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What's Happening In Washington
Reforming The VA To Serve Our Veterans Better: For the past several weeks, news report after news report has detailed the Veterans Administration's systemic problems . In fact, the VA's own audit released last Monday showed that 70% of facilities kept at least one set of dummy books.
The House has lead the charge against the bureaucracy that has systematically failed our veterans. I continue to actively work to reform the VA to make sure it's top priority is veteran care.
- Expanding Private Care Options - Last Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in voting (426-0) to allow veterans to seek care at private care facilities. This ensures our veterans can get the quality of care they deserve in a more timely manner, from their own doctor. Additionally, the legislation eliminates bonuses for all VA employees for the next two years. You can learn more about H.R. 4810 by clicking HERE.
- Increasing Accountability - Last Tuesday, the House took bipartisan action to restore accountability to the VA system and unanimously passed H.R. 2072, the Demanding Accountability for Veterans Act. While this legislation is a "technical" fix, it is an important step to reforming the broken VA system by initiating an accountability and responsibility protocol to identify employees and supervisors in charge of resolving problem areas identified by the Inspector General. This measure was introduced by Michigan's own Dr. Dan Benishek, who has worked in VA facilities as a surgeon for 20 years.
- Holding Bureaucrats Responsible - On May 21st, the House passed H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act. This legislation grants the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs the ability to remove an individual from federal service entirely, or transfer them to a General Schedule position within the civil service system. It's time to restore accountability at the VA. While this bill is not a cure all, it is a long overdue step in the right direction.
Reminder ... If you want more detail on legislation being debated in the House or are interested in the day to day events around Capitol Hill, make sure to "Like" my Facebook page!
Bipartisan Legislation Impacting West Michigan: While these pieces of legislation won't make the national news, they will have a real impact for communities across the state of Michigan and beyond.
- Water Resources Reform & Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA): For the first time, WRRDA includes language written by Candice Miller and me classifying the Great Lakes Navigation System as a unified body. This new classification will improve harbor dredging across the Great Lakes, help shorten the dredging backlog for Michigan harbors, and further increase economic activity on the Great Lakes. Because of the Republican-led House, WRRDA contains no earmarks (vastly different from its last reauthorization in 2007) and costs significantly less than the 2007 legislation as well. WRRDA passed the House on May 20 by a vote of 412-4 and the Senate on May 22nd by a vote of 91-7. President Obama signed WRRDA into law this past Tuesday. This bipartisan legislation is good for jobs, good for Michigan, and good for the Great Lakes.
- Regulatory Reform & Restoring The Dream: Last week, the House unanimously passed H.R. 3211, The Mortgage Choice Act, bipartisan legislation I authored and brought to the House floor. H.R. 3211 makes a technical correction to the way "points and fees" are calculated when people are applying for a home mortgage loan. Because of the one-size fits all nature of Dodd-Frank, many low and middle income borrowers were being denied a "qualified mortgage" not because they couldn't afford the payments, but because of an overly broad regulatory requirement. The House had the opportunity to help more Americans realize a portion of the American Dream, and took it. Not by some grandiose law or decree, but by simply reforming a burdensome regulation. I hope the Senate does the same. You can watch my speech on the House floor by clicking HERE.
Protecting Women and Children, Combating Human Trafficking: The week of May 19th, the House took a strong bipartisan stand against human trafficking, passing five pieces of legislation that address and combat the different aspects of trafficking. On May 20th, I spoke on the House floor about the unique organization West Michigan is blessed to have in the fight against human trafficking. Click here to watch my floor speech on Bethany Christian Services and the role they play in anti-trafficking efforts.
Here are the five bipartisan bills the House passed:
- The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (H.R. 3530, passed 409-0) a comprehensive domestic anti-human trafficking bill that reallocates existing grants for human trafficking deterrence and victims’ support and provides additional law enforcement tools to enable authorities to prosecute all those involved in human trafficking.
- The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act (H.R. 3610, passed unanimously) encourages states to adopt safe harbor laws that treat trafficked minors as victims and provide an avenue for victims to leave their situations with access to protective services, counseling, and skill building rather than entering the legal system and being incarcerated.
- The Preventing Sex Trafficking and Improving Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care Act (H.R. 4058, passed unanimously) would require states to take steps to identify, prevent, and address sex trafficking of youth in foster care. It also would improve the lives of youth in foster care by ensuring they have access to more normal opportunities and experiences, while also providing them with tools they need to become successful adults.
- The Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act (H.R. 4225, passed 392 -19) makes it a federal crime to knowingly advertise for the commercial sex exploitation of minors and trafficking victims.
- International Megan’s Law (H.R. 4573, passed unanimously) ensures that a destination country is aware when an American sex offender who has previously abused a child is traveling to that country and encourages reciprocal notification to protect American children from abuse by foreign sex offenders.
Working For You In West Michigan
On May 14th, I visited Stiles Machinery on 44th Street in Kentwood. Not only is Stiles a high-skilled manufacturing leader, it is also an accredited technical school where people from across the country come to earn college credit and improve their marketable skills.
On May 16th, I joined West Michigan Veterans for a Listening Session at the Grand Rapids VA Outpatient Clinic. It was definitely a moving experience. While I don't believe the Grand Rapids VA Clinic is involved with the scandal unfolding nationwide, services can still be improved until all of our veterans receive the best care available. Watch WOOD TV coverage of the listening session HERE.
On June 4th, I toured Mercy Health's Muskegon Community Health Project and discussed the collaborative programs they are involved in throughout the region as well as their innovative approach to community-based health programs.
On June 13th, I joined Brad from Meals on Wheels in Grandville and helped deliver meals to seniors in need throughout the Kentwood area. Later that afternoon, my team and I put our artistic abilities to the test by decorating brown bags for Kids' Food Basket to help combat childhood hunger and help improve nutrition for children in need across Kent and Muskegon Counties.
BTW: Did you see what our 41st President did to celebrate his 90th birthday last week?
Michigan Minute
West Michigan in Washington
Many schools and students are visiting the nation's capitol this time of year. If your son or daughter's class is coming to Washington D.C., make sure to get in contact with my office. One of my favorite things to do in Washington is to meet with students from West Michigan. In the past few weeks I have met with students from: Eagle Crest Charter Academy in Holland, Boy Scout Troop 1048 in Whitehall, Reeths-Puffer High School in Muskegon, and Riley Street Middle School in Hudsonville.
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