[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H8793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
              KEEPING SOLEMN PROMISE TO NATION'S VETERANS

  (Mr. PAPPAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, we gathered around the country to 
honor our veterans to whom we owe a tremendous debt. But sentiments 
expressed at parades and ceremonies ring hollow if we don't follow our 
good words with meaningful deeds for those who have served and 
sacrificed so much.
  Although the VA has countless care providers and employees who have 
dedicated their careers to veterans, they work in a system that has 
serious problems that must be addressed quickly.
  It is unacceptable that the health network for more than 9 million 
veterans has remained on the High-Risk List of Federal agencies prone 
to deficiencies and waste. That is why I introduced the Reducing High 
Risk to Veterans and Veterans Services Act with my colleague, General 
Bergman, to improve the management and care at the VA.
  It is also unacceptable that the VA has not met the needs of a 
growing number of women veterans. I introduced legislation with 
Congresswoman Stefanik that will ensure the VA is equipped to provide 
women veterans with life-changing prosthetics as part of the Deborah 
Sampson Act.
  We made a solemn promise to our veterans, and we should be working 
together every day to fulfill that promise. These pieces of legislation 
are an important step forward, and I thank my colleagues for supporting 
these bipartisan bills.

                          ____________________