[Senate Hearing 117-637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-637
HEARING TO CONSIDER PENDING NOMINATIONS
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
JULY 27, 2022
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
51-648 PDF WASHINGTON : 2023
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Jon Tester, Montana, Chairman
Patty Murray, Washington Jerry Moran, Kansas, Ranking
Bernard Sanders, Vermont Member
Sherrod Brown, Ohio John Boozman, Arkansas
Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
Mazie K. Hirono, Hawaii Mike Rounds, South Dakota
Joe Manchin III, West Virginia Thom Tillis, North Carolina
Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Dan Sullivan, Alaska
Margaret Wood Hassan, New Hampshire Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
Tony McClain, Staff Director
Jon Towers, Republican Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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July 27, 2022
SENATORS
Page
Tester, Hon. Jon, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Montana............ 1
Moran, Hon. Jerry, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from Kansas...... 2
Murray, Hon. Patty, U.S. Senator from Washington................. 8
Tuberville, Hon. Tommy, U.S. Senator from Alabama................ 13
Cassidy, Hon. Bill, U.S. Senator from Louisiana.................. 15
Blumenthal, Hon. Richard, U.S. Senator from Connecticut.......... 17
INTRODUCTION OF WITNESSES
The Honorable Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator from the State of Virginia. 3
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator from the State of
California..................................................... 4
WITNESSES
Anjali Chaturvedi, Nominee to be General Counsel of the
Department of Veterans Affairs................................. 5
Jaime Areizaga-Soto, Nominee to be Chairman of the Board of
Veterans' Appeals.............................................. 7
APPENDIX
Nomination Material
Anjali Chaturvedi, Nominee
Prepared statement............................................. 25
Response to Pre-hearing Questions for the Record submitted by:
Hon. Jon Tester.............................................. 27
Hon. Jerry Moran............................................. 30
Response to Question for the Record submitted by:
Hon. Kevin Cramer............................................ 34
Questionnaire for Presidential Nominees........................ 35
Jaime Areizaga-Soto, Nominee
Prepared statement............................................. 51
Response to Pre-hearing Questions for the Record submitted by:
Hon. Jon Tester.............................................. 54
Hon. Jerry Moran............................................. 57
Questionnaire for Presidential Nominees........................ 62
HEARING TO CONSIDER PENDING
NOMINATIONS
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:16 p.m., in
Room SR-418, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Tester, Murray, Brown, Blumenthal,
Hassan, Moran, Cassidy, Tillis, Blackburn, and Tuberville.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN TESTER
Chairman Tester. I call this hearing of the Senate
Veterans' Affairs Committee to order.
The purpose of this hearing will be to hear from the
President's nominees to serve as General Counsel, Anjali
Chaturvedi, and Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals,
Jaime Areizaga. I appreciate both of you accepting the
responsibilities that come with the duties for which you have
been nominated.
Ms. Chaturvedi, let us start with you. If confirmed, you
will serve as the VA's in-house counsel responsible for
providing legal advice and representation to the Department.
Your office will provide a comprehensive evaluation of
legislation for its legal basis and impact. If confirmed, you
will be called upon to evaluate and help implement the
comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that we hope to send
to the President's desk next week.
The Department struggles with meeting congressional intent,
as seen with the caregivers regulations out of the previous
administration, and quickly implementing provisions that give
veterans access to lifesaving health care and life-changing
benefits. I will look to you to help ensure the Department
implements the toxic exposure legislation in line with
congressional intent as soon as possible, and I will hope to
see you--I hope you will see Congress as a partner in this
effort.
Mr. Areizaga, you have been nominated to lead the Board of
Veterans' Appeals. This is a heavy responsibility as veterans
rely on the Board to give them the correct decision. Your
predecessor did well to guide the Board through the worst of
the pandemic. Veterans now conveniently get a hearing virtually
with their laptops or their smartphone. The Board needs a
leader to expand on those successes as it navigates a rising
caseload while winding down legacy appeals, a leader who
understands veterans do not need a quick decision, they need a
correct decision.
Thank you both for your willingness to serve. I look
forward to our dialogue today, and with that, I will turn to
Senator Moran.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR MORAN
Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, I would like to introduce the
Senator from Virginia, I think, as you did so well in
pronouncing the names of the witnesses before you. And I would
introduce Senator Kaine as the Senator from Kansas, but I
assume he is going to make an introduction as well.
Chairman Tester, thank you. I appreciate our two nominees
for being with us here today and your willingness to serve.
The VA General Counsel and the Board of Veterans' Appeals
Chairman are both key positions tasked with ensuring we get it
right for veterans. The General Counsel must make certain the
VA is following the law that we craft and we pass. The BVA
Chairman is charged with making sure we get the decisions on
veterans' claims right so that they can be---so they can access
the benefits they deserve right and timely.
I am frustrated on many instances with the Department of
Veterans Affairs's willingness to ignore the law. The U.S.
Constitution directs Congress to enact laws and charges the
Executive Branch with faithfully implementing them. It is
disappointing to me the number of times it seems to me that the
VA is doing legal gymnastics so the Department can justify an
action that is clearly inconsistent with the text of the law
and the intent of Congress.
I would remind both of you to keep in mind the simple and
fundamental principle of legal interpretation dating back to
the Roman era. Do not depart from the words of the law. If the
law is not the outcome that you want, the Department does not
want, bring the issue to us and let us see if we can correct
the law in accordance with your desires or whether we are
satisfied with where we are.
It is usually the case that when we pass a law it is
because we have heard from a constituent, a veteran, about how
our country could better meet its obligations to care for those
who have borne the battle. When the VA diverges from faithful
execution of law, it undermines the democratic process. I look
forward to hearing from each of you how you will take care to
see that the VA faithfully implements the law and affords
veterans seeking benefits all the considerations the law
allows, adjudicating their claims.
VA and Congress must work together to fulfill our Nation's
obligations to our veterans. If you are confirmed, you will
play an integral part in making that happen, and I again thank
you for your willingness to serve. You have served before, and
your willingness to continue to serve, and I am grateful for
that.
