[Senate Hearing 119-34]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-34
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE VETERANS
OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES AND
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA,
STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA, TRAGEDY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS,
THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION, AND NATIONAL
COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
=======================================================================
JOINT HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE
AND THE
UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
MARCH 4, 2025
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
59-775 PDF WASHINGTON : 2025
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Jerry Moran, Kansas, Chairman
John Boozman, Arkansas Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut,
Bill Cassidy, Louisiana Ranking Member
Thom Tillis, North Carolina Patty Murray, Washington
Dan Sullivan, Alaska Bernard Sanders, Vermont
Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Mazie K. Hirono, Hawaii
Kevin Cramer, North Dakota Margaret Wood Hassan, New
Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Hampshire
Jim Banks, Indiana Angus S. King, Jr., Maine
Tim Sheehy, Montana Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
Ruben Gallego, Arizona
Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
David Shearman, Staff Director
Tony McClain, Democratic Staff Director
----------
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Mike Bost, Illinois, Chairman
Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, Mark Takano, California, Ranking
American Samoa Member
Jack Bergman, Michigan Julia Brownley, California
Nancy Mace, South Carolina Chris Pappas, New Hampshire
Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick,
Gregory F. Murphy, North Carolina Florida
Derrick Van Orden, Wisconsin Morgan McGarvey, Kentucky
Morgan Luttrell, Texas Delia C. Ramirez, Illinois
Juan Ciscomani, Arizona Nikki Budzinski, Illinois
Keith Self, Texas Timothy M. Kennedy, New York
Jennifer A. Kiggans, Virginia Maxine Dexter, Oregon
Abe Hamadeh, Arizona Herb Conaway, New Jersey
Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Northern Kelly Morrison, Minnesota
Mariana Islands
Tom Barrett, Michigan
Jon Clark, Staff Director
Matt Reel, Democratic Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
----------
March 4, 2025
Page
SENATORS
Hon. Jerry Moran, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Kansas............. 1
Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from
Connecticut.................................................... 4
Hon. Margaret Wood Hassan, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire....... 18
Hon. Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator from Alabama................. 22
Hon. Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senator from Alaska...................... 25
Hon. Mazie K. Hirono, U.S. Senator from Hawaii................... 28
Hon. Angus S. King, Jr., U.S. Senator from Maine................. 29
Hon. Jim Banks, U.S. Senator from Indiana........................ 30
Hon. Ruben Gallego, U.S. Senator from Arizona.................... 32
Hon. Bill Cassidy, U.S. Senator from Louisiana................... 33
REPRESENTATIVES
Hon. Mike Bost, Chairman, U.S. Representative from Illinois...... 2
Hon. Mark Takano, Ranking Member, U.S. Representative from
California..................................................... 6
Hon. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, U.S. Representative from
American Samoa................................................. 17
Hon. Abe Hamadeh, U.S. Representative from Arizona............... 19
Hon. Chris Pappas, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire........ 20
Hon. Kelly Morrison, U.S. Representative from Minnesota.......... 23
Hon. Herb Conaway, U.S. Representative from New Jersey........... 26
Hon. Delia Ramirez, U.S. Representative from Illinois............ 48
INTRODUCER
Hon. Jon Ossoff, U.S. Senator from Georgia....................... 9
WITNESSES
Panel I
Alfred J. ``Al'' Lipphardt, Commander in Chief, Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the United States.............................. 10
accompanied by
Patrick Murray, Acting Executive Director of the Washington
Office
Kristina Keenan, Director, National Legislative Service
Michael Figlioli, Director, National Veterans Service
Mitch Fuller, Chairman, National Legislative Committee
Panel II
Robert Thomas, National President, Paralyzed Veterans of America. 36
Allison Jaslow, Chief Executive Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans of America............................................ 37
Jared Lyon, National President and Chief Executive Officer,
Student Veterans of America.................................... 39
Panel II (cont.)
Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program
for Survivors.................................................. 41
Meredith Beck, Vice President, Government Affairs and Community
Engagement, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation...................... 43
Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans.............................................. 45
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements
Alfred J. ``Al'' Lipphardt, Commander in Chief, Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the United States.............................. 59
Robert Thomas, National President, Paralyzed Veterans of America. 89
Allison Jaslow, Chief Executive Officer, Iraq and Afghanistan
Veterans of America............................................ 110
Jared Lyon, National President and Chief Executive Officer,
Student Veterans of America.................................... 121
Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program
for Survivors.................................................. 152
Meredith Beck, Vice President, Government Affairs and Community
Engagement, The Elizabeth Dole Foundation...................... 183
Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans.............................................. 200
Submission for the Record
Kentucky Public Radio article; ``Kentucky business among hundreds
losing veteran service contracts amid Trump cuts''............. 211
Questions for the Record
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States response to
questions from:
Hon. Margaret Wood Hassan...................................... 217
Hon. Marsha Blackburn.......................................... 218
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America response to questions
from:
Hon. Marsha Blackburn.......................................... 218
Statements for the Record
Gold Star Spouses of America, Inc., Tamra Sipes, National
President...................................................... 223
Military-Veterans Advocacy, Commander John B. Wells, USN
(Retired), Chairman............................................ 231
National Guard Association of the United States.................. 241
Quality of Life Foundation....................................... 245
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED
STATES AND MULTI VSOs: PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA, STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA, TRAGEDY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS, THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION, AND
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
----------
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2025
U.S. Senate, and
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committees met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in Room
SD-G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Jerry Moran,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present:
Senators Moran, Cassidy, Sullivan, Tuberville, Banks,
Sheehy, Blumenthal, Hirono, Hassan, King, and Gallego.
Representatives Bost, Coleman Radewagen, Hamadeh, Takano,
Pappas, Cherfilus-McCormick, Ramirez, Conaway, and Morrison.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY MORAN,
CHAIRMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Chairman Moran. Good morning, everyone. The hearing will
come to order. I welcome everyone in the room and certainly
welcome the Commander. I thank my colleague from the House,
Chairman Bost, along with Ranking Members Blumenthal and
Takano, and the rest of my Senate and House colleagues for
joining us here today in this joint hearing, the final of three
hearings our Committees hosted this year.
I, of course, specifically welcome Commander Al Lipphardt,
his wife Carol, and the rest of his team at the VFW. I also
welcome all of the organizations represented on the second
panel and those of you who have traveled here from across the
country to represent veterans, servicemembers, caregivers,
families, and survivors. I also want to give a special hello,
of course, to the Kansans in the audience and those watching at
home. The VFW is a major and important organization in our
state. I appreciate the relationship I have with them.
The work we do on our Committees would not be possible
without the work and the dedication of the VSO community. Our
accomplishments are a result of your advocacy and the efforts
to hold Congress and VA accountable for doing what is in the
best interest of our veterans and military communities.
One example of this is the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century
Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act which was
signed into law last Congress and supported by the
organizations, all of the organizations, we will be hearing
from today. We are working to make certain this legislation is
implemented in a timely manner and in adherence with
congressional intent so that it lives up to the promise for
veterans, caregivers, and survivors.
All of the policies and programs that we will discuss today
depend upon a strong and effective VSO community and a strong
and effective VA workforce to deliver the care and benefits
veterans and their families deserve.
As the VA implements new Federal workforce guidance, and we
work together to root out any waste, I am committed to making
certain that the necessary VA workforce is preserved. In that
regard, it would be useful to retain the inspector general to
work to help the Department and Congress better inform our
decisions.
The VA must be forthcoming and transparent with Congress,
VSOs, and the public about how it is implementing workforce,
contract, and other changes. The VA must also work to avoid or
correct actions that could in any way undermine access to the
care and benefits that veterans and their loved ones rely on.
I again thank you for you all being here today. I look
forward to the testimony of the witnesses on both panels.
And I now yield to Chairman Bost for his opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE BOST,
CHAIRMAN, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS
Chairman Bost. Thank you, Chairman Moran. Good morning.
[Chorus of ``Good morning.'']
Chairman Bost. I want to thank you all for being here, and
I want to thank you to my Senate colleagues, Chairman Moran,
Ranking Member Blumenthal, for hosting us this week. And I
would like to thank the VFW National Commander, Alfred
Lipphardt, for being here today. Thank you, Commander.
I would also like to give a shout-out to the VFW Auxiliary
National Commander, Brenda Bryant. Thank you for being here.
And I am pleased that there are folks here from the great State
of Illinois, and if you would, I just want you to stand if you
can, or raise your hand, and be recognized. There they are.
Thanks for being here.
[Applause.]
Chairman Bost. And I want to thank you all for traveling
here to your nation's capital for such important issues.
This Congress marks a decade on this sacred Committee for
me, and it is my second term as Chair. It is an honor to serve
all of you. The mission of the VA Committee has always been
personal to me. I grew up in a home with veterans, and many of
you have heard it before, but I am still going to say it again.
My dad and his brothers, Army, Korean War.
[Chorus of hooahs.]
Chairman Bost. My grandfather, one was Navy, Second World
War.
[Chorus of hooyahs.]
Chairman Bost. Other grandfather, Marine.
[Chorus of oohrahs.]
Chairman Bost. Oohrah, Korea. Uncle, Marine, Vietnam,
victim of the ultimate oxymoron, friendly fire, but because of
VA has had a very successful life, and he is up in his years
now. I, peacetime Marine. My son is a lieutenant colonel, a
reservist now, but was active for many years, and my grandson,
the son of my daughter, just got out of the Corps about 6 or 8
months ago. He was an F-18 mechanic.
So as you can tell, it is kind of personal to me, but it is
an honor to serve you. And every time I sit at the dais, when
we are getting in debates, whether it is with an agency or
another side of the aisle, my focus is not on the person I am
discussing. It is on the veterans we are serving. It is always
about you. It is always about the veterans, because that is why
the VA was created, not for bureaucrats, but for the veterans.
Now I know the sacrifice each of you has made, because my
family made them. Each of you have fought to protect our
constitutional rights. I am particularly proud of the work VFW
has done to improve transition from active duty to civilian
life. You wrote in your testimony about the Transition
Assistance Program can be improved, and how it can be improved,
to ensure all transitioning servicemembers are connected to
benefits and resources as soon as possible, and I am looking
forward to working with you on making improvements, where we
can, to modernize the delivery of care and services at VA and
DoD when we are using the TAP program.
Now under my leadership we have listened to the men and
women serving around the world who just wanted a simple program
that meets their needs. There is more to do through legislation
to increase the ability of DoD, their accountability, but to
make DoD accountable to putting the TAP program as a right
priority for those people who are leaving service. I am
optimistic that with our new leadership in the Pentagon this
will finally happen.
I do want to let you know, though, 1983, when I left the
Marine Corps, they had a TAP program. The colonel tapped me on
the shoulder and said, ``See you later.'' [Laughter.] That was
it. So we are doing our job to make sure that we help you. But
remember, like we talk about the VA--if you see one VA, you
have seen one VA--if you have seen one TAP program, you have
seen one TAP program. We have to have the ability to help these
servicemembers as they leave, to make sure they know and
understand what is available to them.
VFW will play a vital role, an important role, in making
sure we advance commonsense proposals and conduct oversight to
meet the needs of the entire veteran community, no matter where
they live or where they want to work. Veterans should have the
freedom to use the benefits of VA, no matter where they are at,
to meet their individual needs, and they should not be spending
hours driving in a car to get there or combing through wonky
paperwork for months on end to figure out what is available to
them, or needlessly waiting on a phone call to get a simple
answer. You know where the VA is falling short, and you know
where we need to push the Agency to bring it out of the stone
age and into the modern age. We cannot let the bureaucracy
continue to grow without concrete results for you, the men and
women who serve.
You have my commitment that as long as I am in charge, I
will continue to fight for you and the voices that you
represent, the hundreds of thousands of veterans outside the
D.C. beltway who just want their health care on time, their
benefits when they need them. This old corporal takes this
mission seriously, and I know our new VA Secretary and my
friend, Doug Collins, does too. Under President Trump's
leadership, I know we are going to put you, the veteran, the VA
services back at the center of the VA mission. And when the
bureaucrat tries to get in the way, I will continue to be the
first one to hold them accountable and get the answers for you.
We made great progress through the Dole Act to provide
support for homeless program, to ensure VA continues to lift
veterans out of homelessness and get them back living
fulfilling lives. My door will continue to always be open. We
must deliver for our veterans to protect their health care
choices, expand economic opportunity and education, streamline
benefits to move VA and the services it provides forward. Now,
I promise to keep up the fight together with you, and I look
forward to completing our mission alongside of you.
I want to thank the Senator again for having us here today,
and with that I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Chairman Bost, thank you. You said as long
as you are in charge. I just want to remind you that you are in
the Senate today.
Chairman Bost. I am in the Senate now. That's true. I will
be on my best behavior.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Moran. We look forward to that.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Moran. I now yield to the Ranking Member of the
Senate Committee, Senator Blumenthal, for his opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you to
everyone for being here today, Commander Lipphardt, Chief
Lipphardt, and all of your team and all of the VFW and other
veterans who are here today. I hope we have a few veterans, a
few members of the VFW from Connecticut. If you are here--yes,
indeed. Thank you.
I have particular honor and pleasure to welcome you today,
Chief Lipphardt, because the VFW has been a key partner in
helping pass important legislation for veterans and their
families, keeping our promises to our Nation's heroes. And I
want to thank you very, very deeply for the very forthright and
powerful statement you made in reaction to the firing and the
funding freezes, in effect saying--and I think I am quoting
directly--``stop the bleeding.''
I quoted you last week at both of our hearings extensively,
and I put your statement into the record. And I think your
leadership at a time when others perhaps kept their heads down
is typical of the VFW, and provides a guiding light for other
similar organizations, and an alarm, a wake-up call. Sounding
that alarm is a real public service.
It is tough to focus on efforts and legislative priorities
when so many of our previous efforts are being rolled back,
without consulting us. In other words, how do we go forward
with new legislation when the priorities can simply be ignored
and the legislation violated?
For instance, on hundreds of contracts, Secretary Collins
proudly announced that he had canceled a number--in fact, 875--
and we are confused now as to which of those cancellations has
been rescinded. There was an announcement, I think just in the
last 24 hours, that perhaps now the number has been reduced to
600. I have demanded information and clarity as to those
contracts. I believe others on the Committee may have done, as
well.
We have been informed that one of those canceled contracts
is the Veteran-Directed Care Program, something we codified and
expanded in a bipartisan matter, with the Dole Act. This
program allows aging and disabled veterans to receive care in
their home, a cost-effective alternative to nursing home care.
It is absolutely integral to the VA's continuing of long-term
care services. But it is just one of the hundreds of contracts
that Secretary Collins seems intent on canceling. Contracts
that provide critical services to veterans and their families
and allow the VA itself to identify waste, fraud, and abuse.
We cannot confirm that this specific contract is on the
list of 585 that he canceled last night, or the 875 he
announced he would cancel last week, because he will not share
the list with us. He just wants to use the numbers for his
press release, no transparency, no accountability, no
consultation.
In the process, he continues to claim that abruptly
canceling hundreds of services will not impact veterans' care
and benefits in any way. If that sounds realistic to anybody in
this room, I would like to talk to you.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit for the record an
article from the Kentucky Public Radio, published on February
25, titled ``Kentucky business among hundreds losing veteran
service contracts amid Trump cuts.'' I have it here.
Chairman Moran. Without objection.
[The article referred to appears on page 211 of the
Appendix.]
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In this
article, Army veteran Neil Riley is quoted, quote, ``Secretary
Collins said specifically that it wouldn't impact veteran
health care or benefits in any way, and that is specifically a
lie,'' end quote. Mr. Riley's company is a federally certified,
service disabled veteran-owned small business that had all of
its VA contracts canceled last week, all of them canceled last
week. And it is just one of dozens of veteran-owned small
businesses who had their contracts canceled and were forced to
lay off hundreds of employees. Many of those employees were
veterans themselves.
These contracts help ensure the safety of low-income
housing for veterans who are homeless or transitioning from
care. It is not simple waste. It is not waste at all. It is not
hypothetical. It is not abstruse or abstract. It is one of many
human examples of impacts of this Administration's actions, and
it is not happening on some imaginatory mind. It is happening
in real life.
It is just the tip of the iceberg. We have also heard
directly from VA employees and veterans that the VA has
terminated critical researchers, plan to cancel a PACT Act
Enterprise Program Management Office contract that could derail
implementation of the PACT Act. It has delayed facility
openings and reduced inpatient beds. It has canceled 50 patient
appointments at a VA facility last week due to staff shortages.
It has fired Veterans Crisis Line employees in one wave of
termination, rehired them after receiving the backlash, and
then fired even more during a second wave, not to mention the
thousands of other VA employees and veterans fired without
cause.
I will introduce, later today, a resolution. I will seek
unanimous consent for it, asking that these firings be
reversed. Each of them has their own story. They are men and
women serving alongside your doctors and nurses. They process
your disability compensation claims. They ensure veterans have
a final resting place that honors their service to a grateful
nation. Many of them are veterans who choose to continue their
service by serving their fellow veterans. They have been
callously discarded.
Chief, your testimony says that VFW members prefer the VA
to remain the primary provider of their health care. We need
your help to ensure the VA has the workforce and capabilities
to provide that health care, which is the rock of our VA health
care system. And I want to thank you for staying true, keeping
faith, and being a powerful and eloquent advocate for our
veterans. We need you now more than ever.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. I now yield to the Ranking
Member, Ranking Member Takano, for his opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARK TAKANO,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Chairman
Moran.
Today we close out our annual series of joint hearings with
the veterans service organizations, and I am pleased to welcome
our first panel, the National Commander and representatives of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its auxiliary, as well as our
second panel, representatives from the Paralyzed Veterans of
America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Student
Veterans of America, the Tragedy Assistance Program for
Survivors, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the National
Coalition for Homeless Veterans.
And I would like to extend a special welcome to VA's
Commander in Chief, Mr. Al Lipphardt, and National Auxiliary
President, Ms. Brenda Bryant. Welcome.
Before I begin my remarks I have to ask, are there any
Californians in the room?
[Cheers.]
Mr. Takano. I just had to do it.
I just want you to know, I grew up with stories about my
three great-uncles who served in World War II in the famed
442nd Infantry Regiment. And one of my uncles who fought in
Vietnam sadly died by suicide when I was young. Since joining
this Committee, I have had the honor of visiting the graves of
the fallen around the world at cemeteries managed by the
Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Battle
Monuments Commission. I urge all Americans watching this
hearing to put it on your bucket list, to visit some of these
amazing, hallowed grounds that we meticulously keep and
maintain.
It is for those servicemembers and veterans, and for all of
you, that I fight to ensure that our country honors the debt
that can never be repaid. Honoring that debt means listening to
veterans' voices about issues impacting their daily lives and
how we can address them, and one of the ways we do that is by
holding these hearings with veterans service organizations.
It was at these hearings in 2022, when the VSOs stood in
solidarity, calling on Congress to pass the Honoring our PACT
Act. Without you, we would never have passed the largest
expansion of veterans health care and benefits since the
Vietnam War. Without VFW and countless other VSOs, millions of
veterans would still be struggling to access health care for
the toxic exposures they experienced in their service to our
country. I will always be grateful to you for helping us get it
done.
The PACT Act was never meant to be a one-and-done. There is
still so much more work to be done, because our pact with our
Nation's veterans is not only about toxic exposures, it is also
about our promise to ensure that veterans have access to their
care and benefits, and that we do everything we can to end
veteran homelessness and veteran suicide; address new
categories of illness and injury associated with military
service, for example, blast injury and military traumatic brain
injury; finally achieve Guard and Reserve parity; ensure that
VA is welcoming to all, and I mean all, veterans who have
earned the right to be at a VA facility; ensure that VA's
infrastructure can supports its mission, and so much more.
Instead of focusing on these critical issues facing
veterans, we are being distracted by unnecessary chaos. I have
grave concerns about how President Trump's Executive orders are
being carried out across the Federal Government, most
especially at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the
impacts that these orders are already having on veterans.
Under the Trump administration, more than 2,400 VA
employees have been illegally fired, and many more have opted
to leave rather than put up with the chaos and uncertainty that
has been inflicted upon them. The worst part is they are not
done yet. We expect the Administration to continue its efforts
to further dismantle the Federal workforce. I question how
purging the workforce, firing the watchdogs, making VA hostile
to women and minority veterans is helping VA serve veterans
better.
Now, I have sent numerous letters to VA, seeking
information on the Department's implementation of President
Trump's disastrous Executive orders, and have had zero--zero--
meaningful responses from Secretary Collins, and this is
extremely troubling.
I was grateful to see VFW's statement supporting Federal
employees, especially the veterans, who have been unlawfully
terminated by this Administration. VFW continues to be a leader
when it comes to standing up for veterans and what they need.
So I am heartened to see that the courts appear to be
paying attention. Last week, a judge in my home state called
these firings illegal. While it is unclear how this ruling will
impact the thousands of Federal employees who have already lost
their jobs, I am hopeful the courts will continue to stand in
the constitutional role of providing relief for all the damage
that the Administration has done.
And yes, damage has already been done. Cuts at the
Cleveland VA Medical Center have made it harder for veterans to
access mental health care and prosthetics, among other
services. Restricting access to these crucial mental health
services, while we are fighting the crisis of veteran suicide,
is the height of tone deafness. Arguments that veterans are
taxpayers too are tantamount to asking veterans to sign up to
die for their country again. This is unacceptable.
I have been accused of putting bureaucracy over veterans,
but I dispute that. What about the veterans who lost their jobs
to the Trump administration's indiscriminate firings of Federal
employees? What about Black veterans who are unable to access
VA home loans due to redlining? What about women veterans whose
services still are not valued as much as their male peers, and
are now worried about the loss of gender-specific care at VA?
What about LGBTQ+ veterans whose health is in jeopardy because
of the Administration's denial of their very existence?
Ensuring the institution is there to serve veterans is
putting veterans first. It is our job to ensure access to
world-class health care and benefits to all--all veterans who
have earned the right, and I take that responsibility very
seriously. It is my hope that I can count on the VSO community
to help us hold VA accountable to all veterans, and that you
will also hold Congress accountable by making sure that we walk
the talk, that we are carrying out our constitutional oversight
responsibilities by asking tough questions, demanding answers,
and taking legislative action when it is needed.
We cannot waver in this because we know that veterans,
their survivors, and caregivers are depending on us.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Ranking Member Takano. I am
going to, in a moment, recognize the Senator from Georgia,
Senator Ossoff. I was going to indicate while the Committee
members are here, when we were in the House we called on
members to ask questions based upon their seniority in the
Senate. I do not know whether it is more egalitarian than the
House, but we call on people in order of their arrival time. So
if you came here, and started here, and you were early, you get
rewarded for good behavior. Maybe it is just the Senate needs
some kind of incentive for good behavior.
In that regard, let me recognize our colleague from
Georgia, Senator Ossoff.
INTRODUCTION BY HON. JON OSSOFF,
U.S. SENATOR FROM GEORGIA
Senator Ossoff. Well, thank you, Chairmen Moran and Bost,
Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, for the privilege of
addressing the Joint Committee today and the privilege of
introducing to you a great Georgian, an American hero, a friend
of mine, and someone I deeply admire, Al Lipphardt, who is
Commander in Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Born and raised in Hamilton, Ohio, Al moved to Georgia
shortly after enlisting as an infantryman in the United States
Army in 1965, and while training in Georgia he attended Officer
Candidate School, and was commissioned as an infantry officer.
During his time on active duty, Al earned his VFW
eligibility through two combat tours during the Vietnam War,
from 1967 to 1968, and from 1970 to 1971, and through his
distinguished service he received the Combat Infantryman's
Badge, Bronze Star with a ``V'' device, the Purple Heart, and
numerous other awards, concluding his service at Fort
McPherson, Georgia, in 1979, with the rank of captain.
After his military service, Al devoted himself to a life of
servant leadership in charitable and fraternal organizations.
He also received his Bachelor of Science degree in business
administration from Pacific Western University in 1990.
In 2002, Al joined the VFW at Post 12002 in North Fulton,
Georgia, as a charter member, and maintains his Gold Legacy
Life Membership in VFW Post 2667, Newnan, Georgia--that is
Coweta, County, right, Al?--along with his family members, who
are also VFW Department of Georgia Auxiliary Post 2667 life
members.
Al has served in elected and appointed positions at all
levels of leadership through the organization, earning the
coveted Triple Crown Award, achieving All-American Commander
status at his post, district and department levels. And at a
moment that brought great honor to the State of Georgia, Al, on
August 1, 2024, you were elected as the 116th National
Commander in Chief of the VFW. We are so proud of you and so
grateful for your service throughout your life.
And he has been on the road, taking the pulse of veterans
across the Nation, servicemembers and military families alike,
traveling across the country visiting with veterans and their
families in nearly all 50 states, and visiting veterans and our
men and women in uniform living and serving overseas, in Europe
and in the Indo-Pacific.
He lives by the words, ``Believe in what you do and do what
you believe in.'' Al is a great American, and it is a privilege
for the Senate and the House to have him testifying today.
And I would be remiss, Chairmen and Ranking Members, if I
didn't conclude by noting and honoring the tremendous record of
bipartisanship, bipartisan commitment to veterans that has been
a hallmark of the Veterans' Affairs Committees in both chambers
of Congress. And I know I speak for veterans in Georgia and
people of all political persuasions today who are deeply
alarmed by the unnecessary chaos that has been brought to the
VA in Georgia and across the country in the last few weeks. And
I humbly urge you to sustain that bipartisanship that has been
a hallmark of your work and conduct the rigorous apolitical
oversight that you are obligated to do, beginning today with
hearing from these distinguished American heroes.
Again, a pleasure to introduce my friend, Al, to the
Committee, and Chairmen and Ranking Members, thank you so much
for the honor of being here today.
Chairman Moran. Senator Ossoff, thank you for your
introduction of this great American and hero veteran. I hold in
highest regard our veterans, and maybe slightly higher than
that, veterans who serve other veterans. And clearly the
description you gave of Al Lipphardt demonstrates he is that.
So, may I now recognize the 116th National Commander of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Al Lipphardt, for his testimony.
Commander.
PANEL I
----------
STATEMENT OF ALFRED J. ``AL'' LIPPHARDT, COMMANDER IN CHIEF,
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES, ACCOMPANIED BY
PATRICK MURRAY, ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WASHINGTON
OFFICE; KRISTINA KEENAN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE; MICHAEL FIGLIOLI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL VETERANS SERVICE;
AND MITCH FULLER, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking
Members Blumenthal and Takano, Members of the Veterans' Affairs
Committee. It is my honor to testify today on behalf of the
more than 1.4 million members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
and its Auxiliary, America's largest war veterans organization.
While the benefits we afford our all-volunteer force may
seem generous to those who have never served, these benefits
are simply the warranty of the service contract each of us
signed before we put on the uniform. In addition to the
servicemember's obligations, each contract explicitly entitles
servicemembers to certain benefits as a result of honorable
service. This is why the VFW calls on our Nation to honor the
contract.
The basic enlistment contract reads, ``My enlistment
agreement is more than an employment agreement. It effects a
change in status from civilian to military member of the Armed
Forces.'' And one line that stands out on this contract, ``As a
member of the Armed Forces of the United States, I will be
entitled to receive pay, allowances, and other benefits, as
provided by law and regulation.''
This is not charity. This is a contract. Everyone who has
served honorably, like every member of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, met our end of this agreement. We demand our leaders do
the same. By contract, you must ensure the VA has the resources
and staff to provide veterans their full earned benefits. This
is not an ask. Honor the contract!
