Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the honorees of the Small Business Administration's Annual Awards Luncheon. Each year, the Maine District Office of the Small Business Administration recognizes businesses and business leaders who make significant contributions to the business environment and economy of our region.

This year's award recipients include: Alan Spear and Mary Allen Lindeman of Coffee By Design, recipients of the Maine Small Business Persons of the Year Award; Brian and Kimberly Plavnick of G-Force Laser Tag Corp., recipients of the Maine Micro-Enterprise of the Year Award; Cyndi Price of LooHoo LLC, the Home-Based Small Business Champion for Maine and New England; Mitch and Ray DeBlois of DeBlois Electric, Inc., recipients of the Jeffrey Butland Award; Terry Trickey of Bangor Savings Bank, the Financial Services Champion; Peter McVety of McVety's Hearth and Home, the Maine Veteran Small Business Champion; Amy Bouchard of Isamax Snacks, Inc., the Maine Woman in Business Champion; Joshua Davis and Bruno Tropeano of Gelato Fiasco, the Young Entrepreneurs of the Year for Maine and New England; and Eric J. Smith of EJ Drywall, the Region 1 Prime Contractor of the Year.

The following businesses are also recognized for receiving District Director Awards for

Fiscal Year 2013: Bangor Savings Bank, Overall Top Performing SBA lender; Katahdin Trust Company, Top 7(a) Dollar Volume Lender; People's United Bank, Top Performing 3rd Party Lender; Granite State Economic Development Corp., Top Performing 504 Lender; NorState Federal Credit Union, Top Performing Credit Union; CEI, Top Performing Microlender; and Eastern Maine Development Corp., Top Community Advantage Lender.

These recipients are among the best that Maine and New England have to offer. Through their leadership and incredible commitment to their communities, Maine and New England are better places in which to live and do business.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the honorees of the Small Business Administration's Annual Awards Luncheon on their outstanding service and achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the winners of Maine's National History Day competition who are eligible to represent our State in the national competition.

Maine's National History Day program is a partnership between the University of Maine and the Margaret Chase Smith Foundation that promotes the study of history in schools. This year, the students were tasked with pursuing projects centered on the theme of ``Rights & Responsibilities in History.'' Among those eligible to represent Maine at the national competition are 30 students from across Maine's Second Congressional District.

The following students are eligible to represent Maine at the national competition: Sydney McDonald and Kathleen Dunn of Bangor High School; Abby Boucher of Penobscot Christian School; Lily Waddell of the William S. Cohen School; Dennis Wescott, Norliyana Menes, Jordyn Bennett, and Brooklyn Hutchins of Buckfield Jr/Sr High School; Sela R. Smith and Ben Buck of Dingo High School; Jacob Brown, Josie Champagne, and Tiana Gordon of Lawrence High School; Damian Sheffer, Cecilia Doering, Cannon Breen, and Trey Stimpel of Holbrook Middle School; Anderson Huston, Samantha Grandahl, and Alyssa Thompson of Monmouth Academy; Lauren Grant of Center Drive School; Katelyn Dufour, Nathalie Theriault, Madeline Tiner, Sydney Gosselin, Katelynn Green, Morgan Brousseau, Sarah Moody, and Bailee Kinney of Bruce M. Whittier Middle School; Ben Voter, Chandler Plante, Mariah Lancaster, Jaime Withrow, Abigail Stevens, Thomas Leo, and Emily Michaud of Skowhegan Area Middle School; and Jessica Doucette, Jenna Doucette, and Margaret Bragg of Hartford Sumner Elementary School.

These talented students and the history educators that support them are a testament to the creative and dynamic spirit of Maine. I look forward to hearing about their progress as they participate in the national contest at the University of Maryland, College Park from June 15-19, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, please join me again in congratulating these students for their outstanding achievements and in wishing them the best of luck at the national competition.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 4810, the Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014. I want to thank the chairman for bringing this bill forward. I also want to thank the chairman and the staff on both the majority and minority side for all the work that they have been doing to get to the bottom of this crisis within the Department.

Access to timely, quality health care for veterans is a top priority for the Veterans' Affairs Committee. We often hear that the care that veterans receive at the VA facilities is second to none--that is, if you can get in. As we have recently learned, tens of thousands of veterans are not getting in, having to wait weeks and even months to access VA medical centers throughout the country.