Before I yield back, Mr. Chairman, I want to take a moment
to note that today is National Korean War Veterans Armistice
Day. Unfortunately, the Korean War has come to be known as the
forgotten war in our country. I remember not too long ago going
to my local library to find books about the Korean War and
almost nothing was on the bookshelves.
I am pleased to see today's unveiling of the new Wall of
Remembrance at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National
Mall. Our country must never forget the servicemembers who
fought and protected democracy in Korea, and we must honor all
and remember the service and sacrifice for those who fought and
died in that war.
To our Korean War veterans, I know me and my colleagues
here today know; please know that you are not forgotten by us.
We honor you, and we respect you, and your country is grateful
to you for what you have sacrificed to benefit each of us.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran.
We are going to juggle the schedule a little bit here since
Senator Feinstein is not here. I am going to swear you in to
begin with, and then we will have Senator Kaine introduce
whichever nominee he wants. I got a notion I know which one.
And then I will have you do--Mr. Areizaga, I will have you do
your opening statement if Dianne is not here yet, and then by
then she will be here.
So I would ask both nominees to stand, please. Do you,
state your name----
Ms. Chaturvedi. I, Anjali Chaturvedi.
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. I, Jaime Areizaga-Soto.
Chairman Tester [continuing]. Solemnly swear or affirm that
the testimony you are about to give before the U.S. Senate
Committee on Veterans' Affairs will be the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?
Ms. Chaturvedi. I do.
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. I do.
Chairman Tester. Let the record reflect that they both
responded in the affirmative.
I will now recognize maybe the nicest guy that serves in
the United States Senate, Senator Kaine.
Senator Kaine. Well, wow, I had better be good after that.
Chairman Tester. Patty just kneed me, by the way.
INTRODUCTION BY THE HONORABLE TIM KAINE
Senator Kaine. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and
members of this important Committee, I want to thank you for
the opportunity to introduce a close friend of over 15 years
and fellow Virginian, Jaime Areizaga-Soto, President Biden's
nominee to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Veterans'
Appeals.
Jaime is a graduate of Georgetown School of Foreign Service
and Stanford Law School. He has an impressive career as an Army
general officer, as a public and private lawyer, and as a
member of the Virginia Cabinet for two Governors. For over a
decade, Jaime worked as an international lawyer for notable
U.S. law firms, developing large infrastructure projects. He
served as a judge advocate general in the Army National Guard
at the same time.
During the last 15 years, he has dedicated himself to
public service, serving as a White House Fellow at the
Department of Treasury during the George W. Bush administration
and then as a senior attorney advisor of USAID during the Obama
administration. He graduated from the Inter American Defense
College at Ft. McNair here in Washington, where he was elected
as the president of his class by senior officers representing
all U.S. Service branches in 14 Latin American countries.
On the veterans' front, Jaime served in the Cabinet of
Virginia as the Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense
Affairs for the previous two Governors, supporting
approximately 730,000 Virginia veterans, 130,000 active duty
members, and all of their families. As a Cabinet member in the
Commonwealth, Jaime developed and implemented initiatives on a
whole range of activities for military families and veterans,
including developing a strategy to enable the construction of
two 128-bed veteran care centers.
His work with our veterans agency led to many advances,
opening 10 new benefits offices around the State, setting up a
program, the V3 Program, that hired 35,000 veterans exiting out
of active service, developing the Military Medics and Corpsman
Program, making Virginia the first State in the country to
functionally end veterans homelessness in November 2015 and, in
doing so, housing more than 3,200 homeless veterans, and
finally reaching an agreement between the Navy, the Guard, and
other State entities to ensure the use of Virginia's Camp
Pendleton by the Navy for critical training.
Jaime has also worn the Army uniform for almost 35 years as
a citizen soldier, and he is the proud son of a Korean War
veteran, mindful of Senator Moran's comments about today, who
is here with him. He has mobilized often as a senior Army
lawyer. From 2018 to '21, he was mobilized as the Chief of the
Army National Guard Trial Defense Service. He led, managed,
trained, and evaluated 218 attorneys and paralegals across each
of the 54 National Guards, helping defend those who defend the
country. He is currently mobilized and serving as the Deputy
General Counsel of the National Guard Bureau.
He has received numerous awards for his service to the
National Guard, and in particular, in 2021, Jaime was promoted
to the rank of Brigadier General, which made him the first
Hispanic in the Army's 247-year history to be designated a JAG
general officer.
I wholeheartedly endorse Jaime to serve as the next
Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals and really
appreciate the opportunity to come and share these words about
my friend.
Chairman Tester. Thank you, Senator Kaine. Very nice
introduction.
Next, we have--we are honored to have the senior Senator
from the great State of California, Senator Feinstein.
INTRODUCTION BY THE HONORABLE DIANNE FEINSTEIN
Senator Feinstein. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate the due respect to my State, and 30 million people
do, too, so thank you very much.
I am very pleased to be here for the consideration of
Anjali Chaturvedi. She has been nominated, as we all know, to
serve as the General Counsel of the Department of Veterans
Affairs. She is an experienced attorney. She has worked
extensively in government and the private sector, and I had the
pleasure of working with her when she served as my counsel on
the staff for the Senate Judiciary Committee. That was a while
ago.
She is a proud first-generation American, and she and her
family are really a great example--I have learned this
firsthand--of the American Dream in action.
After earning her undergraduate degree at Cornell and her
law degree at Georgetown University Law School, Ms. Chaturvedi
spent the first 12 years of her career in public service,
including as a law clerk for the District of Columbia Superior
Court and as an assistant U.S. attorney. After a dozen years of
public service, Ms. Chaturvedi broadened her professional
experience with a move to private practice before returning to
public service earlier this year as a deputy assistant attorney
general for the Department of Justice's Criminal Division.
Her extensive experience in and out of government, I think,
is going to serve her very well as General Counsel for the
Department of Veterans Affairs. I am very proud of her. Ms.