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The historic passage of the PACT Act in 2022
provided health care and benefits to a tremendous number of
veterans and survivors, some of whom had waited years for
relief. The VFW is grateful to these Committees for drafting
and passing this critical legislation.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The PACT Act is not the end of the journey
for toxic exposed veterans and their survivors. This
legislation was enacted to address health conditions related to
burn pits and Agent Orange exposure. Just as important, the
PACT Act included a framework for VA's evaluation of toxic
exposures not included in the legislation. Veterans frequently
tell the VFW about their health conditions resulting from
exposure.
The military is inherently a hazardous profession, and we
must take care of our K2 veterans, those who served at Fort
McClellan, veterans exposed to radiation, forever chemicals,
and others. The VFW urges Congress to conduct oversight of VA's
presumptive process because veterans cannot keep waiting.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The transition from military to civilian
life is a critical moment that requires active participation by
both the Department of Defense and VA. Veterans can face
difficult transitions, including housing insecurity,
underemployment, and health concerns. We know that the first
year from separation has the highest rate for suicide. VA
currently includes accredited claims representatives in its
portion of TAP classes, and the VFW leads the way in providing
critical assistance on major installations across the country.
The VFW urges Congress to pass legislation like the TAP
Promotion Act to codify this practice, ensuring that
servicemembers receive their benefits at the earliest possible
moment.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Furthermore, the VFW believes that military
commanders must prioritize transition services. The VFW urges
Congress to establish an Under Secretary of Defense for
Transition. This position is essential for effective management
and accountability. Improving transition has the potential to
enhance recruitment and retention, lowers risk for suicide, and
sets veterans on a path to success.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Many veterans live with PTSD. VA most often
provides antidepressants and other medications, combined with
therapy. Veterans are concerned the VA may be overprescribing
these medications. While these treatments are successful for
some individuals, many veterans report experiencing only
temporary relief, adverse side effects, and difficulties when
going off medications. Not all treatments work for all
veterans, which is why the VFW is working with Grunt Style
Foundation, urging Congress and VA to research and provide
alternative, nonconventional solutions for veterans, and break
the cycle of overmedication.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Treatments that have shown potential include
HBOT, medical cannabis, MDMA, and other plant-based alternative
therapies.
The VFW believes there are additional ways to effectively
treat PTSD. VA should receive funding to research and deliver
those treatments today.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Now, onto our favorite subject--claim
sharks.
[Chorus of boos.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The VFW continues its fight against
unaccredited, predatory claims consultants that we call ``claim
sharks.'' Charging veterans for initial claims assistance is
prohibited by law. Claim sharks often charge veterans the
equivalent of 5 to 10 months of their future disability
payments. This could put them in debt simply for trying to
access their earned benefits. Some claim sharks obtain
fraudulent medical opinions, from their own providers; access
veterans' log-in credentials for VA websites and call centers,
which are egregious practices. Anyone who assists veterans with
the preparation of VA claims should adhere to Federal law.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The VFW understands that some veterans are
willing to pay for claims help, but these companies cannot be
allowed to line their pockets with taxpayer dollars at the
expense of disabled veterans. The VFW would support commonsense
legislation to require that everyone who charges veterans for
claims is accredited. Veterans should never go into debt to
access their earned benefits.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. The service of National Guard and Reserve
members is still overlooked despite a stark increase in
deployments since September 11, 2001. Though they have served
alongside active duty servicemembers, both domestic and abroad,
they do not earn their VA education benefits at the same rate.
This inequity has been amplified in recent years during the
frequent activations due to natural disasters, the COVID-19
pandemic, and border security missions. The VFW urges Congress
to pass the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025, to
allow any day in uniform for which military pay is received to
count toward Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility.
This is a joint legislative priority for both the VFW and
the Student Veterans of America. The current VFW/SVA
legislative fellows have advocated on their college campuses
around the country to bring awareness to this issue. The time
is long past for parity. This inequity must end now.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. For more than two decades, Congress has
failed to address the longstanding injustice of withholding
military retirement pay from disabled veterans. Retirement pay
and disability compensation are separate benefits, earned for
different reasons. Congress continues to wrongly treat their
concurrent receipt as double dipping. The VFW has advocated for
the Major Richard Star Act and other legislation to provide
full concurrent receipt to all deserving veterans. Congress
passed the Social Security Fairness Act in the last session,
ending a similar unjust offset for Social Security recipients.
It is time to correct this injustice for our military
retirees. The VFW calls on Congress to fix this now.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Lastly, I would like to end with a solemn
reminder of what is at stake when we go to war. I would like to
recognize five members of my unit with whom I served in
Vietnam: Private Lewis Sloan of East Point, Georgia; Corporal
Kenneth Adams of Santa Barbara, California; Corporal Philip
Adams of Croton Falls, New York; Private First Class Robert
Waddell of Batavia, Ohio; and Corporal Rodney Loatman of
Newark, New Jersey. I would ask these men to stand and be
recognized, but they can't. Their names are on the Vietnam
Wall, along with all those who gave the last full measure of
devotion to this Nation, acknowledged by the contract that we
signed.
They died on November 23, 1967, Thanksgiving Day. Their
names and the recognition of their supreme sacrifice must never
be forgotten. Our nation must never forget our warfighters.
This is why we persistently call for the full funding of DPAA's
mission, proper recognition of American Expeditionary Forces,
deterring our enemies abroad, and proper support to overseas
veterans who augment these critical missions.
Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members Blumenthal and
Takano, Members of the Committees, thank you for the
opportunity to discuss these important issues. My team and I
are ready to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you.
[Standing ovation.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lipphardt appears on page 59
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. National Commander, thank you for your
thoughtful and solid testimony, your compelling testimony.
We are now going to have that opportunity for us to ask you
and your team questions. We are going to begin a round of 3-
minute questions, and I will begin those questions by
highlighting a couple of things that you said.
The first question I was going to ask you about, and am
going to ask you about, you highlighted first, and that is the
PACT Act. You highlighted that it was not a one-and-done deal
and that there was more to come, and that there are veterans
that are not yet receiving the benefits that some now are
eligible for because the PACT Act requires further action by
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
We established a framework to make decisions regarding new
presumptions of service-connection in an attempt to make it
easier for toxic exposed veterans to file for and receive
disability compensation and access to VA health care.
What are you hearing from VA and from veterans about this
new presumptive decision process? What are you hearing about
concerns from veterans whose conditions are not covered by
presumption service-connection or whose location or years of
service are not included in the existing presumption? Would you
please share that with me and the Committee?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir. But I would like
for Mike Figlioli from our National Veteran Service to more
fully answer that in detail.
Chairman Moran. Mr. Figlioli.
Mr. Figlioli. Thank you, Commander in Chief. Thank you
again for the passage of the PACT Act. And we have said before,
it is a framework that needed to be looked at, that needed to
be updated, that needed to be kept up with.
We are aware that some veterans are not covered by those
provisions. We have attempted to engage VA. We have not really
had many meaningful engagements about upcoming disabilities or
presumptives that might be involved. We have not been able to
discuss with them the conditions that are being reported to us.
There has not been much discussion about what conditions they
plan to review related to any other exposure. We have seen
Federal Register notices that have been published without
stakeholder input, and there has been a severe lack of
transparency from VA, which is been required by the PACT Act.
So we are aware of other maladies, diseases. We keep
hearing about these things that VA needs to consider, but they
have been less than forthright in coming to the table.
Chairman Moran. Thank you for your testimony. It is
something that we clearly, in cooperation with you, need to
follow up, to make sure the VA follows the law.
Let me ask next about the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity
Act, also what you highlighted, National Commander. I
appreciate the strong support of the VFW. Can you please go
into any greater detail on why this bill is needed, what gaps
in education benefits National Guards and Reserve components
are currently experiencing, and how it impacts recruitment and
retention.
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much again, sir. Well, I
could answer that question for you. I would rather turn it over
to Ms. Keenan, who is our National Legislative Director, for
more detail.
Chairman Moran. Ms. Keenan.
Ms. Keenan. Thank you, Chief. I served in the National
Guard myself, and even though I deployed twice, I only earned
60 percent of my Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. We know that Guard
and Reserve members are deploying more overseas but also
domestically, to support natural disasters, border security,
and other missions, and currently a lot of that service does
not count toward GI Bill eligibility.
So we just want parity that every day in uniform, where a
servicemember is receiving pay, counts toward their eligibility
for Post-9/11 education benefits. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Thank you for your answer. I now recognize
Chairman Bost.
Chairman Bost. Thank you, Chairman. Commander, last year,
just before Congress was leaving town, VA reported a massive
budget shortfall that claimed that would impact the delivery of
benefits for our veterans. It scared our veterans, okay, around
the Nation. Now we know, though, that that was not the case. So
moving forward, do you think it is necessary for VA to receive
annual audits and report to Congress to prevent another
claiming of a shortfall, scaring people? Do you think we need
to do that?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir, and the answer to
that question, in one word, is yes. But to answer it a little
more fully, and then I am going to ask Mr. Murray to follow up,
we need to ensure that the VA is fully funded and fully
staffed. That needs to be taken care of first.
Mr. Murray. Chairman Bost, we are very appreciative of
Congress stepping in to take care of that emergency funding,
when needed. However, it turns out it might not have been. We
fully support transparency from VA and making sure that our
taxpayer dollars are being accounted for properly.
Chairman Bost. Thank you. Commander, for veterans suffering
from substance use disorder, many may need help, and showing up
is the foundational moment in the road to recovery. Do you
think the VA current Community Care process enables VA to get
them into the immediate treatment that they need?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir. I am going to ask
Pat to give you more detail, and then I would like to follow it
up.
Mr. Murray. Simply, no. The ACCESS Act and the Elizabeth
Dole Home Care Act had a provision to help try to address that.
We want to make sure that when veterans are brave enough to
step up and ask for help, there is someone there to answer the
phone. There is someone there to take care of that and not send
them away or make them wait months, drive far too long. All
those things will hopefully save veterans' lives.
Chairman Bost. So then I will follow up with that, because
the passage of H.R. 740, the Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025,
would eliminate that red tape. Do you agree with that?
Mr. Murray. We hope so.
Chairman Bost. Commander, VA must be held accountable for
care and benefits that our veterans receive. We would also like
to see the Committee conduct more oversight of the Department
to drive improved services to our veterans. Would you like to
see that?
Mr. Lipphardt. In a word, sir, absolutely.
Chairman Bost. Thank you. I want to thank you for being
here today, and I will yield back. I will yield back, and I
will yield to Senator Blumenthal.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to say,
very enthusiastically, I support the goals of the GUARD Act. I
have been working and fighting for it. Likewise the Parity
legislation that is so important to our Reserve and National
Guard. They should be treated equally. There is no question
that it is a matter of fairness.
Chief Lipphardt, you referred to that contract that we
make. When anyone in this room went into the service they
raised their right hand and they swore allegiance to the
Constitution and laws of the United States. That contract is
legally binding on the United States of America, on this
Congress. And we owe it to our veterans to keep our promises
and follow the law.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. And that is why I am so angry and
disappointed that the VA is firing workers who are integral to
implementing the PACT Act, and terminating contracts that are
essential to provide those benefits under the PACT Act.
Would you agree with me that those workers and contracts
should be reinstated so that the PACT Act is made fully
available, on a timely basis, to every veteran deserving of
care and benefits because of their toxic exposure?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, Senator. We certainly
agree that the contract must be honored. We deploy when
ordered. We served. When I was wounded in Vietnam, I was
wounded in the neck and the left arm with shrapnel. But instead
of just taking my arm off, the medics took the time to just
pick out the pieces. That is the way that we need to be
addressing these issues. It needs to be with a scalpel and not
just a saw. We must take time to look at what is happening, who
it is happening to. So yes, I do.
Senator Blumenthal. I think that is a very, very powerful
statement of the way waste should be eliminated in the VA, not
with a meat ax but with a surgeon's scalpel, cautiously and
carefully. And right now my fear is that veterans are regarded
as trash on the road to some waste removal indiscriminately,
and draconian actions that, in fact, involve taking off the
VA's arm in the name of eliminating waste and abuse, in fact,
creating bigger costs as a result.
I have two sons who have served, one in the Marine Corps in
Afghanistan, the other is a Navy SEAL. And I worry about the VA
being there for them, for our young people, for our future
generation. I know the VFW is seeking to attract more younger
veterans, and I think your powerful advocacy is going to be a
beacon for them. I thank you for being here.
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, sir. And again, veterans are not
numbers. We are people. We are people that put ourselves out
there, to secure this Nation. And we deserve to have the VA
fully funded, fully staffed, so we can receive the best care
available, period. So thank you again, Senator.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
[Applause.]
Chairman Bost [presiding]. Ranking Member Takano, you are
recognized for 3 minutes.
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commander Lipphardt,
as I mentioned in my opening, I applaud VFW's statement calling
for an end to the indiscriminate firing of Federal employees,
especially veterans, who make up roughly a third of the Federal
workforce. I am worried that these haphazard cuts,
indiscriminate cuts are going to have on the immediate and
long-lasting impact on veterans.
And, you know, it seems like it is fire first, analyze
after. Cancel contracts first, analyze after. I commit to
working with you and other VSOs willing to stand with us to
undo these illegal and unconscionable firings.
So Commander Lipphardt, recently VA announced the
termination of $2 billion worth of contracts, and one of those
contracts was the Program Office at VA tasked with the
implementation of the PACT Act. How important is the PACT Act
and toxic exposures to the VFW?
Mr. Lipphardt. Senator Takano, military service is
inherently dangerous. I think we could all agree on that. One
of the dangers is exposure to toxins. I would like to take this
moment to ask our members in the audience to stand up if any of
them have been exposed to toxins at any point during their
military career.
[Majority of room stands.]
Mr. Lipphardt. There is your answer.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. As you saw from our members, this issue is
very important to us. These are the men and women who placed
themselves between the weapons of our enemies and these shores.
We need to be cared for. Thank you.
Mr. Takano. Wow. All I can say is we owe you. We owe you,
to honor the contract, to honor the PACT. Thank you. I am very
sad to see so many affected, but this highlights the importance
of the PACT Act and why we cannot allow the Cost of War Toxic
Exposures Fund to be dismantled. We owe it to these veterans to
ensure that the funding to care for them will always be
available.
