Miller Newsletter May 24, 2015
Statement
Veterans Corner
Denver VA Medical Center Construction Project : House Passage of H.R.2496, Construction Authorization and Choice Improvement Act
In a situation in which VA did everything but accept responsibility for its problems and generate a workable plan to solve them, someone had to demonstrate leadership that would benefit our veterans. VA leaders staunchly refused to do this, which is why House lawmakers had to act and passed H.R.2496. This bill, which would raise the spending cap on the replacement Denver VA Medical Center construction project, is by no means a solution to the problems in Denver, which VA leaders created and are refusing to take responsibility for. Rather the Construction Authorization and Choice Improvement Act is a last-chance effort to convince VA and Obama administration leaders to take the department's problems seriously.
In addition, I subsequently wrote a letter to Secretary Bob McDonald specifically requesting that VA provide Congress with a detailed plan moving forward responsibly and, in working with the President, identify existing resources that could be reallocated to this effort and break down any bureaucratic barriers that may exist to holding those responsible for this mess to account.
It's been more than a year since the initial VA scandal broke, but the department has yet to deliver on its reform promises. No one thought VA could solve its problems overnight, but the department's dysfunction has been on display for more than a year, and there's no end in sight. VA's top leaders may have been ushered into their positions based on their business sense, but their response to the Denver debacle, which has been devoid of accountability and practical cost-savings initiatives, would not fly at any business. If VA is to be reformed into an organization truly worthy of the veterans it is charged with serving, Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson and Secretary Bob McDonald must do better. America's patience is running out.
House Passage of Additional Veterans Legislation
I'm pleased Congress is continuing its bipartisan work to improve the lives of veterans while increasing accountability and efficiency at the Department of Veterans Affairs. To that end, the House passed a series of additional veterans-related bills last week. Among the five bills passed, I am especially proud lawmakers came together in support of Congressman Ryan Costello's Ensuring VA Accountability Act, which would put an end to the department's tired and ineffective practice of issuing temporary written warnings to employees in the face of serious instances of mismanagement and malfeasance. H.R.1038, the Ensuring VA Accountability Act, would require the Secretary to maintain all written reprimands and admonishments that a VA employee receives in the VA employee's file as long as they are an employee of the department.
The House also passed H.R.1382, the Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment Act, which would allow the VA Secretary, when awarding procurement contracts, to give preference to government contractors who employ veterans on a full time basis; H.R.1313, the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act, which would allow a surviving spouse of a veteran who has a service-connected disability rating of less than 100 percent, and who does not die due to their service-connected disability, to retain the veteran's small business status through VA's "Vets First" program for up to three years following the veteran's death; H.R.474, the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015, which would reauthorize the Homeless Veteran Re-Integration Program until FY 2020; and H.R.91, the Veteran's I.D. Card Act, which would direct the Secretary to provide an ID card to any honorably discharged veteran who is not a retired member of the Armed forces or who is enrolled in the VA healthcare system. I applaud my House colleagues for supporting these important measures and I urge the Senate to pass them without delay.
Joint Hearing of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees to receive the Legislative Presentation of Multiple Veterans Service Organizations
The House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees held a joint hearing last Wednesday to receive the legislative presentation from multiple veterans service organizations, including: Paralyzed Veterans of America, American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, The Blinded Veterans Association, and the Non Commissioned Officers Association. Witnesses testified on the VA and DOD budgets, medical care for veterans and our wounded warriors, ongoing support to our military families, and the findings from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission. I commend these fine organizations for their outstanding work and advocacy on behalf of our servicemembers and veterans.
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Markup of Pending Legislation
On Thursday, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs met to markup pending legislation covering a wide range of issues. Specifically, we addressed legislation that expands protection of whistleblowers from retaliation; provides new accountability measures for Senior Executive Service employees; makes various changes and improvements to processing Post 9/11 G.I. Bill claims; establishes new requirements to protect VA's information security systems; authorizes the annual cost of living adjustment for veterans; requires VA to produce a report on its health care system annually; and creates a commission to study VA's approaches to mental health treatment and alternative medicine. I want to thank all of my colleagues and staff on the Committee for their hard work in addressing these extremely important measures, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the full House and Senate to get these bills passed into law.
