[Senate Hearing 117-693]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-693
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AND MULTI VSOs:
SVA, BVA, MOAA, NASDVA, MVA, NCHV
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JOINT HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE
U.S. SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
MARCH 3, 2021
__________
Formatted 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
52-808 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
----------
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Mark Takano, California, Chairman
Julia Brownley, California Mike Bost, Illinois, Ranking
Conor Lamb, Pennsylvania Member
Mike Levin, California Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen,
Chris Pappas, New Hampshire American Samoa
Elaine G. Luria, Virginia Jack Bergman, Michigan
Frank J. Mrvan, Indiana Jim Banks, Indiana
Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Chip Roy, Texas
Northern Mariana Islands Gregory F. Murphy, North Carolina
Lauren Underwood, Illinois Tracey Mann, Kansas
Colin Z. Allred, Texas Barry Moore, Alabama
Lois Frankel, Florida Nancy Mace, South Carolina
Anthony G. Brown, Maryland Madison Cawthorn, North Carolina
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Troy E. Nehls, Texas
David J. Trone, Maryland Matthew M. Rosendale, Montana
Marcy Kaptur, Ohio Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
Raul Ruiz, California
Ruben Gallego, Arizona
Matt Reel, Staff Director
Maria Tripplaar, Republican Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
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March 3, 2021
REPRESENTATIVES
Page
Takano, Hon. Mark, Chairman, U.S. Representative from California. 1
Bost, Hon. Mike, Ranking Member, U.S. Representative from
Illinois....................................................... 5
Brownley, Hon. Julia, U.S. Representative from California........ 17
Bergman, Hon. Jack, U.S. Representative from Michigan............ 19
Lamb, Hon. Conor, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.......... 20
Pappas, Hon. Chris, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire....... 22
Rosendale, Hon. Matt, U.S. Representative from Montana........... 23
Mrvan, Hon. Frank, U.S. Representative from Indiana.............. 24
Levin, Hon. Mike, U.S. Representative from California............ 27
Murphy, Hon. Greg, U.S. Representative from North Carolina....... 29
Kaptur, Hon. Marcy, U.S. Representative from Ohio................ 30
Miller-Meeks, Hon. Mariannette, U.S. Representative from Iowa.... 31
Underwood, Hon. Lauren, U.S. Representative from Illinois........ 33
Nehls, Hon. Troy, U.S. Representative from Texas................. 34
Cawthorn, Hon. Madison, U.S. Representative from North Carolina.. 35
Luria, Hon. Elaine, U.S. Representative from Virginia............ 36
Mann, Hon. Tracey, U.S. Representative from Kansas............... 39
SENATORS
Tester, Hon. Jon, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Montana............ 4
Moran, Hon. Jerry, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from Kansas...... 6
Manchin III, Hon. Joe, U.S. Senator from West Virginia........... 18
Cassidy, Hon. Bill, U.S. Senator from Louisiana.................. 19
Blumenthal, Hon. Richard, U.S. Senator from Connecticut.......... 25
Tuberville, Hon. Tommy, U.S. Senator from Alabama................ 26
Hassan, Hon. Margaret Wood, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire...... 32
Blackburn, Hon. Marsha, U.S. Senator from Tennessee.............. 38
Boozman, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from Arkansas................... 39
INTRODUCTION OF COMMANDER WHITEHEAD
The Honorable Jon Tester, U.S. Senator from the State of Montana. 8
WITNESSES
Panel I
Stephen ``Butch'' Whitehead, National Commander, Disabled
American Veterans.............................................. 9
accompanied by
Edward R. ``Randy'' Reese, Jr., Executive Director of the
National Service and Legislative Headquarters
Jim Marszalek, National Service Director, Disabled American
Veterans
Joy J. Ilem, National Legislative Director, Disabled American
Veterans
Panel II
Thomas A. Zampieri, Ph.D., National President, Blinded Veterans
Association (BVA).............................................. 41
John Hilgert, Director, Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs,
President, National Association of State Directors of Veterans
Affairs (NASDVA)............................................... 47
Cory Titus, Director, Government Relations for Veterans'
Benefits, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)...... 43
Jared Lyon, National President and CEO, Student Veterans of
America (SVA).................................................. 45
Lindsay Church, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Minority Veterans
of America (MVA)............................................... 49
Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans (NCHV)....................................... 50
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements
Stephen ``Butch'' Whitehead, National Commander, Disabled
American Veterans.............................................. 69
Thomas A. Zampieri, Ph.D., National President, Blinded Veterans
Association (BVA).............................................. 101
John Hilgert, Director, Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs,
President, National Association of State Directors of Veterans
Affairs (NASDVA)............................................... 113
Cory Titus, Director, Government Relations for Veterans'
Benefits, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)...... 118
Jared Lyon, National President and CEO, Student Veterans of
America (SVA).................................................. 135
Lindsay Church, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Minority Veterans
of America (MVA)............................................... 157
Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans (NCHV)....................................... 189
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AND MULTI
VSOs: SVA, BVA, MOAA, NASDVA, MVA, NCHV
----------
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021
U.S. House of Representatives,
and U.S. Senate,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committees met, pursuant to notice, at 10:04 a.m., via
Webex, Hon. Mark Takano, Chairman of the House Committee on
Veterans' Affairs, presiding.
Present:
Representatives Takano, Brownley, Lamb, Levin, Pappas,
Luria, Mrvan, Sablan, Underwood, Allred, Frankel, Brown,
Kaptur, Ruiz, Bost, Bergman, Banks, Murphy, Mann, Moore, Mace,
Cawthorn, Nehls, Rosendale, and Miller-Meeks.
Senators Tester, Sanders, Brown, Blumenthal, Manchin,
Sinema, Hassan, Moran, Boozman, Cassidy, Rounds, Tillis,
Sullivan, Blackburn, and Tuberville.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARK TAKANO, CHAIRMAN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Chairman Takano. Good morning. I call this hearing to
order. I want to welcome all members, witnesses, and guests to
this hearing today.
I know this event, which we hold every year, looks a bit
different this time, so I want to go over some items to ensure
we have as smooth and engaging a presentation as possible.
First, if you are experiencing connectivity issues, please
make sure you or your staff contact our designated technical
support so those issues can be resolved immediately.
To ensure our members and participants can have robust
engagement, I ask that members participating remotely continue
to remain visible on camera for the duration of their
participation in the hearing, unless they experience
connectivity issues or other technical problems that render the
member unable to fully participate on camera.
We have a lot of participants and members in this hearing
today, so I will follow the House Committee on Veterans'
Affairs' policy that members remain muted when not recognized,
just like turning your microphone on and off during an in-
person hearing. This is out of courtesy to all members on the
committee, our witnesses, and guests, and so that background
noise does not interfere with another member who is recognized
to speak.
As previously noticed, we will recognize members in two
groups today. First, in order of seniority, we will recognize
members who are present before the gavel; second, in order of
seniority, we will recognize members who are present after the
gavel. Questions will alternate between members and between the
majority/minority members present. Finally, members will be
recognized for 3 minutes during each panel.
Today, we will be using a virtual timer to keep time. To
keep the timer in your view on your main screen, select grid
and focus--grid or focus view, you can select either grid or
focus view, move your mouse over the second thumbnail from the
right, click on the white circle, and select ``Lock
Participant,'' and from the list of participants choose
``Hearing Timer.'' This will keep the timer in your view.
When you are recognized, you will need to un-mute your
microphone, pause for 2 or 3 seconds before speaking so that
your words are captured on the live stream.
If you wish to have a document inserted into the record,
please ask for unanimous consent, and have your staff email the
document to [email protected]. It will be
uploaded to the committee document repository.
Does any member have a question about the procedures for
this hearing?
I see none and I hear none, so we will proceed.
First of all, I just want to ask Ranking Member Bost to
give me a thumbs-up if the Marines plaque is positioned
correctly behind me in its proper place. Ranking Member Bost,
give me a thumbs-up if that is the case. Thank you, thank you.
Well, welcome, everyone, to the Joint Hearing of the House
and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs to receive the
legislative presentations of Disabled American Veterans and
multiple Veterans Service Organizations. It is an honor to join
all the members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans'
Affairs virtually to hear directly from Veterans Service
Organizations that represent millions of veterans and their
families.
I would like to welcome all DAV members and members of the
Auxiliary who have joined us online today. We will hear DAV's
testimony on our first panel.
I would also like to welcome the Blinded Veterans
Association; National Association of State Directors of
Veterans Affairs; Military Officers Association of America;
Student Veterans of America; Minority Veterans of America;
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans; and who we will hear
from on today's second panel.
I especially want to welcome MVA and NCHV, who will be
testifying for the first time at our yearly legislative
presentations. Inviting groups that specifically advocate for
minority and under-served veterans is a crucial first step
toward our goal to create a more welcoming VA.
I would also like to specifically welcome any members from
my home State of California. Normally, we would have a room
full of visiting veterans and we would hear a raucous cheer
from our home State. We may not be in the same room like in
years past due to the ongoing pandemic, but I want to welcome
you and thank you for joining us today virtually.
The opportunity to hear from our VSO partners is incredibly
important to me. Our VSO partners represent veterans and their
families at all stages of life and service, and hearing from
these partners allows the committee the opportunity to hear
directly from you about what is most important to you and how
we can best be of service to our Nation's veterans. This is
another way we can also hear from veterans directly as many of
those participating today bring their own veteran's experience
to the table.
While this is one platform that allows us to hear many
voices, we plan to continue to promote the inclusion of more
diverse voices, more diverse veteran voices beyond today's
hearing. This point is incredibly important as we face the
challenge of a global pandemic, and it gives us the opportunity
to discuss ways to build better veterans programs that can
overcome the difficulties of future crises and address problems
for all veterans.
In the last Congress, together we secured several important
wins for veterans, including the passage of the Blue Water Navy
Vietnam Veterans Act, the Deborah Sampson Act, the Veterans
COMPACT Act, and the Commander Hannon Act. And I am very proud
of these accomplishments, but they are only the beginning. We
need to build on these achievements and continue our fight for
better veterans programs in this Congress and beyond.
Now, already we are making critical fixes to expand VA's
ability to provide COVID-19 vaccines to veterans and their
caregivers. I want to thank my colleague Ranking Member Bost
for introducing the VA Vaccine Act with me, which will make
this essential fix to expand VA's authority and allow them to
provide access to all veterans regardless of VA enrollment, as
well as the authority to administer the vaccine to their
caregivers.
Additionally, we are close to closing the 90-10 loophole to
provide more education protections for servicemembers,
veterans, and American taxpayers.
Reading your testimony, it is clear your priorities are
aligned with my own. And my committee's top priorities for this
Congress include creating a more inclusive and welcoming VA;
building equity for an increasingly diverse veterans community;
reducing veteran suicide; addressing toxic exposure; ensuring
student veterans receive quality education; advocating for
women veterans; modernizing VA; supporting VA's long-term care
facilities; improving VA's management and oversight; and
ensuring our legislative accomplishments are implemented
effectively.
Our diverse veterans community includes more women, LGBTQ-
plus veterans, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Native veterans than
ever before. Our country's diversity strengthens our armed
forces and veterans communities and they deserve to have a
place at VA, and to feel safe and welcomed when they walk
through VA's doors.
Additionally, the VA must acknowledge the diversity of its
workforce to address systemic discrimination in the workplace.
We must ensure that health care and benefits are fairly and
equitably distributed to all eligible veterans and, to do that,
we must also ensure a safe and equitable workplace for VA
employees.
Our work to prevent veteran suicide continues, and we must
continue to pursue well-researched and scientifically sound
policies that have been proven to prevent suicide.
This Congress, we must also focus on toxic exposure. So
many veterans are suffering from health effects due to exposure
to toxic substances during military service. In the 116th
Congress, we made major strides in providing benefits to
veterans with Agent Orange exposure. We will continue our
efforts in this Congress by improving VA's claims process for
toxic exposures and looking to provide support to the many
veterans who are suffering from other toxic and environmental
exposure such as burn pits.
We have big goals, but I know that with your support and
insight here today, as well as with the support of the
administration, we will be able to deliver on them and fulfill
the promises we have made to our Nation's veterans. I look
forward to hearing your testimony today, and thank all the
organizations here today for their continued advocacy and
support for the veteran community.
So, thank you.
And now, Chairman Tester, I want to recognize you for your
opening remarks. Chairman Tester.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JON TESTER, CHAIRMAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA
Senator Tester. Thank you, Chairman Takano, and good
morning to everybody.
Welcome to the leadership of the Disabled American
Veterans. We are grateful to have you here today. And I want to
thank the leaders and advocates who will be joining us on the
second panel today. We all look forward to hearing from you
also.
This is undoubtedly a critical and unprecedented time for
our Nation and for our Nation's veterans. At the top of our
challenges is the pandemic and getting shots into the arms of
as many veterans as soon as possible. And, as the Chairman of
the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, my focus is bolstering
the vaccine supply chain, ensuring there is a system in place
to efficiently and equitably distribute vaccines to all
veterans, regardless of where they live. But we need your help
getting the word out to your fellow veterans. That is, when it
is their turn to get the vaccine, they should get one. That is
the only way we will get beyond this pandemic and get our
communities and our economies back on track.
Commander Whitehead, thank you for all the work that you
have done on behalf of disabled veterans while serving as
National Commander. We need to hear from you whether the VA is
operating in a transparent manner as they execute legislative
priorities, including the expansion of the caregivers program,
the John Scott Hannon Mental Health Improvement Act, and the
Deborah Sampson Act.
To the second panel, I want to hear about how VA's numerous
programs are affecting the members of your various
organizations. There are a wide range of veterans represented
here today. Your testimony will cover a variety of issues vital
to ensuring we know what your priorities to work on are this
year. Tell me how well-transitioned programs are working; what
inequalities minority veterans are facing when it comes to
receiving VA services; what VA needs to do to improve its
support of State programs; and what we can do to end veteran
homelessness, among other issues.
And I want to know how toxic exposure impacts your members.
Last year, we worked hard to expand presumptive lists for Agent
Orange-related conditions, now I want to hear your ideas for
how we can change the presumptive process to better serve
veterans.
We are here to listen to you. The voice you and your
members provide is an important source of information as we
attempt to do right by all veterans.
Welcome again. Thank you for all that you and your
organizations do on behalf of disabled veterans and their
families.
With that, I will turn it back to you, Chairman Takano.
Chairman Takano. Mr. Bost of Illinois. Mr. Bost and his
family have a rich tradition of military service, and I would
like to extend my thanks to him and his family for their
tradition of service to our country.
Ranking Member Bost, you are now recognized for your
opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE BOST,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS
Mr. Bost. Thank you, Chairman, and good morning.
It is an honor to join Chairman Takano, Chairman Tester,
Ranking Member Moran, and welcoming you here today in joining
this hearing. These hearings are unique and one of the
highlights of our yearly work.
The opportunity to meet in person with VSO leaders and
members from across the country is vitally important. I wish we
could do that together today, but I am sure by next year we
will be through this and we will be able to do that next year.
I am also looking forward to shaking your hands and listening
to your stories.
In the meantime, it is a privilege to be a participant in
this hearing and for the first time as the Republican for the
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs as the ranking member. I
am looking forward to this visit, but I am also looking forward
and letting you know that I have big shoes to fill. My
predecessors served this committee with the entire veteran
community with distinction. They left an incredible legacy of
achievement behind. I am excited to continue the work they
started and to get things done for veterans and their families.
Please know this: I am committed to working with each and
every one of you to find common ground and address the tough
issues that affect the men and women of your organizations
every day. My door is always open.
As Chairman Takano mentioned, I am a Marine veteran. My
father and grandfather served before me, my son and grandson
are serving now. This work is deeply personal to me and my
family, just as it is for all of you and your families. I do
not take this responsibility or this role lightly.
Before I continue with my opening remarks, I did want to
take a moment, though, to thank each and every one of you for
your service both in uniform and out. Our communities rely on
your Washington, DC staffs to offer key insight on legislation
and oversight. As important as that is, I know that that is
just a fraction of the work that your organizations do every
day to serve veterans and their families all across this
country. And I want to say thank you. It is because of the
support from organizations like yours that there have been so
many positive changes underway at the VA in the last several
years. I have seen the rising veterans' trust and satisfaction
scores and I don't think they are exaggerated. Your advocacy
and input is essential. Your policies you have helped us put up
and put forth are working. But, like all virtuous endeavors,
our work is never done. We must continue to build on the
changes that are underway.
As ranking member, my priorities to this Congress include
overseeing VA's continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic;
overseeing the implementation of our recent legislative
successes; creating a pathway to care and benefits for our
veterans exposed to burn pits and/or any other toxins;
strengthening services for women veterans; preventing veteran
suicide; improving the transition process; preserving veterans'
choice and increasing access to care; protecting veterans'
Second Amendment rights; and modernizing the VA's outdated IT
system. I am aware that it is an ambitious agenda and not one
that I can do alone.
We will never know all the names or hear all the stories,
but it is our duty to work together to deliver real results for
the men and women who raise their right hand in service to this
great Nation. We have a responsibility to serve them once they
return home. We have a responsibility to put their needs above
partisan politics. We have a responsibility to get things done
because in many cases we are the only advocates they have got.
On behalf of them and the future generations of warriors to
come, I look forward to working with you to be the best that we
can be.
Thank you all for being here today.
And, with that, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Ranking Member Bost.
Ranking Member Moran, before I recognize you for your
opening statement, let me just say that I appreciated the
bipartisan common ground we found in the last Congress; it was
very productive. So I recognize you for your opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY MORAN,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Senator Moran. Chairman Takano, thank you very much, and I
appreciate our working relationship when you and I were both
chairman for the last 2 years. And to my new chairman, we are
working together, as we have in the past, which is a good
thing.
I congratulate Ranking Member Bost on his arrival as the
ranking member. I thank him for his service and now his service
in even a broader opportunity to veterans.
And I welcome my new Kansas colleague to the House
Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tracey Mann. Tracey, 24 years ago
when I joined the House of Representatives, I became a member
of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. And I wish you well
and thank you for your efforts to care for Kansans who have
served our Nation.
I welcome all of our witnesses to this morning's hearing. I
know that the virtual format, as we have talked, is a bit
unusual. We are all anxious for the opportunity to return to
that moment in which we can press the flesh, say our words in
person, and congratulate and thank those who have served our
Nation.
We are anxious to hear from each of their organizations,
their leadership today. They have great passion and expertise;
they represent many veterans across the country. And your input
is of value to me and to my colleagues.