Commander, as I mentioned in my opening, I applaud VFW's
statement calling for the end to the indiscriminate firing of
Federal employees. I am worried that these haphazard cuts--I
already did that.
You highlighted the results of VA's last survey on the VA
health care that showed that veterans are still overwhelmingly
preferring to get their care from VA, when available. I
absolutely agree that there is a time and a place for community
care, and I am concerned that continued growth its utilization
is having a catastrophic impact on VA's direct care budget.
What can Congress do to protect VA's direct provision of
care, where available?
Mr. Lipphardt. The key is consistency of care, and I am
going to ask Mr. Murray to expound on that.
Mr. Murray. Mr. Takano, we support community care as VA
care. We believe it is a necessary supplement to VA care. We
would never want that to supplant VA care, though. What we want
is consistency. When veterans do need to access community care,
like our members from Senator Hassan's state, New Hampshire,
are all automatically eligible for community care because they
do not have those facilities.
So when veterans need to access it, they expect
consistency, they expect to be told up front what to expect.
That is what we want with our community care, not necessarily
more. We want it to be better.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Bost. Congresswoman Radewagen, you are recognized
for 3 minutes.
HON. AUMUA AMATA COLEMAN RADEWAGEN,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM AMERICAN SAMOA
Mrs. Radewagen. Thank you. Commander Lipphardt, in VFW's
testimony you mentioned inconsistencies in servicemembers
reporting to TAP on time. Can you please expand on the barriers
servicemembers face when trying to go through the TAP program?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, ma'am, and I would like to ask
Ms. Keenan to expound.
Ms. Keenan. Thank you for the question. We have heard from
veterans that say that they were not able to get to TAP on time
because of mission readiness. So not all servicemembers have
the ability to choose when they have their free time because of
the mission. So we want to be able to ensure that commanders at
DoD take transition seriously, that there is some
accountability, and that they can get all of their
servicemembers who are leaving, and 80 percent of the force
leaves before retirement. Make sure they get to those
transition courses and that they get there on time.
Mrs. Radewagen. Commander Lipphardt, how can this Committee
best support veterans to ensure they have the opportunities and
resources to maintain meaningful employment?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, ma'am, for the question. We need
to codify that contract.
Mrs. Radewagen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the
balance of my time.
Chairman Bost. Senator Hassan, you are recognized for 3
minutes for your questions.
HON. MARGARET WOOD HASSAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator Hassan. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and I want
to thank you and Chairman Moran and our Ranking Members for
this hearing. I want to acknowledge and thank all the veterans
who are here today, especially those from the Granite State. My
dad was a World War II veteran who survived the Bulge, so I try
to make sure that I honor his memory as best as I can in my
work here.
Commander Lipphardt, thank you for testifying here today
and for your military service. I will add my thanks to those of
Senator Blumenthal for your advocacy for veterans, especially
those who are Federal employees. The recent mass layoffs within
the Federal Government have a direct impact on both the
veterans who have lost their jobs as well as on the service
that they provide to our citizens, including to our other
veterans.
And to your point about honoring contracts, we talk about
honoring veterans, and the best way we can do that is with
actions and not words, which means keeping our commitment. Just
as you all kept your commitment to our country, the country
needs to keep its commitment to all of you, and I am committed
to doing that.
[Applause.]
Senator Hassan. And I will add, my dad would have said that
when a country begins ignoring contracts or laws, it begins to
lose its freedom. And so I thank you all for fighting for
freedom, and we all have to be together in this pursuit of
maintaining it.
[Applause.]
Senator Hassan. Commander, I had two questions for you. As
has been discussed, your written testimony discusses the VFW's
most recent health survey, which showed that veterans prefer
using VA medical facilities, but they have concerns about
appointment availability and travel distance to VA facilities.
I have been working with Senator Boozman on a bipartisan bill
to help address this very issue, and I want to thank the VFW
for their support of this bill.
Under the VA's current process, it can be difficult for
veterans to coordinate all of their appointments for the same
day, something that is especially important for rural veterans
who may have to travel long distances to receive their care. So
this bill that Senator Boozman and I have would ensure that
veterans can view available VA appointments and fully schedule
them in one easy step, either by going online or placing one
call.
Can you please discuss the importance of making sure
veterans have easy, reliable access to VA-provided care?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you for the question, ma'am, and I am
going to ask Pat Murray. Mr. Murray?
Mr. Murray. Ma'am, in an ideal world, veterans can access
care at VA facility all in one shot.
Senator Hassan. Yes.
Mr. Murray. Right? Be able to go to your primary care, be
able to stop by an orthopedics appointment, then be able to
swing by the pharmacy on the way out. That is in an ideal
world. That is tough to do, to try to schedule all that in one.
Our ask, though, is in developing this scheduling tool, to the
best extent possible, to buy it, instead of trying to develop
their own.
Senator Hassan. I hear you.
Mr. Murray. VA's IT development is not good.
Senator Hassan. I hear you, and I thank you. Mr. Chair,
with just one other quick point, I want to highlight the work
that the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency does. For those who
don't know, this agency works to repatriate and identify
American servicemembers who have gone missing, solemn work to
show that Americans never leave a fallen comrade behind. The
agency has accounted for almost 3,500 missing Americans since
1973.
And I will submit a question for the record, but as the
Administration is looking at cutting the Pentagon's budget, I
am concerned that the mission of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting
Agency could be undermined or hampered, and I hope we can all
come together to prevent that from happening. Thank you.
[Applause.]
Chairman Bost. Congressman Hamadeh, you are recognized for
3 minutes.
HON. ABE HAMADEH,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ARIZONA
Mr. Hamadeh. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First off, thank you
to our distinguished guests from the Veterans of Foreign
Affairs, Foreign Wars. As a fellow veteran, I deeply appreciate
your organization's vital work in ensuring we fulfill our
promises to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.
Today I have been particularly interested in discussing how
we can improve access to quality health care for veterans,
especially those in suburban and rural areas within Arizona. We
must ensure that all veterans, regardless of where they live,
have timely access to the care and benefits they have earned. I
appreciate your insights on these critical issues and how
Congress can better support the VFW's mission to serve
veterans.
Now, Commander, the VFW has been a strong advocate for
concurrent receipt. Can you elaborate on how the current offset
between military retired pay and VA disability compensation
impacts veterans?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir, for the question,
and it is not a compatible thing. It seems like--that we are
combining the retirement pay with compensation. Retirement pay
is for retirement. Compensation is for those service-connected
disabilities that we incurred as a result of our service. They
are two separate, distinct things, and the time is now to stop.
It needs to be separated.
Mr. Hamadeh. I agree.
[Applause.]
Mr. Hamadeh. What specific legislation do you ask Congress
to support regarding this?
Mr. Lipphardt. I am going to ask Mr. Murray for the
specifics.
Mr. Murray. You start by passing the Richard Star Act.
[Loud applause.]
Mr. Murray. There are other parts of concurrent receipt
that need to be addressed, as well, including those who have
lower than a 50 percent disability rating, those who received
separation pay from their services. Those are all being offset
by current VA disability compensation plans. We want to
eliminate all those. But Major Richard Star Act would be a good
start. Seventy-five percent of Congress co-sponsored that last
year and it never saw a single vote. We need to stop that, put
it on the floor, pass it, and get it to the President's desk.
[Applause.]
Mr. Hamadeh. Very good. And Commander, I know you alluded
earlier to the PACT Act, but what feedback has the VFW gotten
from veterans about their experiences accessing the newly
expanded benefits in health care?
Mr. Lipphardt. Our National Veteran Service Director, Mike
Figlioli, sir, if you would please respond to that.
Mr. Figlioli. Thank you, Commander in Chief. Thank you for
the question. You know, like VA there continues to be
challenges with wait times, access, scheduling, traveling to
and from facilities. Generally, veterans are comfortable with
the PACT Act, but those challenges still remain. We have still
got to invest in IT systems that allow people access to handle
their own case management, allow them to get into the
facilities quicker, and make sure that everything is fully
staffed and fully funded.
Mr. Hamadeh. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Mrs. Radewagen [presiding]. Congressman Pappas, you have 3
minutes for questions.
HON. CHRIS PAPPAS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mr. Pappas. Thank you very much. Commander, thank you for
your testimony. I want to welcome all the veterans who are here
today. This is an impressive show of force, not just for VFW
but for veterans all across our country. And I want to give a
special shout-out to any veterans from the ``Live Free or Die''
State of New Hampshire, who are joining us here.
I was really glad, Commander--oh, we have got a couple back
there. All right.
Commander, I was really glad that you mentioned the GUARD
VA Benefits Act, which, as we know, would reinstate criminal
penalties for these claim sharks who are charging unauthorized
fees for assisting veterans with their claims. I have to say,
we have educated our colleagues on this issue; you have. We
have gained a significant number of co-sponsors on a bipartisan
basis for this bill. This is going to be the Congress where we
get this across the finish line. We have got the claim sharks
on the run. Let's finish the job.
[Applause.]
Mr. Pappas. Thank you for your help in that regard, and
your leadership. It is so important.
I wanted to ask about another issue. You mentioned about
breaking the cycle of overmedication, and mentioned a number of
alternative therapies that I think are groundbreaking for
veterans to improve quality of life and outcomes. One thing
that I hear from veterans is about the benefit of alternative
therapies like acupuncture and massage therapy, that can be
really game-changing in terms of alleviating physical pain. But
we know that therapy providers face obstacles due to VA
reimbursement policies that sometimes limit their ability to
care for veterans.
So I am wondering if you could discuss the need to be able
to focus on alternative therapies like massage therapy and the
difference that can make for veterans.
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, sir. I am going to ask our
National Legislative Director, Chair. We are very lucky to have
him on the panel today. He is very, very knowledgeable in this
area, to include his work with Grunt Style Foundation. So I
would like to ask Mr. Fuller to please, take that.
Mr. Fuller. Thank you, Commander in Chief and Congressman.
Thank you for the question. And you mentioned three great
alternatives, and many veterans suffer from post-traumatic
stress disorder and physical injuries. If PTSD is not treated,
the effects could be detrimental in many ways, including the
risk of homelessness, substance abuse, relationship problems,
financial instability, difficulties in transitioning back to
civilian life, or even in the worst case, suicide.
Veterans show a willingness to confront mental health
challenges with the alternative treatments that you mentioned,
and we are also advocating for more access to other alternative
modalities, so we can address our own unique mental and
physical health challenges. These include psychedelics such as
MDMA, psilocybin, and ibogaine, ketamine infusion, and
cannabis, which includes medical marijuana and hemp-derived
consumables, which were made legal by the 2018 Farm Bill.
Our ask here is simple. We ask the VA to give veterans
every option in the toolbox. Move beyond merely studying the
effectiveness of these tools. And if they work, and we are
confident that they do, start executing the implementation of
these options. The pharmaceutical cocktail, as the lone default
option, causes harm for many of us in this room and those that
are watching. This must end. Our lives are at stake.
[Applause.]
Mr. Pappas. Thank you. Thank you very much for those
comments. And Commander, you said it--not all treatments work
for all veterans. And we have got to be working together on an
evidence-based approach to make sure we are opening doors of
opportunity for veterans to get the care that works for them.
I yield back my time.
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, sir.
Mrs. Radewagen. Senator Tuberville, you are now recognized
for 3 minutes for your questions.
HON. TOMMY TUBERVILLE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALABAMA
Senator Tuberville. Thank you very much, and thanks to all
the veterans here and for your service, especially those
traveling from Alabama. Got anybody from Alabama here?
[Cheers.]
Senator Tuberville. We have got to get louder than that.
Come on.
[Cheers.]
Senator Tuberville. Also all the veterans service
organizations, thanks for what you do. A lot of times your work
goes unnoticed.
You know, our VA operates the largest health care system in
the United States and is one of the largest systems in the
world. And as a member of these Committees, we must ensure our
veterans are receiving the best around the world.
Now, we have got to get rid of the fraud, and we have got
to get rid of the waste. I know President Trump has taken a hit
from a lot of people, but folks, we are not going to have a
country if we do not get this mess all straightened out. We are
in trouble. Our veterans are going to be in trouble if we do
not get this straightened out. We have got to get it going in
the right direction.
Commander, you mentioned in your testimony dissatisfaction
among veterans with the community care referral process. I,
too, am very dissatisfied. I get more calls on that than
anybody. We are at 60 percent rural in the State of Alabama,
and we have almost 500,000 veterans. The red tape is
disastrous. Veterans must cut through this red tape, and we
need to be provided community care.
Would you say your members receive mental health care more
frequently through the VA directly or the community care
network, Mr. Commander?
Mr. Lipphardt. For a more complete answer, sir, I am going
to ask Pat, Mr. Murray.
Senator Tuberville. Okay.
Mr. Murray. Yes, and that one, Senator, we will take for
the record and get back to you. We actually do not know the
breakdown of the mental health care they receive in the
community versus at VA, but we would be more than happy to
learn more about that. I believe there a bill coming up in the
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee next week that looks to
maybe address that.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
VFW Response: The VFW does not currently have data from our members on
mental health care usage through direct VA care compared to VA's
community care network. We will discuss potentially including more
questions on mental health care usage in future surveys.
VFW survey data from 2024 indicates high satisfaction with VA health
care. Of the 3145 respondents, 77% were enrolled in VA health care. Of
the participants enrolled in VA health care, 85% said they would
recommend VA health care to others.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senator Tuberville. Mr. Murray, let me ask you this. If a
veteran gets denied community care, what is your advice to
these veterans, if they get denied community care and are told,
``Hey, you've got to drive 3 hours to a VA.'' What is your
advice to them?
Mr. Murray. My advice would be to urge that if they are
eligible for community care, based on drive time or wait time
access, to press that issue, because that is what the MISSION
Act put in place. That is the law. We want VA to adhere to the
law. When applicable, community care is incredibly helpful. So
if a veteran will receive better care through the community,
instead of driving 3 hours, for example, then yes, we want that
to be the case.
Senator Tuberville. Yes, there is no doubt. In a lot of
states, community care is going to have to be a necessity,
because veterans can't drive for hours and hours.
Commander Lipphardt, in your testimony you mentioned the
importance of veterans having accessible treatments. I have got
a bill on the floor, hyperbaric chambers, where veterans can
use a hyperbaric chamber. I am being fought at every turn. What
is your thought on that?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, Senator. I am going to
send it back to Mr. Fuller.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Mr. Fuller. Senator, as you may have heard me say earlier,
we advocate for all alternatives, like the hyperbaric oxygen
chamber, which has proven to be an effective treatment for
traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and tissue regeneration, which
can prevent amputations. It has proven very effective, and I
would bet you have a good understanding of TBI and CTE as a
former football coach.
Senator Tuberville. Exactly.
Mr. Fuller. So it is effective, and it is something that we
will advocate for.
Senator Tuberville. It helps football players. It helps
anybody with concussions----
Mr. Fuller. Yes, sir.
Senator Tuberville [continuing]. And it damn sure would
help veterans, and we need to get that done.
Mr. Fuller. Yes, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you very much.
Mr. Fuller. Yes, sir.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. And I just would like to add one thing to
that, and it is kind of a general for all our conversations
this morning. I don't think there is any group of people that
appreciates effort more than a member of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars. Actually, all veterans appreciate effort. But,
you know, it is achievement that we can celebrate. Until it is
done, it ain't done, and we have got to get it done.
[Applause.]
Mrs. Radewagen. Representative Morrison, you are now
recognized for 3 minutes for your questions.
HON. KELLY MORRISON,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM MINNESOTA
Dr. Morrison. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Commander
Lipphardt, and all the witnesses for being here to testify
today. I just want to start by saying, as the daughter-in-law
of a disabled Vietnam veteran and the wife of an Army combat
veteran, I want to offer my profound gratitude to every veteran
in this room.
Last week, I received the devastating news that the VA's
mass firings hit the Minneapolis VA, which serves veterans in
my district. My team and I have heard some truly gut-wrenching
stories about employees who are terminated--combat veterans,
disabled veterans, people who put their lives on the line to
defend our country, people who may not have served but were
honored to work for those who did. All of them, terminated
without cause, through no fault of their own.
In my view, there are two big problems here. First, the
impact on VA's ability to deliver care and benefits to our
veterans. The Minneapolis VA is already dealing with staffing
shortages. The last thing we should be doing is firing people
for no good reason. And as a doctor, let me tell you, the whole
team plays a role in optimizing the delivery of care, from the
provider to the facilities workers to the person who greets the
veteran at the door.
My second point is one that I think we need to be talking
about more. Veterans make up a tiny percentage of the
population, but 30 percent of our Federal workforce are
veterans. So if you slash 1,000 Federal jobs, odds are you are
putting about 300 veterans out of work. And at the VA we are
talking about firing veterans who made the conscious decision
to serve their fellow veterans, after serving their country.
So regardless of whether or not you agree with the wave of
terminations we are seeing across the Federal Government, I
think it is clear that these actions will disproportionately
harm veterans, which is incredibly troubling to me.
So Commander Lipphardt, my first question for you is
simple. Do you think firing thousands of VA employees will be
helpful or harmful for your members?
Mr. Lipphardt. With all due respect, ma'am [laughter], it
is going to kill us.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Of course it is going to impact us. To me,
there is nothing more sacred than taking care of those who
served this Nation, who stopped their own lives to give service
to this Nation. And it has got to be fixed. It has got to be
fixed.
We have 1.4 million members. Those are our members. That is
not who we represent. We represent 18 million veterans, all
veterans. All veterans need to be respected, need to be treated
with respect. They have been honorably discharged. Thank you,
ma'am.
[Applause.]
Dr. Morrison. Thank you. Sir, if you would allow me one
more brief question. I can say confidently that preventing
veteran suicide is a top priority of every member here today,
House and Senate, Democrat and Republican. We know that access
to mental health care is essential. But can you share a little
bit more about how transition assistance and housing access can
also have a role to play in eliminating veteran suicide?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you, ma'am. I am going to ask Pat, Mr.
Murray, because he has got some examples of what is happening.
Dr. Morrison. Thank you.
Mr. Murray. Thank you, Commander. Ma'am, we know that there
is more to combatting veteran suicide than simply mental health
appointments. We have heard too often that at VA it is their
number one clinical priority. It needs to be the number one
priority, period.
We are very focused on also the benefits that can help
alleviate that, including housing. Things like a roof over your
head, food on your table, being gainfully employed, money in
your wallet can be preventers to help veterans from starting to
take that negative slide and ultimately make a fatal final
decision.
So housing is one of the key components that we see as
keeping veterans not just from dying by suicide but helping
launch them forward for success. That is really what we want to
focus on, making veterans the best Americans that they can be.
Dr. Morrison. Thank you very much, and a shout-out to any
Minnesota vets out there.
[Cheers.]
Chairman Moran [presiding]. The Chair now recognizes
Senator Sullivan.
HON. DAN SULLIVAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commanders,
veterans, great to see you.
Last year I retired, after 30 years on active duty and in
the Reserve in the United States Marine Corps.
[Cheers.]
Senator Sullivan. I knew that would get a shout-out. So I
am now joining another esteemed group of Americans and
Alaskans. I am officially a United States veteran. I love that.
[Applause.]
Senator Sullivan. I am a proud member of VFW Post 9785 in
Eagle River, Alaska.
[Applause.]
Senator Sullivan. Now, I know my fellow Alaskans, we travel
far for these meetings. I know we have some here, hopefully in
the audience. Any Alaskans? By the way, Alaska has more
veterans per capita than any state in the country. I have some
of my fellow Alaska veterans in the audience. How about a round
of applause for them, traveling the furthest way, maybe with
the exception of Hawaii.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Senator Sullivan, with all due respect, you
have 3 minutes time.
[Laughter.]
Senator Sullivan. I am just very happy to see everybody.
Let me begin by an issue that I know the VFW and the
American Legion have all really supported, and I just want to
thank you, but I want you to keep an eye on it. This is the
Camp Lejeune Act that passed. You are seeing ads on TV,
relentless ads. They are not helpful ads. We passed that act to
help sick Marines and their families from Camp Lejeune, and the
TV ads are all these law firms that are charging 60 to 70
percent contingency fees to take the money from the sick Marine
families and put it in their pockets. That is one of the most
disgusting things I have seen in my 10 years in the U.S.
Senate.
Commander, can I just get your commitment, working with all
the VSOs, the Department of Justice, and others, to not allow
that to happen, where these law firms were doing these ads?
Billions of dollars of ads, by the way, not to help Marines but
to take their money. Can I get your commitment? The law firms
will get paid, to a certain degree, but no 60 and 70 percent
contingency fees. That is highway robbery. Commander, can I get
your commitment on that, staying with us?
Mr. Lipphardt. Absolutely. VFW is committed.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you. All right.
[Applause.]
Senator Sullivan. Thank you. We have got to take care of
sick Marines and their families, not law firms that do not need
the extra money.
One final question I have. I know it matters to a number of
my colleagues. Senator King and I are actually working on
legislation with Senator Cramer, that we are going to be
introducing soon, called Supporting Rural Veterans Access to
Healthcare Services. In big states like ours that are very
rural, our veterans, who live in rural communities, have a
harder time accessing their services. But they have earned
their benefits, just like anyone who lives in a big city.
So can we work with the VFW once we introduce it to get
your support on this bill, that really tries to emphasize
making sure every veteran, whether you live in a big city or a
small little community in rural Alaska or rural Maine, gets the
benefits that they have earned. Can I get your commitment to
work with the VFW on this important bill?
Mr. Lipphardt. Absolutely, sir. We will certainly be
honored to work with you.
Senator Sullivan. Great. Thank you. Thank you very much,
Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Senator Sullivan, thank you, and thank you
for your service.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Now, Representative Conaway.
HON. HERB CONAWAY,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW JERSEY
Dr. Conaway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As a veteran myself,
hailing from New Jersey, I want to express my gratitude for
you, Mr. Lipphardt, for your testimony, for your colleagues
here who have offered valuable information to this Committee,
to help our deliberations.
As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to ensure
that every veteran receives high-quality medical care and
mental health services. We heard today you do not leave a
comrade in the field, and I fear that across many
administrations we have been doing exactly that, and it is
shameful and it needs to end. I would add, we do not leave an
ally in the field either, and sadly we are seeing that, as
well.
Increased enrollment in VA care, it is important that we
prioritize equipping our medical facilities with tools and
technology of the 21st century so that veterans can get the
care they richly deserve.
We have heard about canceled contracts. We have heard about
mass firings across various facilities in our country. And as a
practicing physician myself, and worked in hospitals for much
of my career, I understand fully well how important it is that
a team is there and ready and willing to take care of those who
present themselves for care.
And we know that many veterans, particularly as they are
leaving the service, suffer from PTSD, they might have
experienced military sexual trauma, anxiety, stress, and other
mental health and addictive disorders, just to name a few.
What is your thought about the shortfalls that we are
seeing in health services for our veterans? Do you agree with
me that we are seeing shortfalls, and are there particular
things that you would like to see the VA do in respect to those
deficiencies?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir, and again, for a
more detailed answer--I am kind of a big picture guy. I am not
the detail guy. So I am going to ask Mr. Murray.
Dr. Conaway. Always travel with one. That is a good idea.
Chairman Moran. Mr. Murray.
Mr. Murray. Thank you, Chief. Sir, we have already heard
for many years that VA has been struggling to fill all these
vacancies. There are tens of thousands of open positions that
VA cannot fill. What we have seen in the past few weeks is the
indiscriminate firing of people, not for performance but simply
because they are in a probationary status.
In order to get those services that veterans have earned,
it needs to be a fully staffed and fully funded VA. There are
examples all across the country. In fact, we are joined here by
Mike Slater, who gave us this picture at the Vet Center in
Springfield, Massachusetts. ``Due to abrupt and unplanned staff
shortages, we are not able to greet you at this time. If you
have a scheduled appointment, your counselor will be out to get
you at the time of your appointment. If you are here for any
other reason, please call and leave a message. We apologize for
this impact on your care.''
That is reducing services for veterans. Vet Centers are
critical points of contact for VA. If we want to improve
services, we have got to make sure that people are there to
actually answer the phones and greet them at the door, when
they show up for that care.
[Applause.]
Dr. Conaway. And yet we have seen the indiscriminate
cancellation of contract design to make sure that we are
recruiting health care providers into VA care. And, of course,
as we have heard, and I think it needs to be put in this, if
you cancel contracts and there are statutes and there are
constitutional mandates, then you don't have your freedom. And
we have got to make sure that stops.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. Thank you,
veterans.
Chairman Moran. Senator Hirono.
HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am glad to join
my colleagues from both the House and Senate today, and it is
good to see all of the veterans out there. I think every state
is represented, from what I heard in the time that I have been
here. But of course, I want to acknowledge, I hope, the
presence of the people from Hawaii. I hope you are still out
there.
[Cheers.]
Senator Hirono. Yes, Okay. You deserve to get a shout-out.
Each of us sits on a number of committees. I sit on five.
But one thing about the Veterans' Committee is that we each
have a commitment to listen to and working with the veterans to
be of assistance. I cannot say that about every committee that
I sit on, but this is one Committee where we are united in
wanting to be of service to all of you who have been of service
to our country.
So we have, through so much of the advocacy that you have
presented to us, made some major legislation, most recently, of
course, the PACT Act. But we have the Dole Act. We have had the
Isakson and Roe Act. We have had a number of very significant
pieces of legislation that have served to help veterans, and
that is so much because of your advocacy and your continuing
pointing out to us that more needs to be done in terms of, for
example, the area of PTSD care, suicide. Women veterans, yes,
women veterans, finally acknowledging that women veterans
should have care that is very specialized to them. So thank you
very much.
We are in the midst of thousands of people getting fired,
and as mentioned, every group that gets fired, because right
now they happen to be in probationary status, includes a lot of
veterans. So it is not just the VA that fired, most recently,
1,400 people who are on probationary status, but you have the
DoD, Department of Defense, you have the Department of Justice.
Thousands of people are getting fired, not because of any
indication of fraud or waste but indiscriminate firings.
So there is chaos and fear all across the country at the
moment. This is not the way to run a government. This is
certainly no way to treat Federal workers, of whom many are
veterans. And at the same time, the 1,400 people from VA were
fired, we get a notice that some 300,000 job openings need to
be filled at the VA. And in Hawaii, just in Hawaii, in our
system, we have 5,000 vacancies.
Now there are a lot of other departments that have had to
deal with a hiring freeze, but because of the hue and cry and
the need for the veterans, the hiring freeze was lifted for the
VA. But we are talking about hundreds of thousands of
vacancies. [Pause.] The word ``crazy'' comes to mind.
So as we continue to work with you, I just want you all to
know that so many of us have been here to reinforce our
commitment to work with you. I will continue to do so, because
obviously there is a lot more that needs to be done. And I want
to thank the Chairs of both the House and Senate Committees for
this hearing, and each one of you. And, Commander, thank you so
much for coming here with your team. Aloha.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Senator Hirono, thank you. And I recognize
Senator King.
HON. ANGUS S. KING, JR.,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't think it has
been noted yet that this hearing happens to fall on a very
appropriate day, the only day of the year that is a military
command, March 4th.
[Applause.]
Senator King. And we should be marching forth on the GUARD
Act, on the Richard Star Act, and on protecting our veterans
that work for the U.S. Government. Marching forth.
[Applause.]
Senator King. Go ahead, Mr. Commander.
Mr. Lipphardt. I was just going to say thank you for your
invitation to come back.
[Laughter.]
Senator King. Yes, sir. Any time.
Mr. Lipphardt. We remembered 1930.
Senator King. Any time. Any time.
These staffing cuts. Now, we talked about 1,400. Actually,
there have been 2,400 firings at the VA, but then there was the
hiring freeze, which left a couple of thousand places open. So
we are really down 5,000 people in the last month at the VA.
And here is how random it is. First they were going to have
the hiring freeze apply to doctors and nurses, and then they
said, ``Oh no, those are direct care workers. We are going to
exempt them.'' If nobody is there to answer the phone when a
veteran calls for an appointment, that is a denial of benefits.
[Applause.]
Senator King. And I think the point has been made, about 30
percent of Federal employees are veterans, so when you see a
headline that says 1,000 people fired at the CIA or wherever it
is, that is 300 veterans. In our hospital in Togus, in Maine,
we just had 7 people laid off; 5 were veterans. That is a hell
of a way to treat somebody who has put their life on the line
for this country.
Mr. Lipphardt. Absolutely.
Senator King. So the other piece that you ought to realize,
they say they are firing people who are on probation, and
probation meaning go to work in the last year or two. In the
Federal Government, if you are promoted you are on probation.
So you can have somebody that has worked for an Agency, for the
VA, for 10 years. They get promoted, they happen to be on
probation, and they are getting fired. And I hate the picture
of that guy with the chainsaw, laughing about firing people
from our government.
[Applause.]
Senator King. In fact, you put it really well in your
statement. I love it. You said, ``I was wounded in combat
during Vietnam. I am thankful that medics who treated me chose
not to take my whole arm for the sake of efficiency. It took a
trained eye, a skillful hand, and human intuition to fix me up
and get me back in the fight.''
Here is the quote: ``in my experience, those operating with
a scalpel have a better chance of saving limbs than those who
operate with a chainsaw.''
Thank you, Mr. Commander, for making that statement.
Another point is transition. In my view, we should be
putting as much money, time, and effort into the transition out
as we do on the recruiting in.
Mr. Lipphardt. Yes, sir.
Senator King. That is a real disservice to veterans.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Absolutely.
Senator King. And finally--my wife says I say ``finally''
too much and it gets people's hopes up [laughter]--but finally,
your voice, is more important right now than perhaps it has
ever been. We need to hear from the veterans of America. They
need to speak up about what is going on and how we protect
those who, as I said, when they signed up for their job, put
their lives on the line for this country.
So thanks to the VFW. Thanks for your advocacy. Keep at it.
We need you.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lipphardt. Senator, thank you. Thank you very much. And
please know that the Veterans of Foreign Wars has changed the
direction. We are moving forward. You are going to hear from
us, and you are going to see us a lot more. So thank you.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Senator King, thank you. Senator Banks is
recognized.
HON. JIM BANKS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM INDIANA
Senator Banks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to
all of you for being here. As the only Hoosier on the House or
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, the work that goes on in
this Committee is so important, but we can't do our job without
the help of all of you. So on behalf of all the Hoosiers in the
room, it is an honor to represent you, and all of the fellow
veterans who are here, thank you for your important work.
Commander, I am new to the Senate. I served in the House
for 8 years. I served on the House Committee for 6 of those 8
years. I am rolling up my sleeves and I am getting to work on a
lot of issues important to veterans and all of you.
So real quickly, I am preparing to reintroduce legislation
that I worked on in the House to refund certain veterans their
Montgomery GI Bill contributions, who later became eligible for
the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Is that something we can work on
together?
Mr. Lipphardt. In a word, sir, absolutely. And I would like
to call on Ms. Keenan for some detail on the legislation.
Senator Banks. Very good.
Chairman Moran. Ms. Keenan.
Ms. Keenan. Yes, thank for the question. We are happy to
work with your office to look at that. That kind of money back
for student veterans can be really beneficial at a critical
time where they are going to need that funding. So love the
idea and happy to work with your office.
Senator Banks. Very good. Secondly, Commander, I am also
working on legislation to make sure that veterans can always be
buried with their spouses, regardless of what kind of burial
they choose. Is that something we can work on together, as
well?
Mr. Lipphardt. Again, sir, thank you very much, and the
answer is absolutely.
Senator Banks. I look forward to that, and I appreciate
that very much.
Commander, the VA has been cooperating with nonprofit
mental health organizations and public-private partnerships to
prevent veteran suicides. Since Congress passed the Commander
John Scott Hannon Act, that you all were such a big part of
helping us get over the finish line, and other legislation,
what results have we seen from those efforts and how can we
expand them?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much sir, and I am going to
ask Pat to respond for the specifics.
Mr. Murray. Thank you, Chief. Senator Banks, we know that
some of those community connections, whether it is with mental
health or whether it is with transition, that is where the
rubber meets the road. That is what we want to see, because
they are the folks that are in the community that know these
things. VA can do a great job for a lot of these, but they
cannot do it for everything. We want to really focus, put
resources into some of those great organizations in the
community that can really effect change. The Commander John
Scott Hannon Act provided that. We want to make sure that those
connections, those contracts, and that funding stay in place
for that critical mission.
Senator Banks. Very good. My last question, Mr. Commander,
the VA has been resistant to new approaches when it comes to
leasing and construction. It takes the VA about 5 years to
lease a clinic and 10 to 20 years to build a new hospital.
Similar to the innovation in mental health, how do you think
that the VA should be partnering with local governments and
private health care systems to develop new medical facilities?
Mr. Lipphardt. Again, sir, thank you very much, and I am,
again, going to ask Pat to respond.
Mr. Murray. Thank you, Commander. Senator, VA construction
is behind. If you look at the $130 billion worth of backlog,
there is a lot that needs to be done. They need to figure out
more dynamic ways to do that, like the private sector does. If
you look at other major health systems, like Kaiser, they put 3
percent of their operating budget into their infrastructure. VA
is closer to 1 percent.
There are certain things you can do to move the process
along so you are not designing, then bidding, then building.
There is an integrated way you can do that that will hopefully
shorten the length of the overall construction contracts. But
we need to make sure that VA also has proper staffing at
Central Office for the project management positions. We do not
have to talk about doctors and nurses, but there are people
that oversee the building of VA facilities. They need some help
there, as well.
Senator Banks. I agree. I look forward to working on that
with you, and all those other issues. Thank you again for being
here. God bless. I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Senator Banks, thank you. Senator Gallego.
HON. RUBEN GALLEGO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ARIZONA
Senator Gallego. Thank you, and Senator Banks, I would join
you because I am one of those veterans, actually, that paid
into the GI but never used the modern GI Bill. So you have got
a co-sponsor there.
Thank you again to Veterans of Foreign Wars for being here.
[Applause.]
Senator Gallego. Look at that. Things get done. I am glad
my dues are going to something like this. I am a member of
Chapter 720 in Scottsdale, so thank you again for everything
you do.
Honestly, I am concerned. The guys I serve with are
relatively young. We were in Iraq in 2005. They are in their
early 40s, and they have committed their lives to service. They
left the war and then came back, and they are working for
different parts of the DoD, VA and other parts of the
government, and they are scared. They feel like they are being
disrespected. They passed up good, lucrative careers in the
private sector because they wanted to have a mission-oriented
job that was still in service to the country. And now some of
them are questioning about whether they are going to be able to
pay the rent if something goes bad, or the mortgage. And the
fact that veterans are being treated this way, in such a
disgraceful manner, by the guy with the chainsaw and a bunch of
20-year-old kids that probably have served or even gotten close
to a weapon ever in their lives, really scares the heck out of
me.
So I really encourage, obviously, us to worry about our
veterans that are being serviced in the VA, but when 30 percent
of the workforce is veterans, and we know, at least from my
experience coming back from the war, the thing that was the
most stabilizing for me coming back with PTSD was that I was
able to get a job right away, but the fact that 30 percent of
our workforce is potentially endangered and fired, you could
really put these men and women into a very hard situation.
But more to the VA, Commander Lipphardt. What concerns do
your members have about the way these cuts are being handled,
and what would you ask those making these types of staffing and
budget decisions to take into account before acting on VA cuts
or layoffs, or even just the reparametering of contracts that
are very important for veterans, veteran outreach, and suicide
hotlines?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir. I am going to ask
a member of the panel here who, I believe, shared the same dirt
that you did while you were deployed, and that is Mr. Murray.
Chairman Moran. Mr. Murray.
Mr. Murray. Thank you, Chief. Senator, I believe we
probably just crossed paths. I was there in '06.
You have our commitment to make sure that these cuts, these
firings, are stopped. We often care about veteran unemployment.
If we do not care about veterans not having jobs then what are
the Veterans of Foreign Wars doing here? That is something that
we have to make sure stays in place. Because while every
position may not be deemed essential, you know, per government
shutdown rules, they are very important positions, as we
highlighted, the people who answer the phones. We need to make
sure that these veterans are gainfully employed, and the ones
who are high performers are not let go indiscriminately.
Senator Gallego. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Senator. Senator Cassidy.
HON. BILL CASSIDY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA
Senator Cassidy. Thank you. Thank you all for being here.
Happy Mardi Gras to my people from Louisiana and for everybody
who wishes you were from Louisiana, if only on Mardi Gras day.
[Laughter and cheers.]
Senator Cassidy. Mr. Lipphardt, in your testimony you
talked about how investing in technology can help with the
backlog for veteran benefit applications. Way back when,
multiple Secretaries ago, I remember asking him something, and
he said the main point we should be about is the veteran.
And so with that spirit, I have thought about how AI could
take a stack of papers required for someone's application for
you name it, and in 5 minutes has done everything that has to
be done for a human to sit there and review it intelligently.
Wouldn't that be great? Because I think I have learned that it
can take up to 40 days for the VA claims management system to
simply register a new claim submission. If 40 days is shrunk to
5 minutes, or 30 seconds, how much better is it for the
veteran? That is where I am coming at this from.
And by the way, we know that if you miss the deadline then
everything starts over. So if you can catch the deadline, even
if you suddenly realize that there is something else you have
to add, and it can just quickly put it back in, how much better
for the veteran?
Is there anything else--and I am struck. I do not mean to
offend you, but you might be like the oldest guy on the panel.
So I am struck that maybe the oldest guy is the one who is
talking about using tech in order to make things work better
for the veteran. What other ideas do you have, or anyone else
has, how we can do this, so that we can kind of channel it into
our conversations with Secretary Collins to maybe up the game?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir, and I guess my
first comment, relative to that, is that is 2025. Technology is
here. We need to use technology. That is how we are going to
move ahead. The Department of Defense has implemented it. It is
about time that the Veterans Administration adds it.
I would like for Pat to be a little more specific.
Chairman Moran. Mr. Murray.
Mr. Figlioli. Mr. Figlioli.
Chairman Moran. Sorry.
Mr. Figlioli. Thank you, Commander in Chief. Senator, we
are looking at AI. We understand its value and its processing
times will be reduced for claims, especially when VA is
processing more claims than ever. VA is using AI in some areas
already for certain disabilities, looking at that evidence,
trying to get that claim granted as quickly as possible. So it
is not out of the question. It is here. As the Commander in
Chief said, it is the way of the world, very similar to looking
at health records and other advancements.
AI on the way. Getting those claims processed faster,
absolutely. The transformation of the electronic health record,
which is another electronic initiative, I think that needs to
be completed, as well.
But again, if we do not look forward, we end up looking
backward. And we need to keep pushing VA forward to invest in
IT infrastructure, make sure the programs are up to date,
people are trained on them, and those programs are fully
funded.
Senator Cassidy. So I am a physician, as well. So you are
discussing--I am over but I will quickly finish up. You also
bring in the electronic health records. Part of the problem in
some of this, is this related to service activity or not, is
there is so much noise and you have got to get the signal. And
I think what you are saying is that if we use AI and couple it
with our massive amount of electronic health record data, we
could pick out the signal of that which is, my gosh, this is
service-related after all, we were never able to detect it
before, and that is one more way we can serve the veteran.
Mr. Figlioli. I would agree with that, and we also, at the
same time, the only run-in on AI may not be exactly it. People
still make mistakes. Machines make mistakes. Working with AI I
think has its place, but it also needs to be subject to human
review.
Senator Cassidy. A human has to be in the loop. I am
totally with you on that.
Mr. Figlioli. Yes, sir.
Senator Cassidy. Thank you all for your service. Once more,
Happy Mardi Gras.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Senator Cassidy, thank you.
Before we close out this panel and transition to our second
panel, let me again thank you, Commander. I often give our
witnesses the chance to provide any additional momentary
thoughts, things that you wanted to correct if you made any
errors, or anything you would like to make certain that you
reiterate. Commander?
Mr. Lipphardt. Thank you very much, sir. I would like to
just, again, comment about the contract. You know, contracts
are contracts. There is an obligation there. I wish we could go
back to shaking hands, because my word is my bond. It is the
only thing that belongs to you. It is the only thing that
belongs to me. Our word must be honored, and that is all we are
asking.
As Senator Ossoff introduced, my life's mantra is,
``Believe in what you do. Do what you believe in.'' And I know
that is what this Committee does. I know that you are
dedicated. But again, where are we frustrated here, as
veterans? Efforts appreciated, but we have got to get across
the goal line.
I am an Army guy. I remember the Army-Navy game from a
couple of years ago. Navy had the ball, on the goal line. It
was like 6 inches away, and the touchdown, it would have
changed the game. But they made a good effort, but they did not
get it across the goal line, and so Army celebrated. We
celebrated.
[Laughter.]
I am so honored to have been here.
Unidentified Voice. I object.
Mr. Lipphardt. I am so honored that we have so many of our
members as well as others here in the room. It is just, I
think, is a testimony to the passion that we feel and the
change that we are making to better serve you.
Chairman Moran. Commander, we also feel that. We thank you
and your members and your leadership team for being with us
today.
I smiled when you said what you said because occasionally I
am complimented--occasionally I am complimented--for my
efforts. And my standard response is, ``Someday I would like to
be complimented for my results.''
Mr. Lipphardt. There you go. Absolutely.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. And we are going to take a brief recess.
