The Week Just Past:

• Reforming Veterans Health Care and Its Management
• See “Winds of War, Again” – Wall Street Journal
• Also See: “Obama’s foreign policy reveals the effects of disengagement” – Washington Post
• Re-establishing the Constitution’s Separation of Powers
• Ukraine’s President: Helping Ukraine is in the National Interest of the U.S.
• Stand With Israel
• GAO: Mismanagement Caused the Obamacare Roll-out Disaster
• Border Security Legislation to Meet the Humanitarian Crisis
• Salute: Fairfield Police Chief Charles Voelker

Reforming Veterans Health Care and Its Management

This week the House passed, with my strong support, a bill to address the serious and widespread problems in the VA health care system.  The bill will give eligible veterans the ability to go outside the VA system if they cannot be given an appointment within 30 days, will give the VA greater authority to fire or demote supervisory employees for poor performance or misconduct.  The bill provides the funds needed to implement these much-needed reforms.

The recent reports of excessive wait times, falsified records, and gross inefficiencies across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system were deeply troubling and completely unacceptable.  Our country has a sacred obligation to ensure that those veterans who are eligible for health care through the VA receive the best possible medical care in a timely and efficient manner.

I will continue to work closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that our nation lives up to its commitment to provide for them, especially for the men and women who depend on East Orange and Lyons VA Medical Centers.

See “Winds of War, Again” – Wall Street Journal

“THE U.S. PUBLIC’S RESISTANCE REFLECTS COLD-BLOODED LOGIC: WHY GET INVOLVED IF THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE MAKES CLEAR THAT AMERICA’S PRESIDENT WON’T STAY THE COURSE, NO MATTER HOW WORTHY THE CAUSE?”  Daniel Henninger’s brilliant analysis (“Winds of War, Again”) of why the American people are reluctant to heed the lessons of history is a must read!

Also See: Obama’s foreign policy reveals the effects of disengagement –Washington Post

Fred Hiatt, writing in the Washington Post, covers a long list of national security problems around the world that are a direct result of the President’s policy of leading from behind.  As Hiatt puts it: “We have witnessed as close to a laboratory experiment on the effects of U.S. disengagement as the real world is ever likely to provide.”  This, too, is must reading.

Re-establishing the Constitution’s Separation of Powers

On Wednesday, I joined with a majority of my colleagues in the House in authorizing a legal effort to put an end to President Obama’s frequent violations of his Constitutional authority.

The President has used his executive powers to unilaterally rewrite laws passed by Congress and signed into law by the President.  This abuse of his executive authority, and his repeated failure to enforce the nation’s laws and rules and regulations, warrants this unprecedented action.

House Speaker John Boehner outlined in USA Today why the House is taking this step to preserve its Constitutional authority to legislate. 

And this thoughtful piece in the Wall Street Journal explains why this legal action is not only justified, but necessary to restore the balance of power in Washington.

Ukraine’s President: Helping Ukraine is in the National Interest of the U.S.

The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, writing in the Washington Post, explains why the United States has a vested national interest in helping Ukraine overcome Russia’s aggression and its violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and right to self-determination.  This is a must read!

This past March I urged President Obama to grant Ukraine the status of Major Non-NATO Ally.  It is long past time for the President to designate Ukraine a Major Non NATO Ally and begin immediately providing Ukraine with much needed military support so that it can defend itself.

Stand With Israel

As Israel continues to defend its country and its people from the terrorist organization Hamas, some seem to think that Israel is going too far in its efforts to eliminate the threat from Hamas.  In this cogent and persuasive op-ed, Bret Stephens argues in the Wall Street Journal that, “To argue the Palestinian side, in the Gaza war, is to make the case for barbarism.”  

GAO: Mismanagement Caused the Obamacare Roll-out Disaster

Andrew Malcolm, writing in Investor’s Business Daily, discusses how the General Accountability Office’s audit of the Obamacare roll-out, released this week, represents just the latest problem the current administration has faced in running the federal government. 

According to the article, “The new report from the nonpartisan General Accounting Office blames systemic problems such as poor planning, lack of follow-up, ineffective oversight and chaotic coordination” for the failed roll-out of Obamacare.

The GAO predicts that, “Unless CMS [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] improves contract management and adheres to a structured governance process, significant risks remain that upcoming open enrollment periods could encounter challenges.”

The entire GAO report can be found here. 

Border Security Legislation to Meet the Humanitarian Crisis

Today the House is debating legislation to address the continuing humanitarian crisis on our southern border.  The bill will discourage families from paying money to cartels which results in dangerous transportation for their children to the U.S. border. This bill will also reduce the number of children who will remain in the United States after they have illegally entered.

By increasing the number of children who will be safely and quickly returned to their home countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, this bill sends a clear signal that the United States will enforce its immigration laws – laws which, by the way, allow one million people to enter the United States legally every year. 

Salute: Fairfield Police Chief Charles Voelker Jr.

Congratulations to Charles Voelker Jr., Fairfield’s Chief of Police, who recently retired after 30 years of service to the people of his community.  Chief Voelker was born and raised in Fairfield, and served as chief for the past 6½ years. Chief Voelker’s father, for whom he was named, also served that force.

I join the people of Fairfield in thanking Chief Voelker for his commitment to keeping his community safe for three decades and wish him the very best on his retirement.