I introduced a bill that reforms the the act to provide greater congressional oversight and to protect against the throat of Nuclear Proliferation. When the president says it is this will deal or go to war there is another option. Lets not forget about the agreement that was withdrawn by the Bush Administration in 2008 because the president could not certify that russia was not providing nuclear and advanced nuclear advanced weapons. Iran can buy Nuclear Missile ap weapons from the russians. Next on the list what the list with vietnam and allowed vietnam to enrich. The the agreement. I opposed that agreement because it allows china to enrich. Jordan and the uae, are not allowed to enrich based on their agreement, but bad actors china, russia and vietnam, oh they can enrich. Et doesnt make. Page 5 line 13 of the general provisions of the agreement states that the nations will quote, cooperate as a appropriate in the Nuclear Energy and engage in willp am projects oose detailed in a nmp nex 3. The situation becomes really scary. The nations and iran can cooperate. What does that maine . It spells it out and it includes, facilitation of irans acquisition of light water reactors, construction of new light water power real actors, construction of state of the art light Water Research reactors, supplies of state of the art control systems for the research and power reactors and the list keeps going with regard to these research and power reactors. On the job training for these research and power reactors. Joint reactor react iris in order to upgrade current systems. We will be helping iran to modernize and upgrade their reactor. This is absolutely absurd. And dangerously absurd. How could we sect any country to be with the iran standard. We want the iran standard because that is what is going to be the last standard. We have obliterated any of our moral or legal standing that other countries forego. No countries in their right mipeds would agree to anything less than what we have allowed iran to do. If we dont block the implementation, there is a race that which will not be able to stop. One of the biggest mistakes its a long list of bad deals, but the listing of u. S. Sanctions on Ballistic Missiles and the lifting of sanctions on irans sanctions on its program by the e. U. And u. N. The wall street reported on the sanctions that are to be lifted and the instews and Illegal Nuclear program. This doesnt begin on the sanctions against the leaders, the very same people who are responsible for carrying out and planning irans most deadly attack. The very same individuals who have American Service members bloods on their hands. The administration and the p5 plus one have agreed to remove these individuals and these entities from the u. N. And european sanctions list. How the administration can begin to justify removing these people from these sanctions list and these designations is beyond come preng. It is a direct afront. And the Administration Needs to explain and would like to look at this poster, how the gentleman here in the middle head of irans revolutionary guard, not only gets rid of these sanctions will get a boon to his covers against the u. S. Look at this. We are not done yet. How about the general. This fine germ here who has been wanted by interpol since 2007 for his roll role in the the bombing in ar again tibh tina. He will come off. This gentleman response i will for the murder, but as the wall street notes we will be lifting the sanctions. This will leave these individuals free to continue to work on the regimes Nuclear Program. Not om that, it will allow them to proliferate their expertise and knowledge. We have agreed to lift the sanctions and designations on most of the key individuals on irans covert Nuclear Weapons program while at the same time, allowing irans key components of his Nuclear Program to remain intact. How does that benefit our national security. We have lift sanctions. This gentleman here. The head of the w. M. D. Program. He is the Pakistani Nuclear doctor responsible for the network that helped libya and china and north korea. He is the equivalent of a. Que kha nmp. The regime refuses to come clean about. Look at this rogues gallery. We are not done. The iran equivalent will be taken off the designation of this list. This iranian will have had years to perfect his explosive device without repercussions. And this fine gentleman here, head of irans agency. Not only was he the head, but was sanctioned by the u. N. Council for his work on irans and blisk Missile Program by underscore the and surdy of the notion that it is for peaceful purposes. They developed blisk mills. And this man was involved in both and he will be removed in the u. N. Samplingses, leaving him several years to continue his work without international scrutiny. But we have one more gentleman to point out. If that wasnt enough. German engineer right over here collaborating german scientists. He was an individual who was convicted and imprisoned in south africa for his involvement in the a exunche k hmp an network and facilitated the sale to north korea to iran and libya. He will be delisted as well. And on top of all of this, irans organization involved in spearheading, research will be removed from the u. S. Sanctions list. Despite the long record of noncompliance with the National Atomic Energy Agency, this is a path to the iranian bomb and not the prevention of one. Any way you slice it, mr. Speaker, iran will be a Nuclear Weapon state in a decade or so and these individuals will be free to harm our international interests. Even if the u. N. Council opts to impose options, yirne says this would be a violation of the agreement. Listen to that. If the u. N. Counsel opts to and this would be a violation of the agreement apkm simply snap back its own Nuclear Program. Iran snappings back. And it will be free of the burdens of sanctions and have its entire structure in the morning its equipment as well as the question individuals involved in response and advancing the Program Ready and able to produce a Nuclear Program whatever soffer. If Congress Approves this bill we are guaranteeing that they are a weapons state and giving away. This deal isnt going to avert a war. It might precipitate one. Our only option is is to insist on a better deal and back that up. How can we say plrks speaker, that this nuclear deal is anything but a bad deal when it doesnt meet the resolutions or the president s own benchmarks from 201. Iran was in violation of those resolutions. They went to the u. N. Security council to bind ourselves to lift the resolutions and though the regime never complied with a single one. Six resolutions violated. Iran was not in compliance with the National Atomic Energy Agency, had not halted enrichment, had not halted nuclear tech noling. Iran has never met a european scuft Council Resolution that it didnt violate and here we are pretending that iran has somehow complied with the tinl community and can be trusted to live up to its obligation under international law. Lets look at what those requirements were for iran and what were no longer requiring iran to do under this disastrous deal. Ill start with u. N. Security Council Resolution 1696, implemented on july 13 2006. Demands that iran suspend all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, which would be verified by the interNational Atomic Energy Agency after irans noncompliance with the iaea, for over three years. It gave iran one month to comply with the iaea or face the possibility of economic and diplomatic sanctions. It endorsed the diplomatic solution, specifically a p5 plus one proposal from 2006 for a longterm comprehensive agreement to determine the excuse ily peaceful nature of irans Nuclear Program. It called on states to exercise vigilance, to prevent the transfer of any items, materials, goods and technology that could contribute to irans enrichment and reprocessing activities and ballistic Missile Programs. Iran did not comply. U. N. Security Council Resolution 1737. Passed on december 23, 2006. It imposed sanctions on iran for failing to halt uranium enrichment as stipulated in United Nations Security Council 1696 that i just spoke about. It reaffirms that iran shall, without further delay, suspend all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, including research and development, to be verified by the iaea and work on all heavy water related projects including the construction of a research reactors, moderated by heavy water. The resolution further imposed sanctions on that country, blocking the import or export of sensitive nuclear terrell and freezing the Financial Nuclear ma terrell and freezing the financial materiel and freezing the Financial Assets. Also, this resolution established a new committee comprised of all councilmembers to monitor the implementation