Mark Takano

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5399, introduced by the gentleman from Tennessee, Dr. Roe. This bill would ensure that physicians of the Department of Veterans Affairs fulfill the ethical duty to report impaired, incompetent, and unethical healthcare activities of their colleagues. I appreciate the gentleman bringing this issue to our attention. It is another instance of the many ethical and legal imperatives that VA physicians are under while serving those who have dedicated themselves to protect our freedoms. All physicians have a duty to report impaired colleagues who continue to practice, despite reasonable offers of assistance. This obligation appears in professional guidelines and in laws and regulations governing the practice of medicine. All physicians are accredited by the American Medical Association, and their policy states, and I quote: ``Physicians have an ethical obligation to report impaired, incompetent, and unethical colleagues.'' The Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States' policy on physician impairment states that physician health programs have ``a primary commitment to help state medical boards . . . protect the public . . . These programs should demonstrate an ongoing track record of ensuring safety to the public and reveal deficiencies if they occur.'' The physicians who care for our veterans take their duties and oaths to help their patients very seriously, and I am glad for this opportunity to reiterate the topnotch quality care that the VA provides each and every day. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation and join me in passing H.R. 6416. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, might I inquire as to how much time for debate remains on each side.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6323, to name the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system in Long Beach, California, the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center. What a remarkable story about Tibor Rubin. Tibor Rubin survived the Mauthausen concentration camp for 14 months before being liberated by American soldiers in May of 1945. After immigrating to the United States in 1948, he enlisted in the United States Army and volunteered to serve in Korea despite not being required to serve overseas as a non-U.S. citizen. While in Korea, Corporal Rubin was ordered to defend a road while his division was in retreat. He held that position for 24 hours until the 8th Cavalry could safely withdraw. Corporal Rubin spent 30 months as a prisoner of war in North Korea, where testimony from his fellow prisoners detailed his willingness to sacrifice for the others. He helped his fellow POWs by sneaking out of the camp at night and foraging for food, stealing from enemy supplies, and bringing back what he could to help the soldiers imprisoned with him. He declined the offer of his Communist captors to return him to Soviet Hungary, his country of origin, to help protect those from his adopted country. ``He shared the food evenly among the GIs,'' a fellow prisoner wrote. ``He also took care of us, nursed us, carried us to the latrine.'' This GI also added, ``Helping his fellow men was the most important thing to him.'' For these actions and more, Mr. Rubin was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2005. For all that this brave immigrant did to protect the freedoms of our great country, we are honored to be able to name this VA Medical Center after him. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 8 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal).

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. What an amazing and inspiring story behind Corporal Rubin. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, H.R. 6323. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5600, as amended, the No Hero Left Untreated Act. This bill is designed to create a pilot program in the VA to determine if magnetic EEG/EKG-guided resonance therapy technology is appropriate for larger populations of veterans suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, chronic pain, or opiate addiction. Under this treatment, a veteran's EEG and EKG are analyzed to ascertain the brain's patterns of function and detect any possible abnormalities. This information is used to develop a personalized treatment for each patient aimed at restoring the brain to its optimal state. It is essential that the VA continue to explore new and innovative treatments, like resonance therapy, that can offer breakthroughs for veterans and servicemembers suffering from PTSD and other traumas. For more than 90 years, the Veterans Affairs Research and Development program has been improving the lives of veterans and all Americans through healthcare discovery and innovation. VA research is unique because of its focus on health issues that affect veterans. It is part of an integrated healthcare system that coordinates care for veterans and affiliates with university medical schools and teaching hospitals to train our healthcare providers and perform groundbreaking medical research. I look forward to learning more about this treatment and its effects on those veterans who have continued to suffer from the wounds of combat trauma here at home. Innovative pilot programs and continued investment in research will help to ensure that our Nation's veterans get the high-quality care they have earned and deserve. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation and join me in passing H.R. 5600, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I yield myself such time as I may consume. It just strikes me, Colonel Cook, I know we have named this act the HIRE Vets Act, and knowing of your service in Vietnam, and so many of the Vietnam veterans that live in the Inland Empire, we could also call this the Welcome Home Act because nothing is more welcoming than a job. I share your passion for caring about our veterans in the Inland Empire, and in California, of course, all over our country, and I certainly honor your service to our country. So I urge all my colleagues to support--to join me in passing H.R. 3286, and I look forward to seeing those medallions in many businesses across your district and mine in California. Mr. Speaker, 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. 