On the recordDecember 7, 2011
I yield myself such time as I may consume. I respect my friend from Wisconsin with whom I have worked on numerous pieces of legislation related to child homelessness and affordable housing; but in this case I'm going to respectfully disagree with the premise of the legislation, as a veteran, as a former Army Ranger, as a flight commander of an assault helicopter unit in the 82nd Airborne Division and who served in the Middle East. The one thing that I would say is that nothing in the REINS Act would in any way inhibit or impede the delivery of services to our veterans, of whom I have been a champion in my time in Congress on numerous pieces of legislation. What I would say is the REINS Act would provide a framework for discussion were there a rule to arise that hit that cost threshold to assure crisp, clear improvement, particularly in dealing with backlogs. When we deal with the VA specifically, I have had area managers of the Veterans Administration point out specific rules that cause increased queuing and waiting time that were not being addressed. This amendment would actually prevent us from being able to address such things, were they to hit the threshold. The amendment carves all regulations that affect veterans and veteran affairs out of the REINS Act congressional approval procedures. Frankly, the REINS Act supporters honor America's veterans. We have had America's veterans speaking in favor of this bill throughout the afternoon.…
