Sanford Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a terrific educator, strong civic leader, and outstanding citizen, Lieutenant Colonel Joel Davis, Jr. (U.S. Army). LTC Davis will be retiring from his post as Professor of Military Science and Commander of the Senior ROTC Wildcat Battalion at the Fort Valley State University (FVSU). He will be honored by the administration, faculty, students, and supporters at FVSU's 2015 Spring Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 2, 2015 in Fort Valley, Georgia. A native of Swainsboro, Georgia, LTC Joel Davis, Jr. graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Savannah State College, now Savannah State University, in 1990. In 2004, he earned a Master's degree in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Troy University in Troy, Alabama. LTC Davis' overseas tours of duty include the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Panama, Marshall Islands, Guam, Kuwait, Baghdad, Iraq, and Haiti. His most recent assignments include serving as Chief of Intelligence for the United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Mission in Haiti, where he served as the Senior Military Intelligence Advisor to the Force Commander, Contingent Commanders, and staff in support of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In 2007-2009, he served as the Chief of Intelligence/G2 for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, the Brigade S3/Operations Officer, 500th Military Intelligence Brigade and the Battalion Executive Officer, 205th Military Battalion in Fort Shafter, Hawaii. LTC Davis has held several other Command and key billets during his 30 years of military service, including his time as an Infantryman in the U.S. Marine Corps. The Second Congressional District of Georgia gained a respected and compassionate leader when LTC Davis arrived in Fort Valley, Georgia in June 2011 to serve as Professor of Military Science and Commander of the Senior ROTC Wildcat Battalion at Fort Valley State University, with partnerships at Albany State University and Darton College in Albany, Georgia. In this capacity, LTC Davis provided command and control over recruiting, developing, training, and retaining more than 155 Cadets, as well as the commissioning of 13 second lieutenants annually. He developed guidance and program objectives for 10 Cadre/Staff members to meet annual training and mission requirements. As the Department Head, LTC Davis managed an effective and efficient military science program that exceeded the high standards set by the U.S. Army and Fort Valley State University. During his time at FVSU, LTC Davis has fostered valuable relationships with the University administration, faculty, community partners, and external centers of influence, as well as with Army recruiting organizations, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard. He supports numerous JROTC units and high schools throughout the state of Georgia and beyond to help motivate America's youth to become better citizens. An excellent role model and mentor, LTC Davis is a loyal and altruistic leader who is committed to assisting young command members develop life skills and realize their full potential. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the Fort Valley State University community in honoring Lieutenant Colonel Joel Davis, Jr. for his contributions to the Fort Valley State University and to our great nation.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal).

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I move to appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, let me say that I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with Chairman Dent of the subcommittee as well as the chairman and ranking member of the full committee. Madam Chair, as you know, this bill has a strong reputation for common ground and bipartisanship. We are pleased with several aspects of the bill. For example, the bill maintains tough but fair reporting requirements for VistA modernization, which closely tracks the VA's development of its electronic health record. The bill continues to prioritize the elimination of the veterans claims backlog by fully funding the fiscal year 2016 requests: $18.3 million for a centralized mail initiative which consolidates inbound paper mail from regional offices to a centralized intake site, as well as $140.8 million for the Veterans Claims Intake Program to scan and convert paper claims into a digital format. I believe that these are all positive steps to making the VA function better. Furthermore, Chairman Dent has avoided including contentious legislative riders, which is very much appreciated. Unfortunately, however, the chairman was forced to write a bill under the majority's fiscal year 2016 budget resolution, which chose to lock in the Budget Control Act levels and to use gimmicks to boost defense funding. Because of the budget resolution's failure to provide relief from these budget caps--which were established in 2011 and later adjusted in 2013--the chairman was forced to make some tough choices due to the allocation that he was given. While military construction is provided $7.2 billion, an increase of $593 million above 2015, it is still $1.2 billion below the budget request. In an effort to avoid the defense budget cap, the bill shifts $532 million to the overseas contingency operations funding stream, even though the fiscal year 2016 budget request did not include an OCO request. This is a gimmick, purely a gimmick to boost defense spending by pumping up the OCO budget, which is not limited