H776 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE February 5, 2020 average of 100 Americans every single peachment of a President in 1868. It is partial justice. It is the Senate, Madam day. Also, there are close to 100,000 an oath rooted in the Revolution Speaker, that will fail if it does not Americans injured every year from gun fought by their grandparents to create hold this President accountable for violence, yet we do very little to pre- a republic of laws, not kings. It is an using a hold on military aid to compel vent these preventable injuries and oath whose power derives from its com- an ally to interfere in our election for deaths. mon sense: that a juror must always be his own personal gain. I am proud to come from a State impartial for a trial to be fair. And it History will judge poorly those who with effective gun laws. In New Jersey, is an oath made necessary by the fact we have strong background checks, a that Senators are not, as we are not, choose fear of their party over the ban on high-capacity magazines, and under normal circumstances, impartial courage to do the right thing. Neither an extreme risk protection order for in our work. the Speaker nor myself, nor the whip, possible victims. That is why New Jer- The words chosen for this oath recog- JIM CLYBURN, urged any member in our sey has one of the lowest firearm death nize that when our Constitution calls party to vote any way on impeach- rates in America. If we had national Senators to try impeachment, it calls ment. There was no lobbying. There laws such as the ones in New Jersey, them away from their role as par- was no pressure. Our members voted we could save lives and spare families tisans. When that oath is taken, Sen- consistent with their oath of office and the hurt and horrors of gun violence. ators are supposed to step back from the conviction that that vote was re- quired by that oath to protect and de- f the affiliation of party or political kin- ship with or opposition to the Presi- fend the Constitution. HELPING VETERANS WITH dent on trial. They are required, as the Americans will judge. I am often TRAINED SERVICE DOGS oath plainly states, to ‘‘do impartial asked why the House passed Articles of (Mr. CUNNINGHAM asked and was justice according to the Constitution Impeachment even knowing that the given permission to address the House and laws.’’ odds were slim that Senate Repub- for 1 minute and to revise and extend Madam Speaker, this afternoon, Sen- licans would set aside partisanship and his remarks.) ators will be asked to vote on the two hear the case as impartial jurors. It is Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Madam Speaker, Articles of Impeachment the House because I know future generations will for far too long, we have failed to serve presented on abuse of power and the look back on this chapter in our his- veterans struggling with the invisible obstruction of Congress. After voting tory and ask: Who stood up for the wounds of war, veterans who nearly to refuse to hear evidence and call wit- Constitution and the laws? Who stood gave everything to us. nesses with pertinent information, up for the values our Founders charged From veterans who served in Viet- nearly all Republican Senators have al- us to keep? Who refused to shrink from nam and Korea to those who have re- ready announced that they will vote the heavy responsibilities of their cently returned home from Afghani- against the articles. oath? I can be proud that the House did stan and Iraq, Congress has done too In doing so, many of them acknowl- its job, followed the law, defended our little to curb the often-devastating ef- edge that what President Trump did Constitution. fect post-traumatic stress can have in was wrong and inappropriate. They ac- the lives of the brave men and women cept that it was wrong for him to with- We did not convict; that is not our who served our Nation in combat. hold military aid to Ukraine until the role. Essentially, what we said was That is why I am proud today to rise President of that country promised to there was probable cause that powers in support of my colleague Representa- interfere in the American elections. had been abused and certainly cause to tive STEVE STIVERS’ bipartisan bill, The evidence of President Trump’s see that the President refused to co- which will help veterans in the abuse of power and attempt to solicit operate with the constitutional respon- Lowcountry and across this Nation foreign interference in the 2020 elec- sibilities of the House of Representa- manage the symptoms of post-trau- tions is clear enough that Republican tives. matic stress by pairing them with Senators cannot and have not denied I am also proud of the House man- trained service dogs. the facts, yet they cannot bring them- agers, as all of my colleagues on the With the help of a service dog, many selves to confront this President and Democratic side of the aisle are proud veterans with severe post-traumatic are choosing party over country. of our managers who made their case. stress are able to return to work, at- The Senator from Alaska, in explain- tend college, and spend more meaning- ing her decision to vote to block wit- They made their case with intellect. ful time with their families and their nesses and evidence, tried to deflect re- They made their case with evidence loved ones. The brave men and women sponsibility from the consequences of that had been adduced here in the who voluntarily raised their right her actions, writing: ‘‘I have come to House. They made their case and ap- hands and swore an oath to defend our the conclusion that there will be no pealed to Senators to hold this Presi- Nation deserve nothing less than the fair trial in the Senate.’’ I agree with dent accountable, as our Founders in- opportunity to succeed when they re- that. She further said: ‘‘It is sad for me tended. turn home. today to admit that, as an institution, Almost everybody has watched a The PAWS Act is a critical step in the Congress has failed.’’ trial either in person or on television. the right direction. I urge all of my Madam Speaker, the Congress has A trial is not an opening argument and colleagues to join me in supporting not failed. The House did its job, a closing argument with nothing in be- this bipartisan legislation. whether you agree or not. In regular tween. Seventy-five percent of our peo- f order, by a vote of this House, we im- ple wanted to have witnesses because peached the President of the United AMERICANS WILL JUDGE that was their understanding of what a States based upon our oath to protect trial is, not just argument at the be- (Mr. HOYER asked and was given and defend the Constitution of the ginning and argument at the end, but permission to address the House for 1 United States. evidence for jurors who have pledged to minute and to revise and extend his re- The House did its job and did so with be impartial to consider. Any judge in marks.) the solemnity required when under- this country would agree that opening Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, ‘‘I sol- taking the process of impeachment, and closing statements alone are not a emnly swear that in all things apper- which we did not seek but accepted as trial. taining to the trial of the impeachment our responsibility under the Constitu- of Donald John Trump, President of tion. We held hearings, called wit- Nevertheless, the House managers the United States, now pending, I will nesses, and subpoenaed documents. proved their case. The truth is clear. do impartial justice according to the Many of the witnesses and documents, The American people know what that Constitution and laws.’’ of course, were withheld by the White truth is and know what this President That is the oath Senators swore on House. has done. And they will remember who January 16. It is the oath created by It is the Senate that will fail if Sen- on this day abided by the truth, the Senators when they tried the first im- ators do not uphold their oaths to im- whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:08 Feb 06, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K05FE7.018 H05FEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE February 5, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H777 ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER propriations, the Secretary of Veterans Af- and assurances as the Secretary may re- PRO TEMPORE fairs shall carry out a pilot program under quire. which the Secretary shall make grants to (d) VETERAN ELIGIBILITY.— The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- one or more appropriate non-government en- (1) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of this ant to clause 8 of rule XX, the Chair tities for the purpose of assessing the effec- section, an eligible veteran is a veteran will postpone further proceedings tiveness of addressing post-deployment men- who— today on motions to suspend the rules tal health and post-traumatic stress disorder (A) is enrolled in the patient enrollment on which a recorded vote or the yeas (in this section referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’) system in the Department of Veterans Af- symptoms through a therapeutic medium of fairs under section 1705 of title 38, United and nays are ordered, or votes objected training service dogs for veterans with dis- to under clause 6 of rule XX. States Code; abilities. (B) has been recommended for the pilot The House will resume proceedings (b) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The program under this section by a qualified pilot program required by subsection (a) on postponed questions at a later time. health care provider or clinical team based shall be carried out during the five-year pe- f on the medical judgment that the veteran riod beginning on the date of the commence- may potentially benefit from participating; ment of the pilot program. PUPPIES ASSISTING WOUNDED and (c) CONDITIONS ON RECEIPT OF GRANTS.—As SERVICEMEMBERS FOR VET- (C) agrees to successfully complete train- ERANS THERAPY ACT a condition of receiving a grant under this section, a non-government entity shall— ing provided by an eligible organization that Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I (1) submit to the Secretary certification receives a grant under this section. move to suspend the rules and pass the that the entity is an organization described (2) RELATIONSHIP TO PARTICIPATION IN in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue OTHER PROGRAM.—Veterans may participate bill (H.R. 4305) to direct the Secretary in the pilot program in conjunction with the of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot Code of 1986 that— (A) provides service dogs to veterans with compensated work therapy program of the program on dog training therapy, as PTSD; and Department of Veterans Affairs. amended. (B) is accredited by, or adheres to stand- (3) CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.— The Clerk read the title of the bill. ards comparable to those of, an accrediting To remain eligible to participate in the pro- The text of the bill is as follows: organization with demonstrated experience, gram, a veteran shall see the health care H.R. 4305 national scope, and recognized leadership provider or clinical team of the Department and expertise in the training of service dogs of Veterans Affairs treating the veteran for Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- and education in the use of service dogs; PTSD at least once every six months to de- resentatives of the United States of America in (2) agree to cover all costs in excess of the termine, based on a clinical evaluation of ef- Congress assembled, grant amount; ficacy, whether the veteran continues to SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. (3) agree to reaccept or replace the service benefit from the program. This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puppies As- dog the organization provided to the veteran, (e) COLLECTION OF DATA.