I also extend my gratitude to veterans around the country
and especially in Kansas who are watching today and I thank
them for paying attention, and I would welcome their input when
the hearing is over to tell me what I should have learned and
what I should take away from this opportunity to hear from
veterans across the Nation.
We have accomplished a lot working together in recent
years: legislation to help reduce veteran suicide, improve
access and choice in health care, and provide resources and
flexibility to assist veterans during this COVID-19 pandemic.
That is just a few examples. I expect that bipartisan effort to
continue in the 117th Congress, and I will continue to look to
your organizations for guidance on the issues that you think
are most important.
As most of you all know, however, the real measure of
success is not simply passing legislation, but it is ensuring
effective execution of the law and seeing concrete results. Our
committees remain engaged in providing oversight of the
Department implementation of laws and its use of scarce
resources, but the membership of your organizations are our
eyes and ears on the ground, indispensable to that oversight.
One example of what I am talking about came last year from
Student Veterans of America. Through a quirk in the law,
veterans attending school in person who were told because of
COVID to shift to a virtual learning environment were on the
verge of having their educational assistance benefits reduced
even though their living expenses remained the same. Because of
SVA's advocacy, we changed the law and helped thousands of
students who otherwise may have had to have dropped out of
their educational experience. To Jared Lyon and SVA, I say
thank you.
To Commander Whitehead, the DAV's advocacy has been just as
invaluable. Your focus on improving health care for women
veterans and monitoring the expansion of family caregiver
assistance is critical to our oversight work.
I could go on and on citing examples of how each of the
organizations that are with us today have aided our collective
efforts, but your testimony this morning will make an account
of the work that needs to be done today to care for your
brothers and sisters in arms that served before you, those that
served alongside you, and those that will answer the call to
serve after you.
All of us should recognize that we are able to enjoy the
freedoms and liberties as Americans because of men and women
who have served. Part of our collective responsibility is to
make clear to the public what our commitment to veterans is and
what role the VA and other governmental entities, and even the
private sector, should play in fulfilling our commitment. I
know Secretary McDonough feels passionately about this and I am
grateful to each of your organizations for making it central to
your daily work.
In concluding, my thank you to each of you again for your
testimony. I am hopeful that this will be our last virtual
hearing together, and that we come back in 2022 and have a
hearing room packed again with Kansans and veterans from across
the country.
Chairman Takano, I thank you, and I look forward to our
witnesses' testimony.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Moran. I too hope that
this year will be the last year that we do virtual hearings. We
still have a few more to do this session of Congress, but with
the President's announcement that every American--President
Biden's announcement that every American who wants to be
vaccinated by the end of May, that will be possible. So we have
a lot of reasons to be optimistic.
With the introduction of our first panel, let me begin to
announce who will be here today.
Today, we have Commander Stephen ``Butch'' Whitehead,
National Commander, Disabled American Veterans. Accompanying
Commander Whitehead is Mr. Edward R. ``Randy'' Reese, Jr.,
Executive Director of the National Service and Legislative
Headquarters; Mr. Jim Marszalek, National Service Director,
Disabled American Veterans; and Ms. Joy J. Ilem, National
Legislative Director of the Disabled American Veterans.
Senator Tester has offered to introduce our first witness.
So, Senator Tester, please go ahead.
INTRODUCTION BY THE HONORABLE JON TESTER
Senator Tester. Thank you, Chairman Takano, and it is
indeed my honor and privilege to introduce the National
Commander of the Disabled American Veterans, Stephen ``Butch''
Whitehead.
Commander Whitehead comes to us from Trimont, Minnesota. He
served in the Minnesota Army National Guard from 1991 until
2019, deploying twice overseas and earning a Bronze Star for
combat service in Iraq in 2007. He retired at the rank of
Command Sergeant Major.
Commander Whitehead currently serves as Executive Director
of the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota Foundation, and
has served as National Commander of the DAV since 2019. During
that time, along with his top-notch policy team and network of
advocates, he has worked with us in Congress to pass some of
the most impactful reforms for veterans in generations.
Commander Whitehead, thank you for your service, thank you
for being here to advocate for the needs of your fellow
veterans. I look forward to your testimony and to working with
you in the upcoming Congress to further build on the work that
we have done to ensure that no veteran is left behind.
Thank you and I yield back, Chairman Takano.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Tester.
And welcome, Commander Whitehead. You are now recognized
for your opening comments.
PANEL I
----------
STATEMENT OF STEPHEN ``BUTCH'' WHITEHEAD,
ACCOMPANIED BY EDWARD R. ``RANDY'' REESE, JR.,
JIM MARSZALEK; AND JOY J. ILEM
Mr. Whitehead. Thank you, Chairman Tester, for your kind
introduction.
Chairman Takano and all members of the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs, thank you for providing me the opportunity
to present the 2021 Legislative Program of DAV, Disabled
American Veterans, an organization of more than one million
members forever changed in wartime service.
My full written statement thoroughly details DAV's
legislative priorities for the 117th Congress and reports on
our many programs and accomplishments. So, today, I will just
highlight some of our most critical policy goals. But, before I
do, I would like to introduce my DAV colleagues joining me
today: DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director Randy
Reese, DAV National Service Director Jim Marszalek, and DAV
National Legislative Director Joy Ilem.
I also want to thank the many DAV leaders watching this
hearing at home who are vital to our organization's success,
they include DAV's Senior Engineer Vice Commanders and the
leaders of the DAV Auxiliary. I also want to extend my
gratitude to DAV's National Adjunct, our National Headquarters
Executive Director, our National Executive Committee, our
National Legislative Interim Committee, as well as my chief of
staff.
Of course, I also want to recognize our dedicated DAV
members across the country, hundreds of whom would have been
here in person to support me at this hearing if not for the
ongoing pandemic.
And, finally, I want to thank my wife, Kim, who remains my
most steadfast supporter and partner.
Messrs. Chairman, this past year, DAV commemorated a
century of dedicated service to America's veterans, their
families and survivors. While it looked and felt different than
we had planned, it gave us an important opportunity to reflect
on our organization's history and the lessons we have learned
in the face of adversity.
DAV was formed in 1920 in the wake of World War I as the
influence of the pandemic of 1918 drew to its end. We can find
many parallels between the time of our establishment and our
centennial anniversary: a viral outbreak sweeping the globe;
overrun and overburdened health care systems; economic
downturn; soaring unemployment; and, underlying it all, a
pressing need to address critical issues affecting our Nation's
wartime disabled veterans.
I am proud to say that despite the significant challenges
of this past year and thanks to the dedication and adaptability
of our teams in Kentucky, Washington, DC, and across the
Nation, DAV's mission did not change and our commitment did not
falter.
Messrs. Chairman, at our core, DAV is rooted in service.
When veterans needed us most, as many lost their jobs, fell
ill, or became isolated in their homes, DAV members,
volunteers, and staff quickly pivoted to provide necessary help
and resources. Although our offices across the Nation were
closed to foot traffic to help limit the spread of the virus,
DAV rapidly set up and staffed a new toll-free hotline for
veterans so our experts could assist them with claims and
benefits. Since the pandemic began, we have fielded nearly
190,000 calls, and last year DAV service officers filed 140,000
new claims for veterans benefits.
DAV also established a COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Fund in
April to provide financial aid to service-connected disabled
veterans who lost employment or small business income in the
wake of the outbreak. So far, DAV distributed more than $2
million in unemployment relief nationwide to veterans. And as
we watched our unemployment numbers soar last year and hundreds
of thousands of veterans were without work, DAV transformed all
of our in-person career fairs to virtual events.
Since 2014, our employment program has hosted 700
traditional and virtual career fairs, which has resulted in
over 150,000 job offers for active duty servicemembers, Guard
and Reserve members, veterans, and spouses who attended.
As many of you know, DAV's transportation network has
become a resource that veterans rely on for free transportation
to their VA medical appointments. Though safety precautions
required the program to be halted as the pandemic began, DAV
volunteers in my home State of Minnesota and nationwide have
proven it is possible to carry on through challenging times by
implementing new measures to keep themselves and the veterans
they serve safe. Despite COVID-related challenges last year,
our volunteers logged almost 10 million miles and provided
veterans nearly a quarter million rides to VA hospitals, saving
taxpayers more than $18 million.
Messrs. Chairman, although the full and lasting impact of
this pandemic is not yet clear, we do know that there are many
issues our Nation must stand ready to address; health care is
chief among them. Over the course of this pandemic, the VA had
to make drastic changes in health care delivery. We saw a
significant increase in telehealth services, as VA adapted to
the ever-changing landscape.
There have also been serious economic impacts. Nearly
800,000 veterans were left searching for work last summer, with
disabled veterans disproportionately affected. How many of
those veterans today are still unable to pay their bills, feed
their families, and make ends meet? We know that before the
pandemic many veterans were already struggling with post-
deployment challenges, mental health issues and, in some cases,
thoughts of suicide. While the VA has worked hard to keep
veterans connected with their mental health providers, we are
concerned that many face dark times. Many have been without
access to the support system and resources they had before the
pandemic. We will all need to work together to ensure that we
do not lose ground in the battle against veteran suicide, and
we must also explore the future of what VA health care will
look like in the post-pandemic world.
While we have many challenges ahead of us, we know that
when we work together, despite obstacles we face, we can make
progress. For example, led by your committees, Congress
expanded access to benefits and health care for Vietnam
veterans suffering from the impacts of Agent Orange. Last year,
more than 30,000 Vietnam veterans gained access to long-overdue
VA health care and received almost $800 million in retroactive
benefit payments due to the passage of the Blue Water Navy
Vietnam Veterans Act.
In addition, this past December, Congress approved
legislation to expand the list of presumptive Agent Orange
diseases, extending health care benefits to thousands more
Vietnam veterans and their survivors. We are grateful for this
progress, but we must not allow other generations of veterans
like those exposed to burn pits, hazardous chemical agents at
K2 base in Uzbekistan, or contaminated water stateside to
endure similar unnecessary delays getting health care and
benefits.
DAV is proud to be the organization that first brought the
issue of burn pits to light more than a decade ago. While
further research will help us examine the health impacts of
these exposures and help determine whether to create
presumptive disease associations, there is action Congress can
take now to help veterans who served near burn pits. We want to
thank Senators Sullivan and Manchin for reintroducing the
bipartisan Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Recognition Act last
week. This bill will create a concession of exposure to burn
pits to help veterans more easily prove claims for benefits. We
call on Congress to once again take this legislation up and
quickly approve it.
Messrs. Chairman, we know that when veterans are injured or
became ill in service, their families are affected as well. We
must ensure that they continue to receive recognition and
support, particularly when the veterans pass away. As we all
know, thousands of veterans have died during this pandemic.
Although their official cause of death may be listed as COVID,
it is vitally important for survivors to have the relevant
service-connected conditions identified as principal or
contributing factors in order to file claims for survivor
benefits. We ask Congress to pass the Ensuring Survivor
Benefits During COVID-19 Act to require identification of these
conditions on veterans' death certificates so we can properly
care for these families.
Another important issue that requires urgent congressional
action is the expansion of VA's Comprehensive Caregivers
Program. As you know, Congress mandated the expansion of
caregiver assistance to all generations of severely disabled
veterans in two phases. However, the first phase was delayed by
a full year due to the VA's failure to certify a new caregiver
IT system on time. While veterans of World War II, the Korean
and Vietnam War eras became eligible in October, the delay
pushed back the start date for the second phase of expansion.
That impacts Persian Gulf war veterans and others who were
injured or became ill between May 7th, 1975 and September 11th,
2001. We ask Congress to pass legislation and provide full
funding to mandate that phase two of the expansion be completed
this year as the law intended.
Another critical policy goal for DAV is ensuring that the
VA health care system has the resources, personnel, and
facilities necessary to provide timely, high-quality care to
all enrolled veterans. VA has begun asset and infrastructure
review to develop a long-term plan to rebuild and realign VA's
facilities to serve veterans where they live. In order to be
successful, VA must consult closely with VSOs and veterans who
use the VA health care system as they design this plan. In
addition, Congress must be willing to fully fund the cost of
maintaining all of VA's health care facilities.
Messrs. Chairman, this past year has challenged us as a
nation in ways none of us could have imagined, but, like
President Abraham Lincoln, I have faith in America's resilience
in such difficult times. He said, quote, ``If given the truth,
people can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The
great point is to bring them the real facts.''
Undoubtedly, we will be experiencing the impact of this
pandemic for years to come and must stand prepared to address
the long-term ramifications for America's veterans by
preventing these new realities. But together, moving forward
with candor and transparency, we can work to overcome the
challenges and setbacks this past year has laid at our Nation's
doorstep.
Thank you for the opportunity to present DAV's 2021
Legislative Priorities, and highlight the many programs and
services we provide to our heroes forever changed in service.
May God continue to bless DAV, the men and women who serve
our great nation, and the United States of America.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Whitehead appears on page 69
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Commander Whitehead. Your full
written testimony will be included in the hearing record.
So that we can ensure every member here in this hearing has
an opportunity to ask questions, I ask that everyone limit
their questions to 3 minutes.
I now recognize myself for 3 minutes of questioning.
Many Americans watched and the investigations later
confirmed that current and former military participated in the
January 6th attack on the Capitol and this institution. I know
that the DAV responded with some very specific actions and
guidance for your membership with regard to those events.
Can you tell the joint committee here today about your
response and why you made the decision you did, why the DAV
made that decision?
Mr. Whitehead. Chairman, thank you for the question.
I would like to have my Executive Director kind of take the
overview on that one.
Randy, please?
Mr. Reese. Thank you, Chairman Takano. We certainly were
concerned when the events unfolded. It is a national tragedy
and should never be repeated. And for those who participated,
we think that the full burden of responsibility is theirs to
bear. And any members of DAV would be thoroughly vetted and due
process provided and, if necessary, their expulsion from DAV.
Chairman Takano. Well, I certainly appreciate the actions
that DAV took, the leadership that DAV exerted, and the example
that DAV set. I hope other Veterans Service Organizations will
follow DAV's lead.
As an ambassador for the PREVENTS task force, we know that
you are a strong advocate for suicide prevention. As the
suicide epidemic among veterans continues to take its toll,
what more can be done and how can we work together to do it?
Mr. Whitehead. Chairman, thank you for that, because that
is a very important topic for me. You know, being an ambassador
for PREVENTS, I was honored to be included in that, because
suicide is something that is very important to me and it is
near and dear to my heart for losing friends and also family
members to suicide. But I would like to have Legislative
Director, Joy Ilem, kind of elaborate a little more on that.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Thanks, Commander.
Absolutely, you know, we want to thank Congress, the House
and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees for the passage of
those two major pieces of legislation last year, really
comprehensive and will set the tone for this year in terms of
new progress that can be made on suicide.
I think two things that I would add that VA could do are
two programs they have already started, but really to ramp them
up. One would be the SPED Program, which is a program for
veterans that are in crisis who come to an emergency room. The
emergency provider should make a plan at that time with them
where they have got follow up care after that visit and to make
sure that that veteran gets all the services that they need and
the support following that crisis.
The other initiative that VA has started relates to lethal
means safety storage, so both of medications and firearms, for
veterans in crisis. Their training program, we want to make
sure that VA providers feel comfortable to be able to talk to
veterans about the issues that they are experiencing when they
are in crisis, they want to keep them safe both from
medications and firearms.
So we would say those two programs are critical to really
ramp up and to help reduce suicide in the veteran population.
Chairman Takano. Well, thank you, Ms. Ilem, for your
comments about firearms safety.
My time has expired. I recognize Senator Tester for his 3
minutes of questioning.
Senator Tester. Thank you, Chairman Takano.
And I want to thank you, Commander Whitehead, for your
testimony and your input into our agenda for this next year.
Look, the vaccine is critically important, as I said in my
opening remarks. We had a hearing in Senate Veterans' Affairs
last week with VHA and Dr. Stone, and learned that vaccine
hesitancy is an issue for some veterans, especially in rural
areas. And it is not just in places like Kansas and Montana, it
is places all over the country.
My question is, how can DAV help communicate to veterans
about the importance of this vaccine and dispel any myths that
may be out there about this vaccine?
Mr. Whitehead. Well, Senator, thank you, because obviously
this is important to me. Being a leader in the National Guard,
I too have already taken my vaccine, and I have actually done
videos and actually done messaging out there. So even in the
military, our soldiers are getting it.
But on the DAV side, I would like to have my Legislative
Director, Joy Ilem, kind of highlight a few things that she
says that we need to do.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. I would just add that DAV and the VSO community
in general can really help with this issue, especially in rural
communities. Our leaders need to step forward, they need to
lead. They need to make people feel comfortable, get the
information that VA is making available when it is their turn
to get the vaccine. We want to--as everyone has indicated this
morning in their opening remarks, we want to see the pandemic
in the rearview, and that means getting everyone vaccinated and
feeling comfortable that there is a safe way to do that getting
their vaccine.
Senator Tester. Thank you for that.
Look, toxic exposure is a huge issue. We did some good work
last Congress. I had a bill for bladder cancer, hypothyroidism,
and Parkinsonism. With help from Jerry Moran and others, we
were able to get that across the finish line on the
presumptives for Agent Orange, but we have more to do.
And I want you to comment on hypertension and MGUS,
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, which is a
mouthful in and of itself. It is my understanding that those
two, hypertension and MGUS, have even a greater association
with Agent Orange than the ones we added last year. Is that
true from your perspective?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, that is a great point because it
was--I want to first of all thank you and this committee, you
know, for that hard work getting those added because that was a
huge win for our Vietnam veterans and all those affected by
these toxins. So, thank you for that work. But if I could have
my Service Director, Jim, kind of highlight a few more on that.
Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander.
Thank you, Senator, great question. And you are absolutely
correct, hypertension and MGUS are at a much higher level than
the three recent added conditions. So it is time, it is time
for VA to act and to add hypertension and MGUS as a presumptive
condition for these veterans. They have waited long enough, it
is time to add them now.
Senator Tester. Amen. And I look forward to working with
the DAV and all VSOs on the presumptive issues. So, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Chairman Tester.
I now recognize Ranking Member Bost for 3 minutes.
Mr. Bost. Thank you, Chairman.
And, you know, if we can, last week, Chairman Takano and I
introduced the VA Vaccine Act. This bill would expand the
vaccine to all veterans and caregivers of those who are in
certain categories for long-term and home-based care programs.
Our bill requires enrollment of veterans to be prioritized
first and provided the vaccine access, as long as it is
available, and for the dependents, and also available for their
caregivers.
Do you support this bill? And, if so, why or why not?
Mr. Whitehead. Ranking Member, thank you for that question
because, you know, it is very important and as we have heard
everybody's comments. Getting this vaccine in the bodies is
what we need, you know, we need to do that right away. But if I
can have my Legislative Director, Joy, kind of highlight a few
more things that we see.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Yes, we absolutely are pleased to support the
bill and appreciate the bipartisan introduction of it.
We understand, especially for many of our caregivers, it is
important they are there with that veteran every day. We want
to make sure all veterans have the opportunity get vaccinated
as soon as possible and we know VA is going to be a leader in
this regard. As they get more supply, I am sure they will ramp
up.
Mr. Bost. Thank you.
You know, one thing--and this kind of a personal question
just to get you to direct toward me. In the last several years,
we have had tremendous productivity and success on the
committees. Now, as ranking member, where do you think my focus
should be--I told you in my opening where our focus is at, but
where do you think--where would you suggest my focus should be
racking up the biggest wins that we can for veterans and their
families?
Ms. Ilem. I will go ahead and say, we do appreciate, I
think, you and Chairman Takano working closely together. A
number of priorities for--that he mentioned this morning I know
are important to you as well and I think that are critical. You
know, we have mentioned several of them here today. I think
that we all agree that we can all work together on, you know,
toxic exposures, making sure veterans don't have to wait,
really looking at the framework of presumptive disabilities.
And making sure COVID, first and foremost, that veterans get
the care they need, we get this pandemic behind us. And, you
know, caregiver support and other things that have been
mentioned.
So we look forward to working with both of you to
accomplish those goals.
Mr. Bost. Thank you. And, once again, I want to thank you
for what you do.
And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Ranking Member Bost.
I now recognize Ranking Member Senator Moran for 3 minutes.
[Pause.]
Chairman Takano. Is Senator Moran not here?
Senator Tester. Chairman Takano, he has got another
committee meeting. He will probably be back, so go ahead and
move on.
Chairman Takano. We will bring him back. Okay, thank you.
Senator Moran. Chairman, I'm here.
Chairman Takano. Oh, there you are. Okay.
Senator Moran. I was here and went away.
Chairman Takano. Well, we understand that. So go ahead,
Senator Moran, you have 3 minutes.
Senator Moran. Thank you very much.
Again, thank you to the witness for the testimony. Let me
ask just a couple of questions.
The MISSION Act provided for the expansion of the Caregiver
Support Program to all eras over time, yet the VA
implementation of this expansion was delayed and they have
implemented rules to discharge an estimated 8,000 caregivers
from the program's comprehensive assistance. Do you believe the
VA should expedite expansion and how will caregivers of your
members be affected when VA discharges them on October 1, 2021?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, you know, you bring up a great
point and you actually heard my speech, this caregiver thing is
very important to me.
You know, when you guys passed that law, you guys wanted it
and implemented to be effective October 1st, 2021, and that is
what we feel as well. That needs to be implemented on time, no
more delays. These caregivers have been affected long enough.
But if I could have my Legislative Director kind of
highlight a few more.
Joy?
Senator Moran. Please. I knew this was an issue of
importance to you.
Ms. Ilem. Yes. So many caregivers, you know, have been
waiting for this so long and we don't want any further delay,
you know, due to those IT issues on the front end that sort of
delayed the second part of the expansion, and we do hope that
moves forward. and we think that a hearing is--this would be a
perfect issue for a hearing.
The question that you raise there, you know, that will be
difficult for many of those caregivers with the changes in the
law, but I do want to say that many of our members, severely
disabled veterans who have applied for the comprehensive
support program have gotten--we have gotten rave reviews from
them. They have indicated it has worked well for them and they
have gotten their benefits already. But we know there is many
more that have been denied so far and there is a lot of work to
do with regard to this and, you know, that many will be really
looking for assistance and guidance on that issue.
Senator Moran. Thank you for your support and your
suggestions of a hearing.
Let me see in the little time I have left. In the past 2
years, Congress has passed legislation to eliminate the SBP and
DIC offsets and allow DIC recipients to remarry at the age of
55 and still retain their survivor benefits. Does the DAV have
additional recommendations about how to support survivors of
disabled veterans?
Mr. Whitehead. Thanks for that question, Senator. I am
going to ask my Service Director, Jim, to kind of take that one
for me.
Jim?
Senator Moran. Thank you.
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander. Excellent question.
Yes, another idea would be to eliminate the 10-year rule.
The DIC program would be more equitable for all survivors if
they were eligible for a partial DIC benefit starting at 5
years of the veteran being totally disabled, and we could
increase that incrementally until reaching full entitlement at
10 years.
Another good one could be removing dependents' educational
assistance delimiting date. Currently, surviving spouses only
have a 10-year period to apply for those particular benefits
and use them. So in many instances, most notably in the case of
caregivers, family obligations and the need to care for the
service-disabled veteran requires the spouses to defer using
these benefits for years. So we see--we feel removing that 10-
year delimiting date will be a significant benefit for those
survivors.
Senator Moran. Thank you for your testimony.
Thank you, Chairman Takano.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Ranking Member Moran.
I now recognize the chair of our Subcommittee on Health,
and also the chair of what I hope will be the re-authorized
Women Veterans Task Force. You did a brilliant job.
Representative Brownley, I recognize you for 3 minutes.
HON. JULIA BROWNLEY,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Ms. Brownley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And I wanted to just add my voice to express my gratitude
to every veteran listening here today, to thank you and your
families for your service to our country.
I also, Commander, wanted to say to you what a great job
Joy Ilem does representing your DAV and your membership and,
quite frankly, all veterans. She just does an extraordinary
job. So thank you for allowing her to do her good work.
And I just want to say I appreciate you mentioning in your
testimony the importance of the Deborah Sampson Act and the
Women Veterans Task Force. I think we can all agree that there
is still a lot more work to be done in this space.
But my question really is, Commander Whitehead, what sort
of long-term challenges does the VA face right now that will
prevent it from providing adequate services to women veterans
in the future?
Mr. Whitehead. Well, Representative, thank you, because
obviously, being a leader in the military, I have female
soldiers around me all the time. And I think one of the things
VA needs to understand is the increased number of females
joining the military right now and that continues to grow each
year. So the VA has to be prepared to be able to handle that
increase as we continue to go down this road as well.
Ms. Brownley. Thank you so much for that.
And the other area that I wanted to ask you, you also
mentioned, you know, the need for sufficient funding for
veterans health care, which I couldn't agree more. I have a
bill actually that requires GAO to verify the accuracy and
adequacy of VA's budget for medical care in order to guarantee
adequate funding for veterans health care.
Can you explain the importance of adequate funding and the
potential consequences of not having enough?
Mr. Whitehead. Absolutely, Representative. So I would
actually ask Joy to kind of take this one for me.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Sure. Funding for VA health care is essential for
DAV members who are high users of the VA health care system. We
want to make sure it is a strong, robust system for VA to be
able to provide, you know, the comprehensive services that they
have available. They need to be able to hire the staff, they
need to be able to, you know, make sure that they have the
infrastructure that they need. The research component is
critical for service-disabled veterans and those connections
between their military service and disabilities.
So we want to make sure that, you know, that remains an
emphasis. We see how important it is, especially during this
pandemic, to have access to health care and the incredible job
that VA has done.
So we will support--we support that measure. We know the
budget is critical. We are part of the independent budget
requesting sufficient funding for VA year after year, and we
know that having someone look at those requirements is an
important piece of it.
Ms. Brownley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative Brownley.
Senator Sanders, if you are present, I recognize you for 3
minutes. Otherwise--Senator Sanders, are you here?
If not, we will move to Senator Manchin for 3 minutes.
Senator Manchin, you have 3 minutes.
HON. JOE MANCHIN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA
Senator Manchin. Thank you very much.
And, Mr. Whitehead, I want to take the opportunity to
personally thank you for all the support the DAV has given to
Senator Sullivan and myself in the 116th Congress and with our
bill to get much-needed benefits to veterans exposed to open-
air burn pits. I am pleased this remains a priority for DAV in
the 117th Congress as well. We have got to get this done.
History has shown that even after surviving combat or
hazardous duty, veterans coming home having been exposed to
toxins that can end up leading to long-term health issues, and
I think we all know this firsthand. We can't leave them behind,
which is why Senator Sullivan and myself reintroduced Senate
Bill 437, the Veterans Burn Pit Exposure Act of 2021.
As the members DAV attend the meeting with their
congressional representatives, I would encourage them to speak
up about their experiences with burn pits, just as you have
today.
So, if you have any response to that, Mr. Whitehead, I
would appreciate it.
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, thank you, because obviously it is
very important, you know, to our members, but even to me
personally. You know, somebody that has served in the desert
and been near burn pits, I am concerned about my future and
what is going to have on me, the effects on me as well. So
thank you for that work that you are doing and this committee,
and we definitely look forward to working with everybody on
this.
Senator Manchin. Well, this is the year for us to pass it,
it really is, and I think we are all committed and I think on
both sides. This is a bipartisan amendment that brings us all
together, which is what the veterans always have done and the
military does today.
So, thank you very much and all of you for working so hard.
And I yield my time back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Manchin.
I now recognize General Bergman for 3 minutes.
HON. JACK BERGMAN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM MICHIGAN
Mr. Bergman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And thanks to all of you for being on the virtual hearing
today. And I echo the comments of my colleagues, it will be
great when we can have a shout-out, whether it is hooah, oorah,
or I am not sure what the Air Force says other than ``cool.''
But, anyway, you know, Mr. Whitehead, you know as well as I
do that we still have a tremendously unique, overburdening in
some cases, problem among veterans with suicide. You and I are
both members of the PREVENTS Task Force, you know, as national
Ambassadors. Can you talk about the importance of PREVENTS, and
its continuity and mission going forward within the new
administration?
Because we know, we know after some fits and starts over
the last couple years the challenges in getting alternative
opportunities for veterans to engage who might be at risk but
are definitely outside the VA health care system. Could you
just again elaborate on the importance of PREVENTS?
Mr. Whitehead. That is an excellent point. And, you know,
actually I am honored to be part of the PREVENTS Ambassador
team, you know, because I think it is very important that as a
society we all have to get comfortable talking about our
struggles, talking about what's going on in our world, and
being able to feel comfortable knowing that it is okay to reach
out and ask for help. Being part of the PREVENTS Ambassador
team, I think it is great that we are sharing our experience
and our thoughts and getting that out to the general public--to
our veterans and to the general public that it is a strength of
us to be able to talk about it and ask for help.
And that, you know, I think this current administration, if
they can continue to push this and have it behind it, that is a
great way for all of our veterans.
Mr. Bergman. Thank you. And, again, we all, all of us,
especially you all out there in the VSOs, you have to be that
voice for the veteran and that direct voice so the
administration hears of the importance of the PREVENTS Task
Force.
And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, General Bergman.
I now recognize Senator Cassidy for 3 minutes.
Senator Cassidy?
HON. SENATOR BILL CASSIDY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA
Senator Cassidy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Sir, just--I'm a doc and you will understand where my
question is coming from on this. During the pandemic, there has
been such an issue with an increasing amount of opioid abuse in
the general population. And Congress has attempted to address
that by putting funding out there both to the VA specifically,
but to the public in general. And we are hearing reports, 40
percent of Americans are having symptoms of anxiety and
depressive disorder. Intuitively, disabled veterans would be at
greater risk for this because they are battling physical or
emotional disability to begin with.
So, I guess I am asking, are you seeing these same trends
within the veterans community, and is there anything in
particular you would suggest the VA do to attempt to address
this?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, I appreciate the question. I would
like to have my Legislative Director, Joy Ilem, kind of help
elaborate on that.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Excellent question. I think our recommendation
would be we really need to see a balance here. We know of VA's
mission to really reduce the use of opioids in the veteran
population, keeping veterans safe, making sure that addiction
doesn't result. But we also have, of course, the service-
disabled veterans. You know, we have some people that have been
really severely injured, dealing with chronic pain issues,
which are, you know, really essential to deal with because that
also leads to--you know, if they are unable to work, if they
are unable to just function without serious pain, it can also
lead to mental health issues and suicide.
So we want to make sure that there is a good balance for
VA, that they are dealing with this in a humane way, that
providers are able to do what they feel is clinically
appropriate. And they work with veterans that need to be, you
know, not taking opioids anymore and they need to really
understand their fear about that, their anxiety about that, and
to work with them to, you know, step down from that, as well as
why, you know, understanding about the safety issues.
So we think there is still work that VA needs to do. We
know that they have a good--you know, good intentions behind
their program, but we do ask for a balance there.
Senator Cassidy. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Cassidy.
Representative Lamb, if you are present, I recognize you
for 3 minutes. Representative Lamb?
HON. CONOR LAMB,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM PENNSYLVANIA
Mr. Lamb. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And I want to thank you, Commander Whitehead, and all of
our witnesses for helping us out today and the work you all do
every day. It has a huge impact on my constituents.
I wanted to return to the topic of January 6th for a
moment. And, first of all, thank you for the active voice that
you have had in the wake of that. I am a strong believer that,
as veterans, we really need to police our own on this,
regardless of what party you are in, regardless of who you
supported in the election. The fact is that we all took an oath
to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, and
the Capitol that is established by that Constitution was
attacked that day. So, for me, it is a pretty easy one which
side of this you fall on if you have taken that oath.
I was hoping that maybe you could give us just a little bit
more detail about any active measures you have taken since
January 6th, for example, to identify whether there were any of
your members involved in the attack itself. I am sure all of us
saw how many military logos were in that crowd, particularly
Marine logos, it was particularly painful for me to see.
There have been reports of VSO logos as well, and I just
wanted to know if you have seen that or identified any, and
whether you have worked with law enforcement to aid their
investigation at all.
Mr. Whitehead. Representative, thank you for such an
important question. And, again, I would like to ask my
Executive Director, Randy, to kind of elaborate a little bit
more on that.
Randy?
Mr. Reese. Thank you, Congressman Lamb.
We take it quite seriously. We do review the Department of
Justice investigation list against our membership data base.
And then, based upon the investigation details in the complaint
that is filed with the Department of Justice, we consider those
facts and circumstances, and then once due process is relevant
for our administration, we decide whether or not that person
should be suspended. And obviously, if they are convicted of a
felony of this nature, they would be expelled.
Mr. Lamb. Thank you.
So you are relying on the law enforcement cases to identify
people among your membership. Are you also doing anything to
search publicly available images or otherwise to identify
members who were involved?
Mr. Reese. We do rely upon the Department of Justice. We do
not use a surveillance program for our membership or those who
engage on our social media footprint just due to the size and
scope, that is beyond the resources we have available to serve
our members.
Mr. Lamb. Okay. Thank you again for your participation.
I expect that we will be staying on this issue throughout
much of the year with an eye toward how we help protect
veterans from the recruitment efforts that groups like the Oath
Keepers and others have used to target veterans and to give
them false and wildly misleading information about that, and I
look forward to your partnership on that. And thank you again
for everything you have done.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Mr. Reese. We certainly look forward to your partnership as
well.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Lamb.
I now call on Senator Sanders, if he is present.
Senator, are you here?
Otherwise, we will move to Senator Hassan.
Senator Hassan, you are recognized for 3 minutes, if you
are here.
If not Senator Hassan, then we will move to Senator
Rounds--we will go to Senator Rounds next.
Senator Rounds, if you are ready?
Senator Rounds is not here.
Senator Blumenthal?
[Pause.]
Chairman Takano. I don't see Senator Blumenthal.
Representative Pappas, we will move to you then, as the
Senators file back in. Representative Pappas, 3 minutes.
HON. CHRIS PAPPAS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mr. Pappas. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And I
also want to add my comments about looking forward to next year
and making sure that we are back in person together, especially
so we can salute the veterans from our districts that make the
trip down for these important hearings. And certainly I am
thinking of all the veterans across New Hampshire, especially
DAV members, as we proceed here.
I want to thank Commander Whitehead for your comments, for
your focus on toxic exposure in particular. We have been
focused in my district on the issue of PFAS contamination at a
former Air Force base, and we know that ATSDR is currently
conducting a study there to firmly establish a connection
between toxic exposure and certain health concerns that are
linked to PFAS, but we also know that other health studies have
already been done that make the linkage between chronic
conditions, including cancer.
And so, you know, as we wait for additional health
information to come out, I think we have to move as quickly as
we possibly can to make sure that we are meeting the needs of
veterans and servicemembers with respect to the PFAS issue, so
I appreciate your commitment to that.
Another important point that you noted was the issue of
discrimination faced by women and minority veterans at VA
facilities. I am chair of the Oversight and Investigation
Subcommittee in the House and we are working on legislation
that would improve the sexual harassment-reporting process at
VA, and this is an issue that our subcommittee is going to be
focused on as we move forward.
I am wondering if you could just talk about any next steps
that you would hope our committee could take to ensure that our
women and minority veterans feel comfortable getting care at
VA.
Mr. Whitehead. Representative, I appreciate that question.
You know, when that first came out, I actually did some nice
media outlet messaging on that, because it is important that
every one of our veterans feels safe when they go get their
care. And the veteran itself and also the employees at the VA
need to feel safe where they work at.
But if my Legislative Director, Joy Ilem, could maybe
elaborate a little more on that.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. And we were very pleased that the Commander
really wanted to step out in front on that because we do need
leadership regarding the harassment issue.
We were, as an organization, very pleased to see Secretary
of VA McDonough and Secretary of DOD Austin come out right
after they were confirmed, both of them, to indicate they are
going to be working together dealing with this issue. And the
commitment from the VA Secretary was very welcome that they are
going to take a, you know, top-down approach to this and that
is serious.
So we are looking forward for your committee to really hold
them to that, that it can't just be a slogan or a message, but,
you know, this behavior is so obstructive and deters veterans
who really need the VA health care system from getting the care
that they need if they, you know, feel that they are not in a
welcome environment or being harassed while they are seeking
care. So I appreciate the work.
Mr. Pappas. Well, that is terrific. And my time is up, but
I am wondering if just for the record you could get back to us
on a letter that you had sent to VA asking it to withdraw its
appeal of the Wolfe v. Wilkie case around emergency care. So if
you have any more detail about how we can address that and a
commitment from VA on that front, we would love to work with
you on it.
Ms. Ilem. Absolutely, we will follow up with you and your
staff. Thank you.
Mr. Pappas. Thank you. I yield back.
Ms. Ilem. Another important issue.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative Pappas.
I call on Representative Rosendale for 3 minutes.
HON. MATT ROSENDALE,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM MONTANA
Mr. Rosendale. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
And thank you, Commander Whitehead, and the Disabled
American Veterans organization. Your organization is doing
important work to ensure our veterans' needs are being met and
we all greatly appreciate that.
I also wanted to say thank you today for all the Montanan
veterans that are watching today. I wish we could be together
in person, but I am grateful for each of you and your service
to our Nation. We will never be able to thank you enough for
your sacrifices that you and your families have made to protect
our freedoms.
It has been a pleasure to hear from veterans back home in
recent weeks. One item that has been repeatedly mentioned is
the success of Freedoms Path at Fort Harrison in Helena,
Montana, which is a residential community for veterans
experiencing homelessness or at the risk of homelessness.
As the son and brother of a Marine, I am incredibly honored
to be here today for this hearing. Our veterans are truly our
Nation's heroes. One in ten Montanans are veterans or in active
service. I am honored to represent them in Congress and also
here on this committee.
We have made promises to our veterans and we must ensure
that these promises are kept. Veterans must have access to
high-quality health care and they must be able to efficiently
access those benefits. Long wait times for care and barriers
from receiving benefits is unacceptable.
In order to establish these benefits and deliver them
efficiently, we must have information systems that can easily
transfer the appropriate information from the Department of
Defense to Veterans Affairs networks. To date, billions of
dollars have been spent and we have not begun to approach a
reasonable level of success in this issue.
Since the start of COVID-19, this has become even more
critical. Difficulties and challenges veterans have faced have
only been exacerbated by shutdowns and isolations, which leads
me to my question.
The Technology Modernization Subcommittee has made
electronic health records a priority. However, nationwide we
have seen a huge increase in telehealth use. What have your
members' experiences been with accessing and utilizing
telehealth services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,
and what improvements could be made to expand and improve that
delivery?
Thank you.
Mr. Whitehead. Congressman, thank you for that question.
And I would like to ask Joy to kind of take that for me as
well.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Thank you. I think there are a couple of things.
We do appreciate how quickly VA ramped to try to make sure
that they could meet the needs of veterans throughout the
country through telemedicine and their telehealth program. We
still know in certain areas of the country like where you are
from, you know, there can be broadband issues, veterans may not
have had the equipment to use even if they do have access. So
it is incumbent upon these partnerships that VA is trying to
expand with community organizations that are willing to have
sort of a hub where veterans may be able to go to have access
to that, you know, to telehealth.
So I think those are great starts on it. There is going to
be a lot of lessons learned from this pandemic and the use of
telehealth. We know there is going to be demand for being seen
in person, but how this will impact is still--you know, the
jury is out on that. So we need to watch and make sure that
veterans are still getting high-quality care and we have
learned the lessons from, you know, what worked and what hasn't
worked.
Mr. Rosendale. Thank you so much.
Mr. Chair, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative.
I call on Representative Mrvan for 3 minutes of
questioning. Representative?
HON. FRANK MRVAN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM INDIANA
Mr. Mrvan. Thank you, Chairman. I greatly appreciate this
opportunity.
Commander Whitehead, I thank you for all that you have done
for the DAV. As a freshman member or as the chair of technology
and modernization, I want to let you know and all veterans know
that we will work extremely hard in a bipartisan manner to make
sure our veterans receive the healthcare necessary and have the
infrastructure with technology and modernization in place to
put the VA in a position to be able to handle all challenges
post-COVID, and as we evolve into the next generation of making
sure we are taking care of our veterans. With that, my question
is, the VA has faced criticism over its lack of veteran
engagement in the Electronic Health Record Modernization
program.
Mr. Whitehead can you or your staff discuss any
communications the DAV has received nationally or, more
specifically, in the Spokane area, regarding the transition
from VistA to Cerner in the Millennium.
Mr. Whitehead. I appreciate that question and I would
actually ask Joy to elaborate on that.
Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Great question. I think, you know, the IT issue
is such an important issue for now decades. There has been this
attempt at IT modernization and moving forward, everybody is
very anxious about this, but just no one wants this to fail. I
think connecting with veterans in the area, I mean, we have
seen the GAO report, but it is a very complex issue and I think
we are really going to look to the committee, the subcommittee
to make sure. I mean, there has to be the expertise of people
that really understand the complexity of what they are doing.
And when GAO puts out recommendations, but VA doesn't agree
to them, you know, we would like to hear, make sure there is a
hearing so we can hear the discussion back-and-forth before,
you know, moving forward. So, we just, we look forward to your
committee and work that you will be doing in the year ahead.
Mr. Mrvan. Joy, I thank you very much.
And as they say in Houston, ``Failure is not an option.''
Right? We have to make sure we get this right in a bipartisan
effort and work.
With that, I yield back my time.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative.
Senator Blumenthal, you are recognized for 3 minutes.
HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I really appreciate you being here, Commander Whitehead,
and all your service to your fellow veterans and the great team
that you have with you. I am honored, always, to be on this
committee and to hear from veterans about how we should be
doing better and more, most especially for our disabled
veterans.
I want to ask about an area of disability that may have
been touched on briefly, but I want to emphasize: toxic
exposures. The modern battlefield has been more poisonous and
toxic than ever before with all of the chemicals that are found
there.
I have championed the cause of Agent Orange-afflicted
veterans and made progress there. I have talked to Secretary
McDonough about them and others who may be victims of exposure
to chemicals and most especially, the K2 veterans. We have
legislation that would advance their cause. I am concerned that
we are repeating mistakes of the past.
And we have discovered, obviously, the Karshi-Khanabad Air
Base which was plagued with many of the chemicals that have
caused cancer and other kinds of problems.
Have you heard from veterans and have you noted the
inconsistencies in presumption for different types of toxic
exposure, and how would you recommend that Congress perform
this area of our law?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, thank you for such an important
question. I would like to have my service director, Jim
Marszalek, kind of take that one for me.
Jim?
Senator Blumenthal. Of course.
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander.
DAV is always concerned when veterans are exposed to toxins
and/or environmental hazards during their military service. VA
should be equipped to provide healthcare and service-connected
benefits for those exposures.
One thing that could happen to make this process a little
easier is the overall presumptive making process. We need a
good framework to be established by Congress to provide
consistency that must improve DOD and VA data collection and
recordkeeping; establish a concession of exposure by requiring
statutory, mandated future studies on known exposures; provide
a time requirement for action by the VA secretary.
That is a big one. That is where we are at with
hypertension. You know, there is no time requirement for the VA
to respond to these recommendations.
We can maintain a standard of positive association versus
causation. And then, finally, I think we can update the
classifications of scientific association. This is a very
serious topic and it is affecting, you know, countless veterans
and we have to do better.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you for that answer. I would like
to follow-up with you because I think this area is extremely
important.
I also have questions about the treatment of veterans with
``less than honorable'' discharges. I know you are focused on
the disabilities that may accompany the lack of access to
healthcare and so forth.
But my time is expired, so I yield back to the chairman.
Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate your
yielding back.
I call on Representative Banks for 3 minutes.
Representative Banks, are you present?
Mr. Banks is not ready. We will move to Senator Tuberville.
Senator Tuberville, are you present? There you are,
Senator. Go ahead, 3 minutes.
HON. TOMMY TUBERVILLE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALABAMA
Senator Tuberville. Yes, thank you very much.
Thank you Commander Whitehead for your testimony and your
service. You know, I would like to hear about the work your
organization does to get disabled vets back into the workforce.
These vets we are having now with all these endless wars we
have had are younger and younger and working helps a lot of
things.
So, one thing I am passionate about is vocational training
and trade schools. Are these options that you have, are they
found useful to helping our disabled vets, and what can
Congress do to help create more employment opportunities for
these veterans?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, I really appreciate that question
because employment is a very important thing for the DAV. You
know, obviously, when our veterans leave the service, it is
important that they have good quality jobs to come back to;
that is schooling or straight to the workforce.
But I am going to have my service director, Jim, kind of
elaborate a little bit more on our employment program. That
would be great.
Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander.
And to your question, I am a proponent of VR&E. I went
through the vocation rehabilitation program when I first was
hired by Disabled American Veterans and next month, I hit my
20-year anniversary. So, it is a wonderful program and it has
led me down a path that has been very, very fulfilling.
On our side, for the employment program, DAV is fully
committed to ensuring veterans have the tools, resources, and
opportunities they need to competitively enter the job market
and secure meaningful employment.
When the pandemic hit, we went to virtual job fairs. We
were doing in-person job fairs. We went to the virtual job fair
and over the past year, we are able to ensure that over 5,000
veterans had job offers extended to them.
So, we take this very serious and we want to make sure that
veterans have the opportunity to enter the competitive job
market for sure.
Senator Tuberville. Well, thank you.
I think it is important that we get them back in the
workforce at all possible. I have friends that are disabled
vets who have PTSD, which we are losing up to 30 veterans a day
to suicide, and I don't think there is anything more important
than to get them back into the real world as quickly as we
possibly can, and I think Congress should fund some of that. We
owe our veterans a whole lot and more than we can ever repay,
and so I think it is important for us to get back in the game
in a lot of areas to help our veterans get back to a normal
life with them and their families.
So, thank you for what you have done and hopefully we can
help you in any way.
I yield my time.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Tuberville.
I now recognize Representative Mike Levin for 3 minutes.
Representative Levin, are you there?
You are there. You are still muted, Representative Levin.
Can we fix the audio. Why don't we try again, Mr. Levin. I
think you are on now.
I cannot hear Mr. Levin.
Mr. Levin. How about now?
Chairman Takano. I can hear you now, Mr. Levin. Go ahead.
Mr. Levin. It works. Technology.
HON. MIKE LEVIN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Well, I very much look forward to
getting together in person as soon as we can safely, but I want
to thank everybody today and particularly Commander Whitehead
for joining us and just for all of your work on behalf of
veterans with disabilities across the country.
I want to give a special shout-out to DAV Chapter 95 in
Oceanside, California, which does a wonderful job serving our
veterans in my district in North County, San Diego. Commander
Whitehead, in your testimony you emphasize how important it is
that VA leaders commit to fostering a culture where all
veterans are treated with dignity and respect, which has always
been a key focus of our Womens Veterans Task Force. And one way
VA can do this is by prominently displaying messages in
facilities, making it abundantly clear that harassment is not
tolerated and that includes comments about appearance or
questioning and belittling veteran status.
I have heard from veterans in recent years, posters with
these messages have been taken down from the walls and public
service announcements have been taken off the TVs in local
facilities. The good news is that we are hearing that some of
these displays have been restored in recent weeks, but it is
important, nonetheless, to examine what happened and how it
affected veterans.
My question, Commander, is have you heard stories like
these from your members and what message does it send to
veterans when these displays are removed?
Mr. Whitehead. Thank you for that question.
You know, obviously, a safe environment, like I said
earlier, is very important for our veterans when they go into
these healthcare facilities to feel safe to go in and get the
quality care that they deserve.
But, Joy, if you could elaborate a little bit more on
[inaudible] nationwide, that would be great. Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Sure. I have not heard from DAV members
specifically regarding that, but I think if that has happened
somewhere, the message is clear. It is saying we don't have a
problem, which is not the case.
We know that many employees in VA have worked very hard to
start work on, you know, their standup, stop harassment
campaign, their White Ribbon Campaign. We hope now with the new
VA Secretary McDonough's commitment that he just will not
tolerate harassment in facilities from either veterans or from
employees, that we are really going to see a culture change.
But that will require, you know, a systemwide approach
throughout the system and it will also require them to work
with veteran service organizations, the users of the VA
healthcare system, to really make that change.
So, we look forward to helping to do that and standing
ready to help make that change.
Mr. Levin. Well, thank you for that.
I am out of time, but I really look forward to working with
you and our other VSOs to do all we can to end sexual
harassment and assault at the VA.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative Levin.
I now recognize Representative Murphy for 3 minutes.
Representative Murphy?
Hold on just a second. We are not hearing you through the
audio.
Mr. Murphy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Are we good?
Chairman Takano. There you go.
HON. GREG MURPHY,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Mr. Murphy. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And thank you to all the panelists who have come today in
representation of our veterans. My district has the sixth-most
populous as far as veterans in the Nation, here in Eastern
North Carolina, and I wanted to thank you for all the hard work
that you are doing.
One particular issue that is very, very critical to me and
very, very important to me is the issue of PTSD and TBI. I am a
physician and I understand the consequences that go along with
some of these blast injuries and what a critical effort it is
to support our veterans who come home after combat suffering
from PTSD and TBI. I have toured our places in Camp Lejeune,
our Intrepid Center and met with a lot of veterans who have
suffered these illnesses.
We are doing a great job, but we are not doing enough. You
know, we still have 17 suicides in veterans a day. What I would
like to offer and would ask that people actually also help
support, you know, as a surgeon, I have used hyperbaric oxygen
therapy for over 30 years to help treat wounds; wounds that
need help healing. And I am a firm believer that the science
shows, you know, in part, that PTSD and traumatic brain injury
come from wounds to the brain itself.
The brain is just like an organ, just like your pancreas,
just like your heart, just like yours lungs. And in these blast
injuries, I do believe that the brain is injured. And I think
there is a mounting body of evidence, and as I will say as a
physician, it is not 100 percent conclusive, but a mounting
body of evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help some
veterans get out of the trap that PTSD and TBI snares them
into.
Yes, we do have good treatments for them already, but we
also have a fine line of a dead stop, a ceiling, if you will,
when veterans really are not touched by other modalities. I
have seen this make a life-changing difference in folks, in
veterans who have TBI and PTSD, who no other modality has
helped.
And I have submitted H.R. 1014 to ask that the VA really
look at this issue as something that can be offered to our
veterans on a large scale. It has been offered privately on
veterans on a small scale.
You know, we are trying to help. We are really needing to
do everything physically possible to help the brave men and
women who have dedicated and sacrificed so much to save our
country. They come back, in some instances, changed
individuals, and it is not only our duty, but it is our
obligation to do whatever we can to help these individuals get
their lives back and help them lead productive lives. So, I
would ask that you all look at that and hopefully support H.R.
1014.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My time is up. I will yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Murphy.
I now call on Representative Kaptur for 3 minutes.
Representative Kaptur?
HON. MARCY KAPTUR,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM OHIO
Ms. Kaptur. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
And I think this is the first bicameral Zoom I have
participated in. I love it. I am glad to work with our
senators, as well.
And we want to thank Commander Whitehead so very much for
your dedication and all of our service officers.
I have two interests. One is in veterans housing and the
other one I will follow on what Congressman Murphy just talked
about, and that is brain injury and the functioning of the
human brain, in general, and the VA's research protocols.
First, on veterans housing, I am interested in your
experience on that, particularly for the aging veteran and
experience you only have around the country with how well or
how poorly the VA is integrating the need for veterans housing
as veterans age, with the HUD program for VASH, as well as
their 202 program, Shelter Plus Care.
Number two, in terms of research on the brain, when I was
first elected to Congress, I was absolutely astounded that the
nearly billion dollars a year that the VA spends on research
involved very few protocols that involve the human brain. I am
wondering if this is something you follow as we deal with blast
injuries, PTSD, behavioral health onset during service, and
what more we could do working with you to increase those
research protocols to study the human brain and its function.
I know that Congresswoman Napolitano from California and I
are heavily involved in understanding the human brain on some
of the subcommittees that we work on and I know that General
Bergman is on the screen here and I know he has a deep interest
in this. I think we could really make a difference for the
country working together.
Thank you very much, and I will wait for your replies.
Mr. Whitehead. Congresswoman, thank you for those
questions.
And, Joy, if you could elaborate on those two questions, I
would really appreciate it. Joy?
Ms. Ilem. Very good questions, especially with regarding
the brain injuries and the lifetime impact on veterans. One
thing I think is interesting, we just saw VA was really looking
to increase outreach regarding its brain bank. I am not sure if
you are familiar, but, you know, that is some of the cutting-
edge, critical research that VA is doing and why we support so
much VA's research program. It is such a part of VA care to
these unique injuries that occur to veterans who have served.
So, that is one critical issue and we do follow that research
and we do look at all aspects, you know, access to the types of
treatment that are available, compensation issues, but really
that lifetime impact and how it impacts that veteran and what
programs and services are necessary to really meet them at
every step along their recovery process.
Just very shortly on the HUD-VASH Program for homeless
veterans, without question, VA has a homeless program second to
none. They coordinate with HUD-VASH, making sure Housing First
for veterans who are homeless and that is a critical piece of
it.
We always bring up the issue of making sure that women
veterans also have access to these programs. Sometimes housing
issues, there needs to be some sort of separation or access for
the community for them because they may have their children
with them. So, we always want to make sure that our veteran
doesn't miss out on a really important program that VA offers
just because they have the responsibility of caring for their
children, as well, and we have to coordinate with the community
on that.
But two excellent programs that VA is outstanding and out
front on.
Chairman Takano. Thank you for the response, Ms. Ilem.
Thank you, Ms. Kaptur, for your interest in housing and in
brain research.
I just want to urge all members that we might want to take
a bipartisan look at the research that is being done in Boston.
That is where the collection of brains, this very large
collection of brains, and it would be well for all of our
committee members to understand the extent to which the VA
invests in research.
I now call on Representative Mann for 3 minutes.
Representative Mann, are you present?
If not, I will call on Representative Miller-Meeks for 3
minutes. Representative Miller-Meeks? Dr. Meeks?
HON. MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM IOWA
Mrs. Miller-Meeks. Thank you so much Chair Takano. I
appreciate this.
Thank you also to Commander Whitehead. As a fellow veteran,
I appreciate all that our veterans service organizations do and
also I continue to be a commission member of my county's
Veterans Affairs Commission. So, thank you very much for all
you do.
Our county commission was very happy when the Blue Waters
Act went through, and I think you made some reference to this
earlier, but my question or comments are in reference to the
tremendous sacrifice all of our veterans have made in putting
themselves at risk, especially in times of war, but also how
that carries over into peacetime.
And we have mentioned toxic substances, burn pits, the
legislation that we are hoping to get passed on a bipartisan
fashion this year, and so my question is utilizing the
information we have from the National Academies of Sciences and
other research organizations into environmental effects, such
as the burn pits, Agent Orange, you know, should we establish a
commission that would identify and be forward-thinking in
identifying toxic substances, pesticides, other things that
exposure now or in the future could have adverse both, physical
and mental health adverse events upon our veterans and they
serve, so that we do this in a proactive fashion, rather than
in a retroactive fashion.
As all of us know, to get legislation to get passed to
address these issues and be classified as a disability is an
extraordinarily cumbersome process, so something that is
looking more forward-thinking to address these issues, I think
might be helpful for our veterans.
