Mike Levin

I know many of our witnesses agree with me on this point. For eligible veterans, VR&E should be a part of the transition process from the military.

We should be encouraging more veterans who are eligible to sign up for VR&E, but first we must demonstrate strong results.

We must be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and I hope it will be clear today that the VA has learned from what went wrong.

Many Members on this committee are concerned about the cost of inaction on climate.

So the first thing is we have to make sure that the infrastructure we are building is going to be climate resilient...

I think we probably here all want a great infrastructure bill, but we seem to be moving further away from one.

I certainly share your belief that we need to cap warming in order to limit sea level rise.

In my district, we are seeing decades-old structures falling into the Pacific Ocean.

We are going to continue to hold you to account, Secretary.

Third, yes or no, are you required by law to ensure that national parks are 'unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations'?

Again, yes or no, when it comes to the national wildlife refuge system, are you required by law to 'ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health' of the refuge system 'are maintained for the benefit of present…

First, does the Federal Land Policy and Management Act require you to take, and I quote, 'into account the long-term needs of future generations'?

Mr. Secretary, in our meeting you seemed to indicate that you don't believe Congress has directed you to address the impacts of climate change.

I appreciated the chance to meet you in my office earlier this month.

And we know, when you talk about a range, we know the range is from very bad to extremely bad.

And we talk a lot about draining the swamp. It is the epitome of the swamp to have a handful of polluters dictate the environmental policies of this Administration.

I would also argue that a plain reading of the existing laws enacted by Congress squarely require you to manage for climate change in the natural resource planning process.

I came into our meeting, as I think you know, troubled by some of your Department's handling of important environmental issues.

I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't just a bit skeptical of this promise by the VA; after all, last year, these same types of assurances had been given to this Subcommittee time and time again.

Both Ranking Member Bilirakis and I have expressed doubts that the Department will be ready by its new deadline.

Repeatedly, we have asked VA officials if the resources they are allocating today and are requesting in the future are sufficient to deliver our Nation's veterans the benefits they have earned.

Clearly, these modifications have not gone smoothly.

I want to thank everyone for joining us today for this joint hearing between the Economic Opportunity and Technology Modernization Subcommittees.

We need to get this drug into a schedule 2 status. It makes everything so much easier to do.

Funding for veterans' homelessness programs, which are crucial in my congressional district, would remain static.