Protecting Our Veterans

Floor Speech

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Mr. GROTHMAN. Madam Speaker, I would also like to speak on behalf of Congressman Keller's bill.

One of the things we do as Congressmen back in our district is constituent work. Probably one of the areas which we are busiest is in the areas of helping our veterans. Whether it is getting burial benefits, veteran benefits, or lost military awards, we have to contact the National Personnel Records Center.

Unfortunately, as has been mentioned, for over a year now, the National Personnel Records Center has been operating at well under capacity. This is an insult to our veterans.

Their excuse for not operating is, of course, the COVID. My staff has toured the National Personnel Records Center, and it is a large warehouse, very spread out. Unlike where most Americans have had to work the last 2 years, you are not squeezed up in a cubicle next to somebody else.

Unfortunately--and this maybe is an indication of the overall caring of the Federal Government. Unfortunately, they have not been open at a time when not only our veterans have given so much, but a time when so many taxpayers have been working around the clock.

Every night I go home, I go by a couple of cheese factories. I can drive by there at 1 in the morning. They are packed with people. They never stopped working.

Here we have a massive warehouse with lots of space between people, and we are told it is too dangerous to go to work. That is preposterous. It is an insult to our veterans. It is an insult to our taxpayers.

I urge this body to pass Congressman Keller's bill as soon as possible.

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