of the present tech and designate further individuals or entities to which sanctions should apply. I bet iran was worrieded about that new worried about that new committee. Or how about this adopted march 24, 2007. It widens the scope of the previous resolution by banning irans arms exports. Arms embargo. Prohibit transfers to iran of Nuclear Missile and dualuse items. Exports from iran of arms or w. M. D. Useful technology. It reaffirms previous positions on irans Nuclear Program. Including the suspension of all enrichment activity. It sanctioned additional individual and entities. How many more people could we put on that list . How about another resolution . U. N. Security Council Resolution 1803. Adopted on march 3, 2008. It approved a new round of sanctions against iran for refusing to suspend Nuclear Projects and activities. It reaffirmed previous resolutions and demanded that iran cease all enrichment and rereprocessing and Ballistic Missile related activity. It required companies to inspect suspected cargo to and from iran extended the freezing of Financial Assets to persons or entities supporting irans nuclearrelated programses or activity it called upon countries to monitor activities of iranian banks. It imposed travel restriction on sanctioned individuals. Or how about u. N. Security council 1835, september 27, 2008 that was adopted. It reaffirmed all previous resolutions it reports that it found con clues ily that iran is continuing to develop its Nuclear Program. I bet that was a surprise. It found that iran was making progress on developing and operating its centrifuges and continued to deliberately block and stone wall. It called on iran to comply with obligations fully and without delay. Member these resolutions are gone now mr. Speaker. Gone. U. N. Security Council Resolution 1929, adopted on june 9, 2010. It reaffirmed all previous resolutions. It prohibited iran from investing abroad in uranium mining related Nuclear Technologies or Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile technology. It ploibted iran from launching Ballistic Missiles include on its own terer to. It required iran to refrain from any development of Ballistic Missiles that are Nuclear Capable mandated that countries not export major combat systems to iran but does not bar sales of missiles not on the u. N. Registry of conventional articles. It called on the vigilance of International Lending to iran prorkviding trade credit and other financing. It called on countries to inspect cargos tarried by iran air cargo and Islamic Republic of iran shipping lines or by any ship in national or International Waters. If there are indications that they are carrying cargo banned for carriage to iran. Searches and inter searches in International Waters would require concurrence of the country where the ship is registered but it could happen. It froze the assets of iranian persons and entities named in annexes to the resolution and required that countries ban the travel of named iranians. That was back in the day, mr. Speaker. Yet here we are today two days after the administration went around congress to bind the United States to a u. N. Security Council Resolution that will lift all of those resolutions. All of those resolutions we just rip them up. No longer needed. We did not achieve a single thing that those previous six resolutions called for. And now to make matters worse mr. Speaker, the p5 plus one countries will honor their obligations on this new u. N. Security Council Resolution while the ianian Iranian Regime laughs at us all the way to the bomb. Iran has never felt compelled to honor its International Obligations and now were just supposed to expect it to comply, to fully comply with this . A zebra cant change his stripes and this Iranian Regime will never feel obligated to abide by this new international agreement. Why tie our hands like this, mr. Speaker . This is a bad and Dangerous Nuclear deal. I would urge my colleagues to reject it. There has been a lot of talk, mr. Speaker, just a few more minutes, about these any time, anywhere inspections. And i think its important for us to examine what this agreement actually says about any time, anywhere. If the iaea has concerns regarding undeclared Nuclear Materials or activities they can request clarification from iran. They request clarification from iran. Oh please, explain to us. And if irans clarification does not satisfy the iaea, then the iaea can request access to such locations. Request. But, the two sides are unable to reach satisfactory arrangements within 14 days of the iaeas original request, look at the timeline, mr. Speaker then the joint commission would advise on how to resolve that issue within an additional seven days. Then iran will have another three days to implement such a decision. Can you keep up with me, ladies and gentlemen . Which means, do the math. Iran actually has 24 days to stall or hide any undeclared nuclear material. Is that the definition now of any time, anywhere inspections, mr. Speaker . I dont think so. And irans defense minister doesnt think so either. Why do i say that . Just two days ago he said that the iaea would not be allowed to inspect any of irans military sites. They have been saying over and over again the Supreme Leader said the same thing, multiple times. Iran will not let foreigners inspect any military center or interview its nuclear scientists. On top of that, irans foreign minister and chief negotiator said just yesterday that iran has secured the socalled right to deny the iaea access to its Nuclear Sites for inspections. Iran has also banned American Nuclear inspectors from entering any nuclear site or participating in any interNational Atomic Energy Agency inspection team. No american can participate. Lets just say,ing for arguments sake that iran is caught cheating. As unlikely as that might be. And im being facetious, obviously. What happens then . Well the deal, it says it right here very clear, the deal states that if the countries believe that iran is not meeting its commitment under this agreement, they can refer the issue to the joint commission. The commission would have 15 days or longer to resolve the issue. Then the issue can be referred to the ministers of Foreign Affairs if the commission could not resolve the issue. Thats another 15 days for the ministers mr. Speaker. So lets do the math. Were already up to 30 days at the minimum. Then the compliant participant could request that the issue be considered to the Advisory Boards which will have another 15 days to issue a nonbinding opinion. If it is not resolved during this process and the u. N. Security council gets notified by the end, another two months or so would have passed and given iran enough time to lobby russia china, and the rest of the p5 plus one to vote with them so that sanctions are not reimposed. And remember, mr. Speaker sanctions will only be reimposed in the event of a significant nonperformance by iran. The keyword there is significant. What does the u. S. Consider significant violations . What do the europeans consider significant violations . What does china consider it . What does russia, iran itself consider significant violations . So iran can prevent from sanctions being reimposed as long as they cheat only in small increments and not significantly. If they just cheat a little bit, they can get away with it. Additionally the jcpoa explicitly quotes state, quote, if iran sanctions are reinstated iran will take that as grounds to cease performing its commitment under this jcpoa in whole or in part. Iran is saying, if you put sanctions on us, we dont have to continue with this agreement. Im not making it up. Thats a quote. Even if iran is caught cheating and we move to reimpose sanctions, as we are entitled to do under the jcpoa iran is entitled to walk away from the deal. In conclusion, mr. Speaker, i feel that iran will use this as its trump card to bully the p5 plus one into not addressing violations or Holding Iran Accountable for its cheating. And even though the United States has the ability to veto a Security Council vote choosing not to reimpose sanctions and hold iran accountable, we must again remember that such a veto would unravel this deal. Reapply sanctions and allow iran to claim it can walk away. Finally, an effective sanctions regime against iran was established over many years cannot be easily reapplied. The idea of snap back sanctions is simply not viable and mr. Speaker, i could go on and on about all of the loopholes in this deal. Suffice it to say, we can do better than this we must do better than this. We owe it to our children and our grandchildren to do better than this. And with that mr. Speaker, i yield back the balance of our time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields back. Under the speakers announced policy