Christopher R. Deluzio
Representative for Pennsylvania · Democratic · United States
“I am not going to take a lecture on fiscal responsibility or accept this argument from the Republicans and the Trump administration that you have to fund veterans' programs by cutting care or benefits for other veterans.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Deluzio of Pennsylvania moves to recommit the bill H.R. 9237 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The material previously referred to by Mr. Deluzio is as follows: Mr.”
“Let's be crystal clear about what this bill does. It says to troops downrange right now who are in harm's way that they have to have worse benefits than veterans have today to pay for benefits and care that other veterans have earned. [[Page H4611]] That is ridiculous. It is why groups like the VFW, the IAVA, and others oppose this bill.”
“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the unobligated balances of amounts made available under title II of the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14'', approved July 4, 2025 (Public Law 119-21; 139 Stat.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. I rise in opposition to any effort to cut veterans' benefits. Let's be clear.”
“Instead of reducing the VA home loan benefit and cutting disability benefits for sleep apnea and tinnitus, it takes unobligated, appropriated but not committed, funding given to the DOD in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and uses it as a pay-for. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.”
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“Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question are postponed. ____________________”
“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the unobligated balances of amounts made available under title II of the Act entitled ``An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14'', approved July 4, 2025 (Public Law 119-21; 139 Stat. 112) (commonly known as the ``One Big Beautiful Bill Act''), an amount sufficient to offset the costs of carrying out the amendments made by this Act is hereby rescinded. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit. The question is on the motion to recommit. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit. The Clerk read as follows: Mr. Deluzio of Pennsylvania moves to recommit the bill H.R. 9237 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The material previously referred to by Mr. Deluzio is as follows: Mr. Deluzio moves to recommit the bill H.R. 9237 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith, with the following amendments: Page 17, strike lines 9 through 17. Page 17, line 18, redesignate subsection (c) as subsection (b). Strike section 108 and insert the following new section: SEC. 108. RESCISSION OF ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT FUNDS FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.”
“Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania? There was no objection.”
“Instead of reducing the VA home loan benefit and cutting disability benefits for sleep apnea and tinnitus, it takes unobligated, appropriated but not committed, funding given to the DOD in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and uses it as a pay-for. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.”
“Let's be crystal clear about what this bill does. It says to troops downrange right now who are in harm's way that they have to have worse benefits than veterans have today to pay for benefits and care that other veterans have earned. [[Page H4611]] That is ridiculous. It is why groups like the VFW, the IAVA, and others oppose this bill. It is why I think Democrats and Republicans should oppose this bill on the floor today. For this reason and many others, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House Rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an amendment to this bill. The amendment would change the offsets used in the bill.”
“I am not going to take a lecture on fiscal responsibility or accept this argument from the Republicans and the Trump administration that you have to fund veterans' programs by cutting care or benefits for other veterans. The same people who have funded an Iran war at the tune of billions and billions of dollars, the same people who added nearly $5 trillion to the debt through their One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which, by the way, has a new name now, I guess. We have lost track of that. That new bill, by the way, would also add $19 trillion over 30 years. Mr. Speaker, there is no problem on the Republican side with adding to the debt when it comes time to give tax breaks and tax giveaways to the ultrarich and to corporations, but when it comes time to care of veterans, now they are counting pennies.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill. I rise in opposition to any effort to cut veterans' benefits. Let's be clear. This bill raises the cost of the VA Home Loan Program during a housing crisis, and this program and this bill cuts VA benefits for current veterans who don't have them and for troops downrange right now for two of the most common conditions they may experience: sleep apnea and tinnitus. This bill sells off more VA and veterans' care to the private sector. It continues the privatization push of the Trump administration and so many congressional Republicans.”