Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. That would be fine.

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. First, Mr. President, I thank the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Isakson of Georgia. To say that he has been a leader is certainly an understatement. He has devoted countless hours to forging a coalition in the best tradition of the U.S. Senate, a bipartisan coalition that enabled us to unanimously bring together Republicans and Democrats on the Veterans' Affairs Committee in approving the Veterans First Act for consideration by this body.

My reason for being here today is to say to our colleagues that we must move forward. We must seize this opportunity--no matter which side of the aisle we sit on--to move this bill forward, keep faith with our veterans, leave no veteran behind, and make sure we honor their service by fulfilling our obligations to our job. Our job now is to make sure we pass the Veterans First Act.

I have listened with interest to some of my colleagues' comments on a decision by the Attorney General of the United States, and then the Secretary of the Veterans Administration, to decline to defend a part of the Choice statute. Quite frankly, I share their questions and a number of their concerns. I want to know from the Attorney General of the United States why the decision was made to decline enforcement of this statute on constitutional grounds, saying that it violated the appointments clause of the Constitution.

After 40 years of practicing law, I can say I have done very little litigation involving the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution. It is seemingly an arcane and abstruse section of law. I say that with great humility in light of the experience of the Presiding Officer. He and I may have a discussion away from the floor about the merits of this decision.

The point is that we must look forward. We need to demand those answers--and I expect the Attorney General of the United States will be forthcoming--but let's look forward to the central task right now and avoid being distracted by what happened in the past and move forward on the Veterans First bill. This measure imposes accountability lacking for too long, laggard in too many instances. We saw it dramatically and tragically in Phoenix and many other areas around the country where still there has been inadequate or completely absent discipline and accountability imposed.

This measure makes it easier for the VA to both hire and remove senior executives, giving the Secretary much needed flexibility in hiring and firing, improving the training of managers, and implementing an outside review.

Yesterday we heard from an outstanding nominee, a veteran of years of leadership in the Marine Corps. That kind of quality person ought to be in the VA more commonly.

This legislation also protects whistleblowers. In my view, that is critically important. They are the brave employees who see something wrong and say something, at risk to themselves. That risk should be eliminated. In this new proposal, the Veterans First Act, we create an office of accountability and whistleblower protection and require that the VA take the necessity of listening and protecting whistleblowers into account in its training and evaluation of supervisors.

This measure goes well beyond accountability, although accountability is central to this bill. It also helps veterans of all eras who may have been exposed to toxic substances in their service. There are so many more unknowns on the battlefield now that can do harm to our soldiers--chemicals, radiation, and other toxic substances--so we can better understand and address the long-term effects of that toxic exposure. That is why the Vietnam Veterans of America fully supports this measure.

Thanks to the work of Senator Baldwin, the Veterans First Act also addresses the opioid overprescription crisis among veterans. All too often and for far too long, the VA doctors have relied on powerful opioid painkillers when other kinds of medical care are more appropriate. This legislation will reduce the overuse and, thereby, the addiction of our veterans to these powerful painkiller.

As I know from having spoken to Sarah Greene, a constituent of mine who lives in Branford, CT, whose husband perished in the post-9/11 wars while in combat, and her State Representative Lonnie Reed, this bill expands the GI benefits to surviving spouses and their dependents who lost a servicemember after 9/11.

It also reinstates those benefits to veterans who attended a school that permanently closed, such as Corinthian Colleges. These predatory schools should not be permitted to deprive our veterans of those benefits that they need and deserve.

This measure also provides support for caregivers, the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children who give of themselves and give up livelihoods and careers to care for their veteran family members. They should receive the kind of support they need and deserve. Their service is no less worthy and worthwhile than that of their family veteran members.

The measure also includes important provisions to address the scourge of homelessness among veterans. I was pleased to work with Lisa Tepper Bates of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness; and Margaret Middleton, leader of the veterans programs in Connecticut, principally the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, to create more permanent housing opportunities and provide legal services to homeless veterans.

Finally, most important, this bill enhances programs to prepare veterans for careers through licensure, certification programs, and other programs to make sure that veterans have jobs. They need and deserve jobs.

As a Member of the Senate, my priority has been jobs and economic progress for our veterans--for all the people of Connecticut. That is why I am pleased that this measure will help veterans find employment as they transition home with employers such as Frontier Communications--very proudly doing business in Connecticut--which is looking to make veterans 15 percent of its new hires.

This measure includes many other provisions that are worthy of passage. The point is that we must pass it. I challenge my colleagues to do this bill before July 4, to move forward before we recess for the summer, to address the challenge of providing veterans what they have earned.

We are not talking about handouts; we are talking about something veterans have earned--that we keep faith with them.

This measure is bipartisan. Nothing stands in its way. There is no reason that merits its being stopped or blocked. I challenge my colleagues to move forward with this measure.

I again thank my colleague from Georgia, who is not only a fellow member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee but also a friend of mine and truly a friend of all veterans, the senior Senator from Georgia, Johnny Isakson.

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