of january 6 2015, the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Gohmert, for 30 minutes. Mr. Gohmert thank you mr. Speaker. I both applaud and appreciate the comments from my colleague, person that i love being a colleague with, ms. Roslehtinen. Profound points and slept points she has been making about the iran deal. Now whats shocking to me and got this copy that my friend was using, the pages are numbered, but i have been hearing people, and by the way when secretary kerry came to the hill today, having been through briefings by our secretary previously i knew that the best use of my time would be going and riding the deal for myself, which is what i did. And so, it was interesting i know we have been assured over and over publicly that this is such a great deal, that this is what is going to save the world from the iranians having a nuclear deal, but there is some very troubling things that i havent heard anybody mention about this agreement. You know, we have seen today that actually theres a report that theres an outside deal that has to be arraign arranged by the iaee with iran in order to have a complete deal. And that is the iaea is going to have to work out Terms Conditions with its examination of some of the Nuclear Facilities in iran. Well, thats deeply troubling, because heres a story from joel guerke from july 21, Obama Administration wont release deal to congress and mentions that senator cotton and represent tive pompeo learned of an arrangement that we are now only discovering that parts of this dangerous agreement are being kept secret. And what other elements may be public. But because of the man on my using being able to able to travel by our speaker, because i was hoping to have a different speaker, im not able to visit anymore in a room with the iaea but as one of the speakers folks mentioned that they see taxpayerfunded travel as a reward and i havent earned their giving away tax payerfunded travel. But in any event, im glad that representative pompeo and senator cotton met with them. But there is so much of this deal that stinks to high heaven and when you see it today that apparently in the last year or so, there must have been approval for an exception to the sanctions on iran to allow iran to have 13 metric tons of muir gold shipped to it from south africa. And we find out today that actually the u. S. Was releasing. 2 billion to iran, apparently in iran paying them to sit down and negotiate further. Mr. Speaker i tell you, our allies have to be miffed how they find this administration operates. We are going to create a real shoe as to whether or not you may exist in the future. If you are our enemy we will pay you to sit down and negotiate with us. We will allow to get gold shipped to you from 13 metric tons. No telling how much grief that 13r metric tons of gold has cost the u. S. I wonder how Many American lives has had their demise contributed to because of the gold how many christians how many jews or christians around the world have lost their lives as a result of this will administration paying the worlds leading sponsor of terror. All this money just apparently to sit down with them and release thismon in the past to come them to the table. We dont pay them to sit down with us. We have sign this in the attempted dealings with the taliban. And since i have been in congress, that this administration was reaching out to the taliban that it killed so Many Americans and continued to kill so Many Americans and under commander in chief, josh w. Bush, we lost precious military american lives in afghanistan in that 7. 25 years. This president has only been in office for 6 1 2. And under his command, his rules of engagement that cripple our militarys ability to defend themselves, this administration and this commander in chiefs rules fl have been three times as many lost american precious American Military lives. So with this president being in command of three times the number of lost American Military lives lost in afghanistan, this administration s approach couldnt learn from the mistakes and successes of the Bush Administration. Instead decided to reach out. There are all kinds of reports, of reaching out their offers, look taliban, if you sit down, no preconditions, if you agree to sit down, we will bery leasing murderers or guantanamo guantanamo and we will by you luxurious offices wherever you say just to sit down with us. Our enemies have really learned how to deal with this administration. Our friends have got to be scratching their heads those that still have their heads. And therein lies another tragedy. But in this agreement until i can be sure that the parts that i have read have been released publicly and thats why i was asking for this copy of the agreement. Its different format from what i was reading earlier today. But you know, as a judge as a chief justice and a lawyer taking on the Worlds Largest oil company i did years ago successfully and as a lawyer thats taken on some pretty unbelievely efforts words mean a lot when im reading through things. And there is one word that particularly catches my attention and that is a little twoletter word, or. So until i can be sure that what i read has been released, it should be, there is no reason that this agreement should not be public so everyone can read it. But i would just submit that those folks out there saying, its a 10year deal and will keep iran from having weapons and come back qun a Nuclear Weapon, at least it will keep them tied up for 10 years. I would encurge anyone who has access to the actual agreement, eight, 10, whatever it is, and then see there is that two letter word or and see if there is a provision for a shorter time than 10 years or a shorter time than eight years to develop intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. These are things i have season publicly. But it is critical. What kind of time or length of time of this deal are we looking at. And if there is this this little word or, anywhere after any time that this deal will last, we need to know how long that other provision might be that would be shorter than 10 years. And if that provision, if there such exists puts the hands of how long this deal will last completely out of the United States hands completely out of the p5 plus 1 then that alone makes this deal a nodeal. It is outrageous that anything but a hard timeline could exist in such a deal. Theres a story today from july 16, james j. Cofan oonch, once a plementic plement is inked, waiting to see if it will turn out all right. Others like the camp david accords hang in there. Rarely has there been a deal like the one reached in vienna and most affected by, pretty much start out by knowing it wont end well. And here, mr. Speaker i would like to point out, as absolutely atrocious as the clinton albrightweppedy sherman deal with north korea, at least south korea and japan were involved and present for the talks. Because our allies, japan and south korea were the ones most effected by any deal by the United States cut with north korea. Now, it was an outrageous agreement. I mean, i was a district judge at the time but i knew clearly from history and from Current Events that a deal says, north korea, we will help you build Nuclear Reactors and make sure you got what you need and all we ask is that you promise you will never use any of this stuff to create Nuclear Weapons. And of course, north korea jumped on that deal. Different from here though the number one affected most country affected by that deal is our dear friend israel. Well, this president and all his minionos couldnt get Prime Minister netanyahu out of officer. This administration has tried to punish israel in different waist a those in the administration who do want to punish israel who dont like israel they have to be smiling over this deal, because it is because it is unconscionable whats been done in the dole as it affects israel. Its incredible we could allow this. Then saudi arabia right there in the vicinity, they certainly understand what a bad deal this is. And as we understand it, theyre already making clear theyre going to have to have a Nuclear Weapon. Egypt is going to need a Nuclear Weapon this deal makes clear that iran is going to have Nuclear Weapons and in at least 10 years 10 years, two months whatever anyone wants to say or out of my concern, possibly much sooner than that, legally under the deal. Even if it were ratified by the senate. So this is of tremendous concern. This is what the entire world, exetcht for the most evil perpetrators in it, has worried most about. A point in World History where there is massive proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. And it wont do much good to return a Nobel Peace Prize after the president causes Nuclear Proliferation that leaves leads ultimately to the losses of millions