Commander, I am going to come down and shake your hand, in the
days of shaking hand meaning something important. It still
means something important to me. But we are going to recess.
We would ask the VFW audience, as they depart, to depart on
this side, and your colleagues with other VSOs--we will see if
this works--will come in the room on this side. Let's see a lot
of organization from the VFW.
We stand at recess.
[Recess.]
Chairman Moran. The Committee will return to order, and we
will proceed to a second panel of witnesses, and we are, as we
said earlier, delighted that you are here. We will say it again
in this setting. Thank you very much for your presence, for
your members and other veterans who are joining us today in
this hearing room. And this is our final panel of four panels
for the joint sessions that we have had for a long history.
With us today, our second panel consists of Mr. Robert
Thomas, the National President of the Paralyzed Veterans of
America; Ms. Allison Jaslow, Chief Executive Officer of the
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; Mr. Jared Lyon,
National President and Chief Executive Officer for the Student
Veterans of America; Major Bonnie Carroll, President and
Founder of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors; Meredith
Beck, Vice President for Government Affairs and Community
Engagement at the Elizabeth Dole Foundation; and Ms. Kathryn
Monet, Chief Executive Officer for the National Coalition for
Homeless Veterans.
I looked at the list of witnesses on this second panel
before I attempted to pronounce your names, and there was no
one that I thought I was going to have any difficulty with. But
my takeaway, in addition to that relief that I know how to
pronounce your names, is there is no one on this panel that I
do not know, no one on this panel that this Committee has not
worked well with, and we are delighted to have the opportunity
to hear from each of you today.
With that, let us begin to do so, and I now recognize Mr.
Thomas, Paralyzed Veterans of America.
PANEL II
----------
STATEMENT OF ROBERT THOMAS, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, PARALYZED
VETERANS OF AMERICA
Mr. Thomas. Chairman Moran, Chairman Bost, and Members of
the Committees, thank you for the opportunity to testify on
behalf of the tens of thousands of veterans with spinal cord
injuries and disorders.
Today I want to focus on PVA's top priority, preserving
VA's specialty care system, specifically the VA's preeminent
system of care for veterans with spinal cord injuries and
disorders.
On more than one occasion I have testified before these
Committees about our concerns that the SCI/D system of care is
being slowly starved of staffing, infrastructure upgrades, and
funding needed to ensure its survival, not for the sake of VA
but for the sake of the veterans it serves.
My friend, Rick, a fellow PVA member, received care in the
community for 8 years for his SCI, until he was introduced to
the VA's SCI/D system of care. Once under VA care, his health
improved. He believes he would have died if he had not begun to
receive specialized health care from VA medical professionals
who understand our injuries and illnesses.
Despite best intentions, community health care providers
are not as well equipped to meet our complex needs. That is why
so many veterans like myself choose care provided by the VA.
The entire model is designed with us in mind. That is why
thousands of PVA members and their families and supports have
signed a petition opposing any effort to dismantle the VA's
SCI/D system of care and the lifesaving services it provides.
We choose VA.
Unfortunately, this system is facing challenges of epic
proportions, and the consequences if not addressed now will
prove devastating for veterans with specialized health care
needs.
For example, more than 25 SCI/D centers can only use half
its beds because staffing vacancies exceed 50 percent. The
leadership there recently denied again the center's request to
backfill vacancies. As a result, overtime is increasing, and we
expect additional resignations due to burnout and/or closures
of additional SCI beds.
Staffing shortages in the system are not new. The SCI/D
system of care has been short hundreds of nurses for years,
with total staffing vacancies hovering around 35 percent. The
Department has been concealing its vacancy problems through the
use of overtime, which, if taken away, may reveal much more
staffing issues. Without proper staffing, veterans may be
forced to accept care in the community, even when it is not the
quality or type of care they would receive at a VA facility,
and most importantly, when it is not their decision to do so.
In addition to staffing shortages, the system also
continues to suffer from infrastructure deficiencies. The
average age of an SCI/D center is nearly 40 years old.
Consequently, we saw major incidents at several centers last
year. For example, a plumbing system failure at one facility
flooded half of the center. It took one month to repair the
system, restore the impacted areas, and move patients back to
the SCI/D center.
We call on Congress to invest in necessary funds to ensure
sufficient specialty care staffing and address infrastructure
deficiencies to meet the demands for care.
For those of us with catastrophic injuries, VA is the
cornerstone of our care. The cause of inaction is clear. The
lives of veterans like Rick and myself and thousands of other
veterans with SCI/D are at stake.
In recent weeks there have been many changes in Federal
Government staffing and funding. While we understand and
generally support the underlying desire for veterans to
streamline access to the care and benefits, the arbitrary and
haphazard way that these efforts are being approached is
failing that mission and harming veterans.
PVA members are concerned that VA-provided care will not be
available in the future, and that the lifesaving research will
be curtailed. Even though many clinical providers may be
protected by staffing changes, not all are included, including
recreational therapists who help teach veterans with SCI/D how
to reengage in the social part of community following a
catastrophic disability. They are equally concerned about
access to benefits like home modifications being delayed
because of new staffing shortages.
How can we expect physicians, nurses, claims raters,
vocational rehab counselors, and other staff to be focused on
their mission to care for the veterans while the specter of
losing their jobs hangs over their heads? They carry the
workload of multiple positions. They can't. As the body charged
with VA oversight, I urge you to act before veterans are harmed
any further.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Thomas appears on page 89 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Mr. Thomas, thank you. Ms. Jaslow.
STATEMENT OF ALLISON JASLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA
Ms. Jaslow. Chairman Moran, Chairman Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, and Members of the Committee, on behalf
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and our over 425,000
members and supporters nationwide, thank you for the
opportunity to represent our Nation's Post-9/11 veterans here
with you today.
Being the CEO of IAVA has been the privilege of a lifetime.
The young second lieutenant who boarded a plane en route to
Iraq a little more than 20 years ago certainly did not envision
that this is where I would be today. But here I am, and for
every day that I have sat in this seat, I have sought to bring
it for my generation of veterans. I have done my best to show
up for our members, regardless of where they live in the
country, or what their racial or ethnic background is, or how
they vote.
I can also spend my time here today articulating a list of
legislative priorities for you so that you and your staff can
effectively pander to our community, along with the rest of
your colleagues. But as our staff and our cavalries are sitting
behind me today know at this point, that is not really my
style.
One of the most profound experiences I have had in my life
was being appointed as a summary courts officer following a
fellow platoon leader's death in Iraq in 2005. I will never
forget our battalion's paralegal looking me in the eyes that
same day, as he handed me his orders, and said, ``This is the
literal definition of soldiering on, ma'am.''
The following morning I entered that lieutenant's quarters
on our base in Taji, Iraq, with a noncommissioned officer that
was also appointed to help me inventory his belongings, pack
them up, and ship them to Dover Air Force Base behind his body.
My soldiers were also soldiering on that day, back on the
road, providing security to convoys, dodging roadside bombs,
and ducking small arms fire, and continuing the mission that
their country had asked them to see through, even if it no
longer made any sense.
Soldiering on is something that many of us who have served
have gotten good at. It helped me get through a second 15-month
deployment in Iraq, and even after I got out of the Army, it is
a mindset that served me well as I sought to be a force of good
in places like this very body, where we find myself today.
I may well be good at soldiering on at this point in my
life, but frankly I am tired of it, and I know our members are
tired of it too. We are tired of soldiering on after we learn
that another one of our buddies has taken their life because
they just couldn't deal with the torment that war had inflicted
on them anymore. We are tired of soldiering on when the rest of
America seemingly does not notice. And we are tired of
soldiering on as our elected leaders give us lip service
instead of the leadership we deserve.
Our nation is at the hill of a crossroads right now, and
our members, while they may want care for the cancer that they
got from prolonged exposure to a burn pit in Afghanistan, or
the ability to use cannabis to bring relief to their wartime
wounds, what they really want is what the rest of America
wants. They want leadership. And not just from their President
but also from the rest of their government, including this
Congress that has abdicated so much of its authority in recent
decades. Whether it be its war powers authority as Post-9/11
generation veterans have gotten deployed over and over again
without question, or the simple need to tell a President, even
if that President is from their own party, that they have
crossed the line that the average citizen knows they should not
have crossed.
It then makes me wonder what the hell we fought for. If you
asked many of us who served in wartime, we will likely tell you
that despite the complicated politics of the conflicts we found
ourselves in, what helps us soldier on in battle was our
commitment to the men and women to the left and right of us.
That was true for me when I was a 22-year-old platoon leader,
and it remains true today.
But I wish it were not the case. I joined the Army because
I love my country, and what we stand for, and was willing to
put it all on the line to defend it. But what I did not realize
back then, but do now, is how much that made and my fellow
Post-9/11 unique.
What I also did not realize as a young, naive lieutenant
was how different it made us from the very people who sent my
generation of veterans to war, despite the fact that we all
swore a similar oath, that many of the same people who asked us
to risk our lives in defense of our country were so lacking in
courage themselves that they were unwilling to risk their
political lives to do the same. And that should weigh more
heavily on your conscience than it seems to these days.
So if you really want to get the backs of the Post-9/11
veterans, how about you stop asking us and our fellow Americans
to keep soldiering on when none of us is satisfied with the
leadership we have in this country right now. How about you
follow my generation of veterans lead and make sacrifices on
behalf of our country that prove that you are worthy of the
office that you hold. And if you really care about troops who
are still serving in uniform and this country we all love, you
will do so starting today.
Later this evening, the eyes of the entire country will be
focused on this building and watching to see who is and who is
not meeting the moment tonight. Our IAVA cavalry members will
be watching too, and have every right to judge, and judge
harshly. If you want their stamp of approval going forward, it
is my recommendation that you meet what the moment of asking of
you tonight and of the days ahead.
The time for asking us to soldier on has come to an end.
Thank you for your time.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Ms. Jaslow appears on page 110
of the Appendix.]
Senator Blumenthal [presiding]. Thank you, Ms. Jaslow. I
assume that is directed to Members of this Committee and the
United States Congress.
Ms. Jaslow. Yes, sir. All 535.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. We need you to be specific,
forceful, and direct as you have been, and to name names.
Mr. Lyon, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF JARED LYON, NATIONAL PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER, STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA
Mr. Lyon. Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, as well as Members of this Committee,
thank you for inviting Student Veterans of America to share our
legislative priorities this year.
I am honored to represent the 840,000 students using their
GI Bill and our over 1,600 chapters worldwide, building
stronger communities for student veterans, military-connected
students, their families, caregivers, and survivors.
Research shows that belonging is essential to student
success, be that in a traditional college environment, online
learning, or vocational training. This is especially true for
veterans transitioning to campuses that may not fully
understand the value of their military service. SVA chapters
foster that sense of community, offering mentorship, peer
support, and clear pathways to academic and career achievement.
If you are here with SVA today, I would ask that you please
stand or raise your hand so we can recognize your commitment.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lyon. Thank you. Our mission is to empower veterans to
succeed to, through, and beyond higher education, that goes
beyond earning degrees and certificates. It is about
strengthening our workforce, fueling innovation, reinforcing
our economy, and elevating civic life. For student veterans
that are here today and the thousands more who could not be in
Washington this week, meaningful success depends on financial
stability, a sense of belonging, and access to rewarding
careers.
Like many veterans, I followed a path of post-military
service from community college to a state university, and then
earning a master's, all while juggling work obligations, family
obligations. And my experience taught me that earned benefits
must work seamlessly to encourage further engagement with VA
services.
When benefits fall short, delays in housing payments, or
stagnant book stipends, veterans lose their trust and they may
walk away entirely. That is why we ask for these Committees to
see the GI Bill as the front door to the VA for recently
separated servicemembers. We thank representatives Ciscomani,
Stansbury and Van Orden for introducing the Expanding Access
for Online Veteran Students Act last Congress. We urge support
for legislation that mandates the monthly housing allowance,
ensuring veterans are not penalized for enrolling online, where
many pursue coursework while working full-time, raising
children, or managing their service-connected disabilities. A
full national average MHA for online learners would move us
toward true parity.
[Applause.]
Mr. Lyon. We also request an increase in the annual book
stipend, which has not been updated since 2009. Many veterans
in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or law
programs see material costs that easily surpass $1,000 per
semester. We appreciate those in Congress who have already
championed raising this to a more realistic level. Nearly 75
percent of student veterans are working while they are
attending school, often in jobs that are unrelated to their
degrees. Modernizing VA work study to include career-relevant
placement such as cybersecurity, accounting, engineering, or
health care would open doors for veterans balancing academics
and employment. We applaud the bipartisan efforts to
reintroduce legislation that supports this goal.
These women and men bring discipline, life experience, and
leadership to the classroom and their campuses. They often
outpace civilian student peers in GPA and graduation rates, and
they graduate into fields where American employers urgently
need talent. By investing in them, Congress boosts our economy,
our campuses, and our communities. Working with Congress, the
VA, DoD, Department of Education, and Department of Labor helps
SVA power scholarships, leadership training, research, and
professional development for thousands of veterans annually.
When universities partner with SVA chapters through Veterans
Centers, collaborative programs, and flexible policies, they
create a culture where student veterans thrive, benefiting the
entire institution.
Our full written testimony goes further into areas like
bridging childcare gaps for student veterans, ensuring parity
for National Guard and Reserve benefits, and expanding
accountability in higher education. We encourage you to review
it for a more complete picture of our policy recommendations.
At SVA we believe ensuring veterans receive earned
education benefits transcends politics. This is about
fulfilling America's promise to those who serve, and we know
that promise yields tremendous returns for veterans, schools,
employers, and communities alike.
Thank you, Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, and Members of these Committees for your
leadership. Your work reinforces that this Nation truly values
service and the interests of those who wear the uniforms. I
welcome your questions. Thank you.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lyon appears on page 121 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran [presiding]. Thank you, Mr. Lyon. The Chair
recognizes Major Carroll.