Interfaith and Congressional Leadership Breakfast Reception Honoring Military Caregivers
As co-chair of the Hidden Heroes Congressional Caucus, and to highlight the progress made over the past year on behalf of those caring for wounded, ill and injured warriors, I participated in an interfaith and congressional leadership breakfast reception Thursday, along with former Senator Elizabeth Dole, Pastor Joel Osteen, and my fellow caucus co-chairs: Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Jack Reed (D-RI), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The breakfast,which honored our Nation's military and veteran caregivers, exemplified the united, bipartisan Congressional commitment to these heroes and acknowledged the important role faith communities play. I appreciate former Senator Elizabeth Dole's instrumental leadership in this effort, and I look forward to working with my colleagues from both the House and Senate to address issues facing the unsung heroes providing care for our wounded warriors.
Groundbreaking Dedication Ceremony of the Tallahassee National Cemetery
No ground in America is more sacred than that in which we lay to rest our Nation's service members and veterans. On Friday, I was humbled and honored to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony for America's newest national cemetery in Tallahassee, Florida. During the ceremony, we unveiled the plaque that now marks the 250-acre lot that will serve the burial needs of more than 83,000 veterans for the next century.
Washington Update
Low Income Pool Program
Earlier this year, the Administration decided to abruptly pull funding for the Low Income Pool (LIP) program. This state-federal partnership dates back a decade and has helped provide support for health care providers for uncompensated care to Florida residents who are uninsured or underinsured. Following the Administration's decision, I joined with several of my colleagues in the Florida Congressional delegation calling on the President to restore this funding, and I was encouraged by the announcement last week that Florida hospitals will likely receive $1 billion in supplemental hospital funding next year for the LIP.
It is inexcusable for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to link funding for the LIP program with an expansion of Medicaid in Florida. I take issue with the Obama Administration intentionally choosing to defund care for low-income families in Florida for political gain. I think it's wrong for the federal government to back out on a commitment and put the state, and its most vulnerable citizens, in a pinch.
I applaud the efforts of Governor Rick Scott to take this issue head on and fight hard for those families who would have been hit the hardest by the Administration's decision. The effectiveness of his hard work and diligence is apparent with last week's announcement.
I will continue to follow this issue and support the efforts of our Governor and our state to continue the LIP.
House Votes to Authorize Appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and 2017
Last week, the House passed H.R1987, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015, to support our Nation's Coast Guard and its critical missions of saving lives and safeguarding our shores. H.R.1987, which would authorize funding for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, would provide for a 43,000 end-of-year strength for active duty military personnel and would help replace and modernize the Coast Guard's aging assets in a cost effective manner, enhance oversight, and reduce inefficiencies. In addition, the bill makes certain reforms to Coast Guard authorities and maritime laws. I appreciate the unique capability and vital role the Coast Guard plays along the Gulf Coast and thank the dedicated men and women who comprise it for their years of service to our great Nation.
House Votes to Combat Human Trafficking
According to estimates from the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 20 million people across the globe are victims of human trafficking, and the FBI now identifies this heinous criminal activity as the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world. To make matters even worse, many of the victims of human trafficking are children and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates that between 100,000 and 300,000 American children are at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking, while the FBI found that 83 percent of trafficking victims discovered domestically were American citizens. We have passed dozens of bills in the House in recent years to combat the scourge of human trafficking, and last week the House passed further legislation to address this issue.
S.178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, which passed the Senate by a vote of 99-0 earlier this year, brings together a number of different provisions, including from ten House-passed bills, to strengthen law enforcement tools for prosecuting human traffickers and bring additional resources to support victims of human trafficking. These additional services would also be paid for by a special penalty to be paid by convicted human traffickers and sex offenders. I voted in support of S.178 when it passed the House by a vote of 420-3, and I am glad that this bill will now be sent to the President to be signed into law to help protect innocent children and combat human trafficking.
House Votes to Simplify and Make Permanent the Research Credit
In 1981, President Reagan signed the research and development (R&D) tax credit into law because he knew that innovation in technology and science is one of the primary drivers of long-term economic growth and that this technological innovation can only be achieved through robust research and development. R&D is particularly important to areas of our country like Northwest Florida, where strong defense and aerospace sectors are integral components of the local economy.
Since the R&D tax credit was created, it has been extended 16 times; however, the credit has never been made permanent, and it expired at the end of last year. So, to help ensure that businesses have the certainty needed to invest in creating next generation technologies, the House acted last week to make the R&D tax credit permanent through passage of H.R.880, the American Research and Competitiveness Act.
H.R.880 would pave the way for American companies to invest in innovation by providing the certainty and stability that can only be achieved through a permanent tax credit. In addition to strengthening the R&D credit's incentive through permanence, the bill would also modify the credit to better suit the needs of today's entrepreneur by increasing flexibility to allow companies to utilize either a 20 percent credit for qualified research expenses or a 14 percent alternative simplified credit.
