Watch booktv this weekend on cspan2. President biden has picked Denis Mcdonough to head the Veterans Affairs department. He previously served as white house chief of staff during the last four years of the obama presidency. His confirmation hearing he was asked about veterans access to healthcare, modernization efforts in the das responds to covid19. This is just over two hours. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] i i want to call this evening to order. I want to welcome everybody. I appreciate all that are here, all those that are online. The purpose of this hearing is due from the i president s nominate to serve as secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis Mcdonough. Before i talk about him i just want to say i appreciate this committee all the reasons we sat on this committee thats been bipartisan and its been nonpolitical, and we tried to do the best by our veterans whether you are the republican side for the democratic side of the aisle. I particularly appreciate the re
The secretary madam speaker. Im directed by the president of the United States to deliver to the house of representatives messages in writing. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postponefurther proceedings to suspend the rules on which the the yeas and nays are ordered or votes objected to. The house will resume proceedings on the postponed questions at a later time. For what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Mr. Takano i move the house suspend the rules and pass h. R. 4625 as amended. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title the clerk a bill to amend title 38, United States code, to require that educational institutions abide by certain principles as a condition of approval for purposes of the Educational Assistance programs of the department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from california, mr. Takano, and the gentleman from tennessee
Under the eight previous years of republican chairmen, debate was never cut off when democratic members offered difficult amendments during democrats members democratic members offered difficult amendments during the process. We took tough votes when we needed to. Mr. Speaker, i wish we could have had such a different conversation today, the day after veterans day, than this one. But i would be remiss in my duty as Ranking Member if i did not call out this behavior and ways in which it fails our nations veterans. Chairman takano has spoken movingly about how he want us to use his chairmanship to stand up for the rights of minority veterans and i commend him for that. And have stood alongside him in doing that work. Including in may when we stood side by side to launch the Bipartisan Women Veterans Task force. Yet i urge him now in carrying out this that commitment not to spurn the historical bipartisan traditions of the Veterans Affairs committee, not to trouns on the rights of the min
Today there will be nominations and senate will look at the president s pick for the Labor Relations board and awaiting action in epa nomination for assistant administrator of the air and radiation office. Now to live coverage of the senate here on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. God, our father, help our lawmakers this day to do your work faithfully and well. Prepare them to be soberminded and filled with your spirit, accomplishing tasks that receive heavens approval. Lord, keep them from deviating from integrity, as they strive to ensure that their conduct rightly represents you. May they live lives of holiness and goodness, being as kind to others as they would wish them to be to them. Lord, prepare us all to stand before you in peace, without spot or blemish. As we pursue your peace on earth, lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. We pray in your
V. A. Officials appeared before a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee to explain what is being done to address the issue. This hearing is about an hour and a sexualharassment affects the rights and wellbeings of employees. An estimated 17 of the v. A. s four hundred thousand employees experienced Sexual Harassment in the preceding two years. This exceeds a governmentwide average of 11 and may be the highest rate of sexualharassment across federal workforce. These figures show an unacceptable situation. And the severity and pervasiveness of sexualharassment within v. A. Is not new. I wish i could say the department has done all it can, but despite very high levels of sexualharassment reported in anonymous surveys, 17 to 400,000 employees. They are afraid they will be blamed or socially ostracized. That means employers are not getting the help they need and injustices are not being corrected. Over the last two years, v. A. Has made progress. One of secretary mcdonaghs first acts was to m