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Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.), delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared at the start of the full committee’s first markup of the 119th Congress on 18 bills, 14 of which are led by House Republicans, to deliver on the Republican majority’s promise to change the way VA healthcare, benefits, and services work for veterans, their families, and their survivors.

Good morning. A quorum being present, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will come to order.

We are meeting this afternoon to mark up 18 important bills pending before the Committee.

I am going to keep my remarks short to leave plenty of time for discussion on each of these bills and the amendments being offered.

However, I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight my disappointment with how the amendments to many of these bills have been filed.

In our committee rules the majority is required to provide the text of bills that will be marked up within 48 business hours of the markup.

We have followed these rules and even gave the majority the list of the bills that would be considered a full 120 hours ahead of today’s markup.

For multiple congresses we have had a gentleman’s agreement that any amendments would be filed within 24 hours of the start of the markup.

That time was yesterday at 10:15 in the morning, at that time we had received only 7 of the 40 total amendments that the minority has filed.

We even received over a dozen amendments after the close of business last night.

Now, I am not going to do what the Ranking Member did at a markup when he was Chairman and prevented members from offering amendments.

That was improper then, and it would be improper for me to do that now.

What is disappointing, but frankly not surprising, is the Ranking Member’s approach to this markup.

There are really only three bills that could be viewed as partisan.

But instead of working with us in good faith to fix the issues these bills seek to address, they have broken agreements and filed unserious amendments to tie up staff and members’ time – with no goal of accomplishing anything.

While this is certainly well within their right – and I understand that the levers they have whilst in the minority are limited – it is disappointing.

However, that is not how this Committee has operated in the past.

I have always tried my best to act in good faith when we were able to do so on behalf of the men and women we serve on this dais, and I hope we can return to that practice.

I now yield to the Ranking Member for his opening remarks.