Bob Filner: “I certainly thank the members of the committee and Mr. Bilirakis for working in such a bipartisan manner to protect…”

“I certainly thank the members of the committee and Mr. Bilirakis for working in such a bipartisan manner to protect servicemembers and protect veterans. I think Mr. Bilirakis gave a very comprehensive overview of the bill. Let me just make a couple of points here. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which a Democratic Congress passed a couple of years ago, was really a milestone for our current crop of veterans. Almost 800,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have now made use of the benefits that this bill provides. We ought to be, as a Congress, very proud of that kind of legislation. With so many thousands of veterans using their Post-9/11 GI Bill, it's important, obviously, that they understand their benefits and eligibility and have all the information available to them. That's what H.R. 4057 does, which Mr. Bilirakis outlined quite nicely. Veterans are going to be able to get the kind of information that they need to get the best educational benefits that are suited to them. Let me just say one thing about section 4 of the bill, which authorizes the Department of VA to establish a burn pit registry for eligible veterans. Mr. Speaker, every time that we send men and women into combat, we have to make sure we understand the risks associated with exposures to toxic substances and take responsibility when we expose our own troops to these effects. We haven't done that in the past. We ought to learn more from history.…”