STATEMENT OF BONNIE CARROLL, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER, TRAGEDY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS
Major Carroll. Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, and distinguished Committee members, the
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is grateful for the
opportunity to share issues of importance to the 120,000-plus
surviving family members of all generations, representing all
services, and with losses of all causes of death, who TAPS is
honored to serve.
As a Gold Star spouse of Brigadier General Tom Carroll, I
want to express TAPS' deep gratitude to Congress and this
Committee for passing the bipartisan Senator Elizabeth Dole
21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvements Act.
This important law included multiple long-term priorities for
surviving families, many of whom were caregivers first, such as
expanding eligibility for the Fry Scholarship and provisions
within the Love Lives On Act.
A top legislative priority for TAPS is ensuring surviving
spouses are allowed to remarry and retain benefits, at any age,
not wait until age 55. Today's surviving spouses are often
widowed in their 20s and 30s, yet the law forces them to wait
decades, sometimes half a lifetime, to remarry without losing
their earned benefits.
Grief does not expire, and love after loss should not come
at the cost of financial stability. TAPS urges Congress to end
this unjust penalty and honor the sacrifice of our Nation's
young widows with fairness and dignity.
TAPS is proud to work with Chairman Moran, Senator Warnock,
and 22 original Senate co-sponsors, along with Representatives
Hudson, Neguse, Van Orden, Morrison, Luttrell, and Khanna on
the Love Lives On Act, and we urge swift passage of this
legislation.
TAPS has advocated for many years to strengthen dependency
and indemnity compensation. Stringent limitations on DIC
payments have widespread negative impacts on finances, housing,
employment, transportation, food security, and the medical and
mental health care for surviving families. Raising DIC from 43
to 55 percent of the compensation paid to 100 percent permanent
disabled veterans will increase DIC by an average of $454 a
month, and provide long overdue parity with other Federal
survivor benefits.
TAPS strongly supports the Caring for Survivors Acts and
thanks Senators Blumenthal and Boozman and Representatives
Hayes and Fitzpatrick for reintroducing this important
legislation.
TAPS is also working to expand CHAMPVA coverage for
eligible surviving children up to age 26, to align with private
insurance plans. Surviving families who have lost loved ones as
a result of military service should be provided the same access
to affordable health care and mental health services as their
civilian counterparts. TAPS strongly supports the CHAMPVA
Children's Care Protection Act and appreciate Ranking Member
Blumenthal and Congresswoman Brownley for their leadership on
this issue.
As a leading voice for the families of those who have died
as a result of illnesses connected to toxic exposures, TAPS was
instrumental in the passage of the historic PACT Act. Though a
tremendous victory, the work does not stop. Of the survivors
seeking our care in 2024, 37 percent, or more than 3,200, were
grieving the death of a military loved one due to illnesses.
TAPS is working with Congress to ensure PACT Act
implementation and funding and to expand presumptive
conditions. We fully support the Aviation Cancers Examination
Study Act and the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims
Act, and creating a presumption of service-connection for all
conditions from K2 deployments.
Ensuring timely, comprehensive health care and mental
health support for our Nation's benefits, their families,
caregivers, and survivors is not just a priority. It is a moral
imperative that will uphold the sacred promise we make to those
who serve and sacrifice. We thank Chairmen Moran and Bost for
introducing the Veterans' Assuring Critical Care Expansions to
Support Servicemembers Act of 2025, which will improve health
care and mental health outcomes.
Military service exposes individuals to unique stressors
and potential traumas. The presumption of service-connection
for veteran suicides would acknowledge that mental health
challenges veterans face are often a direct consequence of
their service. TAPS strongly supports the introduction of the
Service-Connected Suicide Compensation Act.
TAPS has stood beside more than 27,000 survivors grieving
the death of a devastating loss of a military or veteran loved
one to suicide. These families not only endure unimaginable
grief, but face stigma and bureaucratic barriers that compound
their trauma. Requiring them to prove service-connection in
their darkest moments is unjust and unnecessary. We can do
better.
On behalf of our survivor community, TAPS urges Congress to
take action, remove these burdens, and honor the sacrifice of
our Nation's heroes and their families. Thank you for the
opportunity to testify. I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Carroll appears on page 152
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you. I now recognize Meredith Beck.
STATEMENT OF MEREDITH BECK, VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION
Ms. Beck. Thank you very much, sir. Members of the
Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. As
many of you know, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation recently
commissioned RAND to conduct a new landmark study, updating us
on America's military and veteran caregiver community--who they
are, how they are faring, and what they contribute to our
Nation.
The report identified that while caregivers provide a
minimum of $119 billion in unpaid care to veterans, they also
face serious impediments to economic stability. Lost wages, and
inability to plan for retirement, and unforeseen out-of-pocket
expenses often result in financial and mental health strain.
There are several actions Congress can take to relieve some
of this burden. Recently the VA released the newest proposed
rule for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family
Caregivers. While we appreciate that the rule was finally
published after almost 2 years of financial limbo, we have
numerous concerns. The rule is still far too complicated and
would be incredibly difficult to implement in a standardized
and transparent manner.
Additionally, we are concerned that those with significant
mental health and cognitive disabilities would be excluded. EDF
asks Congress to exercise its oversight authority to minimize
further turmoil and ensure that those whom Congress intended to
support are included.
EDF also asks that Congress grandfather the legacy cohort
of PCAFC participants, those Post-9/11 caregivers who were
admitted to the program prior to September 30th of 2020. These
caregivers have repeatedly been found eligible and endured
multiple pauses, regulation and leadership changes, lack of
previous program standardization, and questionable assessments.
Grandfathering this relatively small population would allow the
VA to focus on its mission of supporting all generations of
caregivers by ending this years-long struggle.
In addition to PCAFC, the VA has many programs that benefit
both veterans and caregivers. The Veteran-Directed Care Program
has incredibly high satisfaction rates and notably costs less
than other VA clinical support services. In theory, veterans
can use the program to hire individuals familiar to them, to
provide care, pay for transportation to appointments, hire
skilled care when needed, and all without paying the overhead
costs of an agency.
Unfortunately, gaining access to these programs is often
incredibly difficult. In many instances, the veteran is subject
to a case mix tool, ensuring that they are not receiving
redundant services. While this makes sense generally, the
current system does not allow complementary programs for those
who need them most.
Shawn Lopez, a Maryland Dole Caregiver Fellow, cares for
his 100 percent service-disabled father. In addition to other
diagnoses, Shawn's dad battles stage four cancer, suffers from
progressive dementia, and requires constant supervision for
safety. If Shawn were not providing around-the-clock care, his
father would require very costly institutional care, for which
the VA would be responsible.
Because Shawn is enrolled in PCAFC, the case mix tool was
employed to determine his dad's eligibility for additional
support. Even with his serious health diagnoses and despite his
constant need for supervision, Mr. Lopez scored far too low to
qualify him for concurrent enrollment in PCAFC and VDC.
After much research, Shawn learned that the scoring
algorithm is weighted so heavily toward those with physical
needs and mostly excludes consideration for those with
cognitive and mental health needs. It was not until Shawn's
father fell and broke five ribs that he even came close to
qualifying. After a significant amount of advocacy, Mr. Lopez
was eventually rated at the necessary level, but if he improved
in only one ADL he will no longer qualify, leaving Shawn to
support his dad on his own or find an institution.
Not only is it wrong to deny family caregivers the support
services they need to care for their loved ones, it does not
make any fiscal sense. Shawn's stipend through PCAFC is
approximately $40,000 a year, whereas a skilled nursing
facility is far more expensive, approximately $160,000 a year
in Maryland.
Therefore, EDF asks Congress to work with the VA to provide
oversight to this vital program to ensure veterans are able to
stay in their homes as long as medically appropriate.
While much work remains to be done, many of these issues
outlined in RAND were addressed in some way with the Dole
package that Ms. Carroll mentioned. The foundation thanks
Committee members and their staffs as well as leadership of
both parties for their hard work to find common ground and
achieve final passage.
However, we are deeply concerned that the current seemingly
arbitrary Federal staffing reductions, the previously
identified VHA budget shortfall, cuts to research funding and
contract pauses and cancellations, will greatly impact the VA's
ability to provide its direct, vital services to those in need
and implement the Dole Act.
The VDC program was fortunately expanded in that Dole
package. However, to continue current operations, much less
expand, the program must ensure that providers are certified
and recertified periodically in accordance with MISSION Act
requirements. Unfortunately, the contract that provides for
those certifications was recently halted, leaving the future of
the program and those enrolled in jeopardy.
Let me be clear. We agree that the realignment of resources
and staff is often necessary. We are concerned, however, that
the process does not allow for the careful review and
implementation necessary to ensure that services, especially
those for the most vulnerable, are not interrupted.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Beck appears on page 183 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Ms. Beck. Ms. Monet.
STATEMENT OF KATHRYN MONET, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NATIONAL
COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
Ms. Monet. Chairmen, Ranking Members, and distinguished
Members of the Committees on Veterans' Affairs, thank you for
the opportunity to join you. NCHV is a resource and technical
assistance center for a national network of community-based
service providers and local and state governments that serve
thousands of homeless, at-risk, and formerly homeless veterans
annually.
We thank you for your leadership and passage of the Dole
Act. We encourage you to focus on implementation of the
homeless provisions within the bill. Of note, we urge you to
ensure that authorizing caps and appropriations levels are
sufficient to allow VA to pay for increased per diem rates
authorized under this legislation and to fund Section 4201
assistance. Our written testimony includes appropriations
recommendations for other critical programs.
Veteran homelessness dropped to the lowest level ever
recorded last year, 32,882 veterans on any given night. The
2024 point-in-time count data for veterans needs a little bit
of context, so I am going to give it to you. This represents a
7 percent decrease since 2023, and a 55 percent decrease since
2009, compared with increases across the board for every other
homeless population across those same timeframes.
While the PIT is not a perfect measure of homelessness, it
is the best national measure we have for comparison's sake. We
are, and we have been, reducing veteran homelessness
consistently in the last 7 of 10 years counted.
This is no mistake. As VA staff and partners across the
country have dedicated time and talent toward this mission and
have had the discipline to research, iterate, and implement
evidence-based and other promising practices along the way.
In spite of these efforts, we know that we can do more to
ensure that our crisis responses, homelessness prevention,
affordable housing, and supportive service programs can be what
be veterans need, and we look forward to doing that with all of
you here. Congress plays a major role in this, and my written
testimony presents NCHV's priorities for your consideration.
Before I dive into them I would be remiss if I did not
mention the vast uncertainty that has been created as our
Federal partners have moved quickly to make changes across the
government. The speed and doubt that have resulted have made it
hard for grantees across the country to focus on homelessness
rather than issues that impact their ability to work, including
the potential implications of grant pauses, shifting grant
operating requirements, reductions in VA staff, including in
those who serve homeless veterans, and other Federal reduction-
in-force initiatives.
Further, while we are still learning more about last
night's wave of contract cancellations, we know at least one
cancellation was related to the Enhanced-Use Lease Program to a
SDVOSB that managed oversight, including things like lead paint
testing, evaluating life safety issues in these facilities, and
ensuring that veterans in EUL housing get the case management
that they need.
We do have concerns that quality of care will falter as a
result, and we urge you to work with the Administration to
ensure that contract cancellations do not result in adverse
outcomes for veterans.
These factors have really complicated the already hard work
of ending veteran homelessness, and so we do want you to
collectively keep your eye on everything that we have seen so
far and all of the changes that we know are to come, to ensure
that there is minimal impact, not only to veterans but the
community that serves these veterans. VA has been an essential
partner in the work on veteran homelessness, and that has to
continue.
I would like to pivot a little bit back to homelessness
priorities, and I have three major ones that I would like to
discuss today. The first is HUD-VASH utilization. We need your
help to ensure that VHA and PHA's public housing authorities
are appropriately resourced, and we need you to codify Federal
guidance exempting VA disability compensation from eligibility
requirements for HUD-VASH and LIHTC-funded affordable housing.
For far too long, homeless veterans who needed assistance the
most, with the highest levels of service-connected
disabilities, were being excluded from these benefits because
of their disability income. We absolutely, unequivocally
support legislation that would codify this change for the
program, and we also encourage the reintroduction of
legislation that would codify these changes for the Low-Income
Housing Tax Credit Program.
Second, we urge you to ensure that veterans with other-
than-honorable discharges and those who served in the Guard and
Reserve without being activated can access all homeless
programs. The HCHV program currently does not serve this
population, and we request that you expand its eligibility
criteria to make it uniform across all programs.
Third, our Nation's housing affordability crisis is all but
guaranteed that rents are unaffordable for everyone, including
veterans. In most counties across the country, economists agree
that a person earning the minimum wage is not able to rent a
one-bedroom apartment without being severely cost burdened, and
we know that only 1 in 4 people eligible for Section 8 receive
them because of chronic underfunding of that program. We
support legislation that would create a voucher program for all
extremely low-income veterans and legislation to prohibit
source-of-income discrimination so that people can actually use
these vouchers.
Thank you for the opportunity to join you today. I am open
to any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Monet appears on page 200 of
the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you very much. I am going to
recognize Ranking Member Takano for his questions, for 3
minutes.
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Chairman Moran, and let me just say
that I have been impressed with many of your comments over the
past 2 weeks, especially your interest in doing oversight on
the internal process that VA does to establish new
presumptives. I really want to thank you for those comments.
My first question is for Ms. Monet. You have been
stewarding the progress to end veteran homelessness in your
years of work at the National Coalition of Homeless Veterans.
And during the Biden-Harris administration we saw homelessness
reach new lows.
Unfortunately, Secretary Collins seems to think this
progress was not real. He recently told the Military Times,
quote, ``We have spent millions of dollars and added countless
programs to the homeless situation and to suicide prevention,
and seen nothing,'' he said, end quote.
Quote, ``I am ready to see results, and I am ready to take
whatever we have and say what can we do better,'' end quote.
Ms. Monet, was the progress we saw during the Biden-Harris
administration real, and to what do you attribute it? What
roadblocks do you foresee arising that could prevent further
progress?
