Objection to S.627 - VA Wait List Manipulation
Senator Cardin asked that the request be modified so that the Senate instead proceed to the consideration of Calendar #240, S.627 - VA Wait List Manipulations; that in lieu of the committee-reported substitute amendment and title amendment, that the Cardin substitute be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be passed; the Cardin title amendment be agreed to.
Senator Ayotte objected to the modification. Senator Cardin objected to the original request.
Unofficial Transcript:
- CARDIN: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT, MR. PRESIDENT, I
SAID, AND THAT IS OUR VETERANS DESERVE TO HAVE THE HIGHEST
QUALITY CARE AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. THOSE EMPLOYEES AT
THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION THAT HAVE NOT CARRIED OUT THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED, AND WHEN THERE'S ASKED
FOR RESPONDINGS, THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES TO ADVERSE
FINDINGS. SO I AGREE WITH MUCH OF WHAT SHE'S SAID. LEAT BE
MINDFUL THAT THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF FEDERAL WORKERS,
INCLUDING THOSE AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, ARE HARDWORKING
PUBLIC SERVANTS, ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS RESOURCES, THAT
HAVE BEEN THROUGH FREEZES, FURLOUGHS, GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS,
SEQUESTRATION, YOU NAME IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE IS CONSIDERING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE
LEGISLATION, AS THEY SHOULD. AS MY COLLEAGUE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
HAS MENTIONED, THIS DEALS WITH ONE ASPECT OF THOSE WHO HAVE
ADVERSE FINDINGS IN REGARDS TO THEIR ABILITY TO GET BONUSES OR
THE REPRIMAND ON THEIR RECORD.
HERE'S MY PROBLEM: IF YOU USE A U.C., A UNANIMOUS CONSENT
REQUEST, THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR AMENDMENT, NO OPPORTUNITY
FOR DEBATE. AND WHEN I FINISH MY COMMENTS, I'M GOING TO MAKE --
ASK THAT THE SENATOR AMEND HER UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST TO
INCLUDE AN AMENDMENT THAT I WANT TO OFFER. LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT
IT DOES. YES, WE WANT TO HOLD THE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTABLE, THOSE
WHO HAVE NOT CARRIED OUT THEIR PUBLIC TRUST IN WHICH THERE ARE
ADVERSE FINDINGS. BUT THERE ALSO HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE SUPERVISORS, FOR THOSE WHO SHOULD BE MANAGING THE AGENCY SO
THAT YOU DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES DOING WHAT THEY DID. MANAGERS
NEED TO HAVE TOOLS. THEY KNEAD TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR
EMPLOYEES. THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THEIR
EMPLOYEES ARE HANDLED IF WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND IRPT TO HOLD THE SUPERVISORS ACCOUNTABLE. SO MY AMENDMENT
WOULD ALLOW THE SUPERVISORS TO DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF THE
SUSPENSION OF BONUS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL COULD RECEIVE. IT COULD
BE --
- CARDIN: I APPRECIATE THE PRESIDING OFFICER. THANK YOU VERY
COULD BE LONGER THAN FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS THE BILL THAT THE
SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS DONE. IT COULD BE LESS. BUT IT
WOULD BE THE MANAGER/SUPER ADVISOR WHO WOULD DETERMINE THE
LENGTH OF THE SUSPENSION AND THE TRITE RECEIVE THE BONUS. SO
THAT THE MANAGER HAS THE TOOLS IN ORDER TO MANAGE THE WORKFORCE
AND WE CAN HOLD THE SUSUPERVISOR ACCOUNTABLE. THE SECOND IS
SIMILAR, AS IT RELATES TO THE REPRIMAND BEING RE-TONED IN THE
RECORDS. ALLOW THE MANAGER TO HAVE THE DISCRETION AS TO THE
LENGTH OF TIME. THE BILL THAT THE SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE IS
RECOMMEND SOMETHING A FIVE-YEAR HARD PERIOD. DOESN'T GIVE THE
MANAGER THE ABILITY TO USE THESE TOOLS AS WAYS TO ADVANCE
SERVICE TO OUR VETERANS, AND THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS SERVICE TO
OUR VETERANS. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. THAT THEY GET THE SER
SERVICE THAT THEY DESERVE. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD ASK THAT
THE SENATOR MODIFY HER REQUEST SO THAT THE SENATE PROCEED TO
THE IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF CALENDAR NUMBER 240, S. 275,
THAT IN LIEU OF THE COMMITTEE-REPORTED SUBSTITUTE AND TITLE
AMOUNTS, THAT THE CARDIN SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT, WHICH IS AT THE
DESK, BE AGREED TO, THAT THE BILL AS AMENDED BE READ A THIRD
TIME AND PASSED, THAT THE CARDIN TITLE AMENDMENT BE AGREED TO,
AND THAT THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER BE CONSIDERED MADE AND LAID
ON THE TABLE, WITH NO INTERVENING ACTION OR DEBATE. THAT WOULD
BE CARRY OUT THE MODIFICATIONS THAT I SAID, GIVING THE MANAGER
THE ABILITY TO IMPOSE EITHER SHORTER OR LONGER PERIOD OF TIME
THAN THE GENTLELADY'S AMENDMENT.
