Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Scott for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to S. 140, which would strip protections from workers who are employed by a Tribally-owned business but are not Tribal members. This includes protection from harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees, does not apply to Tribal enterprises. A non-Tribal worker employed by a Tribally-owned casino, for example, cannot file a harassment or discrimination claim in Federal court or with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Instead, collective bargaining agreements fill the gap by including provisions that enforce their right to a fair workplace. By stripping their collective bargaining rights, this legislation eliminates the only recourse that these workers have against discrimination and harassment. This is one of the many unacceptable consequences of this bill. Now, I have two letters. One from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and one from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, both of which raise strong objections to the majority's attempt to exclude workers from the rights enshrined in the National Labor Relations Act. Mr. Speaker, I include these letters in the Record. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, DC, December 6, 2017. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, I am again writing to express our strong opposition to H.R. 986, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act. This legislation would exempt all Tribally- owned and -operated commercial enterprises on Indian lands broadly defined from the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). We urge you to vote no when the House considers this legislation. If H.R. 986 were to become law, hundreds of thousands of workers at these enterprises, including Teamsters, would be stripped of their protections and rights under the NLRA, including the right to organize and collective bargaining. It would deprive both Tribal members and non-member employees of the right to form or join unions and to bargain collectively for better wages, hours, and working conditions. We should be working to expand the rights and ability of workers to earn a decent living for themselves and their families and to secure a safe and healthy workplace. While Tribal casinos have been the focus of discussion, this legislation affects not just casino workers. Since the 1980's Tribes have expanded business interests beyond casinos. They now operate many different revenue producing commercial enterprises--construction companies, mining operations, and power plants, to hotels, water parks and ski resorts, to name a few. In 2004, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) (in San Manuel) ruled that Tribal casino workers should have NLRA protections. Shortly after the San Manuel decision, legislation, in the form of amendments, was twice offered to block the NLRB from enforcing the San Manuel decision. These amendments were rejected. Since then, the NLRB has proceeded in a measured fashion asserting jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. The NLRB will not assert jurisdiction where it would interfere with internal governance rights in purely intramural matters or abrogate treaty rights. Otherwise, the NLRB will protect workers' rights at tribally owned enterprises by asserting jurisdiction. With its case- by-case approach, San Manuel takes a careful approach to balancing of tribal sovereignty interests with Federal labor law. It should be noted that other important federal laws that protect workers apply to Indian businesses, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Indeed, courts have denied attempts to gain exemptions on numerous occasions ruling commercial tribal enterprises should not be excluded from such laws. NLRA rights and protections should not be treated differently. Proponents assert that they are seeking the same exemption as state and local governments. However, this is inaccurate, The NLRA only exempts actual government employees and not private sector employees performing contracted out government functions. Also, a substantial majority of workers at these enterprises are not Indian or Tribe members, and thus have no ability to influence tribal governance, since non-tribal members are prohibited from petitioning a tribe. The bill could also undermine enforcement of existing labor contracts and the decision workers made to organize and bargain collectively. When a collective bargaining agreement expires, a Tribe could unilaterally terminate the relationship with the union without consequence under the NLRA. The employer's obligation. to bargain could be eliminated. Employees of tribal enterprises have no constitutional rights to protect against employers. Only the NLRA gives them free speech rights. Absent the NLRA they have no protection. Workers cannot be left without any legally enforceable right to form unions and bargain collectively just because they are employed at tribally owned enterprise. Finally, the United States requires its trading partners to implement and abide by internationally recognized labor standards, while H.R. 986 deprives workers at these tribal enterprises of these core rights--the right to organize and bargain collectively. To focus solely on the NLRA raises the question of the true motivation for this legislation. It is regrettable that the principle of tribal sovereignty is being used to cloak an attack on the basic rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively. The Teamsters Union respects tribal sovereignty. However, we do not believe that this principle should be used to deny workers their collective bargaining rights and freedom of association. We urge you to oppose the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act and to VOTE NO on H.R. 986 when the legislation comes to a vote in the House of Representatives. Sincerely, James P. Hoffa, General President.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, the ranking member, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4323, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act. I led this bill with the gentleman from Florida because finding ways to improve higher education for veterans is essential to our economy and critical to keeping our promise to those who serve. This legislation advances the great work being done by the National Science Foundation by requiring NSF to develop a plan to help more veterans enter science, technology, engineering, and math fields. In addition, it requires NSF to report available data on veterans participating in STEM fields. NSF will also be required to recruit veterans for existing NSF programs, including the Noyse Teacher Scholarship program, and for cybersecurity-specific education and training programs. Finally, this bill creates an interagency committee to help veterans and their spouses transition to STEM careers, including reporting on their progress. All of us understand the challenges veterans face when trying to further their education, but we have also seen what happens when former servicemembers are empowered to success as civilians. After World War II, soldiers returned home to a GI Bill that sparked an era of innovation and economic growth. By helping veterans enter STEM education and research programs, this bill will help build a workforce that is prepared to succeed in the modern economy. At the same time, it will drive some of our best and brightest into fields where they can make new discoveries and create new technologies that will redefine the world for future generations. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to work with my Republican colleague, Mr. Dunn, and I encourage all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Daryl Busch, the former mayor of Perris, California, who passed away earlier this month. As a U.S. Navy veteran, a small-business owner, and a pillar of the Perris community, Mayor Busch's commitment to public service was never in doubt. His professionalism, class, and compassion are just a few of the many reasons he was elected mayor of Perris for six consecutive terms. During his tenure, the city emerged from serious financial challenges to become a stable and growing community, and his leadership was critical to completing the Metrolink extension, which now connects Perris to neighboring communities. The foundation he built during his 17 years of public service will benefit the city and its residents for years to come. My thoughts are with Kay, his wife of 57 years, their son, Barry, and the rest of the Busch family.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of S. 1266, the Enhancing Veteran Care Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, since 2014, the Veterans' Affairs Committee has held countless hearings focused on VA medical centers that were found to have covered up wait times or failed to consistently provide high- quality healthcare to veterans. Many of these failures were first brought to light by whistleblower allegations and were later substantiated by Government Accountability Office studies and VA inspector general investigations. Solutions to these failures were only uncovered through multiple inspections of medical centers' facilities, their policies, and their employees. Congress relies on the hard work of medical inspectors and investigators at the VA, the OIG, and the GAO to review allegations and issue recommendations regarding how VA and Congress should work to correct deficiencies at medical centers and hold VA officials accountable. With limited resources, the inspector general and the GAO have completed a staggering number of investigations and reviews that have led to significant reforms of the VA system. They should be commended for their excellent work. The Enhancing Veteran Care Act gives the Secretary another tool for developing solutions to problems at VA medical facilities. The VA Secretary should be able to contract with nonprofit-nongovernmental medical inspectors or auditors when deemed appropriate. However, I strongly believe that granting the VA Secretary the authority to contract with nongovernmental inspectors and auditors should not result in cuts to the IG's or VA's budgets. We need to ensure VA inspectors and the VA OIG have the resources to continue their thorough and timely investigations. I am also concerned about these nongovernmental organizations not being required to follow Federal laws that require transparency. I believe these nongovernmental bodies should be held to the very same level of transparency as the IG, GAO, and VA investigators, including requirements to publish their methods for conducting audits and reviews alongside their findings and recommendations. Without transparency, Congress and the public will not have the same level of confidence in their findings. If we had the opportunity to consider this legislation in committee, we could have received testimony from VA, the IG, and GAO on this legislation and done more to address concerns around transparency, while also ensuring that investigative efforts are not duplicated. I encourage the chairman to continue his inclusive approach by seeking to bring all veterans related bills through committee for due consideration. However, these concerns will not prevent me from supporting the Enhancing Veteran Care Act. I trust the Secretary will execute this authority in a manner that supports and supplements government-led investigations. Veterans should have full confidence that they will receive high- quality healthcare at VA facilities. Rigorous and transparent investigations and audits will help guarantee these high standards are met. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), my good friend and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, today 9 million children are at risk of losing their access to healthcare and millions of parents are losing sleep as funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program expires. Community health centers across the country are at risk of steep cuts, forcing them to lay off medical professionals and turn away thousands of patients as their funding expires. DREAMers, who know no other home than America, are at risk of deportation as their DACA status expires. Military families, who serve a nation at war, are at risk of going without pay as government funding expires. But instead of passing legislation to ensure children have access to healthcare, to keep community health centers open, to protect our DREAMers, and to support military families, the majority is too focused on cutting taxes for the wealthiest individuals in America. This is a shameful failure to act in the best interests of the American people.