{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://takano.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rep-takano-statement-on-hr-4242", "Rep. Takano Statement on HR 4242", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Mark Takano", "T000472", "takano.house.gov", "takano", "https://takano.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), vice ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs, released the following statement after voting against advancing H.R. 4242, the VA Care in the Community Act, out of Committee. The bill would consolidate care in the community but continues the chronic underfunding of veterans\u2019 care, which would have serious and long-term consequences for veterans.\n\n\u201cConsolidating VA\u2019s many care in the community programs is a bipartisan goal that will improve and streamline partnerships between the VA and community providers. Unfortunately, this legislation creates a consolidated program that would be woefully and chronically underfunded, while undermining the financial sustainability of the VA health system.\n\n\u201cThe Choice program has demonstrated the cost and uncertainty of such a program. It would be a disservice to veterans to repeat those mistakes.\n\n\u201cIt is striking that the Majority would put forward a proposal that so severely underfunds VA health care on the same day that it votes to add $1.5 trillion to the deficit by cutting taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner on a bill that better reflects our nation\u2019s priorities.\u201d\n\nPress Contact\n\nJosh Weisz, 202-225-2305", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T22:19:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://takano.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rep-takano-statement-on-hr-4242"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6891220584511757, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}