Improving Oversight of Women Veterans' Care Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROE of Tennessee. 4334, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4334, as amended, Improving Oversight of Women Veterans' Care Act of 2018.

While VA has vastly improved its capacity to care for gender-specific needs of women veterans, many are still referred to the community when VA cannot provide the appropriate services.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the House overwhelmingly approved the VA MISSION Act by a vote of 347-70. The MISSION Act will, among other things, improve the ability for eligible veterans to seek care from community providers when VA cannot meet strict access standards.

With more veterans becoming eligible to seek care in the community, it is incumbent upon us as members of the House VA Committee to provide oversight over the care delivered within the community as well.

This bill, offered by my friend and fellow committee member from California (Mr. Correa), would help us do just that. H.R. 4334 would require VA medical centers to report to the Secretary on the compliance of contracted community providers with standards of care for women veterans, as established by VA.

The Secretary would also be required to report to Congress on the accessibility of gender-specific medical care for women with community providers, as well as to develop a plan to strengthen standards of care within the facilities.

Mr. Speaker, as we await Senate passage of the VA MISSION Act, I urge my colleagues to support this complementary piece of legislation, H.R.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Correa's legislation. I, too, was, an OB/GYN physician who saw VA patients. I would like to think that Mr. Correa had all these ideas himself, but I have had the opportunity to find out that he definitely married above himself. His wife is an OB/ GYN, so I think he probably got most of those ideas from her.

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Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I also concur with my colleague: I urge support of H.R. 4334. I just want to say, right before Memorial Day, it is obviously next week, and many people will go home to picnics and families. We have just heard this afternoon on the House floor the sacrifice of many, many of our veterans and really amazing people that live in our country.

In the past week, the Veterans' Affairs Committee--and I want to thank members on both sides of the aisle--have put together 15 bills: one was a major bill, the VA MISSION Act, which will be taken up by the Senate this week, and 14 bills this afternoon to improve both the care and services provided to our Nation's heroes.

For me, it is a true privilege to get up every day and come to this House, to this body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and to advocate for those men and women that I have so much respect for.

And with that, Mr. Speaker, I wish a happy Memorial Day to everyone, and I encourage everyone to vote for this today.

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