Steve Buyer: “Mr. Speaker, in an exchange I just had in a colloquy with Speaker Pelosi with regard to her commitment to correct an…”

“Mr. Speaker, in an exchange I just had in a colloquy with Speaker Pelosi with regard to her commitment to correct an error in the President's health package, I would like to place that commitment in some context. Since late July of last year, when the debate on the President's health care package started, I tried on multiple occasions to ensure that the care our Nation's veterans and their families received from the Department would be considered minimum essential coverage. I did that during the markup in the Subcommittee on Health, in the Energy and Commerce Committee, and in the full committee. My efforts included trying to obtain jurisdiction for the Veterans' Affairs Committee on H.R. 3200 back in August of last year. In November, during the floor debate on H.R. 3962, I again sought to obtain protections for our Nation's veterans and their families. At that time, not only I but Chairman Filner received assurances in writing from the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, from the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and from the Energy and Labor Committee that veterans and their families would, in fact, be protected.”