Given the fact that we have seen the slowest recovery from recession in decades, we should be advancing policies that allow the true drivers of economic growth, the American people, to innovate and create new technologies. A permanent R&D tax credit will have an enormous positive impact both in Northwest Florida and across the country, and that is why I voted in favor of this bill when it passed the House by a vote of 274-145.
House Votes to Facilitate a Pro-growth Environment for the Developing Commercial Space Industry
On Thursday, the House passed H.R.2262, the Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015, also known as the SPACE Act, by a vote of 284-133. Among its provisions, the SPACE Act would maintain the Federal Aviation Administration's ability to regulate commercial human spaceflight, require the Secretary of the Treasury to update the methodology used to calculate maximum probable loss, extend indemnification to 2025 to retain the international price competitiveness of U.S.-based launches, close a loophole so that innovators are able to continue work on their designs under experimental permits while the license holder conducts operations, address the role of state and commercial launch operators, call on the Secretary of the Treasury to identify duplicative requirements to increase efficiency and transparency, and streamline commercial launch activities. Our Nation has been a leader in the space race since its inception, and H.R.2262, which I voted for, will help maintain our position by supporting a pro-growth environment that boosts private sector investment, stabilizes regulatory conditions, and enhances safety in the developing commercial space industry.
House Votes to Extend Highway and Transportation Funding
With authorization for surface transportation programs set to expire on May 31, 2015, the House passed legislation last week to extend the Highway Trust Fund's expenditure authority for an additional two months. The Highway Trust Fund has sufficient funds to cover projects during this two month extension; however, without approving an additional authorization, states would not be able to be reimbursed for their expenses, and more than 4,000 Department of Transportation employees would be furloughed. Although the House has been working on an extension through the calendar year, to provide states certainty throughout the construction seasons, the two month extension will help prevent states from being left without matching funds, and, as the funds are already in the Highway Trust Fund, no additional spending is authorized.
House Passes Third Appropriations Measure in Regular Order
The House continued its work passing the third of our twelve annual appropriations bills last week. H.R.2250, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2016, would provide funding for the personnel and operations of the legislative branch, to include funding to maintain the Capitol complex, fund the Capitol Police, and funding for the Government Accountability Office to ensure that they can continue to provide nonpartisan information on federal programs and federal spending. In addition, since taking control of the House of Representatives, House Republicans have looked to bring fiscal responsibility to Washington, and we have shown that this responsibility starts in our offices by reducing funding for the House of Representatives by 14 percent and maintaining the freeze on Congressional Member pay. I voted for this bill, which passed by a vote of 357-67, and I look forward to continuing to work through regular order as we continue to pass the remaining appropriations bills for fiscal year 2016.
American Israel Public Affairs Committee Meeting
I met with David Samrick and Jeff Kuhnreich of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to discuss issues vital to both the United States and Israel. Our two nations share common values of freedom and individual rights, and with the rise of Islamic extremism, this strong alliance and friendship proves more important now than ever. Specifically, and most pressing to both Israel and the U.S., we discussed the Iranian nuclear deal currently being negotiated by the White House. The severe and lasting consequences of such a deal are extreme in nature, which is why I supported legislation that would require Congressional review of any nuclear deal brokered by the Administration with Iran. I appreciate the visit and look forward to continuing to work with AIPAC writ large as we monitor the Iranian deal and address mutual national security challenges.
Meeting with Ronnie Day, FL Farm Bureau and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
I met with Ronnie Day and Bryan Holz last week during their visit to Washington to attend the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors' (NAIFA) 2015 Congressional Conference. We discussed the importance of protecting Floridians' access to professional insurance agents and financial advisors to help them plan for retirement and financial security. I appreciate them taking the time to stop by my office.
In the District
Upcoming Mobile Office Days in Milton and Navarre this Wednesday, May 27
In order to better serve the needs of constituents who are not close to the Pensacola or Fort Walton Beach offices, special "mobile office days" modeled after "veterans' assistance days" have been established to better serve our growing population in Northwest Florida. I am pleased to announce upcoming office hours that will be held Wednesday, May 27. My staff will be available to answer questions about problems with federal agencies or other issues affecting the First Congressional District at the following locations and times: 10:00 a.m. -- 11:30 a.m. at the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce (5247 Stewart Street in Milton) and 2:00 p.m. -- 3:30 p.m. at the Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (8543 Navarre Parkway in Navarre).
As always, I welcome your comments. To share your thoughts on legislation, votes or issues, please visit http://jeffmiller.house.gov/ to send an e-mail or call any of my offices.
Thanks,
Jeff
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