Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I want to echo the sentiment of my colleague, Ranking Member Roe. We have both said in public and acknowledged the tremendous progress the VA has made in reducing homelessness. It began with the commitment under President Obama and has been continued under President Trump. We have not done enough, I fear, to celebrate the tremendous reduction in homelessness across our country with respect to veteran homelessness. It still persists in my home State of California. We have a number of initiatives teed up, which, I trust, we are going to cooperate on. The VA gets knocked around a lot for its shortcomings, but I have to say that this is one of the accomplishments that we have to celebrate more. Mr. Panetta's bill, H.R. 3749, is a continuation of this work. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in passing it, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), my good friend and also the author of H.R. 3749, a veteran himself.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3749, as amended, the Legal Services for Homeless Veterans Act. Over the past decade, Congress and the Obama and Trump administrations have prioritized ending veteran homelessness. However, while rates of veteran homelessness have fallen, even one veteran without shelter is unacceptable. This committee is committed to providing services to prevent homelessness and to assist veterans who become homeless by providing them housing and access to healthcare and social services. According to the Project CHALENG, otherwise known as Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups, and VA survey, legal services are one of the top unmet needs for homeless veterans. H.R. 3749 directly addresses that need. Madam Speaker, H.R. 3749, as amended, is sponsored by Congressman Panetta and includes legislation authored by Congresswoman Beatty, Congresswoman Wild, and Congressman Levin. It authorizes VA to provide grants or enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities that provide legal services to homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness. The VA would be required to consult with organizations that have experience providing services to homeless veterans when establishing these criteria and requirements, and these grants or cooperative agreements would only be available to highly rated public or nonprofit entities. Additionally, at least 10 percent of the funds made available each fiscal year for this grant program must be reserved for providing legal services to homeless women veterans. As we know, women veterans are the fastest growing population of homeless veterans. Finally, this legislation authorizes $20 million of the funding for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant program to go to organizations that assist homeless veterans with children. The SSVF program has been one of the most effective tools to address veteran homelessness since its creation by President Obama, and I thank this administration and Congress for supporting it. Madam Speaker, southern California is ground zero for addressing veteran homelessness. Riverside, California, in my own district, reached functional zero veteran homelessness, but many communities surrounding my district need additional resources and programs to reach functional zero. Providing legal services to veterans who need them also prevents those veterans who are at risk of becoming homeless. Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Panetta, Congresswoman Beatty, Congresswoman Wild, and Congressman Levin, the chair of our Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, for their advocacy and work to pass legislation that will end veteran homelessness. Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3749, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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 H.R. 3749, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3749) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make grants to entities that provide legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I again urge all of my colleagues to pass H.R. 4852. Our veterans deserve to have the most accurate information available to them as they are making their choices about the institutions where they would like to use their GI Bill. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, 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 in support of H.R. 4852, the G.I. and Veterans Education Empowerment Act, also known as the GIVE Act. H.R. 4852, introduced by Representative Torres, provides veterans with more information about educational institutions prior to their enrollment. Too often veterans find their educational institutions are not good fits for their educational goals and drop out or transfer to other institutions after wasting time and benefits. After transferring, veterans lose credits from their transferring institutions or simply give up on acquiring a new skill set altogether because an institution does not meet their needs. Madam Speaker, the GIVE Act addresses an overlooked cause for veterans dropping out or transferring to other institutions: cultural incongruence. I have observed countless instances where veterans begin their studies only to find out that they are not comfortable on the campus of their educational institution. Congress created the GI Bill Comparison Tool to provide veterans with more information when they consider where they will pursue a postsecondary education. While the GI Bill Comparison Tool provides veterans with data on tuition and costs, accreditation, and cautionary information, there are gaps in the information regarding campus culture. For example, the GI Bill Comparison Tool does not inform a Catholic veteran, who may be interested in attending a Catholic institution, if an institution is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Madam Speaker, small pieces of information like that are critical to helping veterans assimilate to life on campus. Data on campus culture are collected by the Department of Education but are not currently displayed on the GI Bill Comparison Tool website. Now, if enacted, the GIVE Act will require VA to provide prospective student veterans with information on whether an institution is minority serving, gender specific, or has a religious affiliation. Madam Speaker, this bill will simply require the GI Bill Comparison Tool to display information to help veterans choose the right school the first time. This bill will also help veterans choose a campus that is aligned with their values and reduce the number of transfers due to cultural incompatibility. We owe it to our veterans to give them the most accurate and relevant information that will allow them to efficiently obtain a new skill set so they can reenter the labor force and find meaningful opportunities. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Torres for her work on this important issue. Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4852, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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 H.R. 4852.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4852) to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make available to veterans certain additional information about postsecondary educational institutions, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I associate myself with the remarks of the ranking member. A catastrophic medical condition associated with someone who has worn the uniform of our Nation in service of our Nation should not also be accompanied by his family or her family needing to worry about paying off a lease on a home or a car. The law of the United States should reflect the gratitude that the people have for a servicemember's service to our country. This is the right thing to do, and I encourage all of my colleagues to, again, join me in passing H.R. 2227, as amended. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2227, as amended, the Gold Star Spouses and Spouses of Injured Servicemembers Leasing Relief Expansion Act of 2019. This bill was introduced by Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois. I thank her for her work with the committee. It expands on the work the committee did last Congress with Representative Bustos to improve the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. This bill ensures that active and reserve component servicemembers and their spouses or dependents who are catastrophically injured while in service to this Nation have the ability to break their home and vehicle leases up to a year after their injury so that the family can modify their living situation to what best suits their new needs. Servicemembers and families undergo difficult life transitions because of catastrophic injuries. Families should have the flexibility to be at their servicemember's side during recovery and the ability to easily move closer to family, friends, or other support networks. Families dealing with the catastrophic injury of their loved ones should not have to worry about leases and cancellation fees. Madam Speaker, this bill is an outgrowth of the bill Mrs. Bustos led last Congress and was the suggestion of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. It also clarifies similar legislation that passed in the National Defense Authorization Act last year. H.R. 2227, as amended, would make it clear that catastrophically disabled servicemembers who have the mental capacity to terminate a lease may do so. It is not only spouses and dependents who are protected by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Madam Speaker, I thank Dr. Wenstrup, a former member of this committee, for his focus on the issue and for working with Mrs. Bustos on this bill. I also thank the Paralyzed Veterans of America for highlighting the need to include catastrophically disabled veterans and families in our work to improve the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Finally, I applaud the bipartisan work of Congressmen Levin and Bilirakis on this bill and their work on the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 2227, as amended. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2227) to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to authorize spouses of servicemembers who incur a catastrophic injury or illness or die while in military service to terminate leases of premises and motor vehicles, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in strong support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. I rise in support of unions and millions of workers fighting for higher wages, better benefits, and safe working conditions. For years, Republicans and corporate interests have been chipping away at the rights of workers in America. Employers are aggressively waging a campaign against unions and against the best interests of their workers. It is illegal for employers to intimidate workers who want to join unions, but it is still happening, because these union-busting bosses are not being held responsible. The PRO Act will ensure that penalties are enforced to help put an end to these antiunion activities. American workers are putting in the work; they should also be reaping the rewards of their labor. The PRO Act will help workers stand together to demand their fair share and to make their bosses listen. Mr. Chair, I enter into the Record a letter from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in support of the PRO Act. International Longshore & Warehouse Union, San Francisco, California, February 3, 2020. Dear Representative: As President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), I urge you to support the PRO Act (Protecting the Right to Organize Act, H.R. 2474) when debated on the House Floor this week. The ILWU further urges you to oppose amendments that would weaken this important legislation. The ILWU is committed to organizing the unorganized. We recently celebrated the first union contract for workers at Anchor Steam Brewing Co. in San Francisco, California. We have organized other workers into our great union, but have been unsuccessful in achieving a fair contract due to bad faith bargaining. The truth is that every day workers are intimidated, threatened, and coerced simply because they aspire to join a union and achieve a better life. Our current labor law allows this immoral corporate behavior without meaningful consequences. The United States gave Americans the right to organize labor unions under the National Labor Relations Act (NRLA). The increase in unionization encouraged by the law significantly diminished income inequality over the next forty years. American workers prospered as a result of having a voice in the workplace. However, over time, corporations and their political allies have gutted organizing rights, and diminished unions, which has caused great economic disparities. The decline in union density accounts for one third of the rise in income inequality among men and one fifth among women according to the Economic Policy Institute. The time is now to restore workers' potential to organize. The PRO Act restores the balance of power we desperately need between workers and management. This bill authorizes the NLRB to assess monetary penalties for each violation in which a workers is wrongfully terminated or suffers serious economic harm. The bill importantly imposes personal liability on corporate directors and officers who participate in violations of workers' rights or have knowledge of and fail to prevent such violations. The PRO Act also gives workers the right to override so- called ``right to work'' laws that prevent unions from collecting dues from the people they represent. The bill would give employers and unions the right to enter into a contract that allows unions to collect fair share fees that cover the costs of collective bargaining and administering the contract. It is simply unfair and divisive for some non- dues paying workers to get a free ride off the backs of their fellow dues paying workers. Further, the Act protects First Amendment rights by removing prohibitions on workers acting in solidarity with workers at other companies. The bill also prohibits companies from permanently replacing striking workers. A critical part of the legislation seeks to facilitate initial collective bargaining agreements. Even when workers succeed in forming a union, nearly half of newly formed unions fail to ever reach a contract with the employer. The bill facilitates first contracts between companies and newly certified unions by requiring mediation and arbitration to settle disputes. The ILWU fully supports the PRO Act and we urge you to actively support this important legislation to benefit the organized labor and those workers who seek to join a union. It is time to restore the right to organize to American workers. Sincerely, William Adams, President.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act, otherwise known as the PAWS Act, introduced by Representative Stivers of Ohio. This bill has more than 300 cosponsors, which put it on the Consensus Calendar. It reflects this Chamber's desire to pass legislation addressing veterans' mental health, which I strongly support. The bill calls for the VA to establish a 5-year pilot program to make grants available to appropriate nongovernmental entities ``for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of addressing post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms through a therapeutic medium of training service dogs for veterans with disabilities.'' Mr. Speaker, I think everyone in this room today can agree that dogs--and animals, more broadly speaking--make great companions. In fact, in 2018, Americans spent $72 billion on their pets. Years of research have illustrated numerous positive health outcomes, such as lowering blood pressure. I intend to vote ``yes'' on this bill; however, I do have concerns about this bill becoming law before VA's study examining the possible therapeutic benefits of veterans with PTSD receiving either a service dog or an emotional support dog is complete. Service dogs and emotional support dogs are very different, and it is important that we understand the efficacy of providing veterans with PTSD with either type of dog. Relying on the dog for companionship is far different than using dogs as a form of behavioral health treatment. Mr. Speaker, like any other treatment, therapy, or pharmaceutical provided to veterans, research must be performed so informed policy and treatment decisions can be made. A draft monograph outlining VA's findings is complete and currently undergoing peer review by the National Academy of Sciences. The VA anticipates having a final report to Congress not later than the end of July 2020. Before this bill was placed on the Consensus Calendar, I had hoped to wait to have the findings of this study so that we could properly review and mark up this legislation, ensuring veterans receive effective, evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Mr. Speaker, we are passing this legislation without scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of service dogs for the treatment of PTSD. However, I support this bill because its placement on the Consensus Calendar reflects the will of the Members of this Chamber, and years of research have shown positive health outcomes related to owning dogs for companionship. When we receive the study, I intend to work with our Senate colleagues to improve and strengthen this legislation so that we can ensure veterans diagnosed with PTSD receive effective treatments. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 H.R. 4305, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4305) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program on dog training therapy, as amended.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill), my good friend.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I ask my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4305, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. 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 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Slotkin), my good friend.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. I want to point out to the gentleman that my amendment pertains to records of arrests that appear on consumer reports that did not lead to a conviction, so, what is recorded on the report is an arrest. I don't believe most Americans believe that it is fair for that consumer to suffer adverse ability to gain housing or to gain credit or whatever it may be, a job, but employers look at job----

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