[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

  (Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, next week, our Nation will 
celebrate Memorial Day to remember those who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice in service to our Nation. May is also National Military 
Appreciation Month. We are grateful to those in our military for their 
service, and we strive to make sure they receive the benefits and the 
services they were promised and that they have earned.
  Unfortunately, the quality of services for veterans does not always 
match our gratitude. Veterans often face long wait times in scheduling 
appointments, and a record backlog of cases continues to go 
unaddressed. Serious allegations of mismanagement are raising many 
questions.
  This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Management Accountability Act, which will be considered 
tomorrow by the House. This legislation would allow the Secretary of 
the VA more personnel flexibility, resulting in more accountability.
  This Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, it is an honor to 
serve the men and women in uniform who have given us so much.

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