There are thousands more just like this from veterans in each of our
districts telling us to vote ``no'' on this bad bill. If my colleagues
won't listen to my concerns here, I urge them to listen to the
veterans, dependents, caregivers, survivors, and advocates in their
districts.
  We cannot today, tomorrow, or ever balance budgets on the backs of
veterans who have already sacrificed so much for their country.
Instead, we must honor the contract we made with our Nation's veterans
and reject the false choice Chairman Bost has foisted upon us.
  I join the millions of veterans across the country who vehemently
oppose H.R. 9237, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, and urge
everyone to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
  I will respond to a few claims that the veterans do not want this
package. It is just not true. The ranking member can disagree on the
bill. He can disagree on the offset. He can argue that they would have
written the package differently, but I do not think it is accurate to
suggest the veterans' community, as a whole, is somehow united against
this legislative package.
  The package has support from a wide range of organizations, including
The American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, Mission Roll Call,
Wounded Warrior Project, Military Officers Association of America,
AMVETS, Concerned Veterans for America, Tragedy Assistance Programs for
Survivors, Gold Star Spouses of America, the Veterans Survivor
Coalition, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans Justice
Alliance, the National Association of State Approving Agencies, the ALS
Association, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Air Force Sergeants
Association, American Optometric Association, Avalon Action Alliance,
Career Education Colleges and Universities, Commissioned Officers
Association of the USPHS, K9s for Warriors, Korean War Veterans
Association, Military Chaplains Association, National Defense
Committee, National Military Family Association, USCG Chief Petty
Officers Association, Americans for Prosperity, National Federal
Development Association, National Taxpayers Union, and the Association
of Mature American Citizens.
  Those organizations represent veterans, survivors, Gold Star
families, wounded veterans, military families, advocates, and
professionals who work directly with the people this bill would help.
  When the ranking member claims that veterans do not want this
package, that ignores millions of voices in the veterans' community who
are asking Congress to act.
  This bill includes longstanding priorities for veterans and,
importantly, it does so in a way that is paid for and capable of
actually moving from here to the Senate and to the President's desk.
  At some point, we have to decide whether we are going to keep talking
about these promises or actually move a package that can become law. I
believe that this package is a serious, responsible step forward, and I
reject the idea that veterans do not want this Congress to act on this
bill.
  Also, whether they want to admit it or not, the problem with most of
these organizations that were in opposition is because they didn't want
the offset. That offset, as I have told you this morning, as the VA has
said exactly what we said, they are going to implement it.
  The question for my colleagues is very simple: Do they want to use
their Article I power to make decisions, as we should in Congress, to
direct that money to our veterans and where they need it? We have sat
and looked at these over and over again. We have also passed some of
these bills and sent them over to the Senate to die because they don't
have an offset.
  This isn't an easy game, and it is not a game. If you don't believe
this marine is serious about helping veterans--and I am telling you I
took a lot of crap this week--I can tell you this: I will stand and
always stand for my veterans.
  I am the son of a veteran. I am the grandson of a veteran. I am the
nephew of a veteran. I am the father of a veteran, and I am the
grandfather of two of them.
  Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot this week. I am going to tell you, we
have worked hard and did the best we can to put the best bill forward.
It is the best bill that has been around in decades.
  Do we want the bureaucrats to make the decision and not support those
areas where we are trying to help our veterans? You can love it. You
can hate it, but I am telling you, this is the best thing we can do for
veterans right now. I would encourage all of my colleagues to support
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hurd). All time for debate has now
expired.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 1423, the previous question is ordered
on the bill, as amended.
  The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.

                           Motion to Recommit

  Mr. DELUZIO. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Mr. Deluzio of Pennsylvania moves to recommit the bill H.R.
     9237 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

  The material previously referred to by Mr. Deluzio is as follows:

       Mr. Deluzio moves to recommit the bill H.R. 9237 to the
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs with instructions to report
     the same back to the House forthwith, with the following
     amendments:
       Page 17, strike lines 9 through 17.
       Page 17, line 18, redesignate subsection (c) as subsection
     (b).
       Strike section 108 and insert the following new section: