Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise regarding the continuing maritime disputes in the waters of the East China Sea, particularly surrounding a group of particular islands. Known as the Senkaku Islands to Japan, the Diaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, and the Diaoyu Islands in China, these islands are the focal point of the many disputes over the waters of the East China and South China seas.

Although tensions remain, Taiwan has emerged as a pro-active voice urging countries to work together to insure prosperity and security for all. Japan, China, and Taiwan all have claims to islands in the East China Sea, and the resulting tensions--particularly between China and Japan--threaten our political, economic, and security interests in the region.

Taiwan's President, Ma Ying-jeou, is determined to peacefully resolve this problem by working to build a trusting relationship with the countries involved. In 2012 President Ma proposed the East China Sea Peace Initiative, which demonstrates Taiwan's genuine interest in finding a permanent solution that benefits all stakeholders. The general response to the initiative has been positive in this country, and I believe it holds much promise. I am hopeful that regional tensions can be lessened because of the constructive steps taken by Taiwan.

Taiwan has proven time and again to be a friend working to ensure the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific. With the National Day of Taiwan fast approaching on October 10, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Taiwan for their friendship, thank President Ma for his contribution towards regional peace, and to wish all of Taiwan's people a wonderful and most happy National Day.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,760,739,788,762.62. We've added $7,133,862,739,849.54 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,741,170,643,844.86. We've added $7,114,293,594,931.78 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado.

As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, I introduced H.R. 3593, the VA Construction Assistance Act, along with my friend and ranking member, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, to address significant problems with the VA's construction practices, problems which became public knowledge through our subcommittee's work.

My proposed reforms are designed to speed construction and rein in the out-of-control costs of three major VA regional projects under development in Aurora, Colorado; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Orlando, Florida.

We introduced this legislation late last year based on the investigative work of our subcommittee and in response to a Government Accountability Office report that found that VA's major construction projects had been mired in mismanagement. The report concluded early last year that these projects are more than $360 million each over budget and almost 3 years on average behind schedule.

The VA Construction Assistance Act implements GAO-recommended reforms by assigning medical equipment planners to these construction projects and streamlining the change order process. The proposal also goes a step further by requiring the assignment of an emergency manager from the Army Corps of Engineers, independent of the VA, to oversee these projects, and only these three major medical facility projects, currently under construction.

The GAO specifically singled out the Army Corps of Engineers as an organization with a record of building similar projects within budget and on schedule for the Department of Defense.

Our veterans cannot simply hope that the situation improves. We must get these construction projects delivered so our Nation's veterans receive the health care services that they have earned while at the same time protecting the taxpayers from massive cost overruns. Notably, this bill is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

As such, I urge each of my colleagues to support this commonsense bipartisan legislation.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

I think, again, going back to this Government Accountability report, it says that, on average, these projects are $366 million over budget; on average, these projects are 35 months behind schedule. There are a number of recommendations that are taken right from this report that are part of this bill.

One recommendation that wasn't specifically in the bill, but it was mentioned in the bill by referencing that the Army Corps of Engineers basically builds the same projects for the Department of Defense--the hospitals--on schedule and within budget.

We are talking about, again, hundreds of millions of dollars wasted in every single facility that is not going to the health care our veterans have earned; so I think it is only right that we move forward with this, not only to be fair to the men and women who have served us in uniform and sacrificed so much in defense of this country and giving them the benefits that they have earned through their service, but also out of respect to the taxpayers of the United States who have basically had their hard-earned dollars wasted in building these projects with these incredible and massive cost overruns.

I have had countless meetings with the Corps of Engineers, and they said that they could not publicly state their support for this, but I have given this legislation to them and said, ``Come back to me if you have any issues with it.''

They did not other than to say they feel prospectively they should be the ones managing these projects, period. My bill does not address that prospectively.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,742,108,970,073.37. We've added $7,115,231,921,160.29 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,764,720,406,589.08. We've added $7,137,843,357,676.00 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,757,884,048,448.05. We've added $7,131,006,999,534.97 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,756,856,045,819.45. We've added $7,129,978,996,906.37 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,756,856,045,819.45. We've added $7,129,978,996,906.37 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $7.1 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,618,599,653,160.19. We've added $6,991,722,604,247.11 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.9 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,621,751,199,943.72. We've added $6,994,874,151,030.64 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.9 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,613,035,203,018.10. We've added $6,986,158,154,105.02 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.9 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sara Barba, Calvin Frauenfelder, Kathryn Kornacki, and Nathan Vannoy for their hard work and dedication to the people of Colorado's Sixth District as interns in my Washington, DC office for the Summer 2014 session of Congress.

The work of these young men and women has been exemplary and I know they all have bright futures. They served as tour guides, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity to these four and look forward to seeing them build their careers in public service.

All four of our interns have made plans to continue their work in public service next year with various organizations in both Colorado and Washington. I am certain they will succeed in their new roles and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Sara Barba, Calvin Frauenfelder, Kathryn Kornacki, and Nathan Vannoy for their service this summer.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking Chairman Miller for his dedicated work on behalf of our veterans.

As a Marine Corps combat veteran and chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I have spent the past year working side-by-side with the members of my subcommittee and with Chairman Miller to investigate and uncover the largest scandal in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I am proud that Republicans and Democrats were able to put aside their partisan differences to focus on supporting our Nation's warriors with choice, accountability, and greater transparency. These reforms will allow veterans to vote with their feet if they cannot get an appointment within a reasonable timeframe at a VA facility.

I am also proud that we were able to include much-needed reforms on the treatment of victims of sexual assault in the military. The scourge of sexual assault in the military and the corruption of covered-up waiting lists at VA hospitals are shameful acts, and we must work together to confront them head on.

Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08.

Today, it is $17,611,454,807,678.76. We've added $6,984,577,758,765.68 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.9 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.