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Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act
November 17, 2004

Ms. Herseth: I rise in support of the veterans’ bills being considered today and to thank and congratulate my colleagues and their staff for their hard work and commitment to these important bills. In particular, I want to express my strong support for the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act, which includes two measures I introduced earlier this year to extend important veterans’ programs scheduled to expire.

The first of these measures is a provision to extend to 2008 the Veterans Administration’s Native American Home Loan pilot program. This program directs home loans to eligible Native American veterans who wish to purchase, construct, or improve a home on tribal trust lands. This extension will allow more veterans living on tribal trust lands to take advantage of this important benefit.

Since the inception of this pilot program in 1992, the Department of Veterans Affairs has made more than 400 direct loans to Native American veterans – including loans to 17 veterans from my state of South Dakota. These loans are important tools for helping Native Americans purchase, construct, or improve homes in Indian Country.

The second measure, which I introduced, extends to 2009 the requirement that the Advisory Committee on Former Prisoners of War submit biennial reports to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the programs and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs that pertain to former prisoners of war.

The Advisory Committee of Former Prisoners of War reviews department policies and makes suggestions to improve compensation, rehabilitation programs, and health care benefits for former POWs. Passage of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act would require reports from the Advisory Committee of Former Prisoners of War every two years through 2009, a five-year extension of current law.

Thanks again to my fellow members on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and all staff for your work on these important bills. At a time when we are asking the men and women in our armed forces for greater sacrifices, we must make sure we provide the services promised to our veterans. I look forward to supporting these measures and to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve.