Phil Roe

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. In this letter, Secretary Shulkin explicitly stated: ``Without additional funding before the end of the year, there will be a dramatic impact on the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide care to veterans.'' A vote against the continuing resolution is a vote against funding medical care for our Nation's heroes. The Secretary's message is clear, Mr. Speaker. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting an additional $2.1 billion for the Choice Program.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the provision within this legislation that would authorize and appropriate $2.1 billion for the Veterans Choice Program. Choice was created by Congress in 2014, following a nationwide Department of Veterans Affairs access and accountability crisis. Make no mistake about it: Choice has certainly not been without its faults in the last 3 years; however, the program has also resulted in millions of veterans receiving care they otherwise would have had to wait longer or travel further for--or maybe not receive at all. Absent passage of this provision, the Choice Program is expected to run out of money in early 2018, which could jeopardize the care that veterans across the country are receiving in their communities. This is totally unacceptable. The committee has been working diligently to create a permanent care in the community program to replace and improve upon Choice. In fact, I was proud to introduce H.R. 4242, the VA Care in the Community Act, last month. That legislation was favorably reported out of my committee just this week, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on community care reform. In the meantime, we cannot allow the care our veterans receive in the community through the Choice Program to be jeopardized by lack of funding. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter Secretary Shulkin sent me earlier this month. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, December 12, 2017. Hon. David P. Roe, M.D., Chairman, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to raise issues for your consideration regarding the financial status of the Veterans Choice Program (VCP), established by the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, Public Law 113-146, as amended (Choice Act). Current projections indicate that VCP could be unable to create new referrals or authorizations within several weeks. Without additional funding before the end of the year, there will be a dramatic impact on the ability of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide care to Veterans. As of December 7, 2017, VA has approximately $490 million in VCP funds remaining, once December obligations of approximately $300 million and reserve funding of approximately $300 million are accounted for. The average spend rate of VCP funds ranges from $200-$400 million per month, with the possibility that unexpected obligations would push this above and beyond the reserves. As a result, we believe we have 3 to 5 weeks of funds left, which could change based on Veteran utilization. Nearly 1.9 million unique Veterans have sought care through VCP since its implementation. VA has focused on improving VCP through streamlined business processes, contract modifications and implementation of statutory changes. Unless additional funds are provided, Veterans utilizing the current VCP will be less able to access timely health care as close to their homes as possible. The Veteran Coordinated Access & Rewarding Experiences (CARE) Act, proposed by VA to Congress, would satisfy the funding requirements if passed. The challenges of the transition from VCP to a new Community Care program should not be underestimated, and VA will need to take steps soon to responsibly prepare for the termination date. If no action is taken by Congress in the next 3 to 5 weeks, VA could have to discontinue authorizing VCP care and transition Veterans to VA or other community care programs. VA's other community care programs will not have the capacity to handle all of the patients who will transition from VCP, and the wait time for appointments at VA facilities will rise if large numbers of Veterans return to VA to seek care. Taking these actions would have a number of negative consequences, including decreased access to care, damaged community partnerships and interrupted care continuity for Veterans. Should you have any questions, please have a member of your staff contact Mr. David Brant, Congressional Relations Officer. Sincerely, David J. Shulkin, M.D.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), my good friend and sponsor of the House companion bill, H.R. 42.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. This has been a team effort on the Veterans' Affairs Committee to work to try to improve the care that our veterans and Nation's heroes get throughout this country. The involvement on both sides of the aisle on our committee is unprecedented, I think, for a committee working toward a single goal and purpose. Many times, we have differences of opinion, but this bill is just another tool that the VA will be able to use to improve the care that veterans get. I received a letter today from a gentleman in New Mexico who had a very different experience 6 or 7 years ago with the VA. He was even hesitant to go back. He went back to this VA hospital and had a very pleasant experience. So I think things are changing for the better, I think due to the hard work of the leadership at the VA, the people who work there every day, and this committee. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1266) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with nonprofit organizations to investigate medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1266, the Enhancing Veteran Care Act. S. 1266 would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with a nonprofit entity specializing in civilian accreditation or healthcare evaluation to investigate and assess deficiencies at VA medical centers and to coordinate any such investigations with the VA inspector general and the Government Accountability Office. This bill is sponsored by Senator James Inhofe from Oklahoma and is companion legislation to H.R. 42, which is sponsored by my good friend, Representative Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma's Second District. I am grateful to both Senator Inhofe and Congressman Mullin for their work on this legislation. We are all familiar with the various challenges and scandals that have plagued VA medical centers across the country since the 2014 systemwide VA access and accountability crisis. I, along with Ranking Member Walz and other committee members, our Senate colleagues, Secretary Shulkin, veterans service organizations, and others, have been working tirelessly to transform the VA healthcare system into the modern, high-performing healthcare organization that our veterans deserve. S. 1266 is in line with those efforts in that it would provide VA an additional avenue to identify and resolve problems impacting the care our veterans receive in VA medical facilities. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4374 because our Nation's servicemembers deserve the best and safest medical treatments available, especially when they are in harm's way. This bill fixes a provision in the FY 2018 NDAA which passed the House overwhelmingly just yesterday, which would have allowed the Secretary of Defense to approve the emergency use of medications that have not yet received FDA approval. Under today's legislation, we ensure the FDA will review any emergency DOD request for the use of unapproved medical products on an expedited basis while maintaining the FDA's critical role of evaluating the safety and effectiveness of treatments. This new authorization will include situations when the Secretary of Defense determines the risk of attack with an agent that may cause an imminently life-threatening and specific risk to the United States' military forces. As a physician and a veteran myself and the chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have worked tirelessly to ensure our Nation's servicemembers have access to the best, safest, and most effective medical treatments available while they are in service and after. While we all want these breakthrough treatments made available to our Nation's men and women in service as quickly as possible, we need to make sure that they are safe and effective before subjecting members of our Armed Forces to unproven treatments in the interest of expedience. I have personally spoken to the FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb on this issue, and he assures me that the FDA will work in a collaborative way with DOD to ensure the processes work more effectively for our troops.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the nearly 1200 crew members who were aboard the U.S.S. Indianapolis when it was attacked by a Japanese submarine in the early morning of July 30, 1945. Among those sailors was Seaman Second Class James Smith, a resident of the First Congressional District now living in Blountville, Tennessee. The ``Indy'' was returning from a secret trip to Tinian, carrying critical parts and the enriched uranium for the atomic bomb Little Boy, when it was struck by two torpedoes that caused massive damage to the hull. She sank after only 12 minutes. While approximately 900 of the crew members made it into the water after the attack, only a fraction of them survived the conditions in which they found themselves. Seaman Smith was one of just over 300 survivors, and had to survive for nearly four days in shark-infested waters relying on few food rations before being rescued. As an Army veteran myself, I extend my most sincere gratitude and appreciation to James and his shipmates for their service, and offer my condolences to the families of the sailors lost at sea. With the wreckage having recently been located on August 19th of this year, it is yet another reminder of their incredible sacrifice, and gives us an opportunity to recognize them for taking on a mission that was so important to ending World War II. I was proud to join Congressman Bishop last week in introducing legislation that would authorize the Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in recognition of their perseverance, their bravery and their service to our nation. I am forever grateful to the men and women who serve our great nation, especially to those who make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect our freedom.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act. Mr. Speaker, this debate boils down to whether we want local entrepreneurship and community engagement through the franchise model or a one-size-fits-all, top-down model. When I served as chairman of the HELP Subcommittee, we heard testimony about the effect of this new joint employer standard from Mr. Ed Braddy, who owns a Burger King in inner-city Baltimore. Many of the men Mr. Braddy hires to work at his store have had a run-in with the criminal justice system, and several of the women he hires has been on some form of government assistance. He hires people to give them an opportunity at a better life, as he described it. If the new joint employer standard proceeds, the Burger King corporation will be liable for many of the hiring decisions that are made by Mr. Braddy. Why would we expect any corporation to know a community better than someone like Mr. Braddy, who grew up there? Shouldn't we expect that a corporate entity would be more risk averse and less likely to give people a second chance? Think about the incredible story Mr. Braddy has to tell. He dropped out of high school in the 11th grade before returning when his life was headed in the wrong direction, according to him. He joined the Baltimore Police Department, and then he began working in a Burger King. After the first Burger King he owned closed, he ultimately rejoined Burger King and purchased his current store. What is remarkable is when Baltimore experienced unrest several years ago, Mr. Braddy's store was at the epicenter, his neighbors stood outside to protect it from being destroyed, and his was one of the only restaurants open for business the next day. Mr. Speaker, if this is not the American Dream, I don't know what is. On a recent trip that our conference took there, including the chairwoman, we dined with Mr. Braddy at his restaurant in Baltimore. He was a wonderful host, I might add. Joint employer isn't just about restaurants. Hotel owners, fitness companies, movers, tutoring services, janitorial services, and the list goes on and on, anyone who franchises their business is affected by this ruling. I am pleased the Labor Department is reviewing this standard, but this can't be a constantly changing standard while long-term damage is done to local entrepreneurship. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the joint employer standard that protects workers and allows the franchise model to flourish.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Poliquin), my good friend and member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3657, as amended. VA provides headstones and markers for the spouses or dependent children of veterans who are interred in a national or State veterans cemetery at no charge. But VA is not authorized to provide headstones or markers for spouses and dependent children who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries. That is not right. There is no reason that veterans and their families who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries shouldn't receive the same benefits as those who decide to use national or State veterans cemeteries. H.R. 3657 would allow VA to provide headstones and markers for eligible family members who are interred in Tribal veterans cemeteries. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Poliquin for introducing this bill. I know he has a special interest in this because his district includes a Tribal veterans cemetery. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3657, and ensure that veterans who choose to be interred in Tribal cemeteries are given the same recognition that we give to veterans who are interred in national or State veterans cemeteries. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank both sides of the aisle for these great bills we are passing this afternoon. It may seem like a small bill to the American public, but to the individual that is affected--in Maine, or wherever it may be--this is a huge deal. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Democratic side for all of the work they have done on the committee in a bipartisan way. It is a great committee to work on. This is a very important week for all of us, as we go home this Friday to begin celebrating Veterans Day. Two very important days on the committee are Memorial Day and Veterans Day, to honor those who passed and those who are still with us. Mr. Speaker, I thank both the Republicans and the Democrats. We put that at the door's edge, and this week we will be voting on some important pieces of legislation. We have seven more bills on the floor tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for the support they have given our veterans in this country. I once again urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3657, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3657) to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide headstones and markers for the graves of spouses and children of veterans who are buried in tribal cemeteries, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this commonsense piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), an active member of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and a Navy veteran.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3656, as amended. Under current law, VA may provide a memorial headstone or marker for a veteran's dependent child or surviving spouse if their remains are unavailable. But this law also contains an inconsistency. VA can provide a memorial headstone or marker for a spouse who dies on or after November 11, 1998, but can only provide one for a dependent child who dies on or after December 22, 2006. The disparity makes it difficult for VA to administer this law. More importantly, it has led to some confusion among veterans and their families as to whether a particular family member is eligible for this benefit or not. These families are not just mourning, but they are also coping with the heartbreak of not being able to properly lay their loved one to rest because the remains have not been recovered. I am concerned that it is possible that these families may not request a memorial VA headstone or marker because they aren't sure if they qualify. I hope that this bill will bring these families some peace by allowing VA to provide a permanent memorial marker to ensure their loved one will not be forgotten. H.R. 3656 would help avoid confusion by making the eligibility dates for the memorial markers consistent for surviving spouses and dependent children. This may seem like a small change, but I know it will be very important to grieving families who want to ensure that their loved ones are properly memorialized. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3656, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3656, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3122, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3122, as amended, the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act. Mr. Speaker, VA offers an additional pension benefit called Aid and Attendance, or A&A, to some disabled or elderly veterans who need help with activities of daily living such as dressing or bathing. It may come as a shock to many Americans, but there are people out there who actually take advantage of elderly and disabled veterans by charging them money to help them apply for A&A benefits when the application process is free. If veterans need help filling out the application, veterans service organizations like The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, VFW, and others will help, at no charge, even if the veteran is not a member of the organization. Unfortunately, there are many veterans who don't know that the free help is available and, more importantly, that it is illegal to charge them a dime to file a claim. So some veterans may end up falling prey to these dishonest individuals. H.R. 3122 would help educate veterans and their families by requiring VA to post warnings on its website about scammers who actually take money from our Nation's most vulnerable veterans for a service that should be free. The bill would also require GAO to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress on how to better protect vulnerable veterans from being taken advantage of. With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3122, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.