Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R. 3562 and ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to improve our services for those who have ``borne the battle": America's disabled veterans. Currently, if a disabled veteran in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program needs adaptations made to their home due to the limitations of their disability, then it is their vocational rehabilitation counselor, someone who has no experience or training in home construction, who makes such arrangements for these adaptations. In addition to the lack of core competency in home adaptations, these counselors have experienced a significant and steady rise in their job counseling caseloads, so their focusing on this home construction takes away from their primary function as a vocational counselor. This has resulted in inefficiencies for disabled veterans who now have to wait in line, and it is costing taxpayers more money. While these are master's degree-level counselors who provide great services to our veterans every single day, they do not have the expertise to understand how to build a wheelchair ramp, affix a grab bar to a wall, or implement other home adaptations. This bill would simply transfer these responsibility's to VA's Specially Adapted Housing program, where they deal with these kinds of construction projects every day. This change is needed.…”