Chaturvedi is passionate about public service, but she is also
passionate about caring for public servants, and that is
especially true for veterans. She has several veterans in her
family.
I believe that she is well qualified to serve as General
Counsel for the Department and will ensure that the Agency
complies with the law while taking full advantage of the
authorities given to it by Congress to care for our Nation's
veterans. I thank the Committee for their consideration, and I
think we all look forward to working with you.
So thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Tester. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Feinstein.
I think we will go back to the original order, and we will
start with you, Ms. Chaturvedi, and you may proceed.
Senator Feinstein. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF ANJALI CHATURVEDI
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Chairman Tester, Ranking Member
Moran, distinguished members of the Committee. I am honored to
appear before you today as the nominee to serve as the next
General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am
grateful to the President for his confidence in nominating me
to this position.
I want to thank Senator Feinstein for that very kind
introduction.
Senator Feinstein. I loved it. Thank you.
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you. It was almost 20 years ago that
I served on Senator Feinstein's Judiciary Committee staff as
counsel. I learned so much about the workings of the U.S.
Senate, the extraordinary work of the staff. I also learned by
watching Senator Feinstein what it means to be a servant
leader.
I want to extend my congratulations to Jaime Areizaga-Soto
for his nomination as Chair of the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
I would like to introduce my family: my husband, Terrence
Clark, who served in law enforcement for 27 years; my sister,
Anupama Chaturvedi Connor; my uncle, Vinay Chaturvedi; and my
mother-in-law, Virginia Storjohann, and her husband, Neil
Scarlett. But the most important person here for me today is my
12-year-old son, Kiran Chaturvedi Clark, a rising seventh
grader, who we brought back just this morning from West
Virginia, where he is at sleepaway camp, so that he could
attend today's hearings.
When I married Terry, I married into a military family. Our
nephew enlisted in the Army and served in the Infantry in
Afghanistan, and his wife, a West Point graduate, was a
Blackhawk test pilot, also deployed to Afghanistan.
My late father-in-law, Terry's stepfather, served in the
Korean War. In fact, his passing was just this past Monday, and
as Senator Moran mentioned, today is a day to honor our
veterans who served in the Korean War.
Neil Scarlett served in the Air National Guard and the Air
Force. Terry's father, William Clark, served in the Army
National Guard, and my mother-in-law worked in VA hospitals in
Iowa City and in Denver.
I am so grateful for what our veterans, including my own
family, have done for all of us in serving our country, and I
do believe it is our sacred duty to serve our veterans, their
families, their survivors, and their caregivers.
I am a child of immigrants and first-generation American.
My parents, Ram and Saroj Chaturvedi, came to the United States
in 1964, thinking they would stay for just one year as my
father finished his education. But they saw the promise that
this country offered, what they could contribute, and they
built a life here. They became part of the fabric of their
small, Upstate New York rural community, where my father was a
physics professor in a public school for 41 years, where my
mother got her second master's degree, and where my parents
raised me, my brother, Rakesh, and my sister.
I am so sorry that they have passed away and that they are
not here today, but I know that I would not be in front of you
without them as my guiding light. It was my parents who
instilled in me the values of hard work and service: service to
family, service to community, and service to country. They were
thrilled that when I became a lawyer I represented the United
States of America as I did for 12 years as an assistant United
States attorney in Washington, DC, and also the Northern
District of California.
I left DOJ to gain diversity of experience in other areas
of law, including private practice and in large, global
corporate settings, where I worked for 16 years in complex,
diverse, regulated organizations. Over the years, I have led
many high-performing and empathetic teams.
I returned to DOJ earlier this year to serve as a deputy
assistant attorney general because in the same way that my
parents instilled in me the value of public service I wanted to
show my son through my example what it means to be a public
servant.
Now I have been called to serve at the Department of
Veterans Affairs. I believe in the mission of VA. The core
responsibility of VA is providing our veterans with the health
care and benefits they have earned and to make sure that at
their passing they are treated with the honor that they
deserve. And in meeting these responsibilities, VA must ensure
that our veterans, their families, their survivors and
caregivers are treated with integrity, compassion, and respect.
I had the good fortune of working with veterans when I was
a prosecutor: JAG lawyers and law enforcement officers who
previously served in the military. I also worked alongside
veterans in private practice, most recently at Northrop
Grumman, where approximately 14 percent of the workforce are
made up of veterans. I have also done pro bono work on behalf
of veterans, including mentoring returning veterans.
The opportunity to serve the people who have served us, who
have defended our freedoms, is an honor that I do not take
lightly. The work of VA, including the Office of General
Counsel, must be excellent; it must be veteran-focused; it must
drive efficient and ethical results, all in service to the
safety and well-being of our veterans. I promise you, if
confirmed, I will be faithful to these commitments every day as
the General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
I thank you so much for allowing me the chance to appear
today, and I look forward to answering your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Chaturvedi appears on page
25 of the Appendix.]
Chairman Tester. Thank you, Ms. Chaturvedi.
Mr. Areizaga, you have the floor.
STATEMENT OF JAIME AREIZAGA-SOTO
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran,
and committee members, I am humbled and honored to appear in
front of you to offer my record and commitment to serve my
fellow veterans as the Chair of the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
I am grateful to President Biden for his confidence in
nominating me and congratulate Ms. Anjali Chaturvedi on her
nomination. I want to thank my own Senators, Kaine and Warner,
for their excellent service, leadership, and active mentorship.
I would not be here but for the sacrifice and lessons of so
many. First and foremost, my mother, Baldamina Soto, a retired
elementary school teacher, and my father, Jose Francisco
Areizaga, a Korean War veteran and lifelong public servant,
both of whom flew from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to join
us. Their lives have been committed to service, love, and
faith. Through their sacrifice, they raised and educated four
children, including my brother, Javier, who is also here.
I want to recognize my son, Jose Juan, who serves as my
inspiration to do everything I can to leave a world which is
safer for democracy and where we are more respectful to each
other and to Mother Earth.