of lives and rampant destruction around the world and certainly in the middle east. I mean, weve got all these folks worried about Climate Change and here were on the brink of 10 years, at the most, before the most terroristic, evil nation, well, the nation is not evil. The most evil leaders in their world have their hands on Nuclear Weapons that will kill millions of people. Wont do much good for all those that lose their lives in a horrible flash if the president sends back his Nobel Peace Prize as being the cause of that. Thats why its so important that we stop this deal. I dont have any belief at all that anybody in this administration wants the world to go up after Nuclear Proliferation in one big mushroom cloud. I dont believe that. I know thats not true. But thats what their actions, if not stopped by senators and house members, thats whats going to happen. This is not just me saying so. The doctor says, the whole neighborhood will race to go nuclear. The number one concern with the way this is structured it was bound to accelerate Nuclear Proliferation. Iran violated its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty and repeatedly thumbed its nose at oversight from the interNational Atomic Energy Agency, the iaea. Yet it winds up getting a great deal under the agreement, better than the deal the United States gives its friends and allies through the 123 Civil Nuclear agreements. If regional powers like turkey, egypt saudi arabia believe that the likelihood of iran getting a weapon is undiminished and the penalty for become agnew clear break youth power is plummeting, then the deterrent for them to cross the Nuclear Threshold drops as well. Tehran gets to keep its vast Nuclear Infrastructure and its Missile Program. It goes on to talk about that sanctions relief will make the region far less safe. The deal is temporary by design. Ill tell you, mr. Speaker, we hear from our friends in the u. S. Chamber of commerce, our local chambers of commerce, at least, about how normally to calculate Economic Impact of 1 being spent somewhere you have to multiply it times seven because it gets spent again and spent again and spent again. I would submit that with this deal with iran, most evil leaders in the world the 100 billion to 150 billion that this administration makes sure they have cant just be limited by 100 billion to 150 billion when it comes to the calculation of evil that will result from that money. We can be sure that since iran sponsors terrorism around the world, that it will spend a lot of that money creating terrorism with other terrorists. And with other evil people. And those evil people will then be able to take the billions of dollars they get from iran and spend that for their evil purposes with other evil people. So you may be looking at really a trillion dollars by the time all of that money gets spent when you look at it as chambers of commerce normally do. The potential for evil for the 100 for the 100 billion to 150 billion going to an unrepen tant sponsor of world terrorism is really dramatic. Its just incredible that this is happening on anybodys watch, republican, democrat, it doesnt matter. It is incredible. Heres an article by sara wheaton july 21. In both a muscular speech to veterans of foreign wars and a taping of the daily show with jon stewart, obama cast critics of his diplomacy as the kind of misguided warmongers who pushed for the invasion of iraq during george w. Bushs presidency. I guess that includes hillary clinton, john kerry, i think he may have been on board with that the article says, were hearing the echos of some of those same policies and mindset that failed us in the past. Obama said in pittsburgh. His loudest critic he added are the same folks who were so quick to go to war in iraq and said it would take a few months. Well, it is interesting to me that our president reserves making his case for the iran deal for a venue such as comedy central. And it really would be a comedic escapade if this werent so serious. And we werent talking about the existence of israel the continued lives or stoppage of lives of christians and jews around the world. We know what the leaders of iran think. Theyve never, ever stopped saying what they think. Its just incredible. Theyve never stopped demanding death to america and death to israel. I see this article by rob sanchez from july 21, the u. S. Said on tuesday it was disturbed by an outburst of antiamerican rhetoric from irans Supreme Leader in the wake of the nuclear deal as fierce debates over the agreement began in both the Iranian Parliament and u. S. Congress. John kerry, the u. S. Secretary of state, said he was troubled by a fiery speech in which Ayatollah Khomeini promised to continue fomenting unrest across the middle east and said irans policy toward the arrogant u. S. Will not change. Quote, if its policy, its very troubleling, and well have to wait and see. No, we shouldnt have to wait and see. When irans evil leaders say theyre going to keep fomenting trouble, theyre going to keep killing christians and jews across the middle east, theyre going to keep killing moderate muslims in the middle east we should not wait, we should take them seriously and theyre saying it while the deal is still not affirmed and ratified here in the United States. You would have to be a blooming idiot to make a deal with people who are saying theyre going to take the money they get from this deal and kill americans, kill christians, kill jews, and give them the money anyway. I mean, there are going to be consequences for this kind of irresponsibility. Mr. Speaker i would just encourage anyone who has access to an updated copy of the iran deal, look to see for sure if its limited to a 10year deal or perhaps could somebody do an inspection and say, oh its all good. Maybe its a fiveyear deal instead of a 10year deal. When the person making the agreement has no power after the deal is signed sealed and delivered over when that deal ends its not a deal that should be made. That alone ought to be enough to make anyone walk away from it. So mr. Speaker, i am immensely concerned for our friends. For our friends around the world and i mentioned numerous times and i keep going back to the words of a west african named ebenezer, Senior Citizen there in west africa who explained how excited they were when we elected our first black president , but they have seen america get weaker and he begged me to tell people in washington that when we get weaker in america, they suffer more around the world and specifically in africa. Those words still bother me. This deal with an evil group of leaders in iran is going to spell death down the road for masses of people if we dont get it stopped. So mr. Speaker thats my plea. Lets stop the deal for the good of the world. With that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. Does the gentleman have a motion. Mr. Fwomeert i move that we do now adjourn. Mr. Gohmert i move that we do now adjourn. The speaker pro tempore the question is on the motion to adjourn. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair the ayes have politics books, and American History. Beginning at 12 40 five, cspans live coverage of the National Governors association meeting. That is followed by a session on state strategies on tourism. Saturday morning on cspan starting at 9 45. Later, the governors will discuss how to stimulate state economy with the u. S. Labor secretary. Sunday evening, and interview with former governor of rhode island and democratic president ial candidate lincoln chafee. On saturday, ralph nader on the letters he sent to barack obama about foreign policy. On American History tv on cspan3, sunday morning at 10 00, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of president Lyndon Johnsons signing of the 1965 medicare bill. It will include phone conversations between johnson and his aides about politics and strategy. At the signing of the bill at the Harry S Truman president ial library. On saturday night, u. S. Army Cyber Command historian on the history of computers, hackers, and the governments response to computer abuses. Get our complete schedule at cspan. Org. Announcer today, the house went into a closeddoor session so that obama session officials could debate the Nuclear Program in iran. After the meeting members spoke to reporters about the iran agreement. We hear first from mac thornberry. Rep. Thornberry i think it is fair to say there is bipartisan skepticism. About whether the administration will hold the deal and about what happens with all of irans other activities that concern us. I think there is a lot more work for congress to do in the Armed Services committee to do it we are going to be Holding Hearings and other events to examine the military implications, including whether other countries will be encouraged to develop their own Nuclear Capability in order to keep up with what iran is allowed to do. And whether there is an increased threat to u. S. Service members. There is lots of work for congress to do. We will do it and treat this as seriously as it deserves because it is a serious issue. There have been a variety of questions. The way i categorize it is, some questions are about whether this is a good deal or not. Another category is whether iran will keep his commitments and another category is what about all of the other things they are doing the missiles, that terrorism funding . Hat would you describe the tone of the beating . Rep. Thornberry lots of skepticism. The administration is adamant about what a great deal it is. They are putting on a heavy sales job as one would expect. My point is, there is a lot more work to do to examine some of the statements we have heard and see. Thank you all. This agreement would not do anything to prevent the regime from obtaining a Nuclear Weapon rather than just making it themselves. When they can buyer from north korea or pakistan. This treaty will do nothing to prevent that. That is the same. I have also been saying that, for six years, we have been unable and unwilling to risk the treaty by supporting democratic elements in iran which would have eliminated the regime in a limited in the threat. Of course, if we pass this agreement, that will be over our heads forever. This treaty, if we pass it, is basically an assurance that we will not be supporting the democratic elements in iran, which would eliminate the regime which is the threat to world peace. Did you bring that up . I did and bring it up. Did you have a sense at all of whether the cabinet secretaries were speaking to the whole house in their briefing or maybe just to the concerns of a crosssection of democrats who would be the ones to protect the white house . It was a classified discussion of a very important treaty. I dont see any other motives except to exploited in the way that would encourage us to vote for. Was there any part of the briefing that was contentious or disrespectful . One of your colleagues says john kerry was in respectful. I did not see that at all. All i can tell you is that if we pass this treaty, you can count on the fact that the United States will not be supporting the democratic elements in iran, who are the real solution to the threat to world peace. This goes on boy back to the time when the president first was president and he had all these demonstrators in the street in iran, asking, what side are you one . And our president didnt speak up. If we pass this treaty, that will be held over our head. You are going to undermine the treaty if you help the Young Students there are more kurds in iran then there are in iraq. Plus, the treaty does not cover iran it would not prevent iran from getting a Nuclear Weapon on their own somewhere else. It is not a good agreement. It will not work in the long term or for the benefit of peas. It will kick the can down the road. [indiscernible] i dont know how much i can speak to that. Even when they Say Something we didnt know beforehand people can disagree. I respect secretary kerry and i think that he came here and opened himself up to questions in front of everybody in the congress. He did not make his case to me because i am just not looking about the agreement, i am trying to figure out what in pact we are going to see in the years ahead in terms of Regional Peace and stability as well on who has their hands on this particular Nuclear Weapon. Thank you all very much. I just wanted to briefly comment. My name is dan kildee from michigan. I rep percent one of the americans being held in prison in iran. I made the point inside that while i think it is completely acceptable that we evaluate the agreement on its merit and the text itself in the context meeting the path that would ensue if this agreement is not enacted for many of us, one additional factor that may not be entirely determine it is the factor we have to consider is a rons behavior, specifically whether iran demonstrates in some seriousness and legitimacy by releasing the americans that they hold, providing any information they have specifically by releasing the innocent americans that they currently hold in prison. Amir will have been imprisoned for four years next month, his only crime being that he is up iranian descent serving and the American Military. I wanted to make sure that folks listening that for many for a good number of congress what they do about the status of these americans will be a factor in how they do the agreement so. Thank you. How are the questions . I did not think it was combative. It was generally quite collegial. Some members have formulated opinions on the agreement. Some apparently had formulated opinions before they had a chance to review it. I think secretary kerry has done a good job of walking through the specific elements in the most important point that i think continues to be the overarching point is that we have to consider not only the agreement but consider what the logical path forward might be without an agreement. I am still evaluating i have a general view of diplomatic efforts as opposed to others. I am still looking at the texan obviously i will also consider irans treatment of the americans is one of the determinants. Thank you all very much. Have you made a pure mind on the deal, and can you tell us about where you are whether the briefing helped . I am still in the process of understanding a complicated agreement. What happened today was i think kerry and other secretaries keep a strong defensive deal. They are very deliberately and smartly asking that we look not at the deal in and of itself. But look at where we were when iran was a Nuclear Threshold state before this began and consider where the deal puts it into contrast with where we were in consider the question that it is frankly difficult to answer which is, imagine not doing it. On those two fronts, they are making a lot of headway. Are you convinced that . If you are a representative, it is incumbent on you to hear from everybody. There is still a process to be undertaken. From my standpoint, the burden given what i have heard so far is on opponents to explain why this is a bad deal relative to where we were and where we will be. One of your colleagues can that an express concerns over what was said versus ideals and the iaea. Is that a concern for you . It is a concern but that is the way the iaea has always operated, to have the confidence of the Member States not to disclose everything publicly and to negotiate on a bilateral basis. What we like to know everything they are doing . Maybe so. That is not and has never been the way the iaea operates. Announcer tonight, Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Mcdonald testifies at a house hearing. Campaign stops with casey can walker. We will have more on the Iran Nuclear Agreement tomorrow when john kerry testifies at the Senate Foreign relations committee. Live coverage begins at 10 a. M. Eastern time on cspan3. Announcer this weekend politics, books, and American History. Friday afternoon cspans live coverage of the National Governors Association Summer meeting with its open in session discussing how governors can deliver effective results for their constituents. That is followed by a session on state strategy on tour is in. Torresurism. Saturday morning at 9 45, the governors address the nations opiate crisis. Later, the governors will discuss how to stimulate state economies and its impact on the employment rate. Sunday evening, an interview with former governor of rhode island, lincoln chafee. On book tv, ralph nader on the many unanswered letters he sent to george w. Bush and barack obama about domestic and foreign policy. Sunday afternoon Roberta Gratz on new orleans. On cspan3, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of president Clinton Johnson signing in 1965 medicare bill. Our coverage includes phone conversations between johnson hit states, and congressional members about politics and strategy. Also this weekend, saturday night, Cyber Command historian on the history of computers hackers, and the governments response to computer abuses. Get our complete schedule at cspan. Org. Announcer Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Mcdonald faced questions about his departments 2. 