On the recordFebruary 7, 2019
Madam Chair, I rise in strong support on passage of H.R. 840, the Veterans' Access to Child Care Act, to provide childcare assistance to our military families. Nearly a decade ago, the Veterans Administration survey found that over 1 in 10 veterans have had to cancel their VA medical appointments due to the lack of childcare. In response, Congress created the VA childcare pilot program. The first in the Nation opened in my hometown of Buffalo, New York. The program has been a tremendous success. Since its inception, it has served countless military families. Last year, more than 1,000 children visited the Kids Korner, located at the Buffalo VA Center, while their parents received much-needed care. America's veterans placed their lives on the front lines for our freedoms. Many veterans returned to their families from combat with injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder that requires regular treatment at their VA. Madam Chair, we need to remove barriers to care and give our veterans certainty. By passing this legislation, Congress will make childcare available to veterans who need it, while being cost effective in improving health outcomes. In closing, I thank Congresswoman Brownley for her tireless work on behalf of our Nation's veterans, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote on passage of this important legislation. {time} 1530