And with that, I will yield my time.
Mr. Whitehead. Congresswoman, thank you for such a good
question.
You know, it is very important that we look forward and you
are exactly right that we have to start looking in the future.
We can't have our veterans who are currently serving or, you
know, will be serving in the future, having to wait as long as
we have in the past for the Vietnam-era veterans and stuff like
that.
But if my service director, Jim, could maybe elaborate a
little bit more on the toxic exposure stuff. Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Yes. Thanks, Commander.
As I spoke earlier, I think we are in this situation
because we don't have a great framework to establish
presumptive conditions and that is really what we need to
concentrate on here. You know, the hypertension, the three new
presumptives that were added where VA has taken no action on
yet. It is just another perfect example of how we have to do
better in improving the data collection, like you had
mentioned, forward-thinking.
Establish a concession of exposure. That is why we are
trying to get legislation passed that will concede that
exposure so down the line, if they do develop a chronic illness
as a result of that exposure, then it is that much easier to
secure a medical opinion and have a claim process so they can
get the benefits they have earned based upon those exposures.
So, we have a lot of work to do, but we are certainly
willing and want to work with you and your staff to make sure
that that happens this year.
Chairman Takano. Mrs. Miller-Meeks, I know your time is up.
Now we move to Senator Hassan. Senator Hassan, you are
recognized for 3 minutes.
HON. MARGARET WOOD HASSAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator Hassan. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
And I want to thank all the chairs and ranking members here
today.
And thank you to our witnesses for being here with us
virtually today. I am deeply appreciative of your
organizations' service and advocacy on behalf of Granite State
veterans and veterans all across the country.
So, to Mr. Whitehead, in your written testimony, you stated
that 14 of the 20 veterans who die by suicide each day have not
used VA healthcare services. In response to these numbers, the
VA has established several programs to conduct outreach to
transitioning veterans, including the Solid Start program,
which aims to contact veterans 3 times during the first year
out of transition of military service.
Along with Senators Cramer and Cassidy, last Congress, I
introduced the Solid Start Act. To strengthen and codify this
important program, I will be reintroducing it shortly with some
additional provisions.
What else can the VA do to help veterans, especially newly
separated veterans connect to VA health services and how can
DAV and other veteran service organizations support these
efforts?
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, excellent question.
Because as I stated earlier in my testimonial, any suicide
is too many. One is too many. And we have to get out in front
of this and the VA has to take part in that. And I do
appreciate them trying to get in contact with our
servicemembers as they are transitioning from DOD to now
veterans and into the private sector.
But, Joy, if you could elaborate a little bit more on that,
I would greatly appreciate that.
Ms. Ilem. Sure. Just briefly, I would say that the Solid
Start program, we are happy to see that going to be
reintroduced. It is a very important program. Having that
connection right out of military service, whether it is
through, you know, VA's outreach efforts, the veteran service
organizations, like DAV, the programs where we are right there
making sure that veterans understand about the benefits and
services that are available to them when they get out,
connecting them with employment opportunities.
I think two things that would be, you know, the peer-to-
peer programs that VA has started are essential because
veterans really connect with other veterans well, and it is
important that nobody gets lost and outside the system by
themselves in trying to figure things out. That they have a
support system around them.
And also, I think VA's public health model, we are really
going to see this year, based on the legislation that was
passed last year, two major public health models, suicide
prevention, lots of provisions in there, and to see how those
work with the connection with the community providers to see
veterans that haven't yet connected with the VA. So, both of
those are going to be critical.
And we have a number of programs in DAV through our
charitable service trust; one in Arkansas that we provided a
significant grant to what they are doing suicide prevention on
a really local level. So, those programs have to be explored,
as well.
Senator Hassan. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Hassan.
I now call on Representative Underwood for 3 minutes.
Representative Underwood?
HON. LAUREN UNDERWOOD,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS
Ms. Underwood. Well, thank you.
I would like to thank the witnesses for being here with us.
I am so delighted to be returning back to the Veterans Affairs
Committee for another round of these conversations with our VSO
groups. The work that you do around our communities has been
extraordinary and I personally am so grateful that you have
come once again to offer some recommendations to our committee.
I look forward to working with you on issues related to
suicide prevention and improving the quality of care extended
to our women veterans, and I would invite you to offer any
specific remarks that you would have on either area if anybody
had anything that they would like to offer.
Mr. Whitehead. Thank you for that question.
Joy, would you like to add anything to that?
Ms. Ilem. Sure. Maybe just connecting both of those issues
on women veterans and suicide prevention, as well. We want to
make sure that our women veterans have the services that they
need. Often times they have to get that care in the community
and we think it is essential as more access to community care
is available to women veterans and veterans in general, we need
to make sure that the providers in that community care network
are meeting the same standards, quality standards as are
required by VA, whether that is in mental health or just in
their primary care. That they understand military culture and
they also understand conditions that are common among veterans;
for example, military sexual trauma or PTSD, other things that
really may come up during their visit. They may need to have
trauma-informed care or, you know, if the veteran notes that
they are homeless or about to be homeless, we want to have them
connect back with VA and those supportive services VA offers.
So, I think that would be an important point, that care
coordination piece.
Ms. Underwood. Well, thank you for those comments.
I certainly agree that care coordination is key and I hope
that as we continue to make it more robust, particularly, for
example, in an area that I work a lot in, maternal health, that
we will be able to end the disparities that we see, not only in
our country, but within the veteran population. And I do hope
that this committee will fully consider our Protecting Moms Who
Served Act.
Thank you all again for appearing before us today.
Thank you to the chairman for the time, and I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Ms. Underwood.
I now call upon Representative Cawthorn for 3 minutes.
Representative Cawthorn?
Mr. Cawthorn doesn't look to be present currently.
Let's then go to Mr. Nehls. Mr. Nehls, you are recognized
for 3 minutes.
HON. TROY NEHLS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS
Mr. Nehls. Thank you, Chairman.
And Commander Whitehead, thank you for what you do and
everyone else, honestly, for what we do for American veterans.
I spent 22 years in the Reserve and retired in 2009, but my
question more is geared toward the veterans that have or are
experiencing difficult times since they leave service. Many of
them are, obviously, with our economy the way it is, not being
able to find decent employment. Those that are having a
difficult time readjusting back into civilian life, having
difficult times with their families, whether it is their spouse
or their children because they have PTSD. There is a plethora
of issues that our veterans are facing, even with the COVID.
So, I am more talking about those veterans that end up in
our criminal justice system, and my question would be, do you
feel, Mr. Whitehead, that our Nation, our criminal justice
system, the individual States are addressing our veterans'
needs, those that find themselves on the wrong side of the law?
I know we have veterans courts in some States, but what are
we doing to try to help those veterans that are being held in
our county jails for crimes and different things, non-violent
crimes, as it relates to just them trying to find a way to get
readjusted back into the civilian world.
Mr. Whitehead. Thank you for such an important topic,
because you are right, the transition from service to coming
into the community and, you know, this criminal justice is part
of that, as well, making sure that all of our veterans get, you
know, their due process here.
Joy, can you elaborate a little bit more on what he is
talking about.
Ms. Ilem. Yes, the treatment courts have been very
successful and DAV has been very supportive of them, especially
since we know that many veterans who end up, if they have the
fortune to be in a State that does have that availability, it
often comes to light that they really needed treatment, that
they had an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury or they had
undiagnosed PTSD, or they weren't getting treatment for a
condition that really impacted their judgment and ended them up
having a legal issue.
So, that is critical, and, again, this is where our veteran
service organizations really come to play to try to guide those
veterans that we see, that we try to help every day if there is
a problem, you know, to really reach out to them to make that
transition, to take advantage of all the programs and services
that the VA has. We have expertise like no one else on these
transition issues and that is what they are there for, but
sometimes they get lost out there without that support. So, we
try to make sure that we do that, to continue that and to pass
that information on to others that really need the care.
Mr. Nehls. Thank you, Joy, for the information. I say that
because I have been a sheriff for 8 years and we have many
people in our jail, veterans, and they just seem to get lost
and there is no one out there advocating for them. So, as long
as there are VSOs trying to help those and make sure that they
get some good legal representation, because they need to truly
understand the issues that they are dealing with to help them
be successful members in our society. So, thank you for your
work.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative.
I now recognize Representative Cawthorn for 3 minutes.
Representative?
HON. MADISON CAWTHORN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Mr. Cawthorn. Chairman Takano, thank you very much.
And to all of our witnesses, thank you for bringing your
expert opinions to light here. It really does shed a lot of
light on questions that I personally had. Thank you for all the
questions that have come before mine.
But Mr. Whitehead, I wanted to ask, you know, our
committees are considering legislation that will provide
eligible veterans with up to one year of G.I. Bill-style
benefits to help the unemployed veterans in our country retrain
in another specialty and help those that are unemployed find
gainful employment in the post COVID-19 economy.
Could you please elaborate how this rapid retraining
program could help unemployed veterans get back on their feet.
Mr. Whitehead. Representative, that is an excellent
question. You know, the planning piece is very important and
the G.I. Bill is very important to every one of us.
Jim, if you could elaborate a little bit more on that, I
would appreciate it.
Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Yes, thank you, Commander.
Obviously, we strongly support that. We think it is
critical for veterans to be able to get back into the workforce
in a quick manner. We have seen it firsthand during the
pandemic. The DAV stood up a relief program where we were able
to provide over $2 million in relief to veterans who have
either lost employment or lost a significant amount of income
due to the pandemic. So, we know that there are plenty of
veterans out there affected by this. So, anything we can do to
get them back in the workforce, in a competitive workforce, we
would support.
Mr. Cawthorn. Thank you very much for your answer. That
really does mean a lot, and I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Representative Cawthorn yields back.
I just want to ask if there is any other representatives or
senators present that would like to have a chance to speak or
ask the DAV any questions; if not, I will move to the second
panel.
Mrs. Luria. Chairman Takano, this is Representative Luria.
I would love the opportunity to ask a question.
Chairman Takano. Okay. Representative Luria, you are
recognized for 3 minutes.
HON. ELAINE LURIA,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM VIRGINIA
Mrs. Luria. Thank you, Chairman Takano.
And I want to thank our witnesses for joining us today.
As the chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial
Affairs Subcommittee, our subcommittee plans to focus our
efforts this Congress on some of the toxic exposure issues that
have not been fully addressed and that includes burn pits for
veterans who served in Southwest Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and
other toxic exposure issues.
I wonder if you could just comment on the importance of
this to your members and if there are any specific areas within
toxic exposures that you think have been overlooked in previous
Congresses that we should focus our efforts on, as well.
Mr. Whitehead. Congresswoman, thank you. That is such an
important topic.
Jim, if you could elaborate a little bit more on the toxic
[inaudible] I would greatly appreciate it.
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander.
And a great question. As I mentioned before, DAV is
concerned and always concerned when veterans are exposed to
toxins or environmental hazards during their military service.
VA needs to be equipped to provide healthcare and service-
connected benefits for those exposures.
I talked a little bit about establishing a presumptive
framework. I think that is very important. But also, I think
Congress could enact some legislation to extend the 5-year
period to VA healthcare for veterans who had exposure to burn
pits. I think it is very important that they are able to get
the healthcare right away. That is just one of the most
important pieces of it and then establish the tying in with
benefits, as well.
You know, the concession of burn pit exposure, it wouldn't
establish presumptive service-connection, but it would remove
the requirement for veterans having to prove their individual
exposures. And I think that is something we learned with Agent
Orange and the exposure to Agent Orange; they needed to step
foot on ground. That was a significant piece that you had to
prove early on in the claims process. So, I think if we address
that now, that is certainly a right step in the right
direction.
Mrs. Luria. Great. Well, thank you for the feedback on that
issue.
And, you know, another issue that it is very difficult for
veterans to claim is those people who have unfortunately been
victims of military sexual trauma during their service. And I
know we hear a lot from veterans and veterans advocates that
there are a lot of ways to improve these process and make it
better for people trying to seek help with those types of
claims.
I wonder if you could comment, you know, from your
membership if there is anything that you have heard on that
topic that would be helpful for us in helping veterans.
Mr. Marszalek. Yes. Thank you.
It is a very sensitive topic and, you know, the more
outreach we can do in encouraging these veterans to come
forward who experienced something that traumatic, we want to
make sure that they are getting the healthcare and any benefits
that they are eligible for, and we want to do that in the best
way possible for them. So, we have got to make it an easy
process for them to be able to come forward where they are
comfortable doing so, as well.
So, anything we can do there, and, again, I think it is
more about the outreach piece, letting them know that we are
here to help. There are folks that can help you. We want to
talk to you. We want to help you in any way we can.
Mrs. Luria. Well, thank you, and thank you for those
helpful suggestions. And, again, thank you for the work that
you do every day on behalf of our veterans.
And I yield back----
Senator Blackburn. Yes.
Mrs. Luria. Oh, I am sorry.
Joy, did you want to add something, as well? Please go
ahead.
Senator Blackburn. Mr. Chairman, it is Senator Blackburn. I
would like to get a question in, if I may.
Chairman Takano. Senator Blackburn, I have you on my list,
but Senator Boozman is ahead of you in seniority, so I am going
to call on him.
If there is no other response to Ms. Luria--she did have a
little bit of time left--I will move on.
Thank you, Ms. Luria. Thank you, Representative Luria for
your questions. Thank you for your work on toxic exposure as
chair of the DAMA Subcommittee.
I now call on Senator Boozman for 3 minutes. Senator?
Senator Boozman. I appreciate that and I really enjoyed the
discussion----
Chairman Takano. I just want to make sure that the sound is
okay. It sounds low to me. Can we make sure our technicians--
can we fix the sound on Senator Boozman.
Senator Boozman. Can you hear me okay now?
Chairman Takano. It still is faint. It is still low.
Senator Boozman. I will try to speak really loud.
Is that better?
Chairman Takano. It is a little better. I guess we will
proceed.
Go ahead, sir.
Senator Boozman. Why don't you go ahead to Senator
Blackburn then.
Chairman Takano. Okay. And we will come back.
Senator Boozman. Yes, sure.
Chairman Takano. Senator Blackburn, while we are figuring
out what is going on with Senator Boozman's sound, why don't
you go ahead and ask your questions.
HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE
Senator Blackburn. Yes. I wanted to follow-up on the toxic
exposure issue. I had a question about the K2 veterans and
legislation that I had had that we were able to get through
parts of it last year and then President Trump issued an
executive order handling much of what we needed around the K2
veterans.
This really affects some of the Fifth Group out of Fort
Campbell, the 160th, and people that are constituents of our in
Tennessee. So, I would like for you to comment on the K2
veterans and what you are hearing from them as it relates to
hazards, the chemical hazards, the exposure, the risk that this
has to their health.
Mr. Whitehead. Senator, thank you for that question.
And, Jim, if you could elaborate a little bit more on the
K2, that would be great.
Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Thanks, Commander.
DAV fully supports K2 Veterans Care Act as it will provide
healthcare eligibility and establish a framework for
presumptive diseases and, obviously, could lead to benefits for
these veterans.
As you mentioned, there are a lot of veterans, there is up
to 15,000 servicemembers that were deployed to the K2 air base,
so it is very important that we get it right now to ensure that
they are taken care of. I haven't spoken to any one of our
members who have been personally exposed on that base, but we
know, again, 15,000 veterans were, so it is important that we
do whatever we can to ensure that they are taken care of if
they develop any illnesses associated with those exposures.
Senator Blackburn. Okay. Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Okay. You still have time left.
Senator, if there are no other questions, I will move on to
Senator Boozman and see if we have Senator Boozman's sound
fixed.
Senator, you are recognized.
Senator Boozman. Can you hear me now?
Chairman Takano. Yes, a lot better, Senator. Go ahead.
Senator Boozman. Oh, good. Very good. Technological
difficulties.
HON. JOHN BOOZMAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS
Again, in the interests of time, I have really enjoyed the
discussion and want to thank you all so much. I want to give a
big shout-out to the group in Arkansas that does such a great
job of keeping me informed and I think all of us, holding our
feet to the fire.
We have really accomplished a lot in the last several
years, but we simply wouldn't have done that without the
leadership of you all, I mean, the leaders of your
organization, but also the grassroots in places like Arkansas
that really step forward and helped us understand what the
needs are, and the good news is, in a very bipartisan way.
I am so proud of my Senate colleagues and also having
served in the House and being on Veterans Affairs there, again,
just working in a way that we have really gotten a lot done. We
have got a lot left to do.
My dad did 23 years in the Air Force and I am have proud of
his service. I understand these are family affairs. And the
other thing that is so important is that these are not give-me;
these are earned benefits. And, again, just to a big thank you
to you and your membership. We simply would not be able to get
the things done that we get done without your leadership. So,
give yourselves a pat on the back.
And as always, a big thanks to the auxiliary. We know who
does all the work, so we really do appreciate them and all that
they represent.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Senator Boozman.
I understand that Representative Mann is with us by
telephone, has no video, but would like to ask questions. Since
this is not an official hearing, we can, the part of our normal
requirement that the video be turned on, so Representative
Mann, go ahead for your questions. Representative Mann, are you
able to unmute yourself?
Let's see if the staff can.
[Pause.]
Chairman Takano. We will stand by for just a little longer
for Representative Mann.
[Pause.]
Mr. Mann. Chairman Takano, can you hear me now? Chairman
Takano?
Chairman Takano. I can hear you, Representative Mann.
Are you ready to go?
Mr. Mann. I am. Yes, can you hear me okay? Sorry, sir.
Chairman Takano. I can.
HON. TRACEY MANN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM KANSAS
Mr. Mann. Well, thank you for letting me on.
Thank you for being here to testify today. Really, my
question, I know that Senator Tuberville touched on this, as
well, but for me it is an honor to serve on the House Veterans'
Affairs Committee. I also tell people back home this should
really be called the heroes committee, and I am glad to be here
advocating for our men and women who have worn the uniform.
Our servicemembers as they transition to civilian life
often bring to the workforce, unique skill sets and a veteran's
perspective. I guess my question, is how can Congress improve
the Transition Assistance Program to better service disabled
servicemembers in their transition to civilian life?
I know I said Senator Tuberville also mentioned the
transition, but specifically on the Transition Assistance
Program, what are the things that we could be doing to help our
brave men and women when they return home to enter the
workforce and have a good career thereafter?
Mr. Whitehead. Thank you for such a great question, because
that transition is critical. You know, getting in front of them
right away is the most important thing so they actually can
have the vet soldier, now veteran, now has an idea of what they
want to do.