5 billion dollar budget shortfall, which he says was caused by greater demand for v. A. Health care. This is two hours and 45 minutes. Good morning, everybody. I appreciate your attendance. We are again gathered to discuss the v. A. Budget execution for this fiscal year. Less than three weeks ago, we heard sloan gibson testify regarding a budget shortfall at the department of Veterans Affairs. Everybody may be asking why we are here again on the same topic. I intend to explain in just a minute but as we all know, the stakes have been raised considerably since the deputy secretaries testimony on june 25. At that hearing, secretary gibson was asked the following question. I quote, if congress doesnt act on the fiscal year 2015 budget shortfall, what is it going to look like in the v. A. In july and august and on october 1 . The deputy secretary responded that we get into dire circumstances the longer we go but, quote, before we get to the end of august, we are in a situation where we are going to have to start denying care to veterans because we dont have the resources to be able to pay for it,. , end quote. Imagine my surprise when on july 13 i received a letter from the deputy secretary that in the absence of providing the flexibility, the v. A. Is seeking to plug the shortfall with choice money, that v. A. Hospital operations would shut down in august. Nonthe a care authorize asians wouldv. A. Care authorizations would stop at the end of july. This is unprecedented. Never can i recall or other individuals i can talk to recall or any agency for that matter completely exhausting its operational funds prior to the end of the fiscal year with the consequences for the a being cessation of hospitalization. Never can i recall in issue of such enormous magnitude evading the direct attention of the president. Until recently, you and i speaking about it, mr. Secretary. This is not flying under the radar. I feel that it is exactly how the v. A. And the president have treated it in an effort to avoid responsibility of what is going on. So that everybody understands where i am coming from, let me start by reviewing how we have arrived at this point. The first issue came as a result of a briefing for the v. A. On june 4, on a separate topic. At the conclusion of the briefing, Committee Staff noted that there appeared to be a 23 billion dollar difference between the projected template 1 billion obligation rate for care in the community compared with the funding that v. A. Budget. The v. A. Official agreed with the discrepancy did but stated that just because they were on pace to spend 10. 1 billion, it did not mean that the money to address the discrepancy was found or available. That assertion was repeated upon further questioning, leaving it to staff to read between the lines what was meant. At the same time, during a june 8 visit to the cincinnati the a medical center, i began to hear rumors of an impending financial issue, consistent with the cryptic warning that have been provided by officials in the staff briefing. As a result, on june 10, i called the deputy secretary to testify on the state of the v. A. Budget. As a consequence of my calling this hearing staff received a briefing at our request on june 18. It was at this briefing that, for the first time publicly revealed, v. A. Revealed a 2. 5 billion shortfall in funding. Notwithstanding this briefing, there was no mention of the hospital shut down. On june 23, we received a letter from the secretary citing the shortfall of 2. 5 billion and requesting a transfer of funding from the medical facility to the medical services account. There was still no mention of a Hospital System wide shut down. Finally, at the hearing on june 25 there was no mention of a Hospital System shutdown coming in august. I am disappointed about the slow painstaking revelation of this crisis by the department. I understand their excuses as to why we are in this position. However, somebody took their eye off the ball. Just as congress established a cap on spending for the denver project, Congress Also provided a budget for ba four 2015 which the president signed into law and it too the v. A. Has Left Congress with very little time to react to a crisis created by the v. A. s Board Management decisions. The days when v. A. Can come to congress and say, cut us a check , are gone. Asking for flexibility without supporting information is not enough. Similar to the way a Large Corporation board of directors sets the budget and the Corporate Management implements that budget, the president , 535 members of your board of directors set a budget expecting you and your staff to carry out the mission, that is, to manage the taxpayers resources in a fiscally responsible manner. Just as emerging circumstances and the private sector might cause a ceo to go to the board armed with information supporting a request for resources, we have the same expectation. Despite unsupported hints of a problem by the department as supporting information was not provided until extraordinarily late, we have already passed legislation to take the a out of managing Major Construction programs. Perhaps we need to bring in an outside entity to manage finances. I hope not. I recognize brown for opening statement. Thank you for calling this hearing to discuss the v. A. Budget shortfall and the possibility that v. A. May have to close hospitals. Mr. Chairman, i know everybody in this room agrees that this committee is committed to providing the resources that the v. A. Needs to take care of our veterans. We all need straight answers to our questions. How much is needed and why . We are supportive to make sure our veterans get the care they need. But yet again, we are faced with an 11th hour budget crisis. We must all Work Together, v. A. And congress, in order to properly anticipate the resources needed. The v. A. Must do a better job it is important that the v. A. Starts planning and anticipating what our veterans will need and where they will need it. We have been hearing that this shortfall is due to the increase of veterans coming to get medical care, resulting in more veterans being treated outside the the a. I also think it takes care of the veterans with hepatitis c many of whom are Vietnam Veterans who we recently honored in a celebration in the capital. I wonder if this shortfall is due to a lack of planning. Today, lets figure out what we need to do to ensure our veterans get the health care they have earned and begin to see what steps we need to take to prevent any more 11th hour budget crises. In february, the secretary asked this committee for more flexibility to move money between accounts that would enable him to run his administration more like a business. Let me repeat that. And february, and again in march, the secretary came right here and asked us to give him the flexibility to run the v. A. Like a business so he could care for veterans. We have over 60 additional accounts that the v. A. Has to decide whether or not to allow flexibility. As we track support, allowing the secretary access to funding i want to present, for the record, the v. A. Productivity is up 8. 5 and it gives the account of every category that we are Service Veterans for fiscal 2015 and the increased i want to submit that to the record. In addition to that, i want to submit for the record a letter from each of the Service Organizations indicating that they support the secretary having the flexibility to move this money around. When we did the choice act, the purpose of the choice act was to provide services to the veterans. We did not say what Services Just services to the veterans. And the secretary needs the flexibility and able to provide those services. With that, i yield back the balance of my time. Without objection i will accept those letters. And i do appreciate you submitting those letters of support and remind my colleagues that all of the veterans Service Organizations support my accountability bill. As we meet later this week, i hope we will keep that in mind. I will remind the members that this committee and the senate rejected a bipartisan basis, an attempt to go into the choice fund to fix the budget shortfall at the old aurora hospital. I think we need to focus rightly so forecasting and getting a better grasp on what is going on with the dollars that are appropriated to the department of Veterans Affairs. That is why we have asked the secretary to be here. I appreciate you changing your schedule. Without question, the secretary said i will be there along with dr. Tuchschmidt. You are recognized for your opening statement. I know you have charts with you. Secretay mcdonald if i may, i would like to start and i know you would agree with this i honoring our five Service Members who are senselessly killed in chattanooga. On behalf of all veterans, i extend my deepest condolences to their families, fellow servicemembers, and the friends who grieve their loss. We will never forget their service to our and the freedom that we so cherish. Thanks to the chairman and the Ranking Member for joining your Senate Counterparts at our recent meeting at Va Central Office pete i appreciate office. I appreciate continuing the dialogue so all americans could understand these issues. Representing veterans are Senior Leaders of some of the most orton partners in military organizations. I want to thank them for being here as well. A year ago today at my Senate Confirmation hearing, i was charged to ensure their va the focus on providing veterans with the highest Quality Service that may have earned. I welcome that opportunity. Last year i was working with a great and growing team of excellent people to fulfill that sacred duty. Since my swearing in, nine of the seven teen top leaders in va are all new. We have to get the right people on the us. We have to get them the right seats on the bus. Because of their hardware, va has increased veteran access to care. 2. 