Tim Walz

the hiring freeze has precluded us from filling these positions and it has adversely affected veterans' care.

this idea of making sure VA employees are able to come up here, speak candidly about what is going to improve our veterans' care, I am appreciative of that.

I hope through our discussion today we can identify a viable path forward and make MSPV work and stop repeating the same mistakes.

the buck does stop somewhere. And again, for years I heard it, it stops with the President and it stops with the Secretary.

I looked at the first budget that I showed up on in 2009, it was 93.5 billion and about 250,000 employees...

there is an abject failure in leadership to get this right.

we have veterans waiting.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I concur with much of the Chairman's statement.

using a fully-functional VA is a choice, it is a choice that 94 percent of VFW members who were surveyed would like to make.

if we are looking for the easy fix or we are looking to pass the buck on this, that is simply unacceptable.

I was absent for rollcall Nos. 655 (on the passage of H.R. 3731), and 656 (on the passage of H.R. 3317). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both these votes. Personal Explanation

I was absent for rollcall No. 622 (on the passage of H.R. 2201). Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on this vote. PERSONAL EXPLANATION

I feel like we are on a roll, Mr. Speaker. We should stay here all day. Bipartisan, commonsense legislation improving the lives of veterans, it kind of feels like what we came here for. I rise in strong support of another one of those…

I thank the gentleman from Connecticut once again. This is a good piece of legislation. It will speed the benefits that were earned by our Nation's veterans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3634, and I yield back the…

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Maine for her remarks. This is a good piece of legislation. As I have said, everybody who serves in this House has received veterans in their office either carrying this letter or…

I thank the gentleman from California and his coauthors. Again, this is smart. He is leaning into this, bringing innovation. He came to the Veterans' Affairs Committee and looked at ways that we can streamline this process. It is a good…

In closing, I thank Judge Carter. Everybody make note of this. Common sense is going to prevail. We are in full support of H.R. 1133. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote accordingly, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Again, it makes great sense. We are in full support of the bill. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2601. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

The Army has focused on building Career Skills Programs (CSP) for transitioning service members.

Currently commanders are authorized to include SFL-TAP percentages in personnel evaluations.

I have two more speakers. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Gabbard), a veteran herself, a veteran of the conflicts in Iraq, and a strong voice for our veterans and specifically for our veterans with mental…

I thank the gentleman for his words. I appreciate his work. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), a staunch and truly effective advocate for her constituents and for veterans across this Nation. This…

Again, it makes sense. Removing some of these paper barriers, as the gentleman from Michigan said, geography, weather, other things, it makes sense to use the technology to improve the care. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2123, and I…

We need to get it in one pot. We can then find out what the needs are and appropriate the money for it.

this is not a partisan issue, it is a veteran issue. And this Committee continues to prove that veterans, not politics, come first.