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, most Americans would be outraged to learn that hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans have been deported after serving honorably in the United States military, but this is the shocking truth about our broken immigration system. These unjust deportations of veterans are still occurring. Let me cite the case of Chong Hwan Kim, a South Korean immigrant who has lived in this country since he was 5 years old. In 2009, he was deployed to Iraq and was honorably discharged a year later. Legal permanent residents qualify for citizenship if they serve just one day on Active Duty during a time of war. Suffering from PTSD and facing the same challenges that many veterans face reintegrating into society, Kim broke the law, and because he never completed the process of becoming a citizen, he currently awaits deportation. Veterans like Chong Hwan Kim deserve better. They deserve the dignity and respect that we afford to all who serve, and they deserve to enjoy the rights they risked their lives to protect.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding and for his continued leadership on behalf of America's workers. Mr. Speaker, more and more employees today are working for a company whose name is not on the front of their office building. Instead of hiring employees directly, companies are renting employees from staffing agencies. Let me say that again. Companies are renting employees from staffing agencies and then evading responsibility for upholding the rights of those workers, even as they profit from their work. For decades, sensible joint employment standards under the Fair Labor Standards Act have ensured that workers can hold employers accountable for violating wage and hour laws. Instead of refining those standards to reflect the complex relationship between workers and employers in today's economy, this legislation sets a dramatically and intentionally narrow standard so that no large corporation can be held accountable if their contractors violate workplace laws. Mr. Speaker, I include a letter of support in the Record, a letter by the National Employment Law Project and signed by more than 200 organizations opposing H.R. 3441 because it opens the door to widespread wage theft and hurts law-abiding small businesses. Hon. Paul Ryan, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Virginia Foxx, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Robert C. Scott, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Ryan, Leader Pelosi, Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking Member Scott: The undersigned organizations write in opposition to H.R. 3441, the so-called Save Local Business Act, which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to prevent workers from holding more than one employer jointly accountable for wage theft, child labor, equal pay violations, or unfair labor practices even when the employers jointly exercise and share control over working conditions. Under our nation's long-standing laws dating back as far as the late 1800s, employers who share control with their subcontractors over working conditions may also share accountability as joint employers for violations of workers' rights so that they will provide better oversight of working conditions, and in so doing, ensure broader compliance with basic labor and employment laws. H.R. 3441 seeks to dramatically narrow the long-standing definitions of ``employer'' in the FLSA and NLRA and it is neither good for workers nor for law-abiding businesses. H.R. 3441 opens the door to widespread wage theft and worker harms in occupations across the economy, including in our nation's growth industries The bill would undermine protections for millions of workers across the economy, especially in low-wage sectors where subcontracting is common: construction, agriculture, garment, janitorial, home care, delivery and logistics, warehousing, retail, temp and staffing, and manufacturing, just to name a few. Wage theft and other workplace dangers are prevalent in many of these jobs, and even under current law, millions of workers today are no longer sure who their boss is--and indeed, have no way to navigate the intricacies of companies' contracting relationships to ascertain who is responsible for workplace violations. When there's no clear line of accountability, work conditions are more likely to deteriorate: pay declines, wage theft increases, and workplace injuries rise. In addition, outsourced jobs pay less--sometimes as much as 30 percent less--than in-house jobs, likely due to a lack of worker and subcontractor bargaining power. In today's economy, we should be looking for ways to increase workers' pay and economic security, not laying the groundwork for more sweatshops. When a subcontractor cannot pay, joint employer standards ensure that workers have remedies against the contracting company for the legal violations. Workers should be able to recover when cheated out of wages, exposed to dangerous working conditions, or otherwise treated unlawfully. This bill would also impede workers from bringing equal pay claims to close the gender pay gap. Because the Equal Pay Act is a part of the FLSA, and uses the FLSA's definition of an employer, H.R. 3441 would make it harder for subcontracted workers to hold their employers accountable for gender-based pay discrimination. The bill actually hurts, not helps, law-abiding small businesses Although framed as a bill to help protect the independence of small businesses, including those that operate as franchisees, the bill would in fact insulate corporations, including franchisors, from liability. Unscrupulous businesses that employ abusive labor contractors to cheat workers would gain a competitive advantage over law-abiding businesses. In addition, franchisees whose business practices are all but dictated to them by larger corporations will be hung out to dry for decisions that aren't their own, without any indemnification from the entity that often all but forces labor and employment violations on them. Corporations that engage low-road contractors and then look the other way gain an unfair advantage over companies that play by the rules, resulting in a race to the bottom that rewards cheaters. It's one reason why the job quality of what were formerly middle-class jobs in America is suffering today. Working people struggle enough in today's economy. Don't let Congress make this worse by legislatively rigging the system in favor of corporations that don't care about the workers who build their businesses. Oppose H.R. 3441. Sincerely, 9to5 Colorado; 9to5 Wisconsin; 9to5, National Assoc of Working Women; A Better Balance; Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.; AFL-CIO; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO; Arizona Employment Lawyers Association; Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Barkan Meizlish LLP; Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen Local 3 MA/ME/NH/RI; California Employment Lawyers Association; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for Popular Democracy; Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa. Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM); Centro Legal de la Raza; Change to Win; Chicago Jobs Council; Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center; Coalition for Social Justice; Coalition of Labor Union Women; Coalition on Human Needs; Colorado Fiscal Institute; Columbia Legal Services, Washington State; Communications Workers of America (CWA); Community Labor United; Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto; Community Legal Services of Philadelphia; Community, Faith & Labor Coalition, Indianapolis; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces. Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces; Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.; Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); Democratic Socialists of America; Demos; Disciples Center for Public Witness (Disciples of Christ); Economic Policy Institute Policy Center; Economic Progress Institute; El Comite de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agricolas; Employee Rights Center; Equal Justice Center; Equal Rights Advocates; Fair Work Center; Fair World Project; Faith and Justice Worker Center; Family Values @ Work; Farmworker Association of Florida. Farmworker Justice; Florida Legal Services, Inc.; Food Chain Workers Alliance; Forward Community Investments; Franciscan Action Network; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Fuerza del Valle Workers' Center; Fuerza Laboral; Futures Without Violence; Genesis Masonry Contracting, LLC; Getman, Sweeney & Dunn, PLLC; Good Jobs First; Good Jobs Nation; Greater Boston Legal Services; Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc. Greater Rochester Coalition for Immigration Justice; Greater SE Mass Labor Council; Hardin & Hughes, LLP; Head Law Firm, LLC; Hudson Valley Justice Center; Immigrant Solidarity DuPage, Casa DuPage Workers Center; Immigrant Worker Center Collaborative (IWCC); In The Public Interest; Indianapolis Worker Justice Center; Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central WI; Interfaith Worker Justice; International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35; IWJSD. Jewish Community Relations Council, Milwaukee; Jobs With Justice; Justice in Motion; Kansas City Workers' Rights Board of Missouri Jobs with Justice; Kentucky Equal Justice Center; Kids for College; Kids Forward; Labor Justice Committee; Labor Project for Working Families; Laundry Workers Center; Lebau and Neuworth; The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Legal Aid at Work; The Legal Aid Society. Legal Services of Central New York; Legal Voice; Local 3, Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen; Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy; Madison-area Urban Ministry; Main Street Alliance; Maine Labor Group on Health; Maine Women's Lobby; Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund; Massachusetts Coalition of Domestic Workers; Massachusetts Interfaith Worker Justice; Massachusetts Law Reform Institute; MassCOSH (Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health); Mechanic Law Firm, Portland OR; Metrowest Worker Center; Miami Workers Center. Michigan League for Public Policy; Missouri Jobs with Justice; Moms Rising; NAACP; National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF); National Center for Law and Economic Justice; National Center for Transgender Equality; National Council for Occupational Safety and Health; National Council of Churches; National Domestic Worker Alliance; National Education Association; National Employment Law Project; National Employment Lawyers Association; National Guestworker Alliance; National Immigration Law Center. National LGBTQ Task Force; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Women's Law Center; National Workrights Institute; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; New Haven Legal Assistance; New Jersey Citizen Action; New Jersey Policy Perspective; New Jersey Time to Care Coalition; New Jersey Work Environment Council; New Labor; New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty; New Mexico Voices for Children; North Carolina Justice Center; NWA Workers' Justice Center; Oregon Center for Public Policy. Oxfam America; Patriotic Millionaires; Phillips Dayes Law Firm PC; Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California; Policy Matters Ohio; PolicyLink; Pride at Work; Progressive Congress Action Fund; Project IRENE; Public Citizen; Public Justice Center; Restaurant Opportunities Centers United; Safe Harbor Law, LLC; Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law; SE Mass Building Trades Council; SEIU Local 888. Service Employees International Union; South Central Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO; South Florida AFL-CIO; South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice; Southern Poverty Law Center; St. Louis Workers Rights Board, Missouri Jobs with Justice; Stephan Zouras, LLP; Teamsters Joint Council 7; Teamsters Local Union 350; Teamsters Local Union 469; The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (Virginia); The Law Offices of Gilda A. Hernandez, PLLC; The North Dakota Economic Security and Prosperity Alliance; The Rhode Island Center for Justice; The Stolarz Law Firm; The Warehouse Worker Resource Center. UltraViolet; Union for Reform Judaism; Union of Rutgers Administrators, AFT Local 1766; Unitarian Universalist Association; United Auto Workers (UAW); United Community Center of Westchester, Inc.; United Food and Commercial Workers International Labor Union; United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1445; United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied; Industrial and Services Workers International Union (USW); Washington State Budget & Policy Center; Wayne Action for Racial Equality; WeCount!; Werman Salas PC; West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy; Winebrake & Santillo, LLC. Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans; Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health; Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Wisconsin Community Program Association (WISCAP); Wisconsin Council of Churches; Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice; Wisconsin Network for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability; Women Employed; Women's Law Project; Workers' Center of Central New York; Workers Defense Project; Workers' Rights Center of Madison WI; Workers' Rights Project, Main Street Legal Services. Inc; Working Families Party; Working Partnerships USA; Workplace Fairness; Workplace Justice Project at Loyola College of Law Clinic; Worksafe; WV Citizen Action Group; Yezbak Law Offices.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, from 2001 to 2013, Wal-Mart was contracting with three warehouses in my community, and those warehouses contracted out their staffing to a company that was accused of committing egregious wage and hour law violations. Thanks to the FLSA joint employer standard, 1,700 warehouse workers were able to reach a $22 million settlement to collect the pay that they were owed from their employer. Under this bill, they would likely have gotten nothing. The questions we face today are: Will millions of workers, like the warehouse workers in my district, lose what little power they have left to fight against wage theft; will organized workers lose the basic right to bring all responsible parties to the table to collectively bargain for better wages and workplaces; will shrewd corporations be allowed to claim immunity from the laws that protect employees; and, most of all, will the people's House stand with the people or stand with the corporations that continue to rig the economy against the American worker? Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 3441.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1066, the VA Management Alignment Act of 2017, as introduced by my colleague from Washington, the most excellent Representative, Derek Kilmer. His advocacy and hard work on behalf of veterans is commendable. This bipartisan measure will require the VA Secretary to report to Congress on the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of employees within VA. This oversight is sorely needed. Last Congress, in testimony before the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the bipartisan co-chairs of the Commission on Care both highlighted how little attention is paid to the VA's human resources to ensure the Department is functioning efficiently. Representative Kilmer's legislation will help lead to a VA that more effectively meets veterans' needs. I have enjoyed working with Representative Kilmer to advance this legislation through committee and truly appreciate his work on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1066, the VA Management Alignment Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3562 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide funding for home adaptations for severely disabled veterans within the Vocational, Rehabilitation, and Employment, or VR&E, program. Currently, VA provides severely disabled veterans assistance to lead a more independent life through the VR&E program, which can include help with adaptive housing. However, as their name suggests, VR&E counselors are primarily trained to provide vocational and employment assistance, and they do not necessarily have the expertise to provide the best guidance on adaptive housing. The agents and contractors who are part of VA's Specially Adaptive Housing program, however, do have this expertise. The SAH program is specifically geared towards helping severely disabled veterans with adapting their homes to be equipped for independent living. Therefore, in order to better serve severely disabled veterans, this bill authorizes the SAH program to provide assistance to home adaptations for VR&E-eligible veterans. The amount of assistance would be capped at the same level of funding that is currently provided to SAH-eligible veterans. This is a solution that puts the right VA employee in charge of assisting a disabled veteran to adapt their home. This will also reduce the workload on VR&E counselors, allowing them to spend more time helping veterans with employment services. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3562, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. Again, I strongly support H.R. 3657, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3657, as amended, which would authorize VA to provide headstones and markers for the graves of spouses and children of veterans who are buried in Tribal cemeteries. VA currently provides a headstone or a marker for eligible spouses or dependent children who are buried or interred in a national, military post, or State veterans cemetery. However, spouses and dependents are not eligible for a government-furnished headstone or marker if they are buried in a private or Tribal cemetery. H.R. 3657, as amended, would resolve this inequity by ensuring that veterans' spouses and children who are buried at Tribal veterans cemeteries are provided government-furnished headstones or markers, which would be the same treatment family members buried at national and State veterans cemeteries receive. H.R. 3657, as amended, enjoys broad, bipartisan support among the Members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and I wish to thank the bill's sponsor, Representative Bruce Poliquin, for his sponsorship and the work of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee for bringing it to the floor. Native-American veterans have earned, and deserve, the same rights, privileges, and honors that other veterans receive. For this reason, I strongly support H.R. 3657, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to join me. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. Again, I strongly support H.R. 3656, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3656, as amended, which resolves an inconsistency in the eligibility for nonveteran spouses and children receiving memorial headstones. The legislation ensures a consistent applicability date for memorial headstones and markers for eligible nonveteran individuals whose remains are not available. Under current law, a surviving spouse who dies on or after November 11, 1998, is eligible for a headstone or marker. But for dependent children who pass away, the date of eligibility for a headstone or marker does not occur until December 22, 2006. This arbitrary difference causes situations in which VA can provide a marker for the parent, but not the dependent child. Clearly, this change would make it easier for surviving family members to make funeral and burial plans. H.R. 3656, as amended, is supported by the major veteran service organizations and enjoys bipartisan support in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3656, as amended, and I urge my colleagues in the House to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and again, I strongly support H.R. 3122, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3122, as amended, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2017, and thank the bill's sponsor, the congressman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), for introducing it. Veterans who served during wartime, and their spouses, may be eligible to receive pension benefits if they meet certain income and other eligibility requirements. Such veterans and survivors may also be eligible for additional financial benefits, known as Aid and Attendance, if the applicant needs assistance performing personal functions required in everyday living such as bathing, feeding, and dressing. Now, VA does not charge veterans and their families to apply for Aid and Attendance benefits. In addition, veterans service organizations, such as The American Legion and VFW, offer free assistance to veterans and their families who wish to apply for this benefit. Yet, in all parts of the country, some individuals attempt to charge fees for helping veterans apply for Aid and Attendance benefits. According to organizations, such as AARP and the Federal Trade Commission, senior veterans have increasingly become subject to scams involving insurance agents and financial planners trying to convince veterans to make quick decisions about pursuing Aid and Attendance in addition to their pension incomes. Some scammers use false representations such as suggesting automatic entitlement to benefits. Of greater concern, though, are those who help the veteran restructure financial assets in order to qualify for pension and/or Aid and Attendance. For example, moving financial assets into a pooled- asset irrevocable trust might render a veteran eligible for pension and Aid and Attendance, despite having assets in excess of the qualifying income thresholds. While it appears that this would benefit the veteran, what these salesmen do not tell them is that this type of restructuring might preclude them from Medicaid eligibility because of rules such as a 5- year look-back period, which considers whether one has moved substantial assets at less than market value. H.R. 3122, as amended, would require that VA post warnings on its website about dishonest individuals who would charge fees to this very vulnerable group of veterans and their families to help beneficiaries apply for pension with Aid and Attendance benefits. Now, this bill would also require GAO to submit a report to Congress on the types of standards used by Federal and State agencies intended to protect vulnerable populations from financial exploitation, an analysis of the types of financial exploitation facing veterans who are eligible for Aid and Attendance benefits, and any other gaps and efforts to address these issues. H.R. 3122, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act, enjoys broad bipartisan support in the House of Representatives as well as from our veterans service organizations. I want to also acknowledge the work of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Chairman Mike Bost and Ranking Member Elizabeth Esty for their efforts to protect veterans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 40th anniversary of AMRO Fabricating Corporation, whose Riverside manufacturing facility is adjacent to the March Air Reserve Base in my district. AMRO is a small business manufacturer that plays an important role in supporting NASA, the Department of Defense, and our community. Under the guidance of CEO Michael E. Riley, the grandson of founders Michael K. and Thora A. Riley, this family company is helping to develop a strong and skilled workforce in southern California. AMRO is partnering with the State and Federal Government on projects that place high school and college students in internships and apprenticeships, which prepare them for a successful future and support our local economy. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the AMRO team on this milestone, and I am proud to represent this terrific small business that is doing such great work for our community and for our Nation.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, Delila is a graduate student at the University of California, Riverside, who exemplifies the American spirit. As a young woman, she worked two and three jobs to support her family and help her father, who was their sole provider. Three years ago, when her father suffered a stroke, Delila stepped up and kept the family afloat while he recovered. She went on to take a full-time position as a sexual assault advocate in our community. Delila says that job allowed her to help those who live in fear and live without hope. This year, she will graduate with a master's degree, and there is no question that she is destined to accomplish great things. The only question is where she will accomplish them. Delila is a DREAMer, and her future in this country depends on whether we pass the Dream Act. Once again, I am asking my colleagues to do the right thing. Pass the Dream Act so people like Delila can continue to make our communities proud.