But, Jim, if you could elaborate a little bit more on some
of the areas that we could get after that group, that would be
great. Jim?
Mr. Marszalek. Thank you, Commander.
We certainly agree that it is a significant process when
you transition out of the military and that finding employment
after is so critical. The DAV was able to still interview with
the pandemic, 21,000 departing servicemembers last year and
assist them with the initial claims process.
I think being able to continue to outreach to these
individuals, letting them know that, yes, there are benefits,
there are services available to you, to help you with this
transition is significant.
I also think that making sure that servicemembers are
required to go through these out-processing briefings, we
called them ``tap classes'' as I was getting out of the
military, and it was very beneficial to me, teaching you how to
write a resume, where you can look for government jobs. All of
these resources need to be available, and it has to be done in
a consistent manner, as well, regardless of where you are
transitioning from.
You know, we hear that there are differences all over the
place and it can't be like that; it has to be consistent
everywhere and we have to provide those services. Even after
you are discharged, you still want to have those services
available to departing servicemembers.
I think a big piece including spouses of servicemembers is
important, as well. It is a team effort, obviously, so we want
to make sure that everybody is participating and taking
advantage of those opportunities.
Mr. Mann. How many--you said it would be good if all of
them participated--rough, ballpark, do the majority participate
in something like that or is there only a handful? Do we have
any data on that?
Mr. Marszalek. I don't offhand. I know it is the majority.
I mean, we would be happy to research that a little bit and
follow-up with you and your staff.
Mr. Mann. Okay. We can reach out.
And I yield back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Representative Mann.
That completes the questioning of this panel.
I would like to thank Commander Whitehead and the other
witnesses from Disabled American Veterans. We appreciate
hearing from you today and look forward to working together
with you during this Congress. You are now excused.
We will move immediately into the second panel. I now call
up our second panel.
And we have with us today on our second panel, Dr. Thomas
A. Zampieri, National President of the Blinded Veterans
Association, BVA; Mr. John Hilgert, President of the National
Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs; Mr. Cory
Titus, Director, Government Relations for Veterans Benefits, of
the Military Officers Association of America, otherwise known
as MOAA; Mr. Jared Lyon, National President and CEO of Student
Veterans of America, SVA; Ms. Lindsay Church, Executive
Director, Co-founder of Minority Veterans of America; and Ms.
Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans or NCHV.
I now call on Dr. Zampieri for your testimony. You are
recognized for 5 minutes to present your opening statement.
PANEL II
----------
STATEMENT OF THOMAS A. ZAMPIERI, PH.D.,
NATIONAL PRESIDENT,
BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION (BVA)
Mr. Zampieri. Thank you to Chairman Takano and all the
members of the committee for inviting the Blinded Veterans
Association to testify before you today.
I will quickly run through some of the major issues that
the BVA has a lot of details in, in our testimony, and
hopefully you and the members and staff will go through those
closely.
We request, along with the BVA, for catastrophically
disabled service-connected veterans, that the auto grant be
renewable every 10 years. We also ask that you continue your
support for women veterans and we endorse the section of the
VSO Independent Budget section that addresses some of those
issues.
We are concerned about, of course, as the DAV touched on,
the caregiver delays and the implementation of the Caregiver
Program for our older veterans, especially who suffer from not
only their service-connected disabilities, but aging-related
disabilities. It makes it even harder for the caregivers to
have to wait longer for that.
We do ask that you consider working closely with the BVA,
our government-relations staff area that has grown increasingly
a concern to us, and that is with guide dogs and service dogs
on VA properties. There have been increasing incidences of
assault by other types of dogs where guide dogs and blind
veterans have actually been physically assaulted by some types
of other therapy dogs, and we would like, we have 76 years of
experience in working with guide dogs and service dogs and we
would respectfully request that before the committee takes
action on any specific bills in regards to how the VA should be
addressing these issues, that you include us.
We also are concerned about staffing and funding within the
blind rehabilitation services. With the COVID shutdown, the
blind centers went virtual and as other medical services have
had to make that dramatic shift, what we have been concerned
about is they are not replacing staff, though, existing staff
in those blind rehab centers and we would point to Public Law
114-223, which has a requirement for staffing for special
rehabilitative programs, not just blind, but spinal cord, also,
and the funding for those programs.
For those of you who serve on both, the VA and the DOD
world, Armed Services, I have got 3 issues that really would
like your attention. One is maybe under the radar screen sort
of, but we were excited last September 29, the Assistant
Secretary Defense for Health Affairs and the Surgeon General of
the U.K. established a formal agreement to have an
international joint ocular trauma task group. And they have
formed it with a couple of chairmen who are ophthalmologists,
highly experienced combat ophthalmologists and there are as
many as 15 other representatives on this task group. And lo and
behold, now the problem is they have no money. You can imagine.
So, just to let you know how much interest there is, the
surgeon general of the U.K. personally told me that there is at
least six other countries that want to engage with this because
eye injuries are such a significant portion of all casualties.
So, Israel, Germany, Canada, Australia, just to name a few. But
how do you have an international trauma task group with no
funding and no administrative support?
So, that probably would only take about a phone call from
one of you listening to this today. And if someone says so much
other task groups have had a million dollars in funding, that
is not a really huge dent over there at the Assistant Secretary
of Defense's Office, I don't think.
The NDAA of 2017, along with that, mandated that they
designate four specialty centers for things such as TBI, limb
injuries, burns, et cetera. When Congress put the language into
the NDAA in 2017, here we are in 2021 and DHA has failed to
designate four ocular trauma centers of excellence. Those are
critical because as any of you have been involved in the
polytrauma centers, if you don't have the full complement of
the specialists in eye trauma, corneal specialists, retinal
specialist, neuroophthalmologists, you can't treat these
patients if they get sent to a smaller MTF. So, that is an
oversight issue.
The congressionally directed medical research program
includes the vision research program. It is the only source in
the United States of funding for ocular trauma research. We are
asking BVA and other VSOs who have supported this in the past,
$30 million for the VRP program. I actually sit on the VRP
programmatic peer-review committee, and we have 81 full grant
applications this year. With the $20 million that we currently
have, we will be lucky if we can fund 14 or 15 of those. The VA
doesn't fund ocular trauma research.
Why should they? They do rehabilitation of eye injuries.
DOD, much to our frustration, has just eliminated and
consolidated a lot of their deployment medical research
programs into a lot of abbreviations. But now there is no core,
internal DOD eye trauma funding.
Chairman Takano. Mr. Zampieri, I am going to have to ask
you to kind of conclude. We have a panel to get through.
Mr. Zampieri. Yep. Thank you very much for inviting me to
testify today. I would be glad to answer any of your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Zampieri appears on page 101
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Zampieri. I appreciate your
testimony. You would be happy to know that we have an
ophthalmologist who actually is on our committee, Dr. Miller-
Meeks of Iowa.
Mr. Hilgert, I now recognize you for 5 minutes to present
your opening statement.
I'm sorry, Mr. Hilgert. Your sound is not working. Let's
give our sound technicians a chance to get your sound to turn
on. Maybe you can make sure you are turned off of mute. Can you
try again.
Mr. Hilgert? Still no sound.
[Pause.]
Chairman Takano. Still no sound.
Okay. We might have to move on to the next witness and then
come back to you, Mr. Hilgert.
Let's see if Mr. Titus, if your sound is working.
Mr. Titus?
Mr. Titus. Yes, Chairman. Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Go ahead for 5 minutes, sir.
Mr. Titus. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF CORY TITUS, DIRECTOR,
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR VETERANS' BENEFITS,
MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (MOAA)
Mr. Titus. Thank you Chairman Tester and Chairman Takano,
Ranking Member Moran and Bost and committee members. Thank you
for the opportunity to share MOAA's legislative priorities for
our veterans.
Just over 3 years ago, I took off my Army uniform and
started my journey as a civilian. I received my first service-
connected disability payment within a couple of months of
separation. I went back to school using any Post-9/11 G.I. Bill
benefits and I used the VA for my healthcare, both at the D.C.
Medical Center and in the community. My experience thus far has
been the VA at its best; however, not all have enjoyed the same
care as I.
Most members, soldiers I served with, and even members of
my family haven't had the same experience. We need to keep
ongoing and create equity for all veterans to enjoy the same
quality experience and access to benefits and care, regardless
of their gender, race, location, or generation of service. That
goal of continuing to build on past progress is the intent
behind MOAA's top legislative priorities for veterans. Four of
our high-interest items include implementing COVID lessons
learned, overseeing the implementation of suicide prevention
and behavioral health legislation, supporting women and
minority veterans, and enacting comprehensive toxic exposure
reform.
With the third vaccine now approved for emergency use,
optimism continues to grow as an end to the pandemic seems
near. VA quickly moved to expand the VA workforce to meet the
health crisis, one of many positive steps; however,
vulnerabilities were also exposed like in State veterans homes
and community living centers.
MOAA recommends VA examine every aspect of the COVID-19
response center [inaudible]. VA must conduct a thorough
examination along a wide variety of demographics and apply
lessons learned so it can improve support to veterans. The
116th Congress passed many landmark bills to address mental
health needs and prevent suicide. Congress' oversight is
essential as VA implements these in an effective manner.
The pandemic has only made it more challenging for veterans
to engage with VHA. Much has been done to mitigate the risk of
spreading the virus like expanding telehealth and tele-mental
health services, but more is needed to stem the tide and
mitigate the rising rates of mental health diagnoses and
suicides. MOAA recommends stringent oversight of veteran
suicide prevention and behavioral health programs and ensuring
full implementation of the bill as Congress intended.
Women transitioning out of uniform face multiple challenges
because of their experience and service. While VA has
implemented a comprehensive, primary care model for women,
there remains several barriers to getting the care and services
they need. Additionally, according to GAO, the VA has taken
steps to reduce the disparities in health outcomes linked to
race and ethnicity, but lacks the mechanisms to measure
progress an ensure accountability. MOAA recommends eliminating
health disparities for women and minority veterans to ensure
timely access to compassionate, quality care.
A few weeks ago Major Richard Star lost his fight with
metastatic lung cancer. Major Star spent his final days
fighting the injustice of concurrent receipt and I ask each of
you to support his namesake bill, but I also raise this story
to remind us that the challenges facing veterans are not
isolated or singular in nature.
Our military [inaudible] as a factor in his death. Health
issues compounded the veterans benefits issues and vice-versa.
It is time to take a holistic approach in supporting challenges
veterans face like toxic exposures. MOAA recommends passing
comprehensive toxic exposure reform that helps veterans by
enacting Senator Sullivan and Manchin's bill conceding
exposure, expanding access to healthcare, and improving and
[inaudible] the reporting requirements of presumptive
conditions to ensure they are helping veterans the way they are
intended.
I thank you for the opportunity to present MOAA's
priorities. We look forward to working together with the
committees to build on VA's progress to date and create equity
for all veterans. Thank you, and I look forward to your
questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Titus appears on page 118 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Titus.
Mr. Hilgert, let's see if your sound is working. Mr.
Hilgert?
If not, Mr. Hilgert, let's move on to Mr. Lyon.
Mr. Lyon, do you want to present your opening statement.
Mr. Lyon. Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Takano. Go ahead, you are recognized for 5
minutes, sir.
STATEMENT OF JARED LYON,
NATIONAL PRESIDENT AND CEO,
STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA (SVA)
Mr. Lyon. Thank you, Chairman Takano, and Chairman Tester,
Ranking Members Moran and Bost, Members of the Committee. Thank
you for inviting Student Veterans of America to testify on our
policy priorities for 2021.
With our mission focused on empowerment and inclusion, SVA
is committed to providing an educational experience that goes
beyond the classroom. Our goal is to inspire tomorrow's
leaders.
Our policy priorities come from directed interactions with
student veterans. Over the past decade, we have also dedicated
significant resources to restructuring the efficacy and the
impact of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. The purpose of our research
has been to address a straightforward question. What is America
getting for its multibillion dollar investment in education of
veterans?
The bottom line is this, student veterans are among the
most successful students in all of higher education. With
appropriate resources, this research could be updated annually
to better address student veteran success. Take, for example,
the SVA chapter at Clemson University. Over the course of the
pandemic, their chapter leadership that has worked closely with
campus career service offices to promote the organizational,
virtual career fair and professional development courses.
Clemson University is home to our 2021 chapter of the year
award and they continue to inspire others with their
adaptability and commitment to their community.
While examples like Clemson are indeed special, they are
not unique. Over this past year, student veterans nationwide
have risen to the occasion as they always have. Andrew Ho is an
Air Force veteran at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He is
a first generation college student and an SVA chapter president
on his campus. Andrew was selected from among thousands of his
peers as our 2021 student veteran of the year.
And there were so many others with similarly impressive
stories of success, service, and leadership. Student veterans
have experienced unique frustrations and concerns throughout
this past year. Between the pandemic impacting the community of
education and a national reckoning on racial justice sparked by
the death of George Floyd, SVA chapter leaders have risen to
the occasion to lead through these most challenging times
ensuring inclusivity in all that we do, especially for our
sisters and brothers in arms and for the black, indigenous
people of color, LGBTQ communities; it will remain at the
forefront of everything that we do.
As it relates to the pandemic, even with these generous
flexibilities created by this Congress, liquid support from the
VA, unlike their civilian counterparts, student veterans were
nearly wholly dependent on schools accurately understanding the
rapidly changing VA guidance when making decisions for their
entire student populations.
While not a whole fix, this is why one of our first
legislative recommendations is to codify national emergency
flexibilities for G.I. Bill students. This will allow schools
and students to better plan for their future emergencies as
they arise.
As for the majority of our recommendations, based on what
student veterans have told us in recent years and months, we
are committed to our priorities having a central theme, and
that is the G.I. Bill is the front door to the Department of
Veterans Affairs. Typically, using the G.I. Bill is one of the
first interactions that a newly transitioned veteran will have
with the VA and the universe of post-service benefits and
programs. This means that a seamless G.I. Bill process is key
to establishing trust and confidence in VA.
Much like the Veterans Health Administration's whole health
concept for the right the entirety of a veteran, SVA advocates
for a whole benefits approach for modernizing VA education
services. This idea is a big one, but it begins with perfecting
all the small steps in the process along the way.
With the overhaul of VBA's IT system now underway, VA can
focus on continuing to improve customer service, expand
communication, quickly respond to beneficiaries' questions,
digitize eligibility certificates, reduce the lag between
applying for benefits and receiving the first tuition and
housing payments and so much more.
By truly embracing the G.I. Bill as the front door, we open
up untold potential for VA to focus on making consistent, early
outreach with accurate contact information to establish a
lifelong connection with the VA. The effects of treating the
G.I. Bill as the front door to the VA will be felt immediately.
At Student Veterans of America, we often say that veterans
are the Ambassadors for military service; similarly, the
quality of the VA service to student veterans is the Ambassador
for all VA services. We look forward to focusing on this
concept as we work with our partners at the VA and our veteran
advocate counterparts during the 117th Congress and beyond.
Moving forward, the G.I. Bill as the front door to the VA
mentality, we are hopeful that this Congress can focus on
addressing some of the lingering basic needs of student
veterans, for example, increasing access to childcare is a near
universal conversation among SVA chapters. This should come as
no surprise considering that more than 50 percent of student
veterans have children.
We thank the chairmen, ranking members, and the committee
members for your full time, attention, and devotion to the
cause of veterans and higher education. As always, we welcome
your feedback and questions.
Thank you so much for inviting Student Veterans of America
to testify today.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lyon appears on page 135 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Lyon.
I now call upon, is Mr. Hilgert still here?
Mr. Hilgert. Yes, sir.
Chairman Takano. It sounds like your sound is working. We
can hear you.
Go ahead. You are recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. Hilgert. Thank you. You have a very generous staff.
They are very helpful. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF JOHN HILGERT, DIRECTOR,
NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS,
PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE
DIRECTORS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (NASDVA)
Mr. Hilgert. Chairman Tester, Chairman Takano, Ranking
Member Moran, Ranking Member Bost, distinguished members of the
committee, my name is John Hilgert. I am the president of the
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs and
I serve as the director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans
Affairs.
NASDVA is comprised of State directors from every State and
every territory and if we would have been in person, I would
have been joined by John Scocos, our executive director, and
also Tom Palladino, the executive director of the Texas
Veterans Commission and the incoming president of our
association.
States and territories continue to increase their roles in
the holistic service providers to veterans. We coordinate,
connect, we convene teams to address veteran employment,
education, economic empowerment, continued health, all health
and wellness. Despite constrained State budgets and the
challenges of COVID-19, States collectively contribute over $10
billion each year to service our Nation's veterans and
families.
NASDVA through its members, States, and territories, is the
single organization, outside the Federal VA, that serves 19
million veterans; given that, we are tasked and held
accountable by our respective Governors, our State boards, our
commissions. We are well-positioned to deliver effective, and
efficient, and veteran-focused services.
Regarding veterans' benefits and healthcare and services,
we support the continued implementation and provisions of the
VA MISSION Act, the NASDVA's priorities for the care of our
veterans are consistent with those of the VA, especially in the
area of behavioral health and suicide prevention. We supported
all of the above strategy for healthcare delivery, which
recognizes the diversity, the geography, and the demographic
makeup of today's veterans.
Regarding State veterans homes, the State Veterans Homes
Construction Grant Program is one of the most important
partnerships we have with the VA. COVID-19 has focused national
attention on our State veterans homes. In Nebraska, I am
responsible for four State veterans homes. Given the number of
State veterans homes, roughly 30 percent are not CMS certified.
The VA may need to provide more support to State veterans homes
when health measures are directed, but unfunded to non-CMS
homes. The VA may also consider divining a maintenance charge
that covers in a State veterans homes, relative to what
specialty care the VA covers.
Arguably, both, the VA and State veterans homes have a role
to provide mental health services. The challenge is delineating
the cost of care associated with geriatric psychiatry. To be
direct, NASDVA would offer that the VA would allow mental
health services to be deemed a specialty care service and not a
basic service covered to be provided by the State veterans
homes through their per diem allowance. This would allow the VA
to provide desperately needed care, resources to our veterans
and State veterans homes.
Additionally, the VA with congressional support can also
consider changing the 70 percent service-connected disability
provision for full State veterans home per diem from the--to a
50 percent service-connected disability. This would provide
more important and immediate help for the care of our veterans
in our State veterans homes.
Despite all of the challenges of COVID-19, NASDVA continues
to support a commitment to the significant funding of the State
Veterans Homes Construction Grant Program, roughly, to increase
the founding at least $500 million.
