On the recordMay 21, 2018
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5215, the Veterans Affairs Purchase Card Mitigation Act. I have often said I am the VA's staunchest supporter, but I will be their harshest critic. On this one, I will be their harshest critic. Time and again when we hear reports of VA employees misusing purchase cards, that cannot stand. Every dollar that is misused, whether it is through fraud, waste, or abuse, is one less dollar that is not being used towards veterans, and it is the taxpayers' dollars that need to be guarded. This misuse erodes Congress' ability to oversee the VA budget and the use of the money. Employees who misuse purchase cards should be held accountable and should be prevented from being a purchase card holder or authorizing official, because they can't be trusted to follow the regulations or be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. This legislation will ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected from purchase card misuse. If you are doing it right, you can still use the card and it can serve veterans. If you choose to ignore the rules, you are not going to be able to do it anymore. It is pretty simple. It is a smart piece of legislation. I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
