Va Transparency Trust Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2911, the VA Transparency & Trust Act of 2021.

In the American Rescue Plan, the VA requested and received $17.1 billion in emergency funding. I demanded justification from the VA to support that funding, and very little came. I asked why the VA needed additional money since roughly $10 billion in CARES Act funding was still available, and no one answered.

Ranking Member Tracey Mann offered an amendment to oversee the use of those funds during the committee's markup of the American Rescue Plan. It was voted down on party lines.

What I feared at that time I can now confirm. The American Rescue Plan has essentially become a blank check for the VA to the tune of $17.1 billion.

H.R. 2911 would establish strict oversight and reporting requirements over all remaining COVID supplemental funds. It would also require the VA inspector general to conduct regular audits of these funds.

Lastly, it would require the GAO to conduct a complete review after all funds have been spent.

I believe these requirements are appropriate given that we are talking about tens of billions in taxpayer dollars. We should all expect full transparency on the use of these funds.

I thank Chairman Pappas and Ranking Member Mann for joining me in introducing this bill. I encourage all my colleagues to support this bill.

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