Mike Collins: “I am pleased to bring this rule forward on behalf of the Rules Committee. The rule provides for consideration of S. 114…”

“I am pleased to bring this rule forward on behalf of the Rules Committee. The rule provides for consideration of S. 114, the Department of Veterans Affairs Bonus Transparency Act. The rule provides for 1 hour of debate, equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. The rule also provides for a motion to recommit. Mr. Speaker, we can all agree that our Nation's veterans are heroes. They deserve our support, gratitude, and recognition, and they deserve to have the promises we as a nation have made to them fulfilled. Unfortunately, far too often, we fall short of keeping those promises. Everyone remembers the scandals that shook the Department of Veterans Affairs a few years ago, highlighting critical problems around the country and the need for greater accountability. In the wake of these crises of mismanagement and wrongdoing, Congress created the Veterans Choice Program in 2014 to provide veterans with better options to seek out timely, appropriate care from providers in their communities rather than wade through the outrageous lines, excessive wait times, and subpar medical care at Veterans Health Administration facilities. The Choice Program isn't perfect, and my colleagues and I are working to fix that, but it has been a meaningful start and a path to quicker, more convenient care for our Nation's veterans. Without congressional action today, we risk leaving our heroes without Choice.…”