3286, as amended, the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2016, or the HIRE Vets Act. I thank my colleague and fellow Inland Empire and California Representative Colonel Paul Cook for introducing this innovative bill. The HIRE Vets Act directs the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Services, otherwise known as DOL VETS, to establish a HIRE Vets Medallion Program. This program will solicit voluntary information from private sector employers who successfully recruit, employ, and retain veterans, and allow these employers to display on their marketing materials a recognized medallion as a symbol of their commendable hiring practices. Employers who provide community and charitable services supporting veterans will also be eligible to display a HIRE Vets Medallion. Hiring veterans isn't just the right thing to do from a moral perspective; it also makes good business sense. The men and women who served in our military received invaluable training and experience that has been proven to help them thrive in postmilitary employment, whether in the public or private sectors. Fortunately, we have been seeing encouraging trends in veterans' employment. Thanks to the hard work of DOL VETS, combined with efforts within the private sector and Federal and State governments, the veterans' unemployment rate in October was 4.3 percent. That is lower than the national unemployment rate, which was 4.9 percent. This continues a 24-month trend, with only a single exception. We can all be very proud of the progress we have made in making sure more veterans are able to find quality, good-paying jobs upon transitioning into civilian life. That said, we want to remain vigilant to make sure that the men and women who signed up to defend our Nation enjoy opportunities for growth and prosperity when they return home. Again, I want to thank my colleague, Colonel Cook, for offering this legislation to provide a uniform, recognizable medallion to show our appreciation to companies that hire and retain veteran employees. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill and to stand in support of its passage today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard).

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to offer my unqualified support for H.R. 4757, Chairman Miller's bill that updates current law to ensure our Nation's heroes are accorded the recognition they deserve, particularly those afforded the Nation's highest honor for valor, the Medal of Honor. First, H.R. 4757 directs the VA to provide, upon request, a distinctive headstone, marker, or medallion to Medal of Honor recipients who are buried in private cemeteries. This bill is necessary because current law actually prohibits the Secretary from furnishing these honors to recipients not buried in national cemeteries. Second, while the VA sends a Presidential Memorial Certificate that expresses the Nation's recognition and gratitude of military service to family members of a deceased veteran, current law limits Presidential Memorial Certificates to the families of those who served in regular armed services or National Guard and Reserve members who were called to Active Duty. H.R. 4757 very rightly expands eligibility for a Presidential Memorial Certificate to members of the Reserve component of the Armed Forces and the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard eligible for interment or inurnment in national cemeteries. Finally, current law only allows VA to pay for the cost of transporting the remains of a deceased veteran to the nearest open national cemetery. If it is the family's choice instead to be buried in a State or tribal veteran's cemetery, H.R. 4757 authorizes VA to pay the costs associated with transporting the remains of an eligible deceased veteran to that cemetery nearest to the deceased veteran's last residence. Mr. Speaker, honoring the memory of deceased veterans is our greatest responsibility at the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and I am pleased to support Chairman Miller's legislation which refines and improves on the ways we are doing that. I encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation and join me in passing H.R. 4757, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5047, the Protecting Veterans' Educational Choice Act of 2016. I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice) for introducing this commendable legislation. This bill would require the VA to include information about the educational services available to all veterans seeking to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and it would require VA counselors who provide educational or vocational counseling to inform the veterans about the articulation agreements that exist between schools that govern the transfer of credits. Articulation agreements refer to formal agreements between two or more institutions of higher learning, documenting the credit transfer policies for a specific academic program. Student veterans have an important decision to make when they choose a college or university to attend with their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. It is essential that they understand at the outset whether they could transfer their credits to another college or university down the line. We have seen too many examples of student veterans depleting their limited GI Bill benefits to attend for-profit colleges, only to find out later that their opportunities to transfer to schools without losing time, money, and credit hours are severely limited. Ensuring that student veterans know in advance whether a school will give them credit for completed courses if they choose to transfer will help veterans avoid choosing schools where their credits will not transfer, thus saving them both time and their hard-earned Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. I thank Representative Hice for introducing this important piece of legislation, which I am proud to cosponsor and support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation. I have no other speakers. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5047. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 5166, sponsored by Representative Yoho, which would give certified congressional office caseworkers access to veterans' electronic disability claims records at the Veterans Benefits Administration. The purpose of the bill is to provide faster answers to our veteran constituents who call our offices to help with their VA claims. By the time veterans contact us, many have already faced delays or frustrating experiences trying to get answers themselves. This bill will allow our congressional caseworkers read-only access to disability claims records. This means they will not be able to add or remove anything from a veteran's record. The bill also includes privacy safeguards, which reinforce the necessity for getting prior consent from a veteran before a caseworker can access a veteran's files. Additionally, the bill requires that congressional employees certified for this access must be full-time employees who provide constituent services. I am hopeful that as this program is developed, VA will put in place a tracking system to ensure these employees are only assisting constituents from their congressional districts and that congressional staff are held accountable if found to have abused any aspect of this new and unprecedented authority. In short, Mr. Speaker, there is broad, bipartisan support among our colleagues for helping veterans get timely answers to their claims questions. Allowing full-time congressional staff members access to electronic disability claims records on a read-only basis is a step in the direction of putting the veteran's interest first and foremost. I support H.R. 5166, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5166, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, many Americans woke up today and after the elections under a cloud of fear and anxiety. There are children who, for perhaps the first time in their lives, are wondering if this country welcomes and respects them. I rise today to remind my colleagues, the incoming administration, and the American people that millions of our veterans and servicemembers have made incredible sacrifices in defense of a single powerful idea: no matter where you come from, what you believe, or who you love, you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. On Veterans Day, we expressed our enduring gratitude to those men and women--Latinos and Muslims, Christians and Jews, African Americans and all others--who put on the uniform to defend that idea. But our words are not enough. We must honor their service by protecting the rights and freedoms of every American, and we must keep our pledge to promote liberty and justice for all. Thank you again to all our veterans. We will honor your service.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Finally, I want to raise objection to the way that this legislation is being considered. H.R. 6094 was brought to the floor as an emergency measure, bypassing regular order. Mr. Speaker, an emergency is the epidemic of gun violence that kills 91 Americans every day. An emergency is averting a damaging shutdown and funding the Federal Government. Taking $600 million out of the pockets of hardworking Americans and preventing them from spending time with their families is not an emergency, and that is what H.R. 6094 would do. This legislation and the way it is being considered is a message to middle class families that they are not a priority for this Congress. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Virginia, the ranking member, Mr. Scott, for his leadership on this issue. I am here to express my strong opposition to H.R. 6094. Prior to the Department of Labor taking action this year, the rules governing overtime were woefully out of date. In 1975, 60 percent of salaried workers had access to overtime protections. Four decades later, that number was just 8 percent. The result is that millions of American workers were denied a fair day's pay for a fair day's work for far too long. On numerous occasions, my colleagues across the aisle have conceded that the threshold should be increased, but they say that this increase is too much too soon. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, an incremental change would have been appropriate three decades ago. Now we need bold action to restore overtime protections for middle class workers. I find it ironic that this bill is called the Regulatory Relief for Small Businesses, Schools, and Nonprofits Act. After decades of long hours and low pay, it is working families that need relief. This bill takes money out of the pockets of middle class Americans right before the holiday season. In reality, this bill should be called the Grinch Act. The overtime rule will ensure that 4.2 million Americans will have access to overtime protections. An additional 8.9 million workers will see their overtime protections strengthened. These middle class workers will either get an increase in pay or more time to spend with their families or both. This is plainly one of the most significant steps we can take to support the middle class. I am not blind to the concerns of the business communities. I have heard from small businesses, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations in my own district who are worried about the impact this rule will have on their bottom lines; but the truth is, while this rule is a big deal for workers, it will not have a significant consequence for businesses. The Department of Labor estimates that the total cost of the rule will amount to less than one- tenth of 1 percent of total U.S. payroll costs. I repeat that: less than one-tenth of 1 percent of total U.S. payroll costs. Among workers affected by the rule, only one in five regularly work overtime. At universities and colleges, employees whose primary duties are teaching, lecturing, or instructing are exempt from overtime coverage