Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016
Floor Speech
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Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I thank Senator McCain for his tremendous effort on behalf of veterans and the different approaches he has used. I don't think anybody has worked harder on it or understands it better.
I wish there were more we could do for veterans and will work with him to see that that happens, but this amendment isn't the right place to do it. This amendment proposes that we increase overspending by $7.7 billion for a continuation of the Veterans Choice Program. It doesn't offer badly needed reforms to the program, it simply provides more funding.
Unfortunately, the accountability measures currently in place at the VA do not go far enough in ensuring that the health care needs of our veterans are the priority. By extending the Choice Program, we would be extending problematic waiting periods, we would be extending a backlog of health care claims, and we would be giving little or no authority to the VA to manage its employees.
We have been getting complaints about many of these things, and another veterans proposal in the Senate improves both health care access for veterans and expanded disciplinary measures at the VA. Senator McCain has worked on that as well. At the same time, it provides offsets to ensure that we continue to help our veterans in the future.
I have been concerned about what I thought was $6 billion of emergency expense every year. I had them actually total that up in the committee and found out that we do $26.1 billion a year in emergency spending. We are going to have to find that money somewhere because if we don't provide offsets, we will not be able to help our veterans or our military or our education or anything else. Continued spending without making responsible choices for priorities will put us in a real hole.
In order to make sure we are spending on our priorities, such as national defense and our veterans, and that they are not crowded out, I raise a point of order.
Mr. President, pursuant to section 314(e) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, I raise a point of order against the emergency designation found on page 3, lines 7 through 12, of amendment No. 4039 to H.R. 2577, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
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