The gravity of the delay in care that veterans from all areas are experiencing cannot be overstated and is totally unacceptable. This legislation would help to alleviate the backlog of veteran patients waiting to be seen at VA medical facilities both for specialty care and primary care appointments.

Specifically, it requires the VA to provide access to non-VA care to any enrolled veteran who lives more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility, has waited longer than the wait time goals for a medical appointment, or has been notified by the VA that an appointment is not available within the wait time goals. More importantly, it gives the veteran the option to elect to receive care at a non-VA facility or, if the veteran chooses, to wait to be seen at the VA medical center.

When our young men and women sign up to serve their country, we promise them quality, accessible health care. Thanks to many caring frontline clinicians, we have achieved the first, high-quality medical care. Now we must work on the second timely, and that is access issues. I encourage my colleagues to support this very important piece of legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley).

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus).

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Barrow), a former member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas, Dr. Cuellar.

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of speakers, but they are not here so I will close.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4810, the Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014.

I want to thank the chairman once again for bringing this bill before the Chamber so we can vote on it.

Good quality health care is important for our veterans, but it doesn't do any good unless they can have access to that quality care. This legislation will definitely provide that access through non-VA care that our veterans need in certain areas.

I encourage my colleagues to support it. I once again want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for working in a bipartisan manner to bring this bill before us today for a vote.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the honorees of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce's Annual Awards Dinner. The Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce serves the people and business communities of the region, working hard to strengthen economic opportunity throughout the area and the state.

Each year, the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce recognizes local businesses, business leaders, and individuals who promote and advance a vital and healthy business environment. These individuals and businesses are committed to strengthening opportunity, prosperity, and community service in Maine.

The 2014 award winners are: Merrill Enterprises, Top Drawer Award; Eleanor Jones, Citizen of the Year; Friends and Family, Customer Service Award; Shinbashi, Revitalization Award; and Z Photography, Chamber New Business of the Year.

These recipients are among the best that Maine has to offer. Through their leadership and their incredible commitment to their communities and to the region, Maine is a better place in which to live and do business.

Mr. Speaker, please join me again in congratulating the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce and the award recipients on their outstanding service and achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Town of Gouldsboro, Maine as it celebrates its 225th anniversary.

Located on the Schoodic Peninsula in Hancock County, the Town of Gouldsboro includes the four villages of Corea, Prospect Harbor, West Gouldsboro and Birch Harbor. Named for one of its original proprietors, Robert Gould, the town was first incorporated into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1789, predating Maine's statehood. Known for its scenic harbors, long coastline, fishing community, and views of Acadia National Park, the Town of Gouldsboro truly embodies the spirit of coastal Maine.

Gouldsboro is also home to four sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Prospect Harbor Light Station; Soderholtz, Eric E., Cottage; West Gouldsboro Union Church; and West Gouldsboro Village Library.

The Town of Gouldsboro reflects the values of the hardworking people of Maine who take great pride in the rich history they have created over the past 225 years. It is an honor and a privilege to represent the people of Gouldsboro in Congress, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to help them commemorate the town's 225th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the people of Gouldsboro and wishing them well on this joyous occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I am joined here today by my colleagues from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the French Caucus so that we may pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the American soldiers who landed at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.

This marks the 70th anniversary of D-day. Next week, Members of the House will travel to Normandy to join President Obama and other Allied heads of state to honor and remember the heroism of ``the longest day.''

130,000 soldiers stormed the beaches at Normandy, long stretches with no cover from the enemy, fire that rained down from the hillsides above. Others parachuted or glided into the countryside, while at Pointe du Hoc, situated between Utah and Omaha, the 2nd Rangers climbed straight up the high cliffs, dodging gunfire and grenades and straight into the sights of the enemy cannons. It was a daunting, terrifying battlefield, but our troops answered the call with first-class bravery, and they got the job done as they always do.

The historic victory came at a price. The Allied casualties that June day were tragically high: 1,100 Canadians, 2,700 British, 15,000 to 20,000 Free French, and 6,000 Americans perished. Their bravery, their sacrifice, and their courage changed the very course of world history.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the World War II Memorial. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for the key role she played in ensuring it was built.

The memorial provides a place for solemn reflection and gives World War II veterans the chance to share their memories with each other as they participate and Honor Flights from across the country with their sons and daughters and grandchildren. A living piece of history.

