Charles Dent

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to conclude by saying that I want to thank everyone again for their full cooperation on both sides of the aisle: Mr. Bishop, Mrs. Lowey, and the entire team on their side, and Mr. Rogers on our side, and all the members of the subcommittee on both sides. This bill does provide for our veterans, our military, our servicemembers, and their families. It is a very good bill. I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I don't oppose the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is addressing a problem that many Members have contacted us about, the long delays that community practitioners are experiencing in being paid by VA for their care for veterans. Our report requires VA to provide comprehensive information detailing the reimbursements owed to providers in each State and the amounts of invoices that are more than 6 months overdue. GAO just released a report with alarming data about VA's significant problems in managing prompt payment to outside providers. I am sure that we will revisit this issue in conference, and we will welcome any suggestions the gentleman has for us. I have no objection to this amendment and urge its adoption. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I certainly know the gentleman from Florida is very committed to improving veterans' experiences when they deal with the VA, and modernizing infrastructure is certainly an important part of that. I have no objection to the amendment, and I certainly appreciate the gentleman's deep commitment given his own father's experience in our Armed Forces. We thank him for that service. Again, I have no objection to this amendment, and I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment, but I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, on the VA claims backlog, we have fully funded the President's request. I have no objection to the amendment, and I am prepared to support it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment for a few reasons. The OCO money in this bill totals $172 million. He is correct, it is about $18.9 million for the Army. Much of this money is going to support counterterrorism efforts and the European Reassurance Initiative. We are going to be using this money for, obviously, infrastructure and for the prepositioning of assets. Given the real threats we are facing in Europe from Vladimir Putin, we need to make sure that we are reassuring our allies in Eastern Europe. This subcommittee recently visited Eastern Europe--Poland, Lithuania, Germany--where we heard from General Breedlove, the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, talk about the need for this initiative. I think it is imperative that we reassure our allies in Eastern Europe, who are staring down--who are facing a very real threat--from Vladimir Putin's aggression in Ukraine, and we are deeply concerned that his expansionist ambitions may move into the Baltic. This is extremely important, this OCO funding. I urge my colleagues to reject any reduction in the OCO funding for the men and women of the American Army. I withdraw my reservation of a point of order, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out that where this money is going to be expended is in the report, and it is also online in many of the budget documents. So the information is available where the money is actually going to be spent. I just wanted to share that. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, this funding, I believe, for the Air Force, this is going to be directed toward Bulgaria, Spangdahlem, Iceland, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia. Again, I oppose the amendment. It is very important to our allies, particularly as it relates to the European Reassurance Initiative. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, reclaiming my time, I certainly understand the gentleman's sincere desire to provide better care to our veterans. As it relates to the single-source issue, single-source contracts, obviously he has a great deal of expertise. I would like to work with the gentleman to get more information about the issue and work with him, but also, again, I also commend him to the authorizers, who will have a great deal of say on this matter as well. I pledge to him my commitment to work with him to try to get to a better place on this matter. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Ratcliffe

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I rise up somewhat reluctantly to my friend in opposition.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say I have no objection to the gentleman's amendment, and I am prepared to accept it.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Blumenauer is a very genuine and sincere, very thoughtful Member of this body. I understand that the country is evolving on this issue, as many States, including my own, have moved forward on medical marijuana. As a Member of this House, I am a bit uncomfortable, however, in trying to dictate policy on marijuana without guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, and other medical professionals. That said, I reluctantly rise in opposition. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, as I said, I reluctantly oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, there are no projects in the FY 17 request for this purpose in the United States. There is $33 million in funds to support the naval station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at the request of SOCOM, Southern Command, to deal with various issues of people, obviously, who were interdicting on the seas or arriving in Cuba. But the point is, I don't want to preclude the Department of Defense from dealing with an emergency situation, should one arise in the U.S. So that is why I must oppose my friend's amendment. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), my distinguished colleague and ranking member.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.