by the budget law. The Department of Veterans Affairs is funded at $68.7 billion, and while it is $3.6 billion above fiscal year 2015, the enacted level, it is also $1.4 billion below the fiscal year 2016 budget request. The inadequate fiscal year 2016 allocation again forced the chairman to slice the request for military construction by $582 billion. That is hospital construction. Furthermore, the bill includes language that directs that only replacement, safety, and security projects can receive budgeted funding. This is troubling language, and it eliminates all national cemetery projects for fiscal year 2016 and puts several other projects in jeopardy. The majority claims they reduced the construction account because the half-built Veterans Affairs Denver hospital project is drastically over budget and riddled with mistakes. I certainly agree that the VA needs to be held accountable for the poor job in managing the Denver hospital project; however, no funds for the Denver hospital were allocated within the MILCON-VA bill. Additionally, I am not aware of any similar issues with any of the other requested projects in the bill for FY12, including replacement, clinic construction, seismic improvements, or cemetery construction. I believe the majority's budget caps and resulting inadequate allocation--not the problems in Denver--led to cutting construction in half. I am concerned that, if the reduction stands, it will further contribute to the gaps in access, utilization, and safety that were already identified in the VA's annual Strategic Capital Investment program process. Madam Chair, this committee can no longer afford to function under the Budget Control Act caps. The reductions to VA will cause gaps in access, utilization, and safety and could lower the standard of care due our veterans. Madam Chairman, as I pointed out during the MILCON-VA markup, the FY 2017 advance funding will consume $4.6 billion of the nondefense discretionary cap next year, so this problem will only get worse. Certainly, the Department of Defense cannot be the only winner. Using the FY 2016 budget levels will produce a long summer and an early fall, with no real progress on the FY 2016 bills. If so, it is inevitable that a continuing resolution or a series of continuing resolutions will be needed to keep the government open and running in place long past the new fiscal year starts on October 1. We cannot continue to govern in this fashion. I believe that it is well past time to be strategic about how we handle our Federal budget, and now, we need to take the next step toward a more responsible budget process so we can eventually stop lurching from one crisis to the next. I believe that Chairman Dent crafted the best bill he could with the allocation he was given. I also believe that this is the first step in a long process, and I am concerned about the impact these reductions to the VA construction account could have, and we believe they will have to be addressed before the process. To that end, I am prepared to offer an amendment to the bill restoring the full funding of the request so that we can, in fact, do justice by our veterans and do what is necessary for our military construction without using budget gimmicks. At the appropriate time, I will offer an amendment to do that. Madam Chairman, at this time, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, at this time, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the full committee ranking member.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Again, let's avoid including divisive language like this. This is a policy rider that is unnecessary. We have defeated it over and over again. Davis-Bacon saves the government money. It requires quality work and quality labor be done on Federal contracts, and it pays a fair day's wages for a fair day's work. I urge all Members to vote ``no'' and reject this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I believe that this amendment really serves no purpose but to erode collective bargaining rights for civil service Federal employees, and it may violate collective bargaining agreements that have been negotiated between workers and these agencies. The VA employs some 342,000 people, and to complain because 200 of them spend their time representing and making sure that the conditions of employment within the scope of employment of their coworkers under collective bargaining agreements are maintained, I believe, is just punitive. Federal unions are legally required to provide representation to all members of a bargaining unit, whether or not the workers elect to pay voluntary unions dues. Representation for employees working their way through administrative procedures is a cost-effective process for administering and adjudicating agency policies. The alternative to official time is for government agencies to pay for costly third-party attorney and arbitrator fees. Eliminating official time would increase cost, time, and effort for the agencies, the workers, and the taxpayers. Official time is essential to maintaining workplace safety. Union representatives use official time to set procedures to protect employees from on-the-job hazards. Official time is also used to allow employees to participate in work groups with the management team to improve the processes. Under current law, official time may not be used to solicit membership, to conduct internal union meetings, elect union officers, or to engage in any partisan political activities. The notion that official time is used for these purposes is just false. I would urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment. I think that it is punitive, and it has no purpose but to erode collective bargaining rights for civil service Federal employees. I think that is not consistent with the laws of the United States of America. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Chair, at this time I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, we are all outraged with regard to the claims backlog and the incidences of poor quality health services and safety. The current claims backlog is unacceptable. There is no question that the VA has struggled to successfully deliver one of its key missions: to provide timely ratings of disabilities. However, the VA has reduced the backlog by 44 percent. Should we ignore that? It is also clear that some VA health facilities have had serious issues that put the health, safety, and well-being of our veterans at risk. This, too, is unacceptable. Where these failures have occurred, it is hard to imagine how VA leaders of these facilities could have received high performance ratings and substantial bonuses. However, this amendment will not provide any solution in the short- term and, in fact, may have long-term consequences and compound the very problems that it attempts to address. This amendment would make the VA a less attractive option than other agencies when it comes to recruiting and retaining quality executive leaders, and it will not have the very talent that it needs to solve the problems that it faces today, like the claims backlog and the healthcare deficiencies. Furthermore, SES pay and bonuses are governed by title 5 of the United States Code and administered by the Office of Personnel Management. Any change to title 5 to address VA would then also apply to all other Federal agencies. Attempting to do an across-the-board, one-size-fits-all fix will penalize those dedicated VA executives who are working hard and well to find solutions to the VA's problems. This is nonsense. I urge all Members to vote ``no.'' Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I think that the concerns raised by the gentleman in offering the amendment are perhaps well taken from time to time. But I think this amendment is punitive. I think it is counterproductive. And I think it is going to make it much more difficult to get the results that the gentleman is seeking. Because of that, I think that the amendment should be defeated. It is a bad amendment. And I think it would be bad for morale for the Department. And I think it would be bad generally for the public. I urge opposition and a ``no'' vote on this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I think we are all very, very disturbed by what has happened with Denver, and we are also disturbed about the practices of the construction office. But I just wanted to take this opportunity to maybe kind of clarify what has happened in response to try to mitigate the situation. In January, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson announced the restructuring of the Office of Construction & Facilities Management, having them report directly to the Deputy Secretary through the Office of Management. The VA also initiated an administrative investigative board in January to find the truth and to document the misconduct on the project. Secretary Gibson has included the VA Office of General Counsel in the review, and the administrative investigative board is expected to complete its review and make recommendations to the Deputy Secretary this month. Additionally, the U.S. Corps of Engineers is conducting a separate review of the VA's Construction office to evaluate the structure and the processes so that changes can be made in the future. I just thought that the Record ought to be set straight that everyone is disgusted with the way that these projects have been handled and that we are taking steps, and the Department is taking steps, to make sure that this bad situation is corrected. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. May I inquire of the chair how much time is remaining?

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I yield to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out that many of the employees--as a matter of fact, I think the number is 34 percent--at the Department of Veterans Affairs are, indeed, veterans. They are people who, in fact, put their lives on the line and have given and served and sacrificed for this country. Of course, they are now continuing to work for their colleagues and their coworkers on the job in their capacity as bargaining representatives in the VA. I would point out that, under the law, they have the right to do this. The law supports them in doing this. We should not interfere with that because too many of them--34 percent--are, in fact, veterans. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chair, thank you for allowing me to respond. I support the gentlewoman's efforts to highlight the importance of women's health. The VA women's center has been underfunded for the last few years. As the gentlewoman correctly pointed out, their most recent working group recommends that they fill two statistician positions that have not yet been filled due to lack of budget. Without these positions, it is challenging for the VA to get good data about female veterans, so many programs are shaped using faulty assumptions. I believe that these positions are very important for the VA when it comes to providing care for our female veterans. I support these efforts, and I urge all Members to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.