NASDVA is encouraged by the committee's oversight and the
interest in examining and improving the VA's support of our
State Veterans Homes. Please use NASDVA as a resource to
validate lessons learned, to test ideas, and to identify
potential legislative changes.
Here is an example. As the VA's Millennial electronic
health record is deployed, use the State of Washington to test
consistency for the seamless delivery of quality care with the
new rollout.
Regarding veterans' benefits, given the claims backlog, the
number of claims on a bill, NASDVA recommends serious
consideration to make Federal funding available to State
veterans departments to assist with outreach efforts on the
ground. We recommend funding and focus for VA adjudication in
these claims. But beyond funding, the VA should offer more
virtual training to accredited service officers.
And finally, NASDVA would like to emphasize the important
role of the National Personnel Records Center in providing
vital records, which is frankly the lifeblood of the system
regarding our benefits advocacy.
Regarding the VA funding, once released, NASDVA would
welcome the opportunity to review the details of the
president's fiscal year 2022 VA budget, and would respond
favorably to an invitation to comment on said budget at a later
date. Women veterans, they comprise 20 percent of our Armed
Forces at this point and are growing. We would strongly
encourage that the VBA make the women veterans coordinator a
full-time role.
Distinguished members of the committee, with your continued
support, we can ensure to serve the needs of our veterans and
their families. Use the State directors in your respective
States as resources. Reach out to us. We are here to partner,
and we are here to support. We are a resource. Thank you very
much for your time, and I would be more than happy to answer
any questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Hilgert appears on page 113
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Hilgert. I now call on Ms.
Church. Ms. Church, you are recognized for 5 minutes for your
opening statement.
STATEMENT OF LINDSAY CHURCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/
CO-FOUNDER, MINORITY VETERANS OF AMERICA (MVA)
Ms. Church. Chairman Takano and Tester, Ranking Members
Bost and Moran, and distinguished members of the committee, my
name is Lindsay Church, and I am honored to serve as the
Executive Director and Co-founder of Minority Veterans of
America, a non-profit dedicated to creating community belonging
and advancing equity for minority veterans.
I served in the United States Navy as a Persian-Farsi
linguist before being medically retired. I am the daughter of a
woman veteran, the third generation of my family to serve, and
one of the many queer veterans who served under Don't Ask,
Don't Tell.
I want to begin by thanking you for prioritizing the needs
of minority veterans on these panels, and for allowing us to
contribute.
MVA began as a movement in 2017, because many in the
community felt unsafe and unwelcome in traditional veteran
spaces and in VA care. We were founded by myself and Dr.
Katherine Pratt, a Korean-American woman veteran, who struggled
with similar challenges in the veteran community. We bonded
over a deep recognition that though we may not understand each
other's experiences, we both understand what it felt like to
hold marginalized identities as veterans, and to feel
ostracized by the community solely because of these identities.
In three years, our community has grown to over 2,200
members across 48 states, 3 territories, and 3 countries. In
our work, we proudly represent the unique needs of veterans of
color, women, LGBTQ, and religious minorities. All together,
our membership accounts for tens of thousands of years of
military service.
I am here today to testify from my own personal
experiences, but also, and more importantly, to advocate on
behalf of the millions of minority veterans whose needs and
perspectives have only just begun to be heard by your
committees.
The priorities we submitted echo the experiences of many
minority veterans who have been excluded from or underserved
through existing frameworks, whether negligently or
intentionally. In an era where our military is only growing
increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that veteran
services keep pace with these changes in order to better serve
this generation of veterans and those who will soon join our
ranks.
As we look to the future of veteran services, we urge the
committees to consider a mindset shift, and to begin examining
existing and potential systems and frameworks through a lens
that centers and prioritizes the minority veteran. We have
found where a system is designed to serve the most marginalized
first, it will innately and more effectively serve those that
experience more privilege.
Within our written testimony, we highlighted several key
areas that we are internally prioritizing, and which we hope to
work with your office to address. There are three key areas
that I want to highlight this morning during these remarks. The
first, addressing economic disparities.
Minority veterans show up, not with singular identities,
but with intersecting and overlapping characteristics, the
weight of which impacts and compounds many of the factors that
we're proactively seeking to address. It is critically
important that we begin looking toward positively impacting
economic disparities within the veteran community through an
intersectional and trauma-informed lens, especially as we
reexamine the provision of G.I. Bill interval pay and equitable
access to capital.
The second point I would like to highlight is resolve--
systemic injustices for minority veterans. The recent murder of
Specialist Vanessa Guillen, and the continued incarceration of
Corporal Thae Ohu, highlight the need for urgent action to
address a culture that is failing to adequately support our
community. We must initiate comprehensive reviews and
structural reforms to address the continuum of harm felt by
military sexual trauma survivors. Fight to repatriate deported
veterans, codify the military--into law, and rename VA
facilities named after confederate insurgents, eugenics
movement leaders, and those believed to have been involved with
Nazi sterilization efforts.
Finally, addressing the health care disparities and
creating a more equitable VA. As I mentioned previously, the
Nation's veteran population is only becoming more diverse by
the generation. It is imperative that we design a 21st century
VA that is inclusive of veterans and the many identities that
we hold. We can begin to build this department by adopting a
gender-inclusive motto, ending the ban on gender affirmation
surgery and abortion-related counseling and services, and
expanding IVF and surrogacy offerings to empower millions of
minority veterans to begin family planning in the ways that
makes sense for them.
We are at a moment in time where the VA and these
committees have a real opportunity to regain the trust and
confidence of minority veteran communities that have
historically been excluded. We must take advantage of it, and
we must begin looking toward development of programs and
systems that were specifically designed to support our Nation's
most vulnerable veteran populations.
I again thank you for the opportunity to testify today, and
look forward to continuing to work with you and your offices.
And I am happy to answer any questions that you might have.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Church appears on page 157
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Ms. Church. I now call on Ms.
Monet for her opening statement for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF KATHRYN MONET,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS (NCHV)
Ms. Monet. Chairs Tester and Takano, Ranking Members Moran
and Bost, and the distinguished members of the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs, it is an honor to share NCHV's legislative
priorities with you today. We thank you for your continued
efforts to focus on the needs of this group of veterans. The
assistance Congress provided since the pandemic has started has
allowed NCHV member organizations across the country to keep
veterans safe from COVID by social distancing in shelters,
ramping up rapid rehousing capacity, and focusing on
individualized housing options in communities across the
country.
While--data, we know veteran homelessness decreased by 50
percent between 2010 and 2019, largely due to increased
investment, adherence to evidence-based solutions, and
dedicated coordination at the national and local level. We need
to double down on what we know works to end veteran
homelessness, while simultaneously recalibrating the system to
respond to the urgent economic crisis COVID has created, and
inequities that certain veteran groups face.
Homelessness is complex. Thus a variety of tools from both
inside and outside VA are required to respond to individual
crises and needs. We have four priorities to put forth today.
Priority one is COVID crisis response. Homelessness can
make veterans more vulnerable to COVID-19. The VA's reporting
offers no clear way to determine how many reported patients are
experiencing homelessness. Adding the status of its reporting
on confirmed COVID cases and deaths, like DC, New York City,
and other jurisdictions do, would improve risk assessments and
the ability to create a comprehensive local response.
The VA must continue to address veteran homelessness within
the greater scale of the COVID-19 response, including by
creation of a national standard, prioritizing testing and
vaccination for veterans who are unsheltered or living in more
congregate settings, and all who resides there with them. We
ask Congress to direct VA to utilize its humanitarian care
authority during the duration of the pandemic to provide easily
accessible COVID-related health and preventive care to all
veterans experiencing homelessness, regardless of discharge
status or time in service. Access to both has varied widely
across the country.
Our priority two is COVID recovery. NCHV supports funding
increases for key programs that address veteran homelessness,
and an increase in the daily--and per diem rate. As our country
moves out of a crisis response phase and into a COVID recovery
phase, we also need to focus on meeting the imminent needs of
veterans and the creation of substantially more affordable and
supportive housing.
Nearly 15 million Americans have accrued over $50 billion
in missed rental payments during the course of this pandemic.
Veterans are among them and need to be connected to emergency
rental assistance and other benefits for stability. We
appreciate the inclusion of homeless veterans in the Senate
substitute amendment American Rescue Plan, and we know that
economic recovery will take time. Employment and training
opportunities will be critical to ensure that people can get
back on their feet, and DOL's HVRP program is a key resource
for veterans who are homeless or at risk.
We ask Congress to prioritize its expansion through 2023 as
a part of any recovery package. My written testimony has
detailed recommendations for $1.6 billion in emergency
appropriation to support veterans experiencing and at-risk of
homelessness. Notably, this funding would allow Federal
partners to continue or extend essential services, such as
social distancing in congregate facilities, renovations to
create safety, expansion of--subsidy program, and subbing for
VA case managers for unutilized HUD--vouchers.
Some communities are purchasing hotels and motels for
conversion to supportive housing, and capital dollars paired
with project based vouchers could increase availability of
affordable housing rapidly. Our priority is to raise equity.
Programs to serve unhoused veterans must focus on racial and
other types of equities to ensure we're not leaving anyone
behind. Black veterans are vastly over represented in the
homeless population. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
veterans are most likely to become homeless. Transgender
veterans are three times more likely to experience homelessness
than non-transgender. And women veterans are among the fastest
growing groups within this population.
VA needs to look at ways to foster equitable treatment of
veterans who utilize homeless services. They need to work to
unearth inequities in homeless adjacent systems, address the
root causes, and most importantly, they need to create a space
where all veterans feel comfortable accessing care.
Our fourth priority is housing affordability, which affects
both veterans and civilians alike. It is beyond time for
housing to be considered a right in this country. The average
rental price, according to HUD, has increased by 66 percent
between 2010 and 2020, yet the Federal minimum wage has
remained unadjusted since 2009. A livable wage offers the
dignity of being able to afford the minimum basic needed to
survive. And in 2019, over 660,000 veterans were paying more
than 50 percent of their income in rent. You can make
meaningful progress toward ending homelessness for all by
increasing the minimum wage or making--subsidies for all who
need them.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. It's
a privilege to work with all of you and your staff members on
ending veteran homelessness.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Monet appears on page 189 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Takano. Thank you very much, Ms. Monet. I am not
going to call on myself and then the ranking member for
questions. I will see if I can get Senator Moran in before we
actually take a recess for 10 minutes. So let me get started
with my questions. I will recognize myself for 3 minutes, and
we will need to take a recess, because the House is voting.
Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, I am here.
Chairman Takano. Mr. Moran, thank you.
Senator Moran. Yes.
Chairman Takano. I am going to just--I am going to call
myself, and the Mr. Bost, and then you, and then we will take a
10 minute recess. The House is voting, so I have got to give
members a chance to go and vote, but it will be a strict 10
minutes. So I will recognize myself for 3 minutes.
Mr. Lyon of SVA, as you mentioned in your testimony, it
appears that VA will be ending the rounding out this summer. Do
you have data on how many students take advantage of this
practice?
Mr. Lyon. Yes, Mr. Chairman, thank you so very much for the
question. Our research and data currently indicate
approximately 25 percent of G.I. Bill users are impacted by
this policy.
Chairman Takano. Great. I support your desire for a fourth
administration for economic opportunity and VA. How have
education programs suffered due to the current structure of VA
leadership?
Mr. Lyon. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I really do appreciate this
question, because presently, VA is doing a great job. They are
trying really hard, and this Congress has done a phenomenal job
of instituting the right kinds of policies and in such an
expedient manner that it is almost unbelievable.
That all said, these gains can easily be lost without the
permanent establishment of a fourth administration to ensure
within the structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs that
these matters are codified and paid attention to on a regular
basis, so that we can always ensure this level of care to our
Nation's student veterans.
Chairman Takano. Thank you for that. Let me go to Ms.
Church. In your testimony, you highlight the need for access to
capital for veteran and minority owned businesses. As we work
to strengthen veteran access to capital, what do you propose
Congress can do to assist with increasing access?
Ms. Church. Thank you for the question, sir. One of the
greatest things that Congress can do is find programs and ways
to allow minority veterans access to capital. We know there is
a deep wage and wealth gap for minority veterans, specifically
BIPOC veterans and LGBTQ folks, specifically. So in recognition
of that, finding ways to fund and set aside subsidies and
programs to be able to support minority veteran
entrepreneurship, as well as invest in programs and different
non-profits and organizations that are able to support minority
veteran entrepreneurship, and support them with their
identities, and everything that is included in being a minority
entrepreneur.
Chairman Takano. Great. We all want to continue to make VA
more inclusive and an equitable place for all veterans. And as
you have mentioned in your testimony, the need to address
sexual harassment and investigation response procedure is of
great importance.
Beyond the review of programs, what else should Congress do
to help change the way women and non-binary people are treated
at the VA facilities?
Ms. Church. Thank you for that question as well. We do
believe that a comprehensive review of the structures and
reporting for sexual assault and sexual harassment needs to be
done. We watched the appalling treatment of one of the staffers
under the last administration. So I think one of the biggest
things that VA has to do is build trust. Even if the mechanisms
are in place, people don't trust them. So we need to be able to
figure out ways to support those survivors and being able to
report and find justice and accountability, and for that
perpetrator not to be continued to be allowed to exist in those
spaces.
Chairman Takano. That is great. Thank you. I want to
quickly move to Ranking Member Bost so he can ask questions.
Ranking Member Bost, go ahead.
Mr. Bost. Thank you, Chairman. And one of the questions
that I asked the first panel is one I would just to ask the
panel here, I mentioned the fact that Chairman Takano and I
have introduced the Vaccine Act, and this will expand the
access to vaccines to all veterans and their caregivers, of
those who are certain long term or home based caregiver
programs. Would your organizations be in support of the bill,
and why or why not? And whoever wants to speak up.
Mr. Hilgert. Well, certainly we would--the National
Association States Directors of Veterans Affairs would be
certainly supportive of that. And it is interesting that you
talk about caregivers and veterans. And I would reflect on,
perhaps, a little bit--study on how veterans homes are
connected to this whole system. We are built by the VA. We are
funded by the VA through the per diem program. They inspect us
inside and out on an annual basis and as need be basis. But yet
when it comes time to vaccine for not only our members, and
some of their spouses that live within our homes, their
caregivers, our teammates, our staff are then shifted to the
non-VA sector, and through the Federal program that was
successful, the three--CVS, Walgreens, et cetera, that went
through the Nation, but we were treated as other nursing homes.
So that is helpful, but going forward, it would be nice to
establish a relationship with the VA that our new employees,
our new admissions, our new spouses, the new people that come
into the veterans homes after that initial wave could develop a
relationship with the USVA that is frankly beyond their fourth
mission and back into their fundamental mission of supporting
our veterans. That would be welcome, sir.
Mr. Bost. Well, and so my--and I appreciate that. And
another question I just want to throw out. One of my priorities
is for strengthening and services for women veterans at our VA
hospitals. I know, Ms. Church, that you actually responded on
the sexual harassment side and everything like that, and I
heard that comment, but what other areas where women are maybe
being underserved need to be addressed as far as VA is
concerned?
Ms. Church. Thank you for that question. I think one of the
greatest areas of improvement that we have for women veterans
is around reproductive care, whether it be access to abortion
and contraceptives or to family planning. I think that the
reproductive care should match where the veteran is and what
they are looking for their family planning.
We know that an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy can drop
somebody into a cycle of poverty that they will never recover
from. So effective and safe measures of family planning are
going to be the biggest area of opportunity VA has as far as
women veterans go.
Mr. Bost. Thank you. My time has expired. And with that,
Mr. Chairman, I'll yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you. Thank you, Ranking Member Bost.
Ranking Member Moran, I want to call on you before we recess.
Go ahead.
Senator Moran. Thank you, Chairman, for doing that. And I
will be brief to keep you on schedule. Let me just ask all of
our witnesses that any who have thoughts--let me make it
specific, but it is really a broader question than it will
sound. What is it that I can do as an individual Member of
Congress in Kansas to make sure that veterans are getting the
vaccines that they need? I certainly support the concept of
Representative Bost--Ranking Member Bost in caregivers,
spouses, and others, but what is missing, and how do you think
the VA is doing? Are we getting this goal accomplished?
Mr. Lyon. Sir, I don't mind taking that. Thanks so much for
the question. I think that you specifically as a Member of
Congress can continue what you are doing with regard to
encouragement, but to also provide more access. Student
Veterans of America is partnered with a bunch of our fellow
veteran service organizations through what we call the Veterans
Coalition and Vaccines to actually mobilize veterans to help
inoculate the population. We are only as effective to getting
back to normal as when we actually get shots in arms. So you,
as a Member of Congress, could help elevate that throughout
veterans in your State to literally let them know that they can
start volunteering to be part of this solution, sir. Thank you.
Senator Moran. Well, thank you. Thank you, Jared, very
much.
Ms. Church. I am going to let you go, Kathryn. You were up.
Sorry.
Ms. Monet. Well, I will be real quick. So I would like to
add to that and just note that some of the issues that we are
seeing with homeless veterans--with the issue that Mr. Hilgert
raised with State Veterans Homes. And in some communities,
people experiencing homelessness and shelter providers have
actually been prioritized for the vaccine, because of the
congregate settings and the high risk of transmission. So I
think I would encourage you to make sure that your solutions
are all-encompassing and provide some level of equity for
people who are highly underserved.
Senator Moran. Kathryn, thank you for the reminder. When I
last visited the vaccine site at the Topeka VA, the Colmery-
O'Neil VA, I did ask the question, ``How are we taking care of
homeless veterans in this area?'' And I will continue to do
that. Thank you.
Ms. Church. Sir, if I might add as well, one of the things
that I think is very important as we talk about vaccine
distribution is equitability and meeting folks where they are.
We know that there has been a disproportionate, specifically by
race, distribution of the vaccine. So for us, it is a deep
concern, I am echoing Kathryn's remarks about veterans
experiencing homelessness, and ensuring that those folks are
getting vaccinated first, because they are the ones that are
more likely to be around other folks.
Additionally, working with tribal, I know that there are a
lot of folks within your community that live on indigenous
populations or lands, and ensuring that those folks who have
low access to care, in general, have greater access to
vaccines, because they have been hit the hardest.
So I think the biggest thing that you can do, sir, to be a
champion for vaccines when it comes to veterans is really
ensuring that you are hitting those populations that are one,
more likely to be contracting COVID, and two, less likely to
have access to health care.
Senator Moran. Thank you for the reminder, and thank you
for caring for all veterans.
Chairman Takano. Senator Moran, thank you for your
questions, and thank you for your forbearance with us in the
House.