under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Only 3.4 percent of all employees in colleges, universities, and junior colleges will be affected by this rule. Only 0.5 percent of those workers usually work overtime. And who are these workers? They are the people peeling potatoes in the dining hall, they are the landscapers cutting grass in the quad, and they are the sporting equipment managers who work in multimillion- dollar athletic facilities, but can barely afford to support their families. They deserve to be paid for the hours they work. Employers have inexpensive options for complying with this rule. For example, they can work with their teams to ensure that their employees are only working 40 hours a week, preventing overwork, as the Fair Labor Standards Act intended. Yes, we have heard concerns about the overtime rule from the business community, but we have also heard their support. Ranking Member Scott and Chairman Kline received a letter from the American Sustainable Business Council urging Congress to support a full implementation deadline of December 1, 2016. These businesses believe that any delay would be unduly burdensome, as businesses have been preparing for the rule to go into effect this year. We have also received support from the nonprofits. I will include in the Record two letters to the Department of Labor offering support for the rule during the rulemaking process: one with nearly two dozen nonprofits, and another letter with roughly 140 organizations supporting the final rule. September 4, 2015. Re Comments in Support of DOL's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act, RIN 1235-

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard), who is also a member of the Hawaiian National Guard and an Iraq war veteran.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz), my colleague and friend, the highest ranking noncommissioned officer to serve in Congress.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding H.R. 5392, the No Veterans Crisis Line Call Should Go Unanswered Act. The Veterans Crisis Line actually provides three ways veterans can access help when they are in crisis. Veterans, servicemembers, and their loved ones can call the 1-800 number, send a text message, or chat online to receive free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care. The responders at the Veterans Crisis Line are especially trained and experienced in helping veterans of all ages and circumstances, from those coping with mental health issues that were never addressed to recent veterans dealing with relationships or the transition back to civilian life. Since its launch in 2007 through May 2016, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered over 2.3 million calls and initiated the dispatch of emergency services to callers in imminent crisis nearly 61,000 times. This bill requires improvements to the Veterans Crisis Line by having the VA create quality assurance guidelines that will include clearly defined and measurable performance indicators and objectives to improve the responsiveness and performance of the Veterans Crisis Line. The bill also requires the VA to develop a plan to ensure that each telephone call, text message, and other communications received by the Veterans Crisis Line is answered in a timely manner by a person, consistent with the guidance established by the American Association of Suicidology. As Suicide Prevention Awareness Month comes to a close, Congress must take these necessary steps to improve the Veterans Crisis Line for all veterans who depend on it. I support this legislation, and I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Hawaii an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation. I thank my colleagues who came to the floor to speak in support of H.R. 5392. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5162, the Vet Connect Act of 2016. The bill is sponsored by my friend and classmate, Congressman Beto O'Rourke. In 2014, when Congress passed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, we created a program called Choice, to make access to care easier for veterans who were unable to get an appointment at their local VA medical center. These veterans have now been able to get care closer to their home with the provider of their choice. However, current law prevented the community providers from getting records from the VA regarding the previous care veterans had received. This bill gives the VA authority to disclose certain medical records of veterans who receive non-VA care to community providers. Essentially, this would allow the VA to share health information with the veteran's non-VA doctor without having HIPAA implications. Current treatments are already covered under HIPAA, and this bill would allow previous treatments to be disclosed, thereby improving the continuity of care. I commend my colleague from Texas for being a leader in ensuring safe, quality health care for veterans. He has been a champion for veterans in El Paso and has turned the concerns that he has heard from his constituents into thoughtful legislation that helps veterans across our country. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues to support this bill as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. O'Rourke), the author of this bill.

Mr. TAKANO

Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in regard to H.R. 3216, the Veterans Emergency Treatment Act. This bill requires that, if an enrolled veteran in the VA requests treatment at a VA Emergency Department, he or she will get that examination or treatment whether or not it is related to a service- connected condition. It also prohibits the VA from transferring a patient to another facility without its having the written consent of that veteran unless a physician deems the transfer medically necessary. It further prohibits the VA from taking adverse action against any VA employee in his refusing to authorize the transfer of an enrolled veteran if it is contrary to the veteran's wishes. The purpose of this legislation is to have the VA follow the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.