Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015
Floor Speech
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Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 675, the Veterans' Compensation Cost of Living Adjustment Act and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it.
This is an important bill that provides a critical cost-of-living increase for the service-connected disability compensation that our disabled veterans need and deserve. In addition, it makes other needed changes to a number of programs administered by the VA to ensure that they better meet the needs of our veterans and their families.
I am pleased that H.R. 675, as amended by the Veterans Affairs Committee, includes the text of my bill, H.R. 995, the ``Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act.'' This bipartisan legislation calls for two minutes of silence every Veterans Day. Its set time of 2:11 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, allows all Americans from coast to coast and Puerto Rico to come together to reflect on the service of our veterans, past and present. Generations of brave men and women have served our nation with honor: risking their lives to keep us safe and free. They deserve our support and, most of all our gratitude.
Mr. Speaker, there are few words that can do justice to the magnitude of what our servicemembers have done throughout our history, and continue to do for us every day. They leave their families and loved ones behind, and go to some of the world's most dangerous places. They risk their health and their lives to serve and defend the nation we all love. I have had the honor and pleasure of meeting with some of them in my travels abroad and I am always moved by their dedication, their professionalism, and their courage.
I would like to thank Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman MILLER and Ranking Member BROWN for including the language of ``The Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act'' to this bill. I also wish to recognize and thank the Bendetson family who first approached me with the concept of this tribute. Daniel and Michael Bendetson, along with their father, Dr. Peter Bendetson, have worked tirelessly for years to bring this proposal to fruition. Finally, I would most like to thank all the veterans in my district and across America, in whose honor I am proud to have introduced this legislation.
Once again, I urge my colleagues to support and pass H.R. 675.
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