Senate Proceeding on Jul 31st, 2008 :: 0:00:00 to 0:09:03
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Daniel Akaka: five years of v.a. health care upon separation fromrvice. i am also pleased with the work we have done in seeking an expanded outreach to veterans of the national guard and reserve. it is vital that

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Speech By: Daniel Akaka

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Daniel Akaka: the growing role they play in our all-volunteer military be recognized and that those who have been deployed in iraq and afghanistan be recognized and helped. congress also enacted thehe 21st century

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Daniel Akaka: bill of rights. like others who served in world war ii, i, personally, know how that g.i. bill changed our country for the better. i hope this improved benefit will provide similar help for today's and

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Daniel Akaka: tomorrow's troops. but for all we have done, much remains unfinished in these waning weeks. important legislation is pending in both the house and the senate. to name just two bills, we are still waiting

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Daniel Akaka: for action on s. 1315 and s. 2162. s. 1315, the veterans benefits enhancement act of 2007 would provide needed assistance to veterans young and old including the filipino veterans of world war ii who

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Daniel Akaka: served under u.s. command but were denied veteran status for over 60 years. s. 2162 is the veterans mental health and other care improvements act of 2008. this bill responds to the growing need

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Daniel Akaka: among veterans for high-quality mental health care. many veterans return from war suffering from invisible wounds. if left untreated, these wounds can infect a veterans' life and livelihood and with

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Daniel Akaka: dire consequences. the bill represents a tribute to justin bailey, a young iraq veteran who overdosed while under v.a. care. we must not let other veterans suffer a similar tragedy. both of these bills

0:02:26 to 0:02:47( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: passed the senate with unanimous or nearly unanimous support. and both count strong supporters in the house. i hope that before this session ends, we will see both become law. mr. president, i do not

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Daniel Akaka: report today that our work for veterans is anywher near done. but i do say that it is work in progress. i thank my colleagues in both chambers and both parties for their support and cooperation. mr.

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Daniel Akaka: president, as chairman of the veterans affairs committee, i normally come to the senate floor and speak on various veterans issues. i advocate for an increased screening and treatment of mental health

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Daniel Akaka: issues for veterans. i remind my fellow senators that veterans in hair their home states must file income taxes for 2008 in order to receive their tax rebates. i argue for increased funding for

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Daniel Akaka: v.a.'s vital mission. i urge the senate to approve a new g.i. bill. today, however, i come to the senate floor to speak about just one particular veteran. a vietnam veteran who has dedicated his long

0:03:59 to 0:04:19( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: career, enormous talents and tireless efforts to better the treatment and the lives of all who have served our nation in uniform. today, i will speak of my staff director, william brew. bill just completed

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Daniel Akaka: 20 years of service to the united states senate. his entire tenure in the senate has been at the committee on veterans affairs. bill started in the senate on april 3, 1978. at that time, his desk was

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Daniel Akaka: in what is now the committee's hearing room. the chairman was allen cranston of california. the major issues were agent orange, judicial review and the emerging medical condition that had newly been abled

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Daniel Akaka: "post-tramatic stress disorder." as a former naval officer and a lawyer bill was thrown right into these issues and his presence made a huge difference. an immediate and pressing need was to provide

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Daniel Akaka: psychological counseling to vietnam veterans at a time when the war and, sadly, even t hose who fought in it, remained a divisive issue for our nation. men and women who had served during that conflict

0:05:33 to 0:05:50( Edit History Discussion )

Daniel Akaka: did not return to hero's welcomes, yellow ribbons and joyous neighborhood celebrations we so often see today. in 1980, in california, one of the very first vote centers vet centers offering outreach services

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Daniel Akaka: to those who were returning from southeast asia. now there are 232 scattered around the country. millions of veterans and veterans from all wars have received counseling and support through the centers.

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Daniel Akaka: bill was instrumental in developing the legislation that established these facilities and was present at the creation of vet centers. bill was deeply involved in the debate surrounding agent orange

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Daniel Akaka: and quickly became an expert on an issue whose vocabulary resolved around dioxin and a variety of health problems and concerns. his efforts contributed to the development of wide-ranging initiatives

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Daniel Akaka: designed to address the needs of those who believe that their exposure has adversely affected their health. bill was instrumental in the passage of legislation in 1996 which fundamentally changed the law

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Daniel Akaka: with regard to elgibility for v.a. health care, elgibility reform as this law is known, eradicated the lands between an inpatient and outpatient care. v.a. for the first time was authorized to provide

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Daniel Akaka: a standard benefits package of services in the most appropriate care setting. this seemingly simple change enabled v.a. to open up community-based clinics all across this country. veterans care

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Daniel Akaka: has been dramatically improved because of the increased access to the new 700 clinics dotting the landscape. assisting disabled veterans to reenter civilian life has always been a high priory of the committee.

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Daniel Akaka: bill worked on legislation to revamp federally assisted vocational rehabilitation programs giving priority to the most seriously disabled and was instrumental in the court of veterans claim giving judicial

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Daniel Akaka: review to veteran determinations and the committee approved legislation to expand the court. it is little known that bill has served on both sides of the aisle working not only for chairman cranston and

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Daniel Akaka: rockefeller and now myself, but also working for chairman simpson, my republican colleague from wyoming. in 1980, when the democrats entered the minority, bill remained a majority staff member under

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Daniel Akaka: chairman simpson for nine months before returning to ranking member cranston's staff. i want to congratulate bill for his service and to tell him that i am grateful for that and to thank him for his

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Daniel Akaka: 20 years of dedicated service to the united states national and to our nation's -- to the united states senate and to our nation's veterans. thank you very much, mr. president. mr. bond: mr. president?

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Christopher S. Bond: the presiding officer: the senator from missouri. mr. bond: mr. president, i thank the chair. i'm here ted to point out whatha i believe everybody in this body and certainly everybodyin back in

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Speech By: Christopher S. Bond