Mike Michaud

Expending our hard-working taxpayers' dollars on authorizing costly capital investment projects should never be a matter of routine.

If a resolution cannot be agreed upon, what contingency plan has the Department of Veterans Administration looked at to ensure that Veterans' health care is not adversely impacted by the change in the scoring policy of the leases?

Ensuring that the Department of Veterans Affairs has the proper infrastructure and facilities to provide safe, effective, quality health care to our veterans is a priority of mine.

At this time, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the author of the bill, the gentlewoman from my home State of Maine, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.

I thank both gentlemen for your willingness to look at section 8 more closely. {time} 1630

In closing, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 570, as amended, is a solid piece of legislation that the veterans service organizations support, that the committee supports, and I would urge my colleagues to support this bill. With that, Mr. Speaker, I…

At this time I'd like to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

I, too, have no further Members who wish to speak, but I do want to, in closing, emphasize that veterans are an asset to any organization, whether it is in the private or public sector. They make the organization better, and they improve…

At this time I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

We thank Chairman Jeff Miller and Ranking Member Mike Michaud for the opportunity to present a statement for the record.

The Secretary's goal of having no veteran wait for longer than 125 days with an accuracy rate of 98 percent by 2015 seems to be unlikely.

While the VA continues to process more claims than at any other time in its history, demand continues to outpace production.

We believe that VA should consider reopening enrollment to 'all' Priority Group 8 veterans.

We strongly urge the Committee to approve H.R. 288, the 'CHAMPVA Children's Protection Act of 2013,' introduced by Ranking Member Michaud that would increase the eligibility age to 26.

It is imperative that conflicting messages do not get out there and confuse veterans.

Critics of this bill might say that it is too easy and veterans can just say anything to get those benefits. First of all, that is just simply not true.

So I think it is a problem of fundamental fairness. If a medical diagnosis linked to a claimed event is enough for one group of veterans, it ought to be enough for another.

I am very proud of Ruth for being here with us today, with her willingness to come forward and to help so many others in her own testimony both before this Committee and with the many people she has been willing to talk to about her story.

The Ruth Moore Act is about making sure that victims of military sexual trauma get a fair shake.

I am proud to be a co-sponsor of that legislation.

Our nation's veterans deserve adequate and responsible funding to the fullest extent possible.

We have received numerous complaints that the performance and adjudication of pension claims for the veterans of Maine has gotten worse since the consolidation of pension claims at the Philadelphia VA Regional Office.

Fast-tracking the VLER program to ensure seamless transfer of medical records must be a top priority, and necessary funds must be allocated to fulfill it.

The excuses must stop. I have supported you and your leadership up to this point.

It would provide protection for the operations of the entire VA from the political wrangling that occurs as a part of the appropriations process every year.