5 million within va and 4. 5 million in the community. 7 million total more than last year. 4. 5 million in the community. 2. 5 million inside va pit we have increased va care inside va. We have increased va care. 900,000 more authorizations than the previous year. Choice has been a small proportion of that 4. 5 million years it is on the rise. Utilization has doubled in the last month. Today because of growth and access, the department of struggling to meet veterans needs through the end of the fiscal year. We need your help. You have appropriated funds to meet these needs. You havent given the flexibility or the authority to use them. Without books ability, we will have no option at the end of july, but to defer not choice nonchoice until october. Provide staff with notices and notify vendors as we shut down hospitals and clinics across the country. These are unfortunate conclusions to an otherwise forget the fear of progress. We have doubled the capacity that we got was required to meet last years demand by focusing on four pillars staffing, space, productivity, and va Community Care. We sometimes call choice care. We have more people serving veterans beauty april 2014, we have increased staffing over 12,000, including over 1000 new positions. You hard over 3000 we have hired many in staff. That increase the number of primary care exam rooms so providers could care for more veterans each and every day. We are more per death. Identifying unused capacities optimizing scheduling, and stopping late appointment tends lazy nations and extending click hours at night and on the weekends. Were using technology to secure messaging and he counsels to reach more veterans. Output has increased 8. 5 while our Health Care Budget has increased 2. 8 . Were using care in the community. The Choice Program in our care initiative. His veteran options for care in the community. We have provided va care authorizations for 36 more people that we did over the same period last year. In short, putting the needs and expectations of veterans and beneficiaries first and empowering employees to deliver Excellent Customer Service and proving or and shaping more inductive internal operations. That is maybe a. A top priority to bring the a into the 21st century. Our strategy is paying dividends for veterans. The increased va care authorizations, including choice by 44 . That is 900,000 more authorizations than the devious year. In end of june last year and make, we have completed 56. 2 million of ointment. In 4 increase over the last year. 1. 5 million encounters during extended hours. A 10 increase. That is important to our women veterans. We have completed 97 percent of appointments within 30 days. And the percent within 14 days. 80 within seven days. Any 2 sameday appointments. 22 sameday appointments. Primary care cup wait times are down to an average of four days. We have an average of about three days for Mental Health care. We are making verifiable progress for veterans. Va could be the best Customer Service in total government. Important challenges remain. There will be more in the future as veterans demographics evolve. The crisis in 2014 was a matter of get mismatch of some fibers demand. It was exacerbated by greater numbers of veterans in services. That in balance predicts failure in any business, of the gore private compass especially when we promised Veterans Benefits without the flexibility to fulfill obligations. The fundamental problem budgets are static. Requirements are fluid. Changes in veterans needs and preferences for care far outpaced the federal budget cycle. Example, last year on average we added to do 1000 veterans each month. This year the average monthly of new release has been 131,000. That is what hundred 47 in. We welcome them all. Im sure you do as well. We cannot miss that today enrolled veterans rely on the a for 34 of their care. What percentage growth increases kospi 184 billion dollars it increases costs by 184 billion. 1 increase in reliance increases costs by 1. 4 billion. We are working hard to best serve more veterans. Without its ability, we can provide what they need the what you have directed it. We have reached the Decision Point Congress Good shape a different than if its profile for veterans or give va the fox ability money for entitlements. My Worst Nightmare is that veterans are going without care says there is money put in the wrong pockets. I compared the influx ability we face to having when Checking Account or gasoline in your household and when Checking Account for groceries. The price of gasoline falls in half. You cant move money from the gasoline account to the food or grocery account. The influx ability we are talking about today is even worse than that. It is even more puzzling. I cannot move money from the food account to another food account. Altogether, we have items of budget that are not flexible. We need flexibility to move money from line item to line item. When effects ability to move money from the a Community Care to choice and from choice to va Community Care. Both are care in the community. We need flexibility depending on demand. We will not be able to predict the demands exactly. We only to veterans and ourselves to be more agile 15 years into the 21st century. It was february when asked for flexibility to move resources. It was made when we asked for flexibility to provide care in the community. Im asking again for the simple flexibility to serve veterans with the money you have appropriated so we could resource the capacity that we have grown. More stability go far toward meeting veteran care and increasing access across the country. Money for the Denver Replacement Medical Center will be completed in early over. Work on the project will cease unless we receive congressional authorization for the full cost of the project and flexibility in its fullyear 2016 to transfer millions of our existing resources to the Major Construction account. We have presented several plans to congress. We havent a date shortly. We will have a date shortly. If we receive full authorization and the flexibility that we seek. To improve Community Care, we need to streamline and allocated a variety of programs that provide the Community Care for veterans i have Trouble Holding this up at talking at the same time, but you have this at your table. The debris of seven different programs for writing Community Care. Each one has its own exclusion. Each one has its own payment options. It is incredibly confusing. We have traditional va care. Choice. Patient centers. Community care. Two separate plans. Something called arch. Tribal health programs. It is all difficult to understand. Our employees dont get it. I could tell you members of congress dont understand it completely. We need a single system to get the providers we need on board. Providers chair pick the program to get the highest reimbursement rate. We sent to our proposals. Need a bill to make medical improvements and give up the flexibility to provide timely care to veterans. We need reasonable costs. Lex ability with respect to choice is central to resolving the budget shortfall and entering veterans continue receiving timely care as we strive to meet the 30 day access goal. On top of va care we provide congress has new entitlements for veterans. There are many programs that the act doesnt cover. Because authorizations and Community Care authorizations are different rockets, we have a shortfall in spite of the fact that both types of care our Community Care. Are Community Care. We expect it will cost an additional 2. 5 alien dollars. New hepatitis c drugs for veterans will cost an additional 500 million. Always seek is flexibility. Lex ability through limited authority to use money for Community Care to the extent exceeds our fiscal year 2015 budget. To meet this growing requirements next year, va needs Adequate Funding of the president s budget request provides. The house proposed 1. 