Bill Keating: “I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, most of us in this Chamber have had the…”

“I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, most of us in this Chamber have had the honor to meet and to get to know Gold Star families, those families who have lost loved ones in the service in defense of our country. Most of us on those occasions also told those families, if there is anything we can ever do to help you in any way going forward, please let us know. Gold Star families in my district came to me on an issue that really was something that was quite difficult for them at times and bothersome, and that is the issue that the access they had while their loved ones were alive was no longer there for military installations. The military installations would often have memorials to those that served. They would have survivor workshops, and things that could help them. They would have military exercises and ceremonies that they would want to participate in that had greater meaning to them than perhaps any other group of people. They told me how, gaining access many times, they had to relive the story by again explaining who they were and why they wanted to come. I investigated this and found that the Army had a pilot program that provided an access card for these institutions, these military institutions, and that that made the process so much easier for them. This amendment simply expands the pilot program and demonstrates Congress' support for expanding these programs beyond the pilot stage and to all services.…”