The World War II Memorial and the Veterans History Projects are employing every tool possible to catalogue, preserve, and make these firsthand memories for future generations. This effort is very important because there is a story that we must never forget.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, to the sailors, soldiers, marines, and airmen who stormed the beaches, parachuted into the thorny hedgerows, scaled the cliffs, and fought their way inland, America and the world owes you, our Greatest Generation, a debt we can never repay. May God bless each and every one you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Chairman, the Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller and I rise to ask that the House pause to remember the courageous sacrifice that our men and women went through when they lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy, France, during the Allied invasion of June 6, 1944.

We request a moment of silence in honor of the brave Americans who were lost 70 years ago on D-day and the families who mourn their loss.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's veterans and in support of action that will fundamentally address the systematic failures that are clearly occurring across the Department of Veterans Affairs. I reluctantly support this legislation because I believe we owe it to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for our Nation to do everything in our power to ensure the VA is accountable for its performance.

I share with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), my good friend and colleague, fundamental goals of addressing shortcomings in VA leadership. I am proud of our bipartisan working relationship. Not only does our working together usually allow us to get more done, but I believe it makes our efforts better.

I am disappointed, however, that the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs was not given the opportunity to consider this bill. I believe that members of the committee, Republicans and Democrats, could have improved this bill before it was brought to the floor. I believe this bill would be stronger and more reflective of the substantive reforms necessary in the Department if it had been allowed to go through the committee markup process.

H.R. 4031 has been put forth as an accountability bill, but it falls short of providing substantive beneficial changes in the VA's executive performance management system.

The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs already has the authority to fire any employee, including executives who are not doing their job. This bill will simply turn approximately 400 senior executive civil service positions across the VA into essentially at- will positions, of which 165 are in the Veterans Health Administration.

More importantly, H.R. 4031 does not adequately address the performance metrics of VA executives. It doesn't provide any framework for ensuring problems and failures don't occur in the first place.

I introduced H.R. 4399, which the American Legion also supports, which establishes upfront organizational goals and expected outcomes for veterans that every single VA senior leader must deliver. It would require these goals and their outcomes to be the driving factor in performance assessment for these executives and the basis for any awards or bonuses.

This bill before us today does not address the senior physicians and dentists, known as title 38 employees, who receive executive-level pay and have organizational-level responsibility for veteran care and services. This is important because one of the executives implicated in manipulating the wait times in Phoenix was a title 38 employee, which this bill does not cover that we are voting on today. So the very individual responsible for the catastrophic failures that we have seen across the VA recently may not even be impacted by the current legislation that we are dealing with.

My bill, H.R. 4399, does address title 38 physicians and dentists, which covers approximately 80,000 employees within the VA, title 38 employees, mandating standardized, rigorous performance management tools that hold employees accountable and justifies any performance pay.

Finally, my bill would prohibit one of the most egregious examples of the failure of the current system as it applies to title 38 employees. A doctor was provided partial performance pay even though he had failed to maintain a current license. That is correct. He received partial performance pay even though he failed to maintain a current license, because maintaining a valid license was not one of his performance objectives. This bill that we are dealing with today does not address that issue.

Good policy, good legislation comes from conversation, collaboration, and compromise. I am supporting moving this bill forward today because I believe we need to begin this discussion as how to best ensure VA employees are held accountable when they fail to perform.

Let me be clear. We can and we must do more to ensure that our veterans get the quality services that they deserve and have earned. I am hopeful that we can have the necessary dialogue in conference to ensure that any bill that we send to the President is a more comprehensive reform measure that is well-considered and actually has the desired and needed impact of changing the VA and ensuring the best outcomes for our Nation's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott).

I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Brown).

I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

May I inquire from the Speaker how much time I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire, is the gentleman from Florida ready to close?

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I want to thank the chairman, but I will reiterate that the Secretary currently does have the authority to fire any Senior Executive Servicemember if he is not performing his job. This bill does not address the problem systemically within the VA. We are dealing with the Veterans Health Administration. This bill only covers 165 SES's who work in the Veterans Health Administration, but there are 400 throughout the VA.

The legislation that I would much prefer voting on today deals with not only the SES's, but also with the title 38 employees.

The reason it is important to deal with the title 38 employees--and it is important to note--is that one of the executives implicated in manipulating the wait times in Phoenix is a title 38 employee. This bill does not address that employee.

