Chris Smith: “I rise in support of H.R. 4013, as amended, the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 1994. This legislation will…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 4013, as amended, the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 1994. This legislation will ban an arbitrary reduction in full-time equivalent employees from the Veterans Health Administration unless specifically required by law or limited funds. Mr. Speaker, the administration has directed VA to cut up to 25,000 FTE's, some 12 percent of its work force, over the next 5 years. At the same time, the administration has submitted legislation which fully expects VA to compete with private sector health plans to attract veteran patients under the Health Security Act. It would seem that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Plain and simple, we are on the cusp of national health reform and it is not the time for arbitrary cuts in health care employees. This mandated cut in FTE would ensure that VA would be able to compete under whatever health plan is ultimately enacted. In the era of health reform, at a time when VA is attempting to prepare itself to meet the challenge of reforms, it is a sad commentary that the administration would make such nonsensical requests. Nonetheless, this legislation, if enacted, will once again protect the VA from OMB budget slashers.”