Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the leadership of Chairman Jeff Miller, both in the committee and with this particular piece of legislation. Mr. Chairman, our veterans demand the strong accountability tools contained in H.R. 5620. Since the Phoenix wait-list scandals, very few individuals have been held accountable. Fewer still are those whose disciplinary actions have not been overturned by the Merit System Protection Board. This state of affairs is deplorable. This bill provides VA leadership with the tools to hold all VA employees accountable for their performance and misconduct, not just those members of the Senior Executive Service. This bill is long overdue. Veterans within my district are still experiencing poor service from the VA. VA employees have openly joked in front of our veterans about their immunity to any disciplinary actions for their poor performance. Mr. Chairman, our veterans have earned the privilege of interacting with VA employees who put the veteran first, not their own careers. I urge my colleagues to support this vital piece of legislation. {time} 1745”