The bill also does not address some of the most egregious examples of failure in the system within the Department. As I mentioned earlier, a doctor was provided partial performance pay, even though he had let his license expire, because that was not part of the performance objective.

I will be supporting this legislation, so we can move it through the process and so we can go to conference to actually address some of these issues. I hope that we will be able to address these issues. They are very serious issues, and they are issues that are important to our veterans.

It is important for us on the committee that we deal with this, and I hope, Mr. Chairman, that we will work together like we have in the past, but I am disappointed that this bill is before us, as we were not able to improve upon the bill.

I would also hope that the President would look very seriously at the performance evaluations within the Department of Veterans Affairs and that he would immediately issue an executive order, similar to the legislation that I have submitted, which will address a lot of the systemic problems within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is unacceptable, and we must move forward to deal with this issue.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would encourage my colleagues to support the legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Yes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Chaplain Donald Williams as today's guest chaplain.

Chaplain Williams is originally from Springfield, Missouri, but he came to Maine in 1985, where he served as pastor of the Fellowship Baptist Church.

Chaplain Williams was sworn in as deputy sheriff and chaplain for the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office in 1987. In addition to serving as chaplain for the Maine State Police and Augusta Police Department, he is involved with the Maine Law Enforcement Chaplain Corps and the State's Criminal Justice Academy.

Chaplain Williams has gone above and beyond in serving the spiritual needs of Maine's police force for over 20 years. His remarkable service was reflected in his nomination for the 2010 National Sheriff's Association Chaplain of the Year award.

He is a true asset to our State and our country. I am proud to stand with him here today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the career of Maine State Senator Margaret Craven.

A native of Galway, Ireland, Senator Craven immigrated to Massachusetts at the age of 17 and later moved to Maine where she adopted Lewiston as her home city. Senator Craven was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2002 and later to the Maine Senate in 2008.

Senator Craven currently serves as Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Government Oversight Committee, and has previously served on the Appropriations Committee.

During her time in the Maine Legislature, Senator Craven has fought tirelessly on behalf of Maine's most vulnerable citizens, including veterans, the elderly, the disabled, women and children. Among her most significant accomplishments is her work on the Commission to Study Long-Term Care Facilities, which provided recommendations for addressing long-term care challenges in Maine.

In addition to her service in the Maine Legislature, Senator Craven has served her community through other means as a hospice volunteer and board member for several organizations, including Lewiston Public Library, Healthy Androscoggin, and Community Concepts.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Maine State Senator Margaret Craven for her service to the state of Maine and in wishing her the best of luck in future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of Representative Michael Carey.

A native of Leeds, Maine and graduate of Dartmouth College, Michael Carey has served the State of Maine through four terms in the Maine House of Representatives as well as through his membership on the board of several community organizations and local businesses.

Representative Carey currently serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee and as Chair of the House Committee on Elections. He has also served on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, Transportation Committee, as well as the special committees on Regulatory Fairness and Reform and Maine's Energy Future during his time in the Maine Legislature.

Representative Carey's long list of legislative achievements includes playing an instrumental role in the development and passage of the state's biennial and supplemental budgets. He has also sponsored successful legislation to strengthen penalties for violations of election laws, improve the Freedom of Access Act, preserve Code Enforcement Officer Training and Certification, improve lobbyist disclosure policies, help non-profit organizations take part in the legislative process and assist local towns in providing tax relief to residents.

In addition to his legislative accomplishments, Representative Carey has served Maine through his membership on the board of several local organizations and businesses, including Community Concepts, AVESTA Housing and Androscoggin County Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Representative Michael Carey for his service to the state of Maine and in wishing him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the honorees of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame's Annual Induction Banquet and Scholar- Athlete Awards Ceremony.

This Sunday, the Maine Sports Hall of Fame will honor Maine athletes and sports figures who have exemplified a tireless commitment to their sport and to their community. Recognition awards and scholarships also will be presented to five of Maine's outstanding high school scholar- athletes. Each of the honorees have distinguished themselves on and off the field and are most deserving of this recognition.

This year's inductees to the Maine Sports Hall of Fame are: Julia Faith Dawson Clukey, Augusta; Jack W. Cosgrove, Bangor; Joseph L. Ferris, Brewer; Edward J. Flaherty, Portland; William (Bill) Green, Cumberland; Eleanor D. Logan, Boothbay Harbor; George J. Mitchell, New York City; Steven M. Pound, Greenville; and Abigail L. (Abby) Spector, Waterville.

