Mike Bost

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss VA's efforts to best serve Veterans living in rural communities.

I appreciate Ranking Member Takano and the members of the Committee for standing shoulder to shoulder with me in a bipartisan manner to do that.

When we started talking about telehealth everybody thought how great it is. It is true for the rural area.

Veterans of all walks of life deserve a safe place to call home.

I have worked hard to address barriers to access to care for our veterans, specifically disability exams for our rural veterans.

The Federal Government has a solemn duty to ensure our duties have the care and respect they were promised.

I go home and my veterans are still saying the same thing. I cannot get health care and I cannot get my benefits.

The Mission Act and the Community Care Provider Network have transformed VA's delivery of health care and services.

I am a rural veteran, as many members on this committee are.

The FMCSA has proposed a rule to limit the speed of commercial vehicles throughout the agency proposal.

Protecting our food supply chain is critical to our national security.

My bill would establish reciprocity by imposing the same restrictions on foreign citizens and companies purchasing land in the U.S. as Americans face in these respective countries.

Simply put, industrial hemp is different from cannabis and deserves different regulations.

The Supreme Court's recent decision to uphold California's animal housing mandate, known as Proposition 12, has the potential to disrupt the free movement of goods across state lines.

As Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and owner and operator of a car dealership in Texas for over 52 years, I understand the need to ensure that consumers are given all the information needed to make informed decisions…

I introduced the EATS Act to push back on mandatory arbitrary mandates like California's Prop 12.

These mandates are already having a real-world impact on my constituents.

I have continuously heard from my farmers that it is crucial we increase reference prices for Title I commodities in the next farm bill.

If we do not act to properly support our farmers, this nation could become dependent on global competitors for food.

We are in uncharted waters. They are in the fight for their lives to survive this crisis.

Food security is national security.

I once again thank my friend, Rep. Ciscomani, Chairman Luttrell, Ranking Member Pappas, Chairman Bost, and Ranking Member Takano for considering this legislation during this legislative hearing.

Delaying reimbursement of misused benefits to this underserved population through unnecessary negligence determinations is unacceptable.

Please, do not make these veterans wait any longer. I am with you, sir.

They do not file Appeals Court to prolong their claim. They are wanting to get their claims taken care of.