Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to speak today in support of H.R. 4300, the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Act, also known as the VIP Act, which is sponsored by Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Iowa. This bipartisan bill, which currently has 150 cosponsors, would provide free annual passes to our national parks and public lands for current military servicemembers and free lifetime passes for veterans and members of Gold Star families. We can never fully repay the debt owed to our military servicemembers, veterans, and Gold Star families. However, as a small acknowledgment of their sacrifice, this bill will ensure that they can always access over 2,000 Federal recreation areas across the country that they fought so hard to defend free of charge. {time} 1530 By codifying these passes under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, it guarantees this benefit can never be taken away from these brave men and women. This bill is important not only because it honors the sacrifice of the men and women of our military and Gold Star families but because our public lands hold a special value for veterans, particularly those wounded in combat. Captain John Paluska, a constituent of Representative Miller-Meeks and a Purple Heart recipient, summed up the purpose and meaning of this bill perfectly when he testified before our committee earlier this month: ``I mentioned the word `freedom' earlier. Is it a concept?…”