[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 13386]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    CORRECTING THE CRISIS AT THE VA

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, our Nation's obligation to our veterans 
should go far beyond simply thanking them for their service. We must 
also make sure that they are being properly cared for and supported 
when they return home. That is why I--like so many others--was outraged 
by the news that the VA health system had broken down.
  I am pleased that the House and Senate leaders have come together and 
drafted legislation to address some of the most fundamental issues to 
this crisis, like access to timely medical care, upgraded facilities, 
and consequences for misconduct and poor performance.
  Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that future reforms to our VA medical 
system will include a unified electronic health records system between 
the VA and the Department of Defense. In today's hyperconnected world, 
we ought to be doing much better than shuffling large paper files 
between facilities.
  Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to put partisanship aside and 
take action to correct this crisis at the VA now.

                          ____________________