OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015

Floor Speech

Date: April 30, 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, let's see. There are 435 of us in this House and maybe another 100 over on
the other side, give or take a few who may be retiring or who are on their way to other jobs. Each and every one of us has constituents come to us, seeking help and seeking our assistance in solving a problem. It is our work. That is what a Representative is. We represent the people in our districts, and we help solve their problems.

The veterans have a very special place in our offices, in my own notion of what I am supposed to do as a Representative. I know they have in Mr. LaMalfa's and, quite probably, in the offices of every other Member of this House. We have over 130 active cases with veterans in our districts, working through the problems that they have with the Veterans Administration. I must tell you that one thing that sets me off is when my staff tells me that we are not able to contact the Veterans Administration because they have sent the case to another office and that that office won't respond to us.

We talked about this amongst ourselves, Mr. LaMalfa and I and other Representatives in our area, and, frankly, we have had enough. We are the legislature of the United States Government. And the Veterans Administration has a task, and they had better be responsible and responsive to veterans and to those who represent veterans, namely the 435 Members of this House. It is part of our job.

When the Veterans Administration office in some far-off land or county or other State has been given a file from our district to handle and to work through because of an overload in our area and then they don't respond to us, then they get this piece of legislation.

Mr. LaMalfa, thank you very much. This ought to become law, notwithstanding the objection. We thank you for carrying this bill. Let's make this part of a law, and let's make this organization responsive to us and to our constituents.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward