On the recordJuly 29, 2015
Let me thank the gentleman from Colorado, and let me thank my good friend from Texas as well. Let me use a great philosopher's statement of a couple of decades ago: ``Can we all get along?'' As I stand here, on the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 that is now with the rule before us, it is obvious that we are trying to take a divergent pathway. I was one of the first Members of Congress to go down in front of my veterans hospital to stand and to demand quality health care for our veterans, to ask that the system be fixed. I take no backseat, along with other Members, to ensuring that our veterans get what they need, and stand in line to make sure that they are not defaulted on by the American people. H.R. 1994 eliminates the due process rights of whistleblowers who have been key to drawing attention to any manipulation or coverups taking place. They are bringing back to the floor this bill, calling it an accountability bill; but, in essence, it is to go after hard-working employees and fire them and eliminating their opportunity to explain or to have due process. That is not the American way. This is not a bill that helps veterans. In fact, it takes away consistent, long-working employers who see something and say something, and so I am voting ``no'' on the bill and this rule.…
