Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. DELANEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 3 minutes.

We have all been very disturbed by the recent allegations of negligence and of the falsification of information at some of the VA medical centers across the country. We must work together to better serve our servicemembers, veterans, and their families, who have served us all with such great distinction.

My amendment works to solve one specific but very important problem facing military families.

When our warfighters and veterans need medical care, their families are often faced with a very difficult dilemma: either to stay home because it is too expensive to travel in order to be with their families or to travel and bear the burden of the costs associated with being with their loved ones at this great time of need.

Unfortunately, too many families are staying home without having the opportunity to be with their loved ones who have served our country when those loved ones are receiving care at a military hospital. Others make the trip, but they often sleep in their cars or sleep in tents that they have set up in parking lots around these hospitals. Our veterans and servicemen and -women and their families deserve much better than this.

My amendment increases the funding for Fisher Houses by $16 million. This additional funding has the potential to provide more free housing for the families of patients receiving care at military and VA hospitals. In order to pay for this increased funding, this amendment reduces funding for the defense-wide operations and maintenance account, and my amendment is outlay neutral as a result.

Since 1990, over 180,000 families have been served by Fisher Houses--more than 22,000 families in the last year alone. The services offered by Fisher Houses have saved military families almost $240 million in out-of-pocket expenses since the program's inception. Families do not have to make these tough financial choices to visit and care for their loved ones. This amendment has the potential of funding the construction of at least four new Fisher homes next year. Four new homes mean the lodging for 2,000 military family members.

So many men and women have served us with such distinction, and for those who return home and who need medical care, Fisher Houses can make a stay in a military hospital or in a clinic a little bit easier and a little bit kinder for our soldiers and their families. No veteran or no servicemember should do without his loved ones at this time of need.

I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. Last year, the House came together to support this same amendment, and I hope they will do the same this year.

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