Sheila Jackson Lee: “I would offer to say that a highway bill, 6 years, or a surface transportation bill for 6 years is a bipartisan American…”

“I would offer to say that a highway bill, 6 years, or a surface transportation bill for 6 years is a bipartisan American way to do things. Why don't we do that for the American people and do it now? Vote ``no'' on the rule. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security, I rise to speak on H.R. 3236, Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015,'' which reauthorizes federal-aid highway and transit programs for three months--through October 29, 2015--by transferring $8.1 billion from other federal funds to the Highway Trust Fund to cover projected trust fund shortfalls over that time period. The bill also allows the Veterans Affairs Department (VA) to use $3.4 billion provided last year for the Veterans Choice health care program to pay for care provided since May 1 to veteran patients by non-VA providers under VA Care in the Community programs. The bill also is intended to give the VA the funding flexibility needed to prevent the possible closure of some VA hospitals in coming weeks. Mr. Speaker, instead of this 90-day temporary extension, I would have strongly preferred that we were debating a comprehensive, fair, equitable, and long-term transportation reauthorization bill the nation desperately needs. We have had two years to do so.…”