CHARLES W. DENT

I understand there is a great demand throughout our Nation for State veterans' homes, and I wish we had the allocation to provide more for this program than we did. I do want to raise a concern with the language that it might--I say…

This amendment is familiar to us since the gentleman offered it last year. I am not sure it is necessary to repeat the language this year since we know the VA has rescinded the Fast Letter guidance. After all, with the IG investigation…

I understand the gentleman's concerns about starting this large, new office at the VA. As you can see from our report, we cut the request for General Administration by $81.3 million, largely because of our concerns about funding this large…

Again, I have no objection to the gentleman's amendment. He offered the same amendment last year, and it passed by voice vote. So I certainly urge adoption of the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

There are no projects in the FY 17 request for this purpose in the United States. There is $33 million in funds to support the naval station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at the request of SOCOM, Southern Command, to deal with various issues of…

As I said, I reluctantly oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Blumenauer is a very genuine and sincere, very thoughtful Member of this body. I understand that the country is evolving on this issue, as many States, including my own, have moved forward on medical marijuana. As a Member of this…

I just want to say I have no objection to the gentleman's amendment, and I am prepared to accept it.

Reclaiming my time, I certainly understand the gentleman's sincere desire to provide better care to our veterans. As it relates to the single-source issue, single-source contracts, obviously he has a great deal of expertise. I would like…

This funding, I believe, for the Air Force, this is going to be directed toward Bulgaria, Spangdahlem, Iceland, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia. Again, I oppose the amendment. It is very important to our allies, particularly as it relates…

This money, I guess, would strike the OCO funding for the Navy. The money for the Navy is going to be used in Djibouti, I believe, for a runway and also for a medical and dental facility for our troops. So I, again, respectfully oppose the…

I will just say very briefly, Mr. Chairman, I know the gentleman is very interested, as we all are, in finding ways to ensure that the VA healthcare providers receive up-to-date and comprehensive training in the proper use of pain…

The gentleman is addressing a problem that many Members have contacted us about, the long delays that community practitioners are experiencing in being paid by VA for their care for veterans. Our report requires VA to provide comprehensive…

I share the gentlewoman's concern about the importance of telehealth as a way to provide healthcare services remotely to patients. It is especially useful in the treatment of mental health and behavioral health issues. The VA is a leader…

I am certainly sympathetic to the intent of the gentleman's amendment to increase funding for suicide prevention outreach programs. Obviously, we all know this is a very serious problem. These programs already received an 11 percent…

I can't believe, though, that knowing how the Russians are behaving with respect to the missile launch, do we think that they would actually ever support us on a snap-back sanction in the event the Iranians were to violate the nuclear…

The Russians are up at the U.N. protecting Iran, voting with them, protecting them even though the Iranians have violated the U.N. resolutions.

Iran, in my view, is now in a position to become much more of a regional hegemon.

There have been more ballistic missile launches by the Iranians, in violation of U.N. resolutions and certainly not in the spirit of the nuclear agreement.

There would be a lot more danger in the world if Iran was closer to a nuclear weapon.

It just seems to me that because of this agreement, we lost all our leverage in that part of the world, and it doesn't seem that, in my view, that the Middle East is--that we are getting Iran to help us in any way diplomatically on any…

It seems to me, based on the actions I have seen with the missile launch and their other nefarious activities in the Middle East, that they are not getting right with the world.

It is everywhere, and all of the deaths in my district in recent months did a drug overdose of either heroin or synthetic drugs.

The next speaker should not apiece those who make unreasonable demands. There are a number of members of our conference who simply cannot get the yes on anything.

Again, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that would provide $9 million for inward-facing cameras on Amtrak trains. This is absolutely essential, I believe, to helping us hopefully prevent and--certainly, after the…