[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H600-H601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           COMMISSION ON CARE FINAL REPORT DEADLINE EXTENSION

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4437) to extend the deadline for the submittal of 
the final report required by the Commission on Care.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4437

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTAL OF FINAL 
                   REPORT BY COMMISSION ON CARE.

       Section 202(b)(3)(B) of the Veterans Access, Choice, and 
     Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146; 128 Stat. 
     1773) is amended by striking ``Not later than 180 days after 
     the date of the initial meeting of the Commission'' and 
     inserting ``Not later than June 30, 2016''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to add any extraneous material on H.R. 4437.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4437, a bill that I am honored 
to sponsor, to extend the deadline for the submittal of the final 
report that is required by the Commission on Care.
  The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, which Congress 
passed in 2014 in response to the Department of Veterans Affairs' 
crisis that saw far too many veterans waiting too long for the care 
that they needed, required the establishment of a Commission on Care to 
examine veteran access to care and recommend how to best organize the 
VA healthcare system over the next 20 years.
  The law required the Commission to develop a final report 180 days 
after their first meeting, or by February 20, 2016.
  However, the Commission has requested that Congress extend the 
reporting deadline to June in order to provide the commissioners more 
time to develop their findings and recommendations. As such, H.R. 4437 
would extend the Commission's final reporting deadline to June 30 of 
this year.
  The Commission's work is vitally important to determining the future 
of the VA healthcare system, and I am proud to sponsor this bill to 
allow the commissioners more time to carry out their mission on behalf 
of our Nation's veterans.
  I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4437, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4437, of which I am an 
original cosponsor.
  When the Congress passed and the President signed into law the 
Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, we included a 
section requiring an independent assessment of the hospital care, 
medical services, and other health care furnished in medical facilities 
of the VA. We also established a Commission on Care to examine the 
access of veterans to health care from the

[[Page H601]]

Department of Veterans Affairs and strategically examine how best to 
organize the Veterans Health Administration, local health care 
resources, and deliver health care to veterans over the next 20 years.
  The Commission has contacted us to explain that they will not be able 
to meet the statutory deadline of presenting their report to us in 
time, and would like an extension until June of 2016.
  I feel this is a very important report, and I am willing to extend 
the authorization for the Commission on Care in order to receive this 
information.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support 
H.R. 4437.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4437.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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