Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I speak today regarding the
introduction of a bill, cosponsored by Senator Boxer, to provide the
Department of Veterans Affairs with the authority to obligate and
expend previously appropriated funds in order to begin construction on
critical projects in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego, CA, as
well as in Canandaigua, NY.

In December of 2014, Congress passed the Consolidated and Continuing
Appropriations Act of 2015, which provided $446,800,000 for major
construction projects at these Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.
However, the Department of Veterans Affairs cannot spend the money that
has already been appropriated and begin construction on these projects
because it lacks a separate authorization, which is required by law.

The funding provided for the three California projects will be used
to make critical, time-sensitive seismic safety corrections to
structures in West Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego. These
buildings, which include a spinal cord injury clinic, a mental health
care facility, and a community living center, are at exceptionally high
risk of collapse or suffering severe damage during an earthquake. If a
major earthquake struck in proximity to one of these Medical Centers
while it was in use by veterans and the Department's employees, there
could be numerous injuries and deaths. The U.S. Geological Survey
estimates there is a greater than 99 percent chance that a magnitude
6.7 or greater earthquake will strike California in the next 30 years.

It is important to note that even less severe earthquakes can cause
damage to seismically unsafe buildings that result in injuries and
deaths. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services believes
that the damage to seismically unfit buildings caused by the magnitude
6.0 earthquake that hit Napa, CA, on August 24, 2014 at 3:20 a.m. would
likely have resulted in many more deaths and injuries if it had struck
during business hours when these structures were in use. As it was, the
earthquake caused over 200 injuries and one fatality. In fact, the U.S.
Geological Survey estimates that a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits
California every 1.2 years on average. This is a terrifying figure, and
it is why I strongly believe that Congress must enact this legislation
without delay.

I appreciate that the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee worked
extremely hard to pass important legislation last year to address the
veterans' health care access crisis and that it, therefore, did not
report a construction authorization bill. However, in the case of these
four projects, the money has already been appropriated and is available
for expenditure as soon as an authorization is forthcoming from
Congress.

More hearings and delays are unnecessary to determine whether the
Senate should pass this legislation. The Senate Appropriations
Committee held hearings with the Department on these projects in 2014
as it reviewed the President's fiscal year 2015 Budget Request. The
Committee marked up and reported the Military Construction, Veterans
Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill in a bipartisan
fashion. Congress voted in a bipartisan fashion to pass this bill and
approve funding for these projects as part of the Consolidated and
Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015.

I want to reiterate that Congress appropriated funding for these four
major medical projects in 2014, and the Department is ready to start
construction today. However, due only to the lack of a separate
authorization, the Department cannot start this vital work to protect
our veterans and Federal employees. This is exactly why Americans
believe that the Federal Government does not work. How does Congress
explain this unnecessary delay to veterans who go to medical
appointments in the buildings at risk of collapse or major damage?
There is no reason to delay authorizing these projects when the money
has already been appropriated.

I urge my colleagues to join me in quickly approving this legislation
so that the Department can begin modification of buildings that
currently leave veterans and the Department's employees in harm's way
before the next earthquake strikes California. Congress must act before
the next earthquake strikes.

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