Making Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2013--Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, as chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I rise today to urge Senate passage of S. 944, the Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act of 2013. This bipartisan legislation is the result of months of hard work by my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. This legislation was passed out of committee by voice vote. There were no objections that took place on July 24, and this legislation is paid for.

Furthermore, this legislation is supported by nearly every major veteran and military service organization in our country, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Association of the United States Navy, the Reserve Officers Association, the Jewish War Veterans, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, the National Association for Uniformed Services, AMVETS, Gold Star Wives, and the National Congress of American Indians.

In fact, I think it would be a very good statement about what we are trying do as a nation if the Senate could pass this comprehensive veterans bill before we adjourn so we can get about the business of working with our House colleagues to get important veterans legislation passed by both bodies signed into law.

I will briefly highlight some of the key provisions of this very important piece of legislation.

Again, this legislation is bipartisan; it came out of the committee unanimously; and it has the support of virtually every veterans organization.

Ranking Member Burr and I have worked together on a provision that would help servicemembers transition back into civilian life by making recently separated veterans eligible for tuition at the instate rates. This has been a very contentious issue, but what we do is make recently separated veterans eligible for tuition at the instate rate, which is something many of the veterans organizations and people all over this country have wanted.

Given the nature of our Armed Forces, servicemembers have little to say as to where they serve and where they reside during military service. This legislation would help our brave men and women who have sacrificed so much in the defense of our country transition by giving them a fair shot at attaining their educational goals without incurring an additional financial burden simply because they chose to serve their country.

I know this issue was discussed a great deal in the House and it was discussed here a great deal, and we have reached resolution on this important issue.

Further, while the Pentagon, Congress, and other stakeholders continue to work to end sexual assault within the ranks--this is an enormously important issue--I want to do everything within my power as chairman of the VA to ensure that the VA is a warm and welcoming place for those survivors of military assault. That is why this legislation contains important provisions that would improve the delivery of care and benefits to veterans who experience sexual trauma while serving in the military. This was inspired by Ruth Moore, who struggled for 23 years to receive VA disability compensation.

It would expand access to VA counseling and care to members of the Guard and Reserves who experience sexual assault during inactive-duty training. It also takes a number of steps to improve the adjudication of claims based on military sexual trauma.

This legislation would give the VA additional tools to do all it can to provide victims of sexual trauma with the care and benefits they need to confront the emotional and physical consequences of these horrific acts. Maintaining the VA's world-class health care system remains a priority for this committee, and this legislation does just that.

I am pleased we were able to respond to calls from veterans to increase access to complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of chronic pain, mental health conditions, and chronic disease. By expanding the availability of these treatment options, we can enhance the likelihood that veterans get the treatment they need in ways that work for them.

Additionally, this legislation calls for the VA to promote healthy weight in veterans by increasing their access to fitness facilities. A healthy weight is critical to combating multiple chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. By managing veterans' obesity, we can both improve their overall health and reduce the costs to the health care system.

Every Member of this body knows all too well the challenges of the claims backlog. I am pleased to see that the VA is making progress on this complex issue, but much more remains to be done. This legislation supports VA's ongoing efforts and would make needed improvements to the claims system. Among a number of claims-related provisions, this bill, for the first time, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to publicly report on both claims processing goals and actual production. This would allow Congress and the public to closely track and measure VA's progress on this difficult issue.

This bill also addresses a number of concerns presented to the Veterans' Affairs Committee by the Gold Star Wives earlier this year by improving the benefits and services provided to surviving spouses.

The Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act would provide additional dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses with children in order to provide financial support during the difficult period following the loss of a loved one.

This bill also expands the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship to include surviving spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty.

The Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act contains provisions that will improve the lives of our Nation's servicemembers, veterans, and their survivors. I am proud of the bipartisan manner in which the Veterans' Affairs Committee has conducted its business to produce this important legislation. Our veterans deserve far more help from the Congress than they have received.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 258, S. 944; that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; that the committee-reported title amendment be agreed to; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.

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Mr. SANDERS. Well, I am disappointed that there is objection to a bill that came out of committee without objection, that was done in a bipartisan manner, that is paid for, and that has the support of virtually every veterans organization.

I hope that even though there is an objection to the unanimous consent, there would not be an objection to a rollcall vote on this bill.

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Mr. SANDERS. I understand the Senator's objection. I am disappointed. It takes forever to get anything done in this body, and we have a situation now where we have seen a process develop in the Committee on Veterans' Affairs by which there has been bipartisan support. It is kind of the way things are supposed to be done. Yet because of the objection, we are going to be unable to move forward in the way I think most of the Members want.

Thank you very much. I note the absence of a quorum.

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