On the recordJuly 30, 2014
I want to start by thanking Chairman Miller for his dedicated work on behalf of our veterans. As a Marine Corps combat veteran and chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I have spent the past year working side-by-side with the members of my subcommittee and with Chairman Miller to investigate and uncover the largest scandal in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am proud that Republicans and Democrats were able to put aside their partisan differences to focus on supporting our Nation's warriors with choice, accountability, and greater transparency. These reforms will allow veterans to vote with their feet if they cannot get an appointment within a reasonable timeframe at a VA facility. I am also proud that we were able to include much-needed reforms on the treatment of victims of sexual assault in the military. The scourge of sexual assault in the military and the corruption of covered-up waiting lists at VA hospitals are shameful acts, and we must work together to confront them head on.
