Veteran's I.D. Card Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, many businesses show their gratitude to our Nation's servicemembers and veterans by offering special discounts on goods and services to those who have served our Nation in uniform.

Unfortunately, unless a servicemember is a qualified military retiree, DOD does not issue an official ID card as proof of service. That means that millions of veterans cannot easily provide evidence of their service.

This bill, as amended, would change that by directing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue a veteran's ID card that would display the veteran's name and photograph to any veteran who requests such a card, as long as the veteran is not entitled to military retired pay, nor enrolled in the VA healthcare system.

This card would give those who served in the Armed Forces a convenient way to prove that they are veterans, for the purpose of receiving the promotions and discounts offered by many businesses around the country.

The bill, as amended, would also require the Secretary to determine a fee to be charged that would cover all costs of producing the cards and managing the program. The bill also specifies that the card does not entitle the holder to any VA benefits.

H.R. 91 passed the House by a vote of 402-0 on May 18. The Senate passed it by unanimous consent on June 22, with an amendment that would authorize VA to provide this card to any person who meets the statutory definition of a veteran.

Under current law, a veteran is defined as ``a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.''

I thank my colleague Mr. Buchanan for his efforts on this commonsense legislation.

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