward that brought us closer to justice. During doubtful times, his words and his wisdom inspired confidence that progress was still in reach. And during this difficult time for our country, as we mourn his death, may the life and the legacy he left behind inspire us to keep building that beloved community. John Lewis, you taught me that optimism is a moral duty, and now that you are gone, sir, I will no longer have you around to remind me to keep the faith. I will have to do that all by myself.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, if there was a loophole in Federal law that led to a waste of taxpayer dollars and abuse of servicemembers and veterans, most of my colleagues would immediately spring into action to close that loophole and prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and the exploitation of our fellow Americans. Well, that is exactly what for-profit schools are doing right now by exploiting a loophole in the law that caps the amount of Federal revenue that schools can receive. This loophole, known as the 90/10 loophole, excludes GI Bill and DOD tuition assistance benefits from the statutory limits on Federal revenue sources a for-profit school can claim. Because of this, for-profits have used predatory tactics to aggressively recruit servicemembers and veterans, stealing their benefits and making millions in profit while providing them with low- quality education. I have heard countless stories of this exploitation as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Make no mistake, I will be taking decisive action to close this loophole for GI Bill benefits recipients. But first, closing this loophole for the DOD tuition assistance program is an important step to rid these Federal programs of this perverse incentive. The DOD tuition assistance program, which pays up to $4,500 per year, has allowed servicemembers to pursue higher education at a reduced rate. Military education programs are extremely popular and have played an important role in educating millions of servicemembers. In fiscal year 2017, over 255,000 servicemembers received nearly half a billion dollars in tuition assistance funding. However, because of the 90/10 loophole, many of our servicemembers have been aggressively targeted by for-profit schools looking to make up the difference in their funding. This loophole has incentivized predatory institutions to continuously deploy deceptive recruiting and marketing tactics to collect as much GI Bill and tuition assistance funding as possible. So far, it has been lucrative. For every military student they can enroll, they can enroll nine more Title IV students in their low- performing programs. This is not the free market at work. The fundamental basis of the 90/ 10 rule was to demonstrate that a real market exists for these educational programs and validate the quality and cost of these programs. This loophole lets these predatory schools cheat the free market and the government by collecting up to 100 percent of their revenue from Federal dollars. This is a bipartisan issue and a bipartisan amendment. I ask that my colleagues stand up for our servicemembers and protect taxpayer dollars from predatory for-profit institutions that only view them as a benefit to their bottom line. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains on my side.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Mrs. Lee), one of my committee members on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 3637) to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to extend lease protections for servicemembers under stop movement orders in response to a local, national, or global emergency, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 3504) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for improvements to the specially adapted housing program and educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4920) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an exception to certain small business contracting requirements applicable to the Department of Veterans Affairs procurement of certain goods and services covered under the Ability One program, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, so when the Trump administration and Secretary DeVos approved its new borrower defense to repayment rule late last year, it was clear that they had chosen to pander to the for-profit college industry and cheat thousands of borrowers out of the relief that they deserve. Predatory for-profit institutions consistently put their profits over students' education. They make false promises about job prospects, drain Federal resources, and leave millions of students with useless degrees and high student loan debt. Mr. Speaker, yes, veterans are among that group of people, and that is why major veteran service organizations have come out in favor of this veto override in support of the original legislation. Veterans, women, and minorities are aggressively recruited by these institutions who only see them as a benefit to their bottom line: ITT Technical Institute, Corinthian Colleges, Dream Center Colleges are just some of the predatory for-profits whose lofty promises turned student dreams into a nightmare. The student borrowers who were defrauded by these schools are desperately seeking relief, but Secretary DeVos is making that task nearly impossible. And that is why this year, both Chambers of Congress passed a bipartisan Congressional Review Act resolution that rejected Secretary DeVos' harmful rule. Students, consumer advocates, and student veteran groups spoke out in favor of this CRA and urged President Trump to sign it into law. But the President refused to heed their call, choosing instead to uphold Secretary DeVos' watered-down rule to put additional burdens on borrowers. We must override the President's veto. Congress must again stand with student loan borrowers and stop the Trump administration's attack on America's students and his attempts to rig the rule in favor of Secretary DeVos' cronies. More than 200,000 student borrowers are still waiting for relief.