Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. (
AUSTIN TEXAS) Congressman Roger Williams (R Austin) who represents Fort Hood in the U.S. Congress had three of his requests included in the Military Construction Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to address the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patient backlog project cost overruns and the toll-free crisis hotline after calls went unanswered.
Right now the Obama Administration is not honoring its part of the deal in taking care of our veterans when they return home" said Williams. From patient backlogs to wasteful spending to an unanswered suicide hotline we have a lot of cleanup to do to remind our brave men and women that we love them and that we will take care of them. This is the very least we can do for those who so selflessly put their country before all else."
The legislation contains $81.6 billion in funding to house train and equip military personnel to provide housing and services to military families to maintain base infrastructure and to support veterans benefits and programs.
On Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the appropriations bill which included Williams requests. The bill is now headed to the U.S. Senate.
Williams requests led to the following provisions:
Backlog
- None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a performance award to top executives.
Project Cost Overruns
- In response to the egregious management of the Denver hospital construction project funding for major construction projects over $100000000 in cost is fenced until the Department of Veterans Affairs certifies that it has contracted with a non-VA governmental entity to design and manage the project.
- No funding greater than $5000000 may be reprogrammed between construction projects unless approved by the Committees on Appropriations in both the House and the Senate.
- Any change to the scope of a construction project is prohibited without the approval of the Committees on Appropriations in both the House and the Senate.
- The VA must report any bid savings of $5000000 or more on projects as soon as they are identified.
Veterans Crisis Hotline
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the toll-free suicide hotline provides to individuals who contact the hotline immediate assistance from a trained professional and adheres to all requirements of the American Association of Suicidology.
