Cliff Stearns

Not only does the BVA provide support for our Nation's blind veterans, the organization also provides inspiration and support for their family members via the Kathern F. Gruber Scholarship Awards. This worthy scholarship enables spouses…

Well, Madam Speaker, I think it is unfortunate that this bill to honor an individual who did so much for our blind veterans community and paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country, this particular bill is not being considered…

I understand he is saying that it wasn't put in the loop at the moment, it wasn't put on the schedule, but I think you are also saying that this is the type of bill that you support and you believe should be part of a vote on the floor…

I also rise in support of H.R. 3976, as amended, a bill to extend certain expiring provisions providing enhanced protections for servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosure. Public Law 110-289, the Housing and Economic…

I also rise in support of H.R. 4592, as amended, a bill to provide for the establishment of a pilot program to encourage the employment of veterans in energy-related positions. Madam Speaker, I think the final bill is better. I applaud the…

Once again, I thank Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin for her leadership and Ranking Member Dr. Boozman and Mr. Teague for their work to bring us a bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, as amended, to provide for the establishment…

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3976, as amended, a bill to extend certain expiring provisions providing enhanced protections to servicemembers relating to mortgages and mortgage foreclosure.

This incredibly expensive $1 trillion health care bill will hurt many individuals that currently have insurance. The bill will hurt veterans because it does not accept TRICARE as a qualified medical plan. It will hurt seniors by cutting…

The bottom line-- this is the bottom line--the Senate language in the health care bill does not protect VA and Department of Defense health care systems from interference by other Federal agencies, such as Health and Human Services. We…

There is something else that is going on here, too. Okay, so the Skelton bill passes without the Buyer-McKeon. Okay, then the health care bill comes tomorrow. We vote on it tomorrow night, and it passes. But still, the veterans will still…

I am glad we are extending this important law temporarily, but I am hopeful it will move forward on a permanent basis, a 5-year extension. And obviously, I am very glad the current SGR formula is being fixed, corrected today, and at least…

I am sure a lot of Members don't even know about this extension. So I think it is a credit to the majority that they brought this up, because I think all of us want to see this important medical correction for doctors. Under the current…

To protect Members from voting on the Senate health care bill, Democrats are using a self-enacting rule to deem that bill passed by the House. As Speaker Pelosi said, "It's more insider and process-oriented than most people want to know…

I hope you remember that. From the moment we got there, many of the folks wanted us to leave. Most remarkable is that these same folks wanted us to leave just before we stabilized Iraq. They were not in favor of the surge. Yet the surge…

A formulary system has the potential to also help educate physicians and patients about drugs, ensure the use of quality drug products and promote evidence-based management of disease.

In 1997, with the increased use of pharmaceuticals and concerns over rising drug costs and geographic variability, VA was prompted to establish a single National Formulary to help manage costs and improve consistency across the VA…

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I appreciate your holding this hearing to examine the management of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pharmacy program.

Last year, VA filled over 125 million prescriptions for veteran patients and expects that amount to double in 2010 to more than 254 million prescriptions.

The development of prescription medications that relieve suffering, prevent, cure, and help manage illnesses has revolutionized modern medicine and is improving the quality of life for many of our ill, injured and elderly veterans.

I would also like to commend my good friend Stephanie Herseth Sandlin for being a champion of women veterans.

I would also like to commend my good friend, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, for being a champion of women's veterans.

I thank our Chairman, Bob Filner, for reintroducing a bill to expand the benefits for veterans related to the reimbursement of expenses for emergency treatment in a local, non-VA facility.

I rise today to address the troubling results of a report that was just released last Friday by the Congressional Oversight Panel on the Troubled Asset Relief Program, TARP. In summary, the 50-page report indicates that our United States…

once again I come to the House floor to honor the accomplishment of the University of Florida Gators. On Thursday night, the Gators won their second BCS national football championship in the past 3 years by beating a very good Oklahoma…

the U.S. faces a critical need to encourage domestic petroleum production. It seems as if the United States has unilaterally disarmed itself in the competition for energy supplies by imposing a host of unnecessary restrictions on domestic…