Political Quotes

“The Department of Veterans Affairs' Financial Services Center provides a purely administrative function for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to process third-party medical claims for those in CBP's and ICE's custody. Regardless of your stance on immigration, those seeking medical attention should not be denied access to care. The third-party medical providers who provide any medical care that can't be provided within ICE and CBP facilities deserve to be paid in a timely and accurate manner. The VA's Financial Services Center has that capability, and we are fortunate that it does. This is not unlike how the Department of Agriculture's National Finance Center is the finance center that is used to process the payment of paychecks for thousands of employees across the Federal Government. Further, this amendment does not prevent ICE from providing medical care to those in its custody. It will simply make it more expensive and more cumbersome not only for DHS but also for the local medical service providers seeking reimbursement for the services that they provided. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”