PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1259, VA ACCOUNTABILITY FIRST ACT OF 2017; PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1367, IMPROVING AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO HIRE AND RETAIN...
Ken Buck (Republican, CO) \u2014 2017-3-16

I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. prgtoken Our veterans have paid a high price. Dispatched to foreign lands to fight for our freedom, many returned injured, grief-stricken over lost friends, and torn apart by the violence of war. prgtoken We owe them our time, our energy, our gratitude, and our protection. That is why we are here on the floor today: to protect the constitutional rights of our heroes and to make sure we are taking care of them like we promised we would. prgtoken H.R. 1181, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, ensures that government cannot strip our heroes of their constitutional rights without due process. Under current law, if the VA determines that a veteran needs a guardian or fiduciary to help manage their benefits, then that veteran's name must be sent to the NICS database, prohibiting them from purchasing a firearm. prgtoken The decision to strip any constitutional right from anyone, most importantly our veterans who have put their lives on the line to defend our Constitution, needs to be made with due process. The VA was never designed to adjudicate the removal of constitutional rights. This decision should be made by a judge or judicial authority. prgtoken Instead of stripping veterans of constitutional rights, our VA should be focused on protecting veterans. That is exactly what the other two bills under consideration do. prgtoken H.R. 1259 gives the Department of Veterans Affairs greater ability to discipline employees for misconduct or poor performance. prgtoken We entrust our VA employees with the health and well-being of our veterans. Most of these employees do a great job, working hard to make sure our heroes are cared for; but, occasionally, a VA employee engages in misconduct, behavior that can endanger the very lives of our veterans. prgtoken These men and women sacrificed to serve our Nation. The least we can do is enable them to receive the best care possible at the VA. That is why we need H.R. 1259, to allow the VA, under an expedited process, to fire or suspend or demote employees who are putting our veterans at risk. prgtoken The legislation also allows the VA to recoup the money paid in bonuses or relocation grants to employees convicted of a felony. prgtoken , our veterans deserve the best. They deserve the best employees. They deserve the best medical staff. That is what the third bill under consideration, H.R. 1367, will achieve. This legislation improves the VA's ability to recruit the best medical staff, offering the agency direct hiring authority to fill key positions with critical staffing needs. prgtoken It also creates a fellowship program to train up VA management for the best performance. It is time to improve the personnel practices at the Veterans Administration. prgtoken , the resolution on the floor today is vital for our Nation's veterans. Their constitutional rights and their well-being stand in the balance. prgtoken