—In carrying out sisting Wounded Servicemembers for Vet- if necessary, as determined by the organiza- this section, the Secretary shall— erans Therapy Act’’ or the ‘‘PAWS for Vet- tion and the veteran; (1) develop metrics and other appropriate erans Therapy Act’’. (4) provide a wellness certification from a means to measure, with respect to veterans SEC. 2. FINDINGS. licensed veterinarian for any dog partici- participation in the program, the improve- Congress makes the following findings: pating in the program; ment in psychosocial function and thera- (1) According to the analyses of veteran (5) employ at least one person with clinical peutic compliance of such veterans and suicide published by the Department of Vet- experience related to mental health; changes with respect to the dependence on erans Affairs in August 2016 and titled ‘‘Sui- (6) ensure that veterans participating in prescription narcotics and psychotropic cide Among Veterans and Other Americans’’, the pilot program receive training from cer- medication of such veterans; and in June 2018, titled ‘‘VA National Sui- tified service dog training instructors for a (2) establish processes to document and cide Date Report’’— period of time determined appropriate by the track the progress of such veterans under (A) an average of 20 veterans died by sui- organization and the Secretary, including the program in terms of the benefits and im- cide each day in 2014; service skills to address or alleviate symp- provements noted as a result of the program; (B) mental health disorders, including toms unique to veterans’ needs; and major depression and other mood disorders, (7) agree to provide both lectures on serv- (3) in addition, the Secretary shall con- have been associated with increased risk for ice dog training methodologies and practical tinue to collect these data over the course of suicide; hands-on training and grooming of service five years for each veteran who has contin- (C) since 2001, the proportion of users of dogs; ued with the dog he or she has personally the Veterans Health Administration with (8) agree that in hiring service dog training trained. mental health conditions or substance use instructors to carry out training under the (f) GAO BRIEFING AND STUDY.— disorders has increased from approximately pilot program, the non-government entity (1) BRIEFING.—Not later than one year 27 percent in 2001 to more than 40 percent in will give a preference to veterans who have after the date of the commencement of the 2014; and successfully graduated from PTSD or other pilot program under subsection (a), the (D) overall, suicide rates are highest residential treatment program and who have Comptroller General of the United States among patients with mental health and sub- received adequate certification in service shall provide to the Committees on Vet- stance use disorder diagnoses who are in dog training; erans’ Affairs of the House of Representa- treatment and lower among those who re- (9) agree not to use shock collars or prong tives and the Senate a briefing on the meth- ceived a mental health diagnosis but were collars as training tools and to use positive odology established for the program. not at risk enough to require enhanced care reinforcement training; (2) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after from a mental health provider. (10) agree that upon the conclusion of the date on which the program terminates, (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs training provided using the grant funds— the Comptroller General shall submit to the must be more effective in its approach to re- (A) the veteran who received the training committees specified in paragraph (1) a re- ducing the burden of veteran suicide con- will keep the dog unless the veteran and the port on the program. Such report shall in- nected to mental health disorders, including veteran’s health provider decide it is not in clude an evaluation of the approach and post-traumatic stress disorder (in this sec- the best interest of the veteran; methodology used for the program with re- tion referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’), and new, rig- (B) if the veteran does not opt to own the spect to— orous scientific research provides persuasive dog, the entity will be responsible for caring (A) helping veterans with severe PTSD re- weight to the growing anecdotal evidence for and appropriately placing the dog; turn to civilian life; that service dogs ameliorate the symptoms (C) the Department of Veterans Affairs will (B) relevant metrics, including reduction associated with PTSD, and in particular, have no additional responsibility to provide in metrics such as reduction in scores under help prevent veteran suicide. for any benefits under this section; and the PTSD check-list (PCL–5), improvement (3) Several organizations have proven (D) the Department of Veterans Affairs in psychosocial function, and therapeutic track records of training service dogs for will have no liability with respect to the dog; compliance; and veterans with severe PTSD and dramatically (11) provide follow-up support service for (C) reducing the dependence of participants improving those veterans’ quality of life, the life of the dog, including a contact plan on prescription narcotics and psychotropic ability to re-enter society, and, most impor- between the veteran and the entity to allow medication. tantly, their chances of survival. the veteran to reach out for and receive ade- (g) DEFINITION.—For the purposes of this SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS quate help with the service dog and the orga- section, the term ‘‘service dog training in- PILOT PROGRAM ON DOG TRAINING nization to communicate with the veteran to structor’’ means an instructor who provides THERAPY. ensure the service dog is being properly the direct training of veterans with PTSD (a) IN GENERAL.—Commencing not later cared for; and and other post-deployment issues in the art than 120 days after the date of the enactment (12) submit to the Secretary an application and science of service dog training and han- of the Act, subject to the availability of ap- containing such information, certification, dling.

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