Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015
Floor Speech
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Ms. TITUS. I thank the ranking member for yielding and for her
leadership on the VA Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant support of this bill, S. 2082, the
VA Expiring Authorities Act.
As my colleagues have outlined, this legislation will extend the
authorization for some very good programs at the VA that provide
valuable support and services for our Nation's heroes.
I have serious concerns, however, about one provision included in the
bill. Title V raises the authorization for the Denver medical facility
by more than $600 million. This facility is already $1 billion over
budget and years behind schedule.
The bill, however, does not explain how we are going to pay for this
increase. That will come later today when the House considers a
continuing resolution to keep the government running for another 10
weeks. Buried in the CR is a provision that allows the VA to play a
shell game within their budget to pay for the Denver project.
Now, we all believe that veterans everywhere, including in Denver,
should have access to the best health care possible. But the funds for
the Denver project should not come at the expense of veterans in Nevada
and in other parts of the country.
Nonetheless, the VA has identified the $600 million to pay for the
Denver facility and has said that these specific cuts are designed to
``minimize the impact on veterans.''
Well, this couldn't be further from the truth, and it ignores
reality. It is the epitome of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Let me remind you that, in the summer of 2014, we passed an emergency
CHOICE Act of some $15 billion to help the VA with the healthcare
backlog.
Then the VA came back to us this summer and said they would have to
close hospitals if we didn't allow them to move some money out of the
CHOICE Act.
Then the VA came back and said they needed $200 million just to keep
the Denver project going for a while. Now the VA is saying: Oh, no
problem. We can just move $600 million out of existing programs so we
can help Denver without it hurting veterans.
How can they possibly do this?
The VA, I can tell you, has proposed cutting IT services, despite the
fact that many of their IT systems are 30 years old and need to be
replaced.
They want to cut funds for a program that helps recruit and retain
the best personnel to serve veterans at a time when they are struggling
to recruit and retain qualified employees, including specialists and
doctors. They want to cut eight construction projects around the
country, from operating rooms to a dialysis center.
Now, how can you say these cuts won't hurt veterans?
Now, we know a thing or two about sure things in Las Vegas. Well, I
can tell you it is a sure thing that, soon enough, the VA will be
coming back to Congress, proclaiming yet another doomsday if we don't
refill these accounts that they are now robbing.
So I say to you Congress needs to do its job and actually pay for
what we have bought. Wars are expensive. We need to recognize that. We
can't keep playing budget games and nickel-and-dime the services that
the brave men and women who fought in these wars need and deserve when
they come home.
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