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a dear friend and community member, Zack Earp, on receiving the Riverside Spirit Award. Zack was a longtime educator and Marine veteran who saw combat in Vietnam. Despite the health challenges he has faced, Zack continues to serve actively in our community by working with local volunteers, advocating for local students, and volunteering with the Boy Scouts. Zack has inspired so many people, including me, with his positive attitude and his will to make our community a better place for all. Zack has dedicated his life to service and to activism, and we are lucky to have him in Riverside. Zack is deserving of this award, and I am glad that the Riverside City Council is recognizing such an outstanding citizen.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Four years ago, during Pride Month, our country awoke to the devastating news about a shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The Pulse nightclub, a safe haven for the LGBTQ-plus community in Orlando was the target of an act of hate. Forty-nine lives were taken and 53 were wounded after a gunman opened fire. The victims and survivors were LGBTQ-plus and members of the Latinx community. This shooting was one of the deadliest attacks on LGBTQ-plus Americans in our history, and it left our community hurting, fearful, and skeptical about the progress our Nation had made towards acceptance, understanding, and belonging for LGBTQ-plus people. Four years later, we are still grieving, we are still healing, and we are still demanding action to make equality the law of the land and to end gun violence in America. When I visited Orlando to pay my respects to the victims and to honor their memories, what I saw at Pulse during such a painful time gave me hope. I saw a community that had come together to condemn hate, to reject intolerance, and to celebrate the lives of every single soul that was lost that night. Our community's pride and the bravery we exhibit when we choose to embrace our identity, even in the face of hate and homophobia, is proof of how resilient we are. Designating Pulse as a national memorial would honor the lives of those lost and it would forever stand as a symbol of pride, hope, and courage, which will always triumph over hate. Madam Speaker, as the co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, I thank Representative Soto for his leadership, also Representative Murphy and Representative Demings. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3094.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This is necessary and bold legislation that includes critical provisions to hold police accountable and to save lives. It includes a ban on no-knock warrants that would have saved Breonna Taylor's life, a ban on chokeholds that would have saved George Floyd's life, and the prohibition on racial profiling that would have saved Rayshard Brooks' life. Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and so many other innocent Black lives were ended by law enforcement officers, who often faced little to no consequences for their actions. This bill also reforms qualified immunity for law enforcement, which is a barrier to achieving justice for victims of police brutality. The Senate majority's idea of compromise is to strip this section out of the bill. I say no. A police officer has held his knee to George Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, leading to his death. This atrocious act has finally forced us to confront the racism deeply rooted in our institutions. Congress must act. Vote ``yes'' on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3084, as amended, a bill to modify the limitation on pay for certain high-level employees and officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This legislation retroactively authorizes VA to waive a limitation for basic pay for SES-equivalent employees employed at VA dating back to November 1, 2010. These are senior-level clinicians who oversee critical VA medical operations at the VA Central Office and in Veterans Integrated Service Networks. Due to a conflicting interpretation of the law, these senior-level employees were overpaid by VA for almost 10 years. VA did not notify Congress that it had been interpreting the pay cap in its statute as not applying to these employees until this year. Mr. Speaker, the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management have said this is an issue that affects approximately 40 senior VA employees, some of whom play critical support roles in VA's response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Now, without this legislative fix, these employees, through no fault of their own, will be liable for a salary overpayment, plus any benefits tied to the salary, to include employee and agency retirement fund contributions. While VA could request a waiver of this debt on behalf of the employees under the law, a waiver will not completely address the negative financial effects these employees will experience. Their retirement and Thrift Savings Plan matching debt cannot be corrected. Mr. Speaker, VA has been making up the difference between the $156,000 cap and the rate of pay that has been received by the affected employees with bonuses, which do not count toward employee and agency retirement fund contributions and other Federal benefits. Since VA has faced significant challenges hiring qualified healthcare leaders in the past, removing any remaining barriers to ensuring VA can recruit and retain senior clinicians is crucial. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support S. 3084, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 6168. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.