Andy Barr: “Just a few minutes ago, we adopted, by a recorded vote, a commonsense amendment offered by Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill…”

“Just a few minutes ago, we adopted, by a recorded vote, a commonsense amendment offered by Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill from New Jersey. Congresswoman Sherrill's amendment would prohibit a childcare center, agency, or provider from caring for the children of our Nation's veterans as authorized by this bill if they employ an individual who has been convicted of a sex crime, a violent crime, a drug felony, or another offense the VA considers appropriate. Mr. Speaker, I applaud Congresswoman Sherrill for offering her amendment, which I was pleased to join my colleagues in supporting on a bipartisan basis. However, Ms. Sherrill's amendment failed to address another troubling situation, a situation that, if this bill had gone through regular order, may have been identified. Specifically, Federal law allows but does not require a childcare facility operated by a Federal agency or under contract with a Federal agency to suspend a childcare worker if they have been charged with a sex crime, an offense involving a child victim, a violent crime, or a drug felony, but whose charge is still pending. My motion to recommit, Mr. Speaker, is very simple.…”