I want to thank my teachers, professors, and mentors inside
and outside a classroom for their lessons and shared wisdom.
They all instill in me a vocation of service. My lifelong focus
as a citizen soldier, international lawyer, and public official
has been service to others. Since turning 18 and for almost 35
years, I have served in the Army and the National Guard. At
present, I serve in uniform, mobilized full-time as a deputy
general counsel at the National Guard Bureau. I knew the
importance of the Guard to our common good. The last six years
have demonstrated the superb service that the Guard does when
our citizens are most vulnerable due to threats at home or
abroad.
I want to thank retired General William Navas for his
mentorship in the National Guard and retired Colonel Victor
Tall, who was my first supervisor when I joined the Army JAG
Corps in the 1990s and who is here today. I also thank those
who have served as mentors in veterans affairs, like retired
Admiral John Harvey, former Fleet Forces Commander, with whom I
tagged as Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs in
Virginia.
Finally, I want to thank the White House Fellow community
for our dedication to servant leadership, bipartisanship, and
public service. They are represented here by my classmate and
fellow Guardsman, retired Air Force General Bobbi Doorenbos.
Since childhood, I have been inspired by the selfless
service and sacrifice of so many veterans. Almost 20 of my
relatives have served in the military, such as my uncle, who,
like so many Puerto Ricans, fought bravely in Korea. It is our
sacred duty to support our veterans after they have served and
sacrificed for all of us.
My experience as an attorney in the private, public, and
military arenas for over 25 years leading large, legal
organizations, will enable me, if confirmed, to continue the
substantial improvements made at the Board. My leadership
mentality follows the Army principle of ``Mission First, People
Always.'' I complement it with my own, ``One Team, One Fight''
approach, so I will center my leadership of the almost 1,200
highly capable and dedicated Federal public servants at the
Board with the sacred mission of ensuring each veteran is cared
for.
I am inspired by Secretary McDonough's commitment for
increased access with better outcomes at the VA and to
eliminate the functional backlog at the Board.
I commend the Committee for adopting the Appeals
Modernization Act. The Board implemented the AMA in February
2019, and the implementation appears to have been very
successful.
Although the AMA has been a game-changer, there is still
much to be done. The PACT Act will increase the number of
claims appealed to the Board. If confirmed, I will promptly
integrated the 22 just-announced veteran law judges to ensure a
dramatic increase in the number of claims heard and decided.
In sum, I am a dedicated public servant who has worn the
uniform for almost 35 years, committed to our key heroes, those
who have volunteered, signed up, and pledged to offer our lives
anywhere and at any time to defend the rest of us and the
Constitution. We have a sacred duty to care for each veteran,
particularly those who have been wounded or paid the ultimate
sacrifice. I hope to have the distinct honor to serve them as
the next Chair of the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
Thank you, Chairman Tester, Senator Moran, and members of
the Committee.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Areizaga-Soto appears on
page 51 of the Appendix.]
Chairman Tester. Thank you both for your opening
statements. I will yield to Senator Murray.
SENATOR PATTY MURRAY
Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
welcome to both of you. Thank you for your willingness to
serve.
Ms. Chaturvedi, I want to start with you, and I really do
appreciate your being with us today. As General Counsel, you
would play a very critical role in decisions that impact
veterans in my home State of Washington and across the Nation.
For example, a 2014 legal opinion would have drastically
narrowed which veterans were eligible for homeless assistance
programs. If not for congressional action, providers who
receive funding through VA's Grant and Per Diem Program would
have had to actually turn away veterans who did not meet the
length of service or discharge requirements.
The General Counsel also works with other VA offices on
contracts. Most recently, we have been watching the fallout of
VA's decision under the previous administration to award a sole
source contract for the Electronic Health Care Record
Modernization Program, and that decision to award that contract
and VA's delays in decision-making have led to documented cases
of harm for veterans in my home State.
So I wanted to ask you today, if you are confirmed, how
will you use your role to make sure outcomes for veterans are
prioritized in VA's decision-making?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Senator Murray. I appreciate the
question. You are absolutely right, of course, that the Office
of General Counsel has a responsibility to ensure that the
care, service, and benefits that our veterans are owed, that
they are received timely and that they are received in a safe
and comprehensive manner.
I believe it is the responsibility of the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the lawyers that work within that
Department to ensure that the intent of the legislation that
this body passes is met by the actions of the Department of
Veterans Affairs. If confirmed, I would work diligently with my
colleagues there to make sure that the intent is met, the
outcome for the veterans is that which we would all want, which
is to ensure safe, complete access to care and benefits and
services.
Senator Murray. And how will you work with Congress to make
any necessary statutory changes to VA practices?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Senator. As Senator Feinstein
mentioned, I, many years ago, worked here in this very
building. I understand the role that Congress has, that this
body has, in making sure that the legislation is applied in the
way that legislators intend. I have met with a number of staff
members over the last week, and I have committed that if
confirmed I would work collaboratively to make sure that the
work that you all do is met with the results that you expect,
which is to serve our veterans.
Senator Murray. And in the previous administration, VA's
Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection was
criticized for its failure to properly implement the law and
its failure to properly protect whistleblowers from retaliation
or hold senior executive officers accountable. And while that
office, I know, is separate from the Office of the General
Counsel, the two really need to work together to make sure
employees can report wrongdoing without retaliation in order to
better serve our veterans. How will you work with OAWP to make
sure VA is properly handling complaints?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Senator, for that question. You
know that the topic of whistleblowers and how they are treated
is something that I have worked on for many years. It is
something that came up in my last role, day to day, people that
report concerns.
If I were confirmed, I would work very closely with the
Office of the Whistleblower. Folks that raise concerns need to
be treated with respect, the concerns that they raise need to
be investigated efficiently, and there must be accountability
for any outcomes. You can be rest assured if there is
corrective actions that come out of any of those investigations
I would work diligently to make sure those corrective actions
occurred.
