Cliff Stearns: “I rise in support of H.R. 1092, and commend my chairman for bringing this bill to the floor for consideration early in…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1092, and commend my chairman for bringing this bill to the floor for consideration early in this session. I believe we are sending the VA an important signal today in taking early action on this legislation. With this bill, we are not only extending a good program but expanding it to encourage highly productive public-private partnerships. This bill would extend for 5 years the VA's authority to enter into long-term leases of underutilized VA property in order to foster development of projects which will benefit the VA as well as the lessee. This authority has been effective in encouraging development of construction projects that have proven both directly and monetarily beneficial to the Department. Mr. Speaker, existing law imposes certain limits on this authority, which I believe have outlived their usefulness. It limits to 10 the number of enhanced-use leases that the VA may execute in any year, and caps at 20 the total number of such projects under this authority. In lifting these limitations, H.R. 1092 should help spark an expansion of an important partnership concept. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of the Members to support H.R. 1092.”