It is unacceptable that after years of problems at the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA), our veterans are still not receiving the care they need. While the Administration has failed to hold the VA accountable, the House remains committed to fixing the problems at the VA by passing meaningful reforms. With my support this week, the House passed the VA Medical Center Recovery Act (
H.R. 3234), the VA Provider Equity Act (
H.R. 3016), the Female Veterans Suicide Prevention Act (
H.R. 2915), the Construction Reform Act (
H.R. 3106), and the American Heroes COLA Act (
H.R. 677).
These bills will implement necessary reforms to ensure our Nevada veterans receive the prompt and proper care that they deserve. It is important that we fulfill our commitments to our service men and women and their families, all of whom sacrifice dearly on our behalf.
Washington Update:
In addition to passing meaningful reforms for our veterans, the House also took action to relieve our small business owners from burdensome regulations and to demand accountablity from government officials. Below are a few bills that may be of interest to you:
Vote to Give Small Business Owners Freedom and Flexibility
Under Obamacare, food service establishments are required to post nutritional information on their menus and menu boards. This regulation has been problematic for restaurants in Nevada and across the country that offer diverse and complex options because the rule makes it difficult to display all the caloric possibilities on their in-store menu boards. However, it’s not just restaurants that are encountering frustrations with this rule, it also extends to delis, grocery stores, and convenience markets whose owners are being threatened with civil and criminal penalties by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the form of a 400-page menu labeling rule. The required changes in the menu boards and signage are not only costly, but they are nearly impossible to comply with. With my support this week, the House passed H.R. 2017 the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, legislation that returns freedom and flexibility back to our local business owners so that they can provide their customers with information they need.
H.R. 4470, the Safe Drinking Water Act Improved Compliance Awareness Act
The tragic and ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan could have easily been avoided if local officials had simply communicated with each other as problems emerged. Government officials knew there were unsafe levels of lead in Flint’s water supply, and chose to leave residents in the dark about the corrosion of their pipes for more than a year. As the House continues to investigate this situation, we took action this week by passing a bill to ensure residents are immediately notified the moment a problem arises with their water supply. The actions taken by officials in Flint are reprehensible. Government incompetence should never be accepted at the expense of public health.
Washington Visitors:
Nevada Special Olympics
This week, I had the opportunity to meet with members from the Nevada Special Olympics to discuss their life stories, the Healthy Athletes Program and Project Unified. By providing athletic opportunities to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, the Nevada Special Olympics strives to give these athletes the confidence they need to succeed in life. It's always a pleasure to meet with Nevadans who are creating a positive impact in their communities. Thanks for stopping by.
In the 2nd District:
Veterans' Town Hall in Elko
Last Friday, I held a Veterans’ Town Hall in Elko. I enjoyed visiting with everyone and hearing how Congress can better serve them and their families. In addition to thanking our veterans for their service, this is also an opportunity for veterans to learn about the assistance my office can provide. Since first joining Congress, I have held regular Veterans’ Town Hall meetings across Nevada in Reno, Sparks, Elko, Carson City, Minden, Fallon, Winnemucca, Fernley and Lovelock.
In Case You Missed It:
I joined KRNV's Connect to Congress series this week to discuss issues that are important to my constituents back home. Tune in:
For additional information, please visit my website at amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760 or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