And, communication about any outcomes is important so that
the veteran population and folks that work at the VA see that
there is a positive outcome of any report that any
whistleblower makes. I think that is very important in
maintaining a strong and ethical culture, and I would work
toward that effort.
Senator Murray. Well, thank you for that.
Mr. Areizaga, the Board of Veterans' Appeals is going to
face a growing workload with the Beaudette decision for family
caregivers and the PACT Act, as you mentioned in your opening
remarks. If confirmed, how are you going to approach the
anticipated increased workload while ensuring that legacy
claims are also addressed?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Thank you for the question, Senator
Murray. I would say that the key aspect to get ready for that
spike in appeals would be to integrate quickly and fully the 22
newly appointed veteran law judges. That will be the first
thing.
I believe that the draft resolution plan of the Board for
legacy claims is being successful. And during my initial time,
just like I do in my military positions when I take command of
a new command, I will analyze the situation and look for ways
to further improve efficiencies because you are correct, Madam
Senator--the spike in cases coming in. The Board has been very
successful in increasing the number, but the line still grows
because of the new claims and appeals to the Board.
Senator Murray. Okay. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Tester. Senator Moran.
Senator Moran. Thank you both for your presence here today,
for your willingness to serve. It is pleasing to hear a bit of
your life stories. It is a reminder that the American Dream is
alive and well, and that is encouraging. It is a reminder that
there are those who sacrifice for that American life, for that
American way of life. And, I am grateful for your willingness
to serve those who have protected our freedoms and liberties,
including members of your family and yourselves.
Let me start with you, Ms. Chaturvedi, a couple of process
things. The Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of
Justice issued an opinion letter in 2017 stating that oversight
requests from, quote, individual Members of Congress, including
ranking Minority members, do not trigger any obligation to
accommodate congressional needs. I, of course, find that
offensive, and I would ask that you--despite that DOJ opinion
matter, will you commit to accommodating congressional
oversight requests regardless of party affiliation or committee
status of the members making those requests?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Mr. Moran, I would be happy to.
Senator Moran. Thank you. And the Committee frequently
requests data, material, policy views from the Department to
inform our oversight and our legislative work. Responses to
these inquiries frequently get cleared through the VA's Office
of General Counsel, and unfortunately, the process often
involves significant delays and lack of timely response. If you
are confirmed, how would you prioritize responses to this
Committee to make certain we have the information needed to
serve veterans in a timely manner?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Senator, for that question. I
appreciate the need for the information that this body requests
of VA. If confirmed, I would work to ensure that responses were
timely.
I think there is a number of ways to address the issue.
Obviously, the good men and women that work in the Office of
General Counsel are there to provide legal advice to ensure
accuracy and that information is complete. Doing that timely is
part of the calculation. And if confirmed as General Counsel of
the Department of Veterans Affairs, I would work to drive
efficiency in responding.
And to the extent there were issues or questions, I do
believe communication is very helpful. Picking up the phone and
calling an office to understand perhaps something that may be
unclear is something that I expect I would be doing or my
colleagues would be doing so that we can get answers back to
you because, among other things, sir, I respect the fact that
all of you represent veterans' interests and you are asking us
questions so that you can better serve your constituents. So I
would work to help in that regard.
Senator Moran. I appreciate both of those answers, and I
would say that so often the legislation and the attempts to
change something going on at the Department of Veterans
Affairs, at least in my world and I would guess most of my
colleagues', originate from a veteran concern, complaint, a
conversation, an e-mail, a telephone call, ``we need your
help.'' And so what I know mostly about veterans is what they
are asking me to do on their behalf, and I want to make sure
that I am able to respond timely.
And as we work through the development of legislation for
consideration by the Senate, we need information through our
Department of Veterans Affairs, and it does not come often
enough, timely enough. So thank you very much for that answer.
Congress prohibited the Department from performing abortion
services when it passed the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992.
VA acknowledged this legal prohibition in its public website as
recently as 2021. I would like to remind you of that law, and I
indicated in my opening statement the importance of the
Department following the law. How do you see your role in this
issue?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, sir, for that question. As you
know, the Department of Veterans Affairs serves women veterans,
and of those--I am told that there are approximately 15 percent
of the veteran population is made up of women, and in that
population I also understand that there are approximately
300,000 women of childbearing years. Their health, their well
being and safety is at the core of what the Department is
responsible for, so I know that this is a very important issue.
I have not yet had the chance to fully study the law that you
have referenced although, of course, I am aware of it.
If confirmed, I would work alongside my expert colleagues
in the law department. I would certainly be speaking with the
Secretary and study this issue very closely. If confirmed, I
would be pleased to discuss the matter further with you, but
rest assured I will study hard this issue and I appreciate its
importance.
Senator Moran. I assume--I am going to assume for you that
you would answer that question as ``I will follow the law''
because you have taken oath to do so.
Ms. Chaturvedi. Absolutely, sir. Rule of law is paramount.
Senator Moran. Yes, ma'am.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran.
This is a question for both of you because you both have
impressive educational and employment experience. You appear to
be more qualified for your roles, more than qualified for your
roles, for which you have been nominated. However--and you have
touched on this, but I want to flesh that a little more--I do
not think you have worked extensively in veterans law. I think
that is a fair statement.
So the question is for both of you. Do you need to
anticipate needing to get up to speed on veterans law, and if
so, how will you do that?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Chairman Tester. You are right.
I have not worked on veterans issues primarily during my
career, but I have worked in areas that are very relevant to
the work that the VA does, whether it is employment law,
contracts law, procurement law. All of those topics are
critical to the success of the Department's operations.
I also will show up with humility at the Department. I
intend to learn from the men and women who work in the Office
of General Counsel as I have done over the last 30 years when I
faced a new area for me to learn. I have brought in experts. I
have studied. I have asked questions. I have dug in. That would
not change. I would take the same steps here so that I would
hit the ground running if confirmed to serve as the next
General Counsel.
Chairman Tester. Okay. Mr. Areizaga?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Senator, thank you for your question. As
part of my career and experience, I have worked in areas
related to veterans law, particularly service-connected and
other issues that we have seen within my uniform side. I would
not call myself an expert in veterans law in any way, but as
part of getting prepared for this hearing I have had a number
of briefings from the team at the Board.
I will listen. I will learn. Particularly even though the
Chairman does not hear cases, I do believe that one of the ways
that we can be more efficient is by identifying areas in which
we are seeing a trend of cases that have to be reversed because
of a pattern, and I would want to understand and identify that
legal issue so that I can communicate across the leadership at
the Department to ensure that it is not the Board that fixes
the issue but that the issue is solved at the initial claim
level, Mr. Senator.
Chairman Tester. Okay. Thank you.
Ms. Chaturvedi, the Secretary relies on his General Counsel
to opine on the scope of newly passed laws. As I said in my
opening statement, the Senate is poised to pass the most
comprehensive toxic exposure legislation in this Nation's
history. Do you understand Congress's intent for that bill is
to help veterans suffering from toxic exposure and to provide
health care and benefits to as many as quickly as possible?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Senator, yes. I also have been waiting for
the passage of the PACT Act, and I appreciate the commitment to
helping veterans who have suffered.
Chairman Tester. Okay. Talk to me about what you can do to
help the Department aggressively move on the PACT Act once it
does become law?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, Senator. I imagine that the VA
is already thinking about how to make sure that the benefits
and services that will be provided to veterans through the PACT
Act, how we will get them to the veterans. But, if confirmed, I
believe my role would be to ensure efficient, effective
rulemaking so that our veterans can receive the benefits--the
benefits of eligibility, of increased process, make sure that
rulemaking process goes smoothly. I think that would be the
first step.
Chairman Tester. Okay. Mr. Areizaga, the Board of Veterans'
Appeals is aggressively focused on reducing legacy appeals, but
now we are seeing a rising caseload of AMA appeals. If
confirmed, what will you do to ensure the Board properly
balances resources to wind down legacy appeals while resolving
newer AMA appeals?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Senator Tester, you are touching on a
critical point because with the approval of the AMA we now have
at the Board two systems. I am--I believe that the legacy
resolution plan of the Board, it is working very efficiently.
The Board got to have a backlog of 450,000 legacy claims, and
it is down to around 100,000. So I believe that those legacy
claims can be cleared in the next couple of years.
When the AMA was approved, 100 percent of the appeals were
legacy appeals. By now, that is shifting to 75 percent legacy
appeals, 25 percent AMA appeals, and I believe that as we move
forward, Senator, that would be balanced in accordance with the
statutory requirements on how to hear cases and the order to
hear the cases.
Chairman Tester. Okay. Thank you. Thank you both.
Senator Tuberville.
SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to thank both of the nominees being here. I
have gone through dozens of nominees my first couple of years,
and I have never seen two more passionate about their job of
the future, and love of our country, so I want to thank both of
you for that. It is so important.
And so, you know, on behalf of 400,000 veterans in my State
of Alabama, a lot will be watching this hearing today and
listen to what you say because they are very interested,
obviously, in the appeals process and things that go along with
General Counsel. So thank you to you and your families for
doing this and the 19 million veterans across the country. What
an important job this is.
So, Mr. Areizaga, now your name is about as bad as
Tuberville to say, you know, at the end of the day. So talk
about your current position in the military. You are in the
National Guard. How has your role in the National Guard going
to help you in this position that you hope to get confirmed
for?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Senator Tuberville, thank you for your
question. I am passionate about service. I joined the ROTC Army
program as soon as I turned pretty much 18, and I have been
wearing the uniform of the Army for the last almost 35 years. I
have served as a judge advocate general in the National Guard,
working with the 54 National Guards. I would say that managing
large leader organizations like Army National Guard Trial
Defense Service or now as the principal Deputy General Counsel
at the National Guard Bureau have given me the managerial
experience to, and the leadership experience to, go into the
Board and lead what is now an almost 1,200 employees-strong
organization.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Ms. Chaturvedi, is that correct?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Chaturvedi.
Senator Tuberville. Chaturvedi. Thank you. Your career
spans many years of experience in criminal law. Members of this
Committee are concerned about findings in recent Inspector
General reports that sometimes describe instances of criminal
negligence. The reports detail extensive patient safety issues
at VA Medical Centers, instances of VA staff withholding
information from the Office of the Inspector General, and a
complete lack of due diligence when following up on Inspector
General recommendations to improve patient safety, manage
efficiencies, and prioritize the health and safety of our
veterans. While all these actions are not necessarily criminal
in nature, what do you see the General Counsel's role in
rightsizing these issues that we have already gone through?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Yes, thank you, Senator Tuberville. You are
right; 19 million veterans deserve, you know, that their Agency
is devoid of any misconduct. So that, to me, means having a
strong culture, a strong culture of ethics that starts at the
top. But as I learned when I worked most recently at Northrop
Grumman, it is the tone at the top, it is the mood in the
middle, and it is the buzz at the bottom. In other words,
culture has to be part of the entire organization. So in cases
where someone does not abide by patient safety, does not work
in service of the veteran, there must be accountability.
If confirmed as the General Counsel of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, I would work with the Office of Inspector
General. As I mentioned to Senator Murray, I would work with
the Office of the Whistleblower to make sure that there is
accountability should there be bad actions by anyone in their
work.
Senator Tuberville. What is your--what do you think your
role is with the Inspector General? How will you work with the
Inspector General in these situations?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Yes, thank you, Senator. I would work
collaboratively with the Inspector General. They have an
independent role in ensuring that the actions of the VA are
held to the standards, the rules, requirements of the
Department. I think the General Counsel can work
collaboratively to see lessons learned, to make sure that any
corrective actions are implemented properly across the Agency.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Mr. Areizaga, from conversations I have had with veterans,
it is my understanding that the Veterans Benefits
Administration often requires a second medical opinion
regardless of whether the initial medical opinion was given by
the VA provider or independent provider. Additionally, the VA
often regards requests by the veteran that the second opinion
be given by a provider who specializes in the veteran's claimed
condition. Both these issues may result in delays in the
appeals process. If confirmed, how do you seek to identify
opportunities for efficiency in the appeals process?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Thank you for your question, Senator
Tuberville. Efficiency of resources in the public sector, as I
have learned through my life, from my State public servant dad,
the conversations at home were always about making things
better for our fellow citizens and making sure government works
for us.
The way I would do it in this case, I would be at the Board
which hears the appeals of those decisions. I would look for,
as I indicated before Senator Tester, look for trends that I
see in cases that we are reversing from the Board--from the
benefits--Veterans Benefits Administration and look for ways to
make that more efficient and better because if we are able to
ensure that the decisions by the Veterans Benefits
Administration is correct to start with then we do not need to
reverse it at the Board. As a team player, I would look at
those trends and at those processes and engage with the
leadership of the other areas of the Department to ensure that
we take every action we can to make the process more efficient.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you very much. I think it is
important. You know, one thing I learned years ago in my
previous profession, what both of you are getting ready to get
into with the onslaught of our veterans and more and more
people in the VA, organization is the key to winning, and
hopefully, you will keep that in mind, what I learned at an
early age.
So I thank both of you for being here today, and I think we
did a pretty good job on each other's names, last names. You
know, I thought it was pretty good.
What did you think, Mr. Chairman?
Chairman Tester. I thought it was pretty good. I was going
to ask you how many times you beat Alabama, but I do not want--
--
[Laughter.]
Senator Tuberville. Not today.
Chairman Tester. Not today.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Chairman Tester. Senator Cassidy.
SENATOR BILL CASSIDY
Senator Cassidy. Thank you both for your service.
Mr. Areizaga-Soto, I have been trying to learn Spanish, and
you speak four languages fluently. Needless to say, I feel kind
of in awe and humbled, so anyway, but thank you both for your
service.
Ms. Chaturvedi, since 1992--in 1992, Congress made it
pretty clear that they did not want, and did not feel it right,
for the VA to be offering abortion services. Would you continue
this--would you advise continuing this policy?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Senator Cassidy, thank you for your
question. This issue around abortion services, I know, is an
important one. If confirmed as the General Counsel at the
Department, one of my jobs would be to evaluate the laws that
impact the services that are provided by the Department of
Veterans Affairs. I have not studied this issue fully yet. If
confirmed, I would work with my colleagues at the Department to
better understand, but I can assure you that the advice that I
would give would be to follow the rule of law. That would be my
job. That has been my job for the last 30 years as a practicing
lawyer.
Senator Cassidy. A very good confirmation hearing answer, I
would say that.
Next, I have the advantage of looking at your answers to
the question from Senator Moran, and in it he speaks about how
in the private sector we are driven by profit margins, we are
driven by outcomes, competitiveness, et cetera, but what
happens in the VA is that it is not driven by that, but rather,
it is driven by compliance. In quoting Shakespeare, the first
thing you do is kill all the lawyers, right?
When it comes to getting an organization to work well,
efficiently, and something more than punctiliously checking off
boxes, those rules have to be interpreted to not just keep in
compliance but to drive productivity. I think a complaint to
the VA that is valid is a very poor record of productivity,
extremely poor. And, I frankly think it is partly Congress's
fault by setting up all these kinds of rules and regs and we
are going to kind of make sure you do it right, and so now it
becomes ``don't catch me'' as opposed to ``how do I move
patients.''
I am a physician. I am very aware that if you deny service
by delay you can miss things, you can hurt people, that
passivity can be destructive, so that kind of rant on my part.
What is your perspective on that, and how would you address
my concern that the emphasis upon compliance drives just a
system which sometimes does not work?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Senator, I appreciate that question, and I
appreciate and hear the frustration. The mission of the
Department of Veterans Affairs is perhaps one of the most
important missions that we in the Federal Government have,
which is to serve the people who have served us. I understand
that it is less than 10 percent of Americans who serve in the
military. It is an important job, and we must make sure that
they get the benefits, service, and care that they have earned.
And I would agree with you that benefits or services that are
delayed, in fact, can be denied.
Senator Cassidy. But to the point, if an attorney says you
got to check 16 boxes because that is the only way I know I
will never be criticized, that 16 boxes as opposed to 2 boxes
is going to delay service. Now the attorney does not get in
trouble, but the patient does not get their service.
So I am kind of trying to cut through what you are saying,
not to be rude, and how--if we are not driven by any external
measure of productivity or having to make a profit because
Congress is always going to backfill, how do we avoid the legal
system from bogging us down from productivity?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Senator, I think measurements can still be
used and are used and should be used to determine productivity.
Sixteen boxes is unacceptable. You are absolutely right. You
have to cut through the red tape to make sure that the outcome
is in service of veterans, that the care and service that they
have earned is provided timely. If confirmed, that would be one
of my highest priorities, to work efficiency and effectively,
to drive results in service of our veterans.
Senator Cassidy. Okay. Thank you. I yield.
Chairman Tester. I just want to add to that a little bit,
and that is that you are in Washington, DC, and the people that
you are going to be telling they do not have to check the 16
boxes are on the ground in places all over the country. So you
are really going to have to work at driving down your opinions.
Thank you for that.
Ms. Chaturvedi. Yes, sir.
Chairman Tester. Senator Blumenthal.
SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Senator Tester. Thank you
both for your service, extraordinarily impressive service, to
our Nation.
Let me ask you, how do we protect whistleblowers?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Good afternoon, Senator Blumenthal. It is a
pleasure to see you.
