Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as I was listening to my friend from the State of Ohio, I was struck by just how the process of legislating in this body works, how ideas come from very real people seeking to solve problems through their Representative. And I watched this legislation move through committee, the gentlewoman graciously accepting the changes and approving the bill. I know that my colleague from Tennessee, a doctor himself, cares so much about medical education. We worked together on expanding the number of medical residencies. I am delighted this bill has come to the floor so expeditiously. Often, legislation takes so much time to win its way through, but an idea that was very worthy moved through and, I think, in record time. So, again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2787, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 45 seconds to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the author of this bill.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2787, as amended, the Vet MD Act. The Department of Veterans Affairs, like the Nation, is experiencing a shortage of healthcare providers. With shortages in areas like mental healthcare and medical administration, it can become increasingly difficult to maintain a facility's efficiency and quality. That is why it is increasingly important to promote medical education and employment within VA as soon in a student's educational career as is possible. This bill allows VA to capture students as they complete their premedical undergraduate degrees by offering them the opportunity to shadow medical professionals in VA facilities. Not only does this create a familiarity with VA among the students, but allows VA to continue to do one of the things it does best: educate the Nation's future healthcare providers. I appreciate the hard work of my colleague, Representative Kaptur, and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Vet MD Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 2409, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), my good friend.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2409, as amended, to allow certain servicemembers to terminate their cable, satellite television, and Internet service contracts while deployed. This is an important part of modernizing the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and helps it reflect the current lifestyle of servicemembers. Internet and television access have become necessities in the modern world. The SCRA is key to protecting the rights of servicemembers and allowing them to fulfill their service obligations. I would like to thank the chairman for working with the minority to match this bill to the changes we are making under H.R. 5882, as amended, the Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act, which we will also be voting on today. I would also like to thank the chairman for working with us on including National Guard and reservist servicemembers who are killed while on duty. Lastly, I want to recognize Mr. Kilmer and Mr. McGovern for working with Mr. Costello to bring this important bill forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, a passionate educator, a change-maker, and a powerhouse of a woman, that is how the community of Riverside would describe my dear friend, Waudieur ``Woodie'' Rucker-Hughes. As a history teacher at John W. North High School and an administrator for the Riverside Unified School District, Woodie worked to demolish educational barriers and address the needs of all students. As an activist and leader for the Riverside branch of the NAACP, Woodie challenged injustice and moved our communities forward every single day. As a mother and a friend, she touched my life and the lives of many others with her kindness and her steadfast support and encouragement. Today, we remember Woodie, her legacy, and everything she stood for. I am going to leave you with Woodie's motto: Good, better, best. Never let them rest until the good becomes better and the better becomes best. In honor of Woodie, let's keep working to make this country, and the world, an even better place than she left it.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 899, the Veterans Providing Healthcare Transition Improvement Act, which extends paid sick leave benefits for veteran employees with service-connected disabilities in their first year of work at the Department of Veterans Affairs. As the lead Democrat on this bill, I thank my colleague Representative Steve Stivers from Ohio for his bipartisan leadership on this issue. And let me hasten to add, I do enjoy the work that we do together as founders and co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Maker Caucus, bringing to the attention of the Congress advanced manufacturing technologies. But back to the issue at hand. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Senator Mazie Hirono for taking the lead on this important issue in the Senate. Veterans who choose to provide their medical skills and expertise to serve other veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs should not have to take a leave of absence to receive the care that they need. By improving the Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act to extend benefits to wounded warriors working at the VA, we will help veterans who need to take time off to get their own medical care. This will also help in hiring and recruiting what are known as title 38 employees at the VA. This group of employees includes physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists. According to 2018 data from the Veterans Health Administration, there are over 14,000 title 38 vacancies nationwide. We must make it a priority to fill these vacancies to ensure that the VA is well staffed and capable of providing veterans with the services that they need. Extending benefits to title 38 employees at the VA can help with the recruitment and hiring of veterans who want to continue helping other veterans. Veterans working at the VA already make incredible sacrifices to help their fellow veterans. Their paychecks should not be one of them. This is why I urge my colleagues to stand with our veterans and support this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 299, as amended, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. It has taken years of dedicated advocacy and bipartisanship to get us here today. I would especially like to recognize Ranking Member Walz, who could not be here today but was a driving force behind this legislation. H.R. 299 is an important step toward rectifying a longstanding injustice for veterans who were made sick from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam more than 50 years ago. Passage of this legislation will extend eligibility to 90,000 veterans who served in Vietnam and may have been exposed to this dangerous chemical. Some thought this day would never come for the blue water Navy veterans. Finding over $1 billion in the Federal budget is not an easy task. Many people even said it was impossible. I thank the chairman for sitting down with the veteran service organizations, working with staff, and agreeing to find an alternative funding source to right this wrong. I am proud that this committee was able to, once again, reach a bipartisan agreement to move forward with legislation that does what is right for our Nation's veterans. While there was disagreement about the pay-for in the past, the solution in this bill is fair. It does not cut benefits for one group of veterans to pay for the benefits of others. It requires all veterans, whether they served on Active Duty, in the Reserves, or as guardsmen and -women, to pay for the same VA home loan funding fee. With the move to an operational Reserve, reservists and guardsmen and -women are deploying alongside Active Duty servicemembers into harm's way. It is fair for VA to charge the same fee across the board. The funding fee allows the VA to continue guaranteeing home loans to current and future servicemembers and veterans. Disabled veterans are exempt from paying the fee. Now, we were able to do this by working together, and I want to thank Chairman Roe for identifying the solution. A special measure of credit must also go to the Vietnam Veterans of America for their steadfast advocacy for blue water veterans. Because of VVA's efforts, it is my hope that never again will another group of veterans face the same problems that they did. I would also like to add that, before we take this historic vote, we must remember toxic exposures continue to occur. Since 9/11, servicemembers have been exposed to burn pits and mefloquine, both of which are likely causing serious health complications. And we can't forget our servicemembers who have been exposed to atomic radiation and those struggling with Gulf War illnesses. Not every exposure can be avoided, but their risks should be tracked, understood, and mitigated. The servicemember must receive timely healthcare and disability compensation if exposure causes adverse health conditions and disease. We must build a system that proactively identifies, investigates, diagnoses, treats, and heals toxic exposures, as well as one that also holds the Department of Defense accountable. My feeling is that, if we are using presumptions, it means that we are already losing the battle. It means we haven't documented who was exposed to what, so we are just going to assume that everyone was exposed. H.R. 299 makes other important reforms, including adjusting the date of the presumption for veterans exposed to Agent Orange and in the Korean DMZ, so that those exposed during a period of testing become eligible. It directs the Secretary to reach out to veterans who have previously been denied to inform them of the new law and how to file a new claim. The bill also requires that VA use language that is easily understood. H.R. 299 also expands the presumption for Agent Orange exposure to children born with spina bifida to veteran parents exposed in Thailand. Lastly, the bill mandates that VA report to Congress within 180 days after enactment on the result of the epidemiological study conducted on Gulf War veterans who are suffering from Gulf War illness. I am proud that we are fixing this broken promise to the blue water veterans today; but there are many others in the making, and we need to address them as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), my good friend and colleague, who has been with this issue since four Congresses ago. He is the original, first Democratic cosponsor on the current bill before us. It is my honor to yield to him.