I am going to declare a 10 minute recess, upon which we
will return and Mr. Mrvan will begin the questioning. And
panelists, I apologize, but we do have to go out and vote. So a
10 minute recess, and we will be back in 10 minutes.
[Recess.]
Chairman Takano. I now recognize Mr. Mrvan for his 3
minutes. Mr. Mrvan, go ahead.
Mr. Mrvan. I thank you very much, and I thank you, Chairman
Takano. I appreciate everyone's patience, and I appreciate all
that you do for veterans, and we want to welcome you to the
Veteran Affairs Committee today.
My question has to do with the digital divide. Recently,
there has been a lot of coverage about the digital divide,
specifically the lack of broadband internet, especially in
rural America and older urban America, and how it has
disadvantaged people who live in those communities. My
subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Technology and Modernization,
is planning on taking a comprehensive look at the digital
divide, and how the VA is working to bridge it.
Ms. Church, or anyone, can you talk about how the digital
divide, or lack of access to the internet and technology,
impacts minority communities, even those in urban areas? And do
you have thoughts on ways the VA can address these gaps?
Ms. Church. Thank you so much for the question. And the
digital divide, in a world in which we turned everything
digital, including our health care, our schools, our work,
internet has become more than just a--it is a staple of society
anymore. It is a utility. And we are seeing the boundaries and
limits of that being tested every single day.
In communities that have lower socioeconomic status, it is
more often that the digital--the broadband itself is actually
poor. In addition, when you don't have technology access to
begin with, you can't go to work. You can't go to school. So
some of the things that we have seen are the lack of technology
and the tools to actually be able to go. So thinking about cell
phones being your primary device of health care anymore. In
addition, like tablets, and expanding the availability of those
tablets in lower income communities and families to ensure that
those folks actually have access. And in addition, it was
working with tribal and indigenous populations to ensure that
broadband expansion doesn't just hit rural communities, but
also hits indigenous populations and lands.
Mr. Mrvan. All right. Thank you very much. One of my follow
up questions that I wanted to ask is when we talk about
veterans getting vaccinated, very often throughout the certain
States, there are VSO organizations that the VA is doing
offsite vaccinations, going to the people. I am wondering what
your thoughts were on that and if any of you have had examples
of that going on within your organizations?
Mr. Lyon. Sir, I don't mind taking that one. This is Jared
Lyon with Student Veterans of America.
We have, actually. We have helped form a coalition with a
variety of veteran serving organizations, led by the efforts of
disaster recovery of Team Rubicon and their CEO, Jake Wood. We
are bringing veterans together to help not only reach veterans,
but really all Americans that might be outside of traditional
vaccination sites, as well as staffing those sites with
volunteers. They can do everything leading up to the actual
inoculation being provided into somebody's arm.
Mr. Mrvan. Thank you, Jared. I thank all of you. I yield
back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Mrvan. What I am going to
do is I know that we have--Miller-Meeks, I am glad to see you
back Dr. Meeks. You are not obligated to ask the questions of
the Blinded Veterans Association, but I am very pleased you are
back. So I am going to recognize you for your 3 minutes.
And Mr. Mrvan, just so you know, I am going to probably go
for a second round of questions. So members that are still
here, if you want to ask another round, but I am going to
recognize you for 3 minutes, Dr. Miller-Meeks.
Ms. Miller-Meeks. Thank you very much, Chair Takano, and
Chair Tester, and thank you for putting me on the spot, Chair
Takano. I am an ophthalmologist and I was very interested in
reading the testimony from Mr. Zampieri. I am probably
mispronouncing it, so I apologize. But I can't say that I knew
about the ocular trauma centers that you have referenced, but I
did reach out to the American Academy of Ophthalmology and to
our research--ocular research division, our ophthalmic research
division at the University of Iowa for their input on that. So
I don't have an answer yet.
But I would say my concern is that there is a tremendous
amount of ophthalmological research that goes on throughout the
country. And it is interesting where you mentioned in your
testimony the increase in trauma, ocular trauma, but as someone
who trained residents, we have been seeing a decrease in ocular
trauma on the civilian side. But to your point, during Desert
Storm, I was called up, even though I had retired, I was called
up to come back onto active duty to be deployed for the purpose
of treating ocular trauma related to IEDs.
But my husband was deployed at that time, and since I was
retired, I was able to decline. But I called back up as soon as
my husband got back to be deployed, but at that point in time,
they no longer had need of my services. So I can't address your
question, but I will certainly continue to look into that. But
my concern would be that we dilute the research that is going
on in ocular trauma. And if we restrict where veterans can go
for service, that does create a hardship to their families, so
we need to be in recognition of that.
The question I have, however, in the time that remains to
me is in relation to COVID-19. There are veterans who have a
myriad of diagnoses. Some, they have service-related
disabilities. And so I am concerned. I have been approached, as
I mentioned, I am a Wapella County Commissioner, I have been
approached that a veteran servicemember with a service-
connected disability died, on the death certificate, because
they had COVID-19 or were tested, their death certificate has
COVID-19, not their actual cause of death. So this is related
to me personally, so I know that this exists. And so is that a
concern? Do we have a problem with survivors getting dependent
and indemnity survivor benefits when the diagnosis on the death
certificate is COVID-19, when it actually may have been a
service-connected medical problem that was the true source and
cause of their death? And with that, I will yield back my time
and I will listen. Thank you.
Mr. Titus. Congresswoman, thank you for that question.
Absolutely. We think that is something that we are starting to
see from our members--concern on that issue of getting
recognition on the death certificates, and I would think that
is a real problem with over a half million deaths of COVID,
there is a very--there is a lot to be reviewed right now in
regards to the death certificates. So we certainly believe that
taking a second look for that is essential to ensure that that
DSC is getting appropriately given. Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Thank you. Dr. Miller-Meeks, I am going to
be, and Mr. Mrvan, we will be doing a second round of
questions. And I will recognize myself for 3 minutes for this
second round.
Mr. Zampieri, the Blinded Veterans Association is asking
Congress, VA, and DOD to request the assistant secretary for
Health Affairs to work with the United Kingdom to ``provide
funding for joint--task group'' that was established in a
mutual formal agreement in September 2020. Can you explain more
about the scope of the task group's work and the funding
required to make the work successful? You were talking about
that in your testimony. Go ahead.
Mr. Zampieri. Right. Thank you, Chairman, for asking that.
It is a unique opportunity, and I do want to address the last
thing. We are talking about military combat-related eye trauma
and translational battlefield eye injury research. So the Joint
Ocular Trauma Task Group was established, and I spoke actually
with the surgeon general of the U.K., and Israel, about 14
percent of their casualties, by the way, are eye injuries,
historically going back 40 years.
So their ``mission'' is to look at best practices, clinical
guidelines, standardization of formularies for eye medications
that are utilized in combat zones, looking at surgical
equipment, looking at training and education standards for
deploying surgeons, and the management of eye trauma. And then
real briefly, we found that there is--the Hearing Center of
Excellence has a million dollars. Again, it is not a huge
amount, but if you are going to do these types of things,
especially with an international group, you really have to have
some level of funding. And so I appreciate the question.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, sir, for that response.
Mr. Hilgert, in your testimony, NASDVA highlighted the role
that the VA and the State Veterans Homes could play in
providing mental health care. This is obviously an important
service for Americans, especially for veterans, and especially
in the wake of a pandemic.
You also suggested that mental health services be
designated a specialty care service, instead of a basic
service. Can you explain why it would be better categorized as
a specialty care service, and--NASDVA's role in testing ideas
before they expand to all veterans homes?
Mr. Hilgert. Yes. Based on my experience, the--we are
looked upon as a nursing home. And you have a per diem. You
have so much, and you have an expectation of care. Even through
great standards, you are expected to have four or 5 hours of
care per day for skilled nursing. I think that is a five star
goal.
There are mental health conditions where you need one-to-
one staff. Traditional nursing homes are not set up for that.
When we have someone with let's say Picks disease in one of our
veterans homes, and it requires one to one staffing, you
immediately throw the system out of compliance with your
overtime. You have stress on resources. And all of a sudden, it
is straining the resources of the nursing home.
If it was a specialty care identification, it is our
opinion that, okay, you have this situation within the State
Veterans Home. We will help you resource it properly to address
the needs of this individual, rather than stressing the entire
system.
So that is kind of where I was going with that, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Takano. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. I am
glad to see we have other members that have returned for the
questioning of our witnesses.
Representative Cawthorn, I would like to recognize you for
3 minutes.
Mr. Cawthorn. Yes, sir. Thank you very much, Chairman. My
question is for Mr. Titus. So I understand that Congress has
provided the VA with tens of millions of dollars to help with
COVID relief over this past last year. I am wondering, have you
seen any direct impact from that money? And how do you think
the money should be spent moving forward?
Mr. Titus. Congressman, thank you for that question. So
looking at how VA spent that money, we certainly see an impact
in the way that the VA has been able to use it with the
expansion of their workforce, getting ready to respond to the
pandemic, providing some of the backbone that is necessary to
help vaccinate our veterans and our caregivers. And along with
that level of money, what we think is important also to ensure
continuing oversight, because what we believe is that when we
get vaccines in arms--the necessity to follow up from COVID
isn't done. There is going to be a long process where we need
to sit down and evaluate how the VA did from every aspect of
it, and digging in from aspect, every benefit, enterprise-wide.
So I think that the increased funding, the personnel, and
the--have each impacted to make sure that--from that funding
aspect.
Mr. Cawthorn. Excellent, Cory. It really means a lot to me,
Mr. Titus. And Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Takano. All right. Thank you, Mr. Cawthorn, for
returning after the break to present your questions.
Mr. Lamb, I recognize you for 3 minutes.
Mr. Lamb. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I appreciate all of
the witnesses as well, hanging around for us. I won't really
get a chance to question all of you in these 3 minutes, so I'm
going to try to focus this for MOAA and the Student Veterans.
I believe in the wake of January 6th----
Chairman Takano. Mr. Lamb, hold on for a second. You are
breaking up.
Mr. Lamb [continuing]. To play for all of them.
Chairman Takano. Mr. Lamb?
Mr. Lamb [continuing]. To police our own, and really talk
about what the oath means.
Chairman Takano. Mr. Lamb, just--I am asking you to suspend
until we get the technology.
Mr. Lamb. I apologize.
Chairman Takano. I apologize. I apologize. Just hanging on.
You are asking an important question. If we could stop the
clock. Return the clock.
Mr. Lamb. I yield back, Mr.----
Chairman Takano. Just hold on. Don't go away. Have we got
the technology back? All right. Why don't you go ahead, Mr.
Lamb, and see if it works now? Can you turn your--you are
muted. Can you turn back on your sound, your mike?
Mr. Lamb. I am a Marine, Mr. Chairman. It takes me a little
while sometimes with technology. I apologize.
Chairman Takano. I don't want to get into it with Mr. Bost
over that comment, so go ahead.
Mr. Lamb. All right. So my question is this. I think we all
have a role to play in reinforcing the importance of the oath
with our fellow veterans. The Capitol that the Constitution
sets up was attacked, and we all swore an oath to the
Constitution.
So my question is specific to MOAA and Student Veterans,
what are you doing to identify whether you had members that
were part of the attack? And what will you do going forward to
communicate to your members the importance of the oath and the
fact that this is not a political topic? If you swore an oath
to the Constitution, there is only one side to this debate,
which is that you oppose people attacking the Capitol.
So if you could just update us on your efforts, and
specifically whether you have worked with law enforcement at
all.
Mr. Titus. Congressman, thank you for that question, and
you take off the uniform, but like you said, you never--the
oath never goes away. You have responsibility to uphold--that
belief is something that MOAA holds dear, and it really is
ingrained in our organization, our philosophy.
So getting to your specific question, we have been closely
following the DOJ's website, and monitoring any individuals,
and looking at whether they were MOAA members. We think that is
important to uphold the standard of our organization and show
accountability. Being a member of MOAA is a privilege, and we
uphold--I expect our members to uphold the standards.
Mr. Lyon. Congressman Lamb, this is an excellent question,
sir. And thank you for your service in the Marine Corps. I
served in the Navy, so Department of the Navy friends. We will
take that as well.
Sir, this is an incredibly serious topic. It is incredibly
important. And Student Veterans of America absolutely condemns
the acts that happened on January 6th. Sedition and
insurrection are serious matters and should not be taken
lightly.
Not only do we condemn them amongst all Americans, but
specifically amongst all veterans. As to your question
specifically, we have taken all publicly available data for
those involved in the events of January 6th and run them
through our data base, and verified that we have no current
members that were involved.
I heard you earlier ask a question regarding facial
recognition. We don't have access to that technology as of yet,
so we are not really able to do that. But had we found any
members that were a part of the events on January 6th, we would
immediately disband them from any of our national headquarters
activities throughout the country, no matter where we are
organized, sir.
Mr. Lamb. Thank you. And thank you to all the panelists.
And if any of the panelists I didn't focus on, if you ever want
to follow up with me on this, I would be happy to talk. We just
have limited time. And Mr. Chairman, I yield back. Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Representative Lamb, just so you know, I
have asked--I have allowed for a second round of questioning.
So if you are--we get through the next few members, you might
want to come back and ask other organizations the questions you
want to ask them.
So Mr. Murphy, I recognize you for 3 minutes, and then
after that Mr. Mrvan, and then Mrs. Miller-Meeks, if you have a
second round of questions, you may do that. And then--but go
ahead, Mr. Murphy. Go ahead.
Mr. Murphy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you to all
the members of the panel. I thank you for your service to our
Nation, and your continued service to our veterans.
I represent North Carolina's third congressional district.
We have the fifth most veterans of any district in the country
and is growing. And so veterans affairs are very, very
important to me. I, as a physician, have worked at VA medical
centers, and have cared for veterans, and am deeply obligated
to all that we can do to care for those who have dedicated
their lives and sometimes make such great sacrifices, and
obviously the ultimately sacrifice for us to remain free.
I am going to throw one plug in here for House Resolution
1014. As a surgeon, I have dealt with wound healing for over 30
years. And I look at our particular population of veterans who
come back with traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, those who have
suffered from blast injuries, and from other effects during
their service. And we do a fantastic job in the VA of reaching
out to those veterans and trying to help them cope withe
struggles that they cope with, but I think we can do more.
There is a significant subset of individuals, despite all
the modalities that are offered to them through the VA that
still we cannot reach, still are not able to get their life
back on track, still not able to participate fully in society,
still not able to get jobs, deal with family.
We have, obviously, such a suicide epidemic in our Nation
for veterans. There are over 17 a day. And so what I have used
for wound healing when nothing else has worked is something
called hyperbaric oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen has been shown to
help promote wound healing.
In these individuals, and I will say this very objectively
as a physician, this is not necessarily mainstream. I want this
issue studied for our veterans. What hyperbaric oxygen does is
it promotes wound healing. And I think in a significant subset
of individuals who have suffered from PTSD, who have suffered
from TBI, this is from blast injuries to the brain. This is a
wound, that despite pharmacology, despite interventions--
objective interventions and therapies, we still are not
reaching these individuals.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, I have seen and witnessed
firsthand with some veterans who literally had nothing else to
be offered have changed their lives, have their lives whole
again.
And so House Resolution 1014 asks for a pilot study. I am
asking each of your groups to please study this, and please
consider supporting this measure. We need to do everything
possible. We need to leave no stone unturned to try to help
those who have suffered in service to our Nation.
So thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would ask each of these
groups, please House Resolution 1014, I would ask for your
support for this as we move forward. Thank you all, Mr.
Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Dr. Murphy. I am going to
recognize Mr. Mrvan for 3 more minutes.
Mr. Mrvan. Thank you, Chairman. At this point, my question
is for Mr. Lyon. In your proposal or in your statement, you had
said the G.I. Bill is the front door for the VA. And my
question is I understand that the VA recently began evaluating
the modernization of the G.I. Bill information systems. Can you
describe for me what, if any, engagement you have had with the
VA on this topic? What do you feel are the biggest concerns--
address the future of the G.I. Bill to promote----
Chairman Takano. Can we just hold on for a second until we
can straighten out what this--got it? All right. Proceed, Mr.
Lyon.
Mr. Lyon. Thank you, sir, very much for the question. When
we think about VA IT modernization, these are things that
frankly should have been done and addressed a long time ago.
With regard to direct interaction with VA leadership, it has
actually been strong. The VA is committed to trying to resolve
this issue by the support that they can ultimately receive as
the ability to insure that funds that are allocated get
actually used for the right reasons. Because broadly, this
notion of the VA having an idea or embodying an idea that the
G.I. bill is the front door to the VA, it helps people sort of
understand that the VA does not reach all veterans, and is
chronically having the challenge to be able to do that.
And we find that nearly 60 percent of the transitioning
force is in a college classroom within seven months of
separating from active duty, utilizing the G.I. Bill. Frankly,
it's the first, and in some cases, the only interaction that
they'll have with VA.
When IT systems are not caught up to modern times to be
able to process those benefits and provide a good experience on
the front end, the veteran is left with a mistrust of the VA
due to that interaction. And then down the road, when the
veteran may have an issue, be that emotionally, physically,
regarding their mental health, they might not necessarily think
to reach out to the VA.
Further, if they have the relationship with the VA through
the G.I. Bill, through IT modernization, the VA could actually
explain to recently transitioned veterans all of the benefits
that they may be eligible for in the entirety of the VA
ecosystem. The VA has a lot that we can provide. By treating
the G.I. Bill as the front door, we can actually access and
make newly transitioned veterans aware of all that the VA has
to offer, and truly provide that care to our veterans for life.
Thank you, sir.
Mr. Mrvan. And I think you, Mr. Lyon. And I thank all of
you as young veterans who are on, advocating for your peers,
how important that is, especially in the veteran service
organization realm. So I appreciate that, and we will make sure
that they are--as the front door, we use technology to link
together the benefits, along with making sure we are pushing
out information so we have more people aware of the VA and
using technology and modernization to do that. Thank you.
Chairman Takano. Thank you, Mr. Mrvan. Are there any other
members who I have missed, who would like to be recognized? I
don't see any other members seeking recognition.
Let me thank all of our panelists for your testimony today.
And we look forward to working with you and your organization,
and your members in the future. So we are very grateful that
you all participated today and brought your voices to the table
in the room where it happens.
So all members will have 5 legislative days to revise and
extend their remarks, and include extraneous material. Again,
thank you all, panelists, for your presentations and this
hearing is now adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 1:57 p.m., the Joint Committee was
adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Prepared Statements
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]