Protecting whistleblowers is something that I have done for
many, many years. I have worked in large corporate settings
where people raise their hand to raise concerns. And my message
has always been loud and clear, that whistleblowers, who
actually I call reporters, people that bring to the attention
of an organization concerns that they have, those individuals
must be treated with respect, their concerns need to be
addressed timely, and there needs to be accountability for any
actions that come out of an investigation or a review. I have
practiced that way myself as a lawyer. I have led teams within
the United States and globally with that sentiment in mind. I
would carry that if confirmed to serve as the General Counsel
at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Senator Blumenthal. Do you think that protecting
whistleblowers in the VA, particularly when it comes to issues
relating to health care, where in fact historically they have
played an important part, is a challenge that you would address
proactively?
Ms. Chaturvedi. Yes, sir. I think setting a strong culture
to make sure that people know that concerns need to be raised,
that they will not be--people will not be retaliated, it will
not be accepted. I am prepared to send that message, to share
that message and particularly here, as you say. Particularly
where it comes to the safety, health, and welfare of our
veterans, those concerns need to be addressed quickly,
ethically, and responsibly.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. Well, I look forward to
following up with you on that issue and others.
General Areizaga-Soto, I wonder if you could talk a little
bit about how your past service has prepared you to head an
organization that right now really requires strong management
expertise and insight and activism, maybe talk a little bit
about how your experience, very impressive experience in the
Army and elsewhere such as at the Treasury Department, has
helped you address these challenges.
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Thank you for your question, Senator
Blumenthal. I am deeply honored to serve honorably as an Army
judge advocate. I have done so. I have been in the military for
almost 35 years. Over the last few years, I have been able to
lead large organizations in the Army, leading across time
zones, leading across the 54 National Guards.
And I have been able to lead not only in uniform. I have
also been able to lead large teams in private practice, doing
infrastructure projects globally, and also in the public
sector, civilian side, as a White House Fellow at Treasury and
at USAID.
What I would say that experience has given me is getting to
``yes'' and cutting through the bureaucracy. As I indicated in
my opening statement, Senator, I am about ``Mission First,
People Always.'' I will take care of my team when we got a job
to do.
And the veterans have an expectation and have earned a
right, and we got to deliver for them. And I am hearing from
this Committee that we got to do so and we got to do so
correctly and we got to do so promptly. We just heard from the
physician Senator indicating, you know, as I think President
Lincoln said, no, delayed benefit is no benefit.
So in this case, what I would do, Senator Blumenthal, is
bring that experience, what I call the efficiencies of the
private sector, the commitment of the Armed Forces, and the
care and compassion of the public sector to help deliver an
experience for veterans where they feel respected, honored, and
are treated fairly.
Senator Blumenthal. I am curious, and I apologize that I do
not see it in my notes or in your statement. You may have told
us, but were you born in Puerto Rico?
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Yes, Senator, I was born in the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Senator Blumenthal. Great. Well, I think, you know, both of
your histories demonstrate to me the truth of some of the
points I have been making about the importance of immigration.
As a child of immigrants and the tremendous contribution made
by our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, your personal story
about your family, your dad, and so forth is very inspiring.
So I congratulate you both and your families, and thank
your families as well as you, for your service. It is--both of
you have inspiring family stories that I think are especially
appropriate for the VA. Thank you.
Ms. Chaturvedi. Thank you, sir.
Senator Blumenthal. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Tester. Senator Tuberville has another question,
and I cannot wait.
Senator Tuberville. Yes, one more question, Mr. Areizaga.
You and I talked Monday about the PACT Act, and we talked very
briefly in here. We have got administrators that are going to
be watching this hearing across the country. We are getting
ready to really have an onslaught of probably appeals coming
from this PACT Act. So I think it would be good for you to kind
of discuss how you are going to set this up with your appeals
judges and your staff to get ready for this, if confirmed.
Could you just kind of go through it?
You had some very good thoughts about how we have already
knocked down the amount and how we can continue to do that. And
then, of course, we are going to have a couple million coming
down the chute here pretty quick, so kind of give us a rundown
for the people listening and watching this hearing of how you
are going to handle the urgency of what is getting ready to
happen through the PACT Act.
Mr. Areizaga-Soto. Thank you for your question, Senator. I
first want to commend the team at the Board for the great work
that they have done since the adoption of the AMA. The Board is
at an all-time high of cases heard and decided, but without a
doubt much more needs to be done.
As indicated in there, we have the good news that 22 newly
appointed veterans law judges are coming online, and the first
thing we need to do is because we still have a backlog is to
get that--those teammates up and running as fast as possible
and well-trained, well-staffed because every case is unique,
Senator, and it is only a veterans law judge that hears and
decides an appeal.
So we need to make sure that those veterans law judges are
as productive as they can be so that we can, one, eliminate the
legacy backlog and then, two, look for all means and all ways
possible. That includes technology, leveraging the team, and
all aspects working with the Veterans Benefits Administration
for things that we see need to be fixed at the first level and
then at the appellate level, at the Board level.
It also means working with the Court of Veterans Appeals
because sometimes those cases go up to the Court. Some areas
are affirmed, and some areas are remanded. And then that means
the person needs to get back in line, so we end up with a
conveyor belt of claims.
So we would need to look like I have done in the military,
Senator, is look at the systems, identify what works well,
identify what needs to be fixed, and that is my commitment to
you and to our veterans, to look at all ways, every means
possible to improve efficiencies. And if there needs to be more
things, I would be willing, ready, and able to engage with all
stakeholders to obtain more resources or legal changes to
achieve the highest efficiency possible, Senator.
Chairman Tester. Senator Tuberville, Ms. Chaturvedi's son
is a defensive end and wrestler, back there. Don't you think it
is about time we get him out in the hayfields picking some hay
bales? What do you think, Coach? Yes?
Senator Tuberville. I am all in.
Chairman Tester. All in, all right. Well, I want to thank
our nominees and committee members for their thoughtful
dialogue today. I ask that any post-hearing questions be sent
to the clerk no later than 5 p.m. tomorrow, and I would ask
that you guys answer them as soon as possible.
This hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:18 p.m., the Committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Nomination Material for
ANJALI CHATURVEDI
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Nomination Material for
JAIME AREIZAGA-SOTO
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]