John Fleming

In all that time, how many people at the Veterans Administration hospital system have actually been fired?

Waiting 45 minutes for a response for a health care facility even one time is a disgrace.

We will continue working daily to make the VA accountable, to be sure that people who are not doing their job should be fired, people who are breaking the law should be prosecuted, and we will continue that endeavor.

We have sent money to bolster the VA, the VA hospital system to try to improve care.

We have all lived through the many, many reports throughout the last 3 or so years of veterans who have been denied access to care.

If we can get it to you, we would. Trust me on that.

The bills represent a bad deal for taxpayers, the environment, and public health. They should be rejected by Congress unless and until they are very significantly improved.

These are well-intended settlements and I commend those of you who have worked so hard on getting these bills to this important juncture.

The American people have asked for and deserve transparency and accountability so their taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

With all due respect to the ranking member, all my amendment does is holds the status quo before these two executive orders; and that is, the commanders in the field and the generals at the Pentagon can do whatever is best for the…

Again, my amendment is not a debate about climate change, regardless of where you fall on that issue. All this does is free up DOD to make the vital important decisions on that, instead of handcuffing it. I reserve the balance of my time.

I would respond, first of all, by saying I think we all see the reports. If you are on Armed Services, you hear our generals talk about how our readiness is in dire straits, that we can't respond to the challenges around the world. At a…

The National Ocean Policy is a tool for planning, not a mandate that strips local and stakeholder control of our ocean's resources.

It is a determined bureaucratic body, unelected officials who are accountable to no one, including Congress.

Their absence is telling and indicative of this whole effort: share as little information as possible even though their stated goal is 'Federal coordination and transparency.'

The Administration's so-called National Ocean Policy is not new to this committee, as this is the sixth oversight hearing on this subject.

This hearing will be the first of a number of actions this subcommittee will take to hold the Administration's feet to the fire on this gross executive over-reach aimed at curtailing multiple-use access to our ocean resources.

It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that the Administration could not be here to listen to these legitimate concerns--or should I say would not be here.

Today's hearing is about shining some sunlight on what has become a non-transparent Administration agenda aimed at curtailing multiple-use access in our oceans and lands.

An enactment of H.R. 1397 is not expected to cost the taxpayers any money.

H.R. 1397, the Seniors Tax Simplification Act, which would save millions of taxpayers money, but not cost the revenue one cent.

Hydropower's growth is 'stagnant.'

There is vast potential for new hydropower facilities throughout Louisiana and the rest of the country.

We can help answer those questions today and have the power to steer this ship in a positive direction.

Today's hearing will delve into the topic of America's largest source of renewable energy: hydropower.