Mark Takano

Yes, September 13. And it is regarding pending legislation to protect VA whistleblowers?

Instead, the majority has once again introduced a partisan bill that violates the due process rights of VA employees and includes several provisions that are likely to be overturned by our justice system, which is why the Department of…

The quotation was from that letter. I want to clarify that letter from the Office of Special Counsel was in support of Mrs. Kirkpatrick's amendment, not in support of the entire bill H.R. 5620, and I am pleased that the majority joins us…

We are here as part of our ongoing responsibility to oversee the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate how the people's money is being spent by the VA and why.

I also wonder what type of message that VA is sending to other good employees when they allow bad employees to settle for thousands of dollars just because it would be too expensive or possibly embarrassing to litigate.

certainly the minority does not agree with any practices of the VA which would encourage the retention of bad employees and certainly we want to see accountability occur at the VA.

I have no further speakers, and again, I urge my colleagues to support Representative Frankel's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California…

I express my full support of Representative Kirkpatrick's amendment to H.R. 5620. I would like to thank Chairman Miller for working with Representative Kirkpatrick to develop a bipartisan amendment we all can support. Whistleblowers are…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Minnesota will be postponed. Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Takano The Acting CHAIR. It is…

As the designee of the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 54, after line 2, insert the following…

I think it is important that we consider the impact our actions will have on the hardworking frontline VA employees, many of whom are veterans themselves and even whom my friend from Florida, Chairman Miller, says the vast majority of whom…

I include in the Record a letter from the Office of Special Counsel to Representative Kirkpatrick praising her for her amendment. I understand the majority also supports the Kirkpatrick amendment, so it is bipartisan support. U.S. Office…

I have no further speakers. I simply want to urge my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 5985, as amended. I want to thank, sincerely, the work that we have done together with Chairman Miller on this legislation. I am so pleased that we…

I feel we have done a good job of beginning what I hope will be an ongoing involvement in these matters with VA as the agency works to reform its culture.

I want to make sure, as we all do, that settlement agreements between the VA and whistleblowers do not preclude accountability for bad supervisors.

I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. All of us, Democrats and Republicans, believe in the need for stronger accountability for employees at the…

I urge my colleagues to support Representative Gallego's amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano). The amendment…

This amendment really changes nothing favorably, from our point of view, in H.R. 5620. It does not cure the fundamental flaws in the bill which relate to its possible unconstitutionality, and, therefore, I will oppose the amendment. I…

I agree with Ms. Brownley and Ms. Bradley, that is the key element in that effort is changing the culture.

As the designee of the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego), I offer amendment No. 11. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Page 54, after line 2, insert the following: SEC. 11…

As the designee of the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick), I offer amendment No. 6. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Strike section 8 and insert the following: SEC…

The letter reads: ``The drastic reductions in due process rights for every frontline VA employee proposed by this bill represents another familiar attempt to weaken the VA by weakening its dedicated workforce. ``Changes proposed by H.R…

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California will be postponed. {time} 1830 Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Michelle Lujan…

I would like to say that we on this side of the aisle do stand with veterans, and we do stand for accountability, and we do stand with the taxpayers. And that is precisely why we must oppose the unconstitutional provisions in H.R. 5620 for…

I have an amendment at the desk. The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment. The text of the amendment is as follows: Strike section 3 and insert the following: SEC. 3. SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS…