Congressman Doug LaMalfa fixing the VA 091816

Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Upholding rural Americans' rights to grow food,
own property, and caretake our wildlife and natural resources.

From Congressman Doug LaMalfa, California's 1st District 9/18/16

Fixing the VA

Dear KBC News,

Whenever I sit down to discuss fixing problems within the VA, I hear the same thing over and over again -- one of the major challenges is that it is virtually impossible to fire employees for misconduct. This week I voted to address that problem by supporting the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act. This bill, H.R. 5620, authorizes the firing or demotion of any VA employee for misconduct or failure to fulfill their responsibilities. It strengthens protections for whistleblowers within the VA and allows the retraction of any bonuses paid to undeserving employees. Finally, the bill reforms the disability appeals process to ensure that veterans have every opportunity to receive the health care and services they’ve earned. The American people deserve accountability from the VA, and this measure moves toward that goal.

I also took action to block taxes imposed on seniors and the middle class to pay for Obamacare. The tax deduction for medical expenses is set to be cut by Obamacare at the end of the year, raising the average family's taxes by several hundred dollars annually. This hurts those who are most vulnerable to steep medical bills like seniors and working families in order to pay for this administration's failing healthcare plan. On Tuesday, I voted to eliminate this unfair tax by supporting the Halt Tax Increases on the Middle Class and Seniors Act, H.R. 3590.

Take a minute to look see some highlights from my last week in Washington, DC, and be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on all my work. Remember, if you or someone you know is planning a trip to DC, have them contact our office or follow this link to schedule many tours throughout the district.

Sincerely,

Doug LaMalfa

====================================================

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml