OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act

Floor Speech

Date: May 16, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans Health and Health Care

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Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his tireless effort, along with the committee staff, to highlight that the House Veterans' Affairs Committee is truly how a congressional committee is supposed to operate: together.

The name of the act is the VA MISSION Act. Any member of the military understands that mission accomplishment is always first, and with this VA MISSION Act of 2018, what you are going to see is some extremely important elements in accomplishing that long-term mission of providing results for the veterans.

The community care improvement consolidates seven duplicative community care programs into one cohesive program. It removes arbitrary one-size-fits-all parameters in the Choice Program.

Previously, the Choice Program limited accessing care to convenient and affordable. It wasn't good enough. The VA MISSION Act provides Choice funding shortfalls, ensuring that the 1-year funding bridge is complete so that the veterans have a continuity of care during the implementation of the new program.

It also provides for the Asset and Infrastructure Review. This transforms the VA from relying on outdated inpatient facilities to more modern facilities meant for outpatient care of the future that includes delivery through telehealth, through different and unique circumstances that our veterans expect and deserve today.

The VA is one of the Federal Government's largest property holders and needs to make sure that its resources aren't wasted keeping lights on in unused buildings. Those limited resources need to be focused on the veterans.

And finally, the caregiver expansion, this VA MISSION Act expands caregiver support to both pre- and post-9/11 veterans. That is essential and long overdue.

When you reform the VA and allow for greater veteran choices but do not--and I repeat, do not--privatize, this is making the VA the best it needs to be going forward in support of our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank the chairman for his efforts.

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