On the recordMarch 17, 2017
Mr. Chairman, as mentioned last night during general debate on the underlying bill, the VA has experienced a shortage of medical providers. This shortage impacts not only a veteran's access to care, but also the quality of care a veteran may receive. Dr. Wenstrup's amendment is smart. It would allow the VA more authority, information, and resources, all of which they need to compete with non-VA facilities. The honorable Member from Ohio has worked hard to ensure that what we are proposing with this legislation is reasonable from all sides. I am grateful for that. I do not object to the various changes he is proposing with this amendment to the timeline, to the GAO reporting deadline, and to the establishment of a recruiting database from a ``shall'' to a ``may'' authority. This is exactly what we should be doing, putting forward good pieces of legislation, making sure that the VA gets the best possible people, keeps them there, and care for our veterans. I fully support the gentleman's amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