4 billion reduction. Meaning as many as 70,000 veterans may not receive care. Further, it means no funding for four Major Construction project and six cemetery projects in 17,000 veterans and family members may not receive va honors. Distraction the construction budget was cut. The increase in requirements we are seeing anticipate greater challenges ahead. Services and benefits peak years after complex end. Remember i talked about the fact that we are now seeing the peak years of the vietnam crisis even though the vietnam war ended the day years ago. The health care requirements and the demand for benefits increased as veterans age and exit the work force. Full funding of the 2016 budget request is a critical first step in meeting these challenges. We had to look much further ahead. In 1975 just 40 years ago, the our graduate from west and, only 2. 2 American Veterans were 65 years old or older. By 2017, we expect 9. 8 million will be 65 years or older. What does that mean . Va provides the best Hearing Aid Technology anywhere. Medicare doesnt cover hearing aids. Most insurance lands and limited coverage at best. Choosing va for hrearing aid saves money. More veterans are going to come to the va because they want to because it makes financial sense. The cost of the filling our commitments will grow for the for seeable future. It bears repeating that the 2014 crisis was in part a vietnam debt. Not a debt of afghanistan or iraq where Service Members still serve. We cannot to be shortsighted. We have to respond today with a longterm view that underlines a commitment to va transformation. The military drawdown continues. Service members are also watching. Young men and women who might choose to serve are watching us. Expect us to fill our obligations the same dignity of which the but their lives on the line where our nation. If we choose to shut down, we fail all of them. I know we will honor all of obligations. Thank you very much. We look forward to your questions. Think you. You talk about thank you. We talk about additional royalties. Enrollees. Its that including those that die . Or is this just new enrollees . How many folks die . I dont have the number of how many died. There are many more receive appointments. There are a lot more alive than dead. For clarity purposes he will get you that number and the number of people who died and the number enrolled. The simple question we need to talk about today i know you wanted to talk about the appropriations process which is still ongoing, i hope the senate will move a piece of legislation so we can get the budget passed. I think it is critical that we get that done. If we didnt have the Choice Program to fall back on today. How would this problem be solved . Grexit we agree with you. We very much favor the choice roca. It is the shock absorb or that has allowed us to care for veterans at a time when more veterans are entering the system and when that is necessary. It allocated 10 billion for care over three years. The idea that has been propagated in the media that somehow we are against the Choice Program is as newly absolutely wrong. Community care is essential. I think the issue is the hepatitis c drug or whatever the number is for hepatitis see is part of the issue. I dont think anyone of us thinks it we should not be providing that drug did you know budget session that i could recall is it discussed about that. Hoping that somebody will talk about forecasting that someone was looking at the approval of that drug. The did come on, it was going to cause a significant issue as it relates to the nonva care line item of 6 billion which is gone now. Never gone before. All of a sudden this year it has disappeared. It we didnt have the cost of money that you are looking at right now to solve this crisis, how would be solved the crisis . Based on the laws that congress has passed, theyre certain benefits we have to get to veterans. The budget has to match that. Without the choice act, the object wouldnt match the laws that we have provided veterans. Only by third of veterans are using the system. Were talking about 1. 5 billion. I think the point you make is a really important one. I talked about the length of budget cycles in the federal government. We started the appropriation sometime around 2013. These drugs were invented between any 13 and 2015. They could not have been anticipated. We had two more drugs come out. How do we Work Together to create the stability in the budget cycle so we could deal with the demand of veterans and new special causes like new drugs . That is what we are proposing to Work Together with you on. They have taken a number of steps, including revised died in and halting all nonessential hires, purchase, and travel. One area that i see that hasnt been done is the issue of bonuses. What is sacred about the bonus pot that would event you from accessing that money . If you need but stability, we would like to give you flexibility. We do not look at every crevice . You probably recall the meeting we had to give in the steps we have taken within v. A. One of the steps is nobody is receiving a bonus for 2014. Also, the relative ranking, no one in the Veterans Health administration received an outstanding rating. I would defy you as a different day to compare our relative performance ratings versus the reading of the other departments. We were falling and symbols of the best companies in the private sector. I appreciate the information you provided is my time is expired. Nobody is getting a bonus . Yes, sir. There is a very distinct difference chewing executive and align employee. I just wanted to make that clear. Thank you. It was a uniform service that you had here in the capital for the Vietnam Veterans. That is very nice. They deserve it. What they also deserve i participated in every choice meeting. The purpose of the choice was that Veterans Services can you expound more on the flexibilities that you need . I think about it, i think about the g. I. Hill. Veterans can look at any school that they want to. The money all of the veterans. Could you expound on that but stability both in oh been and in private . Both openly and privately . Yes maam. As we have said, there are about 23 million veterans in this country. Only 9 million are signed up for a health care system. There is an opportunity for every veteran to use the health system. In order for that to happen, we have got to have the flexibility to deal with an influx of veterans as we improve care. One of the things you are aware of is if you get your knee replaced with medicare, it will cost you roughly 5,000. If youre a veteran and get your knee replaced, you say 5,000. To the degree we improve access to our system, more veterans will enter the system. Every percentage point of veterans who enter the system is going to add another 1. 5 billion. With 70 plus line items of ajit where we could not use money from one item to another of the budget where we could not use money from one item to another, it causes situations like the one we find ourselves in today. The purpose was to get veterans care in the community. What were talking that is a shortfall in care in the community. It defies my logic to understand why we cannot use choice care money for care in the Community Since that is a reason it was appropriated. It is sitting there. As more come into the system, we went to care for them. You talked about knee replacement. Someone goes into one of the Choice Programs and the doctors determine that both the needs knees need to be replaced, you can i do with how choice is working right now . I know it is getting technical. Can you explain to me why . I think at the veteran needs replaced, under a Choice Program a could get both replaced. I think that challenge is really that the chairman asked what could we do if we werent in a situation where we have choice funds . We probably would have done managed to ajit. But we didnt do that this year. That requirement was that no veteran would wait more than 30 days for care. We have worked very hard. A lot of our care we are buying it through mechanismswe arewe are doing it so that no veteran with more than 30 days for care and accessing the resources to be able to pay for that is i think our challenge today. Those Community Programs we have been working with her years, universities and other stakeholders, what is happening to those programs . We have cut the uses of some of prprprpr we have curtail the use of the program. Our interest is actually making choice the premier program to make that program the predominant way that we get care. We have worked very hard with both health net and try west to get the 87,000 providers that we have used in the past. Some academic affiliates to sign up to be providers under the Choice Program. For academic affiliates, we offer them indirect and direct medical education overhead expenses that they have negotiated. Thank you. Thank you for having this important hearing. You have come in here physically demanding 3 billion. Im amazed we are in this position. Do
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