Brad Wenstrup: “I thank the gentleman for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, the Veterans Benefits…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz and all the members of the committee and staff who work so hard on behalf of our veterans. I would like to congratulate Mr. Takano as chairman-elect. This legislation we are talking about today includes reforms to ensure America's heroes receive the benefits and recognition that they so richly deserve. It includes several provisions that I was honored to support during my time on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, including updates to our educational assistance programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and additional emphasis on transition services provided to our servicemembers. That one is very near and dear to me. Importantly, it includes provisions to help the most vulnerable in the veteran community. It includes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program's Reauthorization Act, which is a bipartisan bill I introduced with Congresswoman Brownley. This legislation ensures those eligible for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program and other housing assistance programs are also eligible for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program. By prioritizing the reintegration of homeless and recently homeless veterans, we will empower our veterans to reenter the workforce and help them regain self-sufficiency.…”