This year's scholar-athlete honorees are: Carsyn Koch, Washburn District High School; Ian Lee, Madawaska High School; Alexandra Logan, Cheverus High School, Portland; Mikayla Turner, Messalonskee High School, Oakland; and Rayne Whitten, Massabesic High School, Waterboro.

The President's Award is presented to ``an individual who has bettered sports and athletics and has become a leader at state and national levels.'' This year's recipient is William E. Haggett of West Bath.

Each of these honorees is among the best that Maine has to offer. Through their leadership and their incredible commitment to their

sport, to their communities, and to our state, Maine is a better place in which to live.

Mr. Speaker, please join me again in congratulating each of the award recipients on their outstanding achievements and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the honorees of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce's 51st Annual Awards Dinner. The Mid- Maine Chamber of Commerce serves the people and business communities of the region, working hard to strengthen economic opportunity throughout the area and the state.

Each year, the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce recognizes local businesses, business leaders, and individuals who promote and advance a vital and a healthy business environment. These individuals and businesses are committed to strengthening opportunity, prosperity, and community service in Maine.

The 2013 award winners are: John and Jackie Dalton, Distinguished Community Service Award; Bart Stevens of Century 21 Nason Realty, Elias A. Joseph Award; Shane Savage of Fairfield, Oakland, Unity, and Winslow Pharmacies, Business Person of the Year; Kennebec Behavioral Health, Business of the Year; Darlene Ratte of the Best Western Plus, Outstanding Professional; Maine Film Center, Community Service Project of the Year; Joshua Reny of the Town of Fairfield, Rising Star Award; and Doreen Brown of the Hampton Inn Waterville, Customer Service Stardom Award.

These recipients are among the best that Maine has to offer. Through their leadership and their incredible commitment to their communities and to the region, Maine is a better place in which to live and do business.

Mr. Speaker, please join me again in congratulating the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and the award recipients on their outstanding service and achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Maine's Public Safety Dispatchers for their essential service to our communities in times of emergency. Maine's public safety telecommunicators are committed to putting the safety and interests of the community before themselves, and I would like to commend them for their invaluable hard work and commitment to ensuring our safety.

These unsung heroes are our country's ``unseen first responders.'' They are the men and women who answer the calls of those citizens asking for help with a promise that help is, in fact, on its way. We place our trust in these individuals every day of the year and rely on their knowledge and professionalism as they make critical decisions, obtain information, and quickly dispatch needed aid. Regardless of the call, they always answer with compassion, persistence, and patience. As a result, their work is imperative to our country's citizens, police, fire and emergency medical assistance personnel.

They remain calm in times of crisis and helpful in times of hurting. Their voices guide a young mother through infant CPR, talk an accident victim out of going into shock, and provide comfort to those who have been harmed or injured as they wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Yet, they seldom witness the product of their good work because they do not see the young mother's face when her infant begins to breathe again or the accident victim's face as first responders come into sight. It is for these reasons that they deserve our special appreciation and recognition.

In addition to the services they directly provide to the general public, they also handle governmental communications related to forestry, conservation, highway safety, and natural disasters. This means that while most individuals seek shelter during a flood or blizzard, the public safety telecommunicators are at their posts ensuring that everyone in their communities, including the police officers and firefighters, return home safely.

These telecommunicators are selfless, skilled, and often overlooked. Their daily service to the public goes without due recognition by the many beneficiaries of their services. Today, I would like to take a moment and extend my deepest gratitude on behalf of the state of Maine and applaud them for their honorable service.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognition and appreciation of the many public safety telecommunicators of Maine.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the members of the American volunteer group known as the Flying Tigers for their heroic service to the United States of America during World War II. The Flying Tigers consisted of ex-personnel from the Navy, Marines, and the Army Air Corps. Operating out of China, they trained in secret, and shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor began a series of heroic battles against the Japanese aircraft squadrons.

Working together with the Chinese and the Royal Air Force, the Flying Tigers drove back attacks on the port of Rangoon in Burma, and became celebrated for their tactical victories.

On July 4, 1942, the Flying Tigers were absorbed into the 23rd Fighter Group, and their distinctive shark-faced planes remain among the most recognizable of any aircraft from World War II.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring the members of the Flying Tigers for their brave service to our great country.