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

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

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

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

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining on my side?

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just want to offer my reflections on the persistence of both Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz. I think it is a great injustice that Mr. Walz could not be here today because I know how hard he worked with Chairman Roe to find a pay-for. Let me say, also, for the folks back in my own district, in Riverside County, Riverside County has the eighth or ninth largest absolute population of veterans in the Nation, depending on what year you are counting. But every year, we have an event known as West Coast Thunder of mostly Harley-Davidson riders who ride from the Harley-Davidson shop to Riverside National Cemetery. Most of those riders are Vietnam veterans. I know back home in my district that the veterans support committee is going to be thrilled that Congress came together on this important legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa), my good friend and fellow member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and the former chairman of the California State Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I again want to thank Chairman Roe for bringing forth this very important legislation. I also want to acknowledge, again, the ranking member, Tim Walz, for working so hard to bring this legislation to the floor. It was a long time coming. It was introduced four Congresses ago. I believe that this is a shining moment for the Veterans' Affairs Committee and a shining moment for this Congress, for the people of this country to see us come together and do something that has been long overdue for our Vietnam veterans, often who were not welcomed home in the way that they should have been. This is a small gesture of what we can do to make amends for that lack of a proper welcoming home. This is a very proud moment for me. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 299, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the career of Dom Betro, a resident of my district, who is retiring this month as the president and CEO of the Family Service Association of Western Riverside County. Over the last 33 years, Dom has overseen phenomenal growth in the impact of this agency, which today helps more than 75,000 people a year. Under Dom's leadership, the FSA developed more than 90 units of senior housing and provided counseling and childcare service to countless individuals. Dom's record of public service includes volunteer work for organizations such as the Nonprofit Policy Counsel of California. He is a lecturer at California State University San Marcos and served for 4 years on the City of Riverside City Council. The legacy of Dom's dedication to the Inland Empire will continue long after his retirement. He has made our community a better place to live. On behalf of my constituents, I want to thank him for his service.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Securing America's Future Act. It is obscene to bring this deeply flawed bill to the floor when thousands of children have been ripped from their parents. Americans across the country are outraged over the Trump administration's actions to separate families at the border. And Trump's answer? An executive order that cages families indefinitely and will be immediately challenged in court. Unfortunately, this bill before us would do nothing to stop any of this. Instead, it criminalizes every undocumented man, woman, and child in this country and subjects them to the same cruel policy being played out at our border. It is shocking we are even considering this bill. Let's be on the right side of history. Let's stop tearing families apart. Let's stop caging people fleeing violence. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and defeat this repugnant bill.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty), my good friend and the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4635, as amended, to increase the number of peer-to-peer counselors available to women veterans. Peer-to-peer counseling is meant to be sensitive to the specific culture of the military and how that culture affects veterans. It can be incredibly helpful to veterans who may not feel comfortable entering a more formal form of treatment, and for many women veterans, their most relatable peer will be a fellow woman. This bill would require VA to increase women veterans' access to peer-to-peer counselors, thus ensuring all veterans can enjoy the benefit of this incredible form of therapy. Between this legislation and the other peer support measure recently passed in the VA MISSION Act, this body continues to underscore its commitment to expanding peer support at VA. I appreciate the hard work Mr. Coffman has put into this issue and look forward to supporting his efforts. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Let me just say that I have personally witnessed the effectiveness of these courts in my own community. They have saved lives; they have fixed lives; they have repaired lives; and they have afforded our veterans a measure of dignity as they heal from their experiences in battle. So I ask all my colleagues to please join me in passing H.R. 2147, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly).