Date: 2007-07-30
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

and Ms. RosLEHTINEN of Florida. This legislation is also supported by the Blind Veterans of America. an organization chartered by Congress in 1958. which. has been for nearly 50 years the only veterans service organization exclusively dedicated to serving Americas blind and visually impaired veterans. Let me explain what this legislation does. We establish here and now an educational assistance program for persons pursuing training in blind rehabilitation. I thank the chairman for citing this legislation as a possible model for nurses and psychologists that may be needed as we move in the future. There are approximately 160.000 legally blind veterans in the United States. but only 35.000 are currently enrolled in the Veterans Health Administrations services. It is estimated that there are over 1 million lowvision veterans in the United States. and incidence of blindness among the total veteran population of 26 million are expected. to increase by about 40 percent in the next 4 years. This is because the most prevalent causes of legal blindness and low vision are agerelated. and the average age of the veteran population is increasing. The current age is about 80 years old. In addition. we know that there will be veterans coming home. because of the IED injdries in Iraq. and Afghanistan. with injuries impacting thgir vision. Let me also acknowledge the specifics of this legislbtion. It -mandates that the Secretaf -Veterans Affairs shall provide finncial assistance to students enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certificate in -visual impairment and/or orientation and mobility at an accredited educational institution in the U.S.. provided they agree with the- applicable requirements. As I said. the purpose of this scholarship program is to increase the supply of qualified blind rehabilitation specialists for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Nation. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to widely publicize this scholarship program to colleges and universities across the Nation. especially institutions with large numbers of Hispanic students and HBCUs. Historically Black Colleges. This is particularly helpful to the minority population who are interested in the field of vision rehabilitation. To apply and participate in this scholarship program. an applicant shall submit to the Secretary. or his designee. an application and agree to serve a 3year period of obligated service in the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is the crux of the legislation. so that we have a mandatory pool of those. individuals helping the veterans as they move forward. The maximum award for any fulltime student per academic year may not exceed $15.000. The maximum award for any parttime student shall be determined -in proportion to the amount that would be the case if the student were full time. For any student. however. the total amount of assistance may not exceed $45.000. .This is good news. It trains individuals. gives them a scholarship. and it doesnt burden the Federal Government. Why. because the debt is owed to the United States Government and therefore it cannot be. discharged because of bankruptcy. To conclude my remarks. I ask that my colleagues look carefully at this hopefully innovative approach to helping our veterans and our returning soldiers who will be in great need from the injuries they have experienced. I thank the bipartisan leadership of this committee and ask my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker. I proudly rise to strongly support H.R. 1315. the "Veterans Benefit Improvement Act of 2007." I enthusiastically support this legislation because it keeps faith with the men and women who have worn the uniform in service to our country. Let me express my appreciation to Mr. FILNER and Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. the Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Chairwoman of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. and to their respective ranking members. Mr. BUYER and Mr. BOOZMAN. for their perseverance in shepherding this legislation to the House floor. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 1315 consists of five - main sections. Section 2 of the bill adopts Ms. HERSETH SANDLINS legislation providing for �specially adaptive housing (SAH) assistance to disabled servicemembers residing temporarily in housing owned by a family member. Under current law. a temporary grant may be available to veterans who are or will be temporadly residing in a home owned by a family member. This assistance. allowable up to $14.000. may be used to adapt the familymembers home to meet the veterans special needs at that time. Section 5 of the bill. which is based on a proposal by Mr. REICHERT of Washington. requires the Secretary of Labor to provide Congress an annual report on veterans reemployment rights. Section 6 adds an additional representative from the National Governors Association to the existing 15 member Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment. Training and Employer Outreach within the U.S. Department of Labor. Each of these provisions is a useful. constructive. and welcome legislative initiative. Any of one of them would warrant an overwhelming vote in favor of the bill. But Mr. Speaker. what makes this legislation truly extraordinary is the inclusion of Section 4. which establishes a "Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Education Assistance Program." This legislaffon will close a large gap in the Nations commitment to blind and lowvision veterans by establishing a scholarship program for students seeking training in blind rehabilitation. I am proud and honored. Mr. Speaker. that the basis for this new program for our blind and lowvision veterans is the legislation I introduced earlier this Congress. H.R. 1240. the "Vision Impairment Specialist Training Act." or VISTA Act of 2007. I am proud that my legislation was strongly supported by the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Mr.. FILNER.