[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 129 (Tuesday, August 2, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RESPONSIVENESS TO RECORDS REQUESTS AND TRICARE 
                        COVERAGE OF COVID TESTS

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                            HON. MARK POCAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 2, 2022

  Mr. POCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to extend remarks I made 
earlier this session during debate of this year's National Defense 
Authorization Act. During that floor debate, and many times previously, 
I spoke about the lack of accountability at the Department of Defense 
and the need for enhanced oversight. In keeping with this lack of 
accountability not only to the American taxpayer, but Congress itself, 
I wish to publicly request information from the Department that my 
staff has solicited since July of 2018. Namely, I seek information on 
behalf of Wisconsin-based PFC Lawrence Gordon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) 
organization that works to locate and identify servicemembers who 
remain missing as a result of armed conflicts. This request for 
information on behalf of a constituent is now entering its fifth year 
of processing--the time has come for the Department to be responsive to 
this records request.
  Additionally, I also wish to mention another concern relayed to me by 
a separate constituent--TRICARE's inability to reimburse beneficiaries 
for personally purchased COVID tests from local drugstores. I encourage 
the Secretary to examine this matter and consider amending TRICARE 
reimbursement practices, and I look forward to working with him to 
address the concern (particularly during the current increases in 
positivity rates across the country).

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