Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my commonsense amendment to ensure our Nation's injured and amputee veterans will continue to have the ability to choose the orthotist or prosthetist that best meets his or her healthcare needs, whether that practitioner is a VA employee or a VA-contracted provider.

The VA currently is proposing a rule that I fear will reverse a decades-old policy of allowing injured and amputee veterans to choose who provides their artificial limbs and orthotic braces. The VA would have the sole authority to make what they describe as this ``administrative business decision.''

But choice of provider is a clinical decision and an important patient protection. These men and women have sacrificed greatly for our country and it is imperative we do everything we can to make sure they receive the timely and patient-centered healthcare they have earned and deserve.

O&P care is very intimate and specialized, and the correct practitioner for that veteran makes all the difference in the lifestyle the veteran leads. We should do everything we can do in our power to make the often difficult and frustrating transition from service to civilian life as easy as possible, especially when veterans have incurred a disabling condition.

This has been a very important issue to me, and I would like to take the time to thank my colleague, Representative Rutherford, for working with me on this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I would also like to thank both the Appropriations Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee for working with me on this important and timely issue.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and empower our veterans in making their personal healthcare decisions, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his commitment and I certainly respect his position and that he will carry that out. I have legislation to do this, but this is the opportunity to at least make the point and give some certainty to our veterans that their care has and will be taken in deep and grateful consideration.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and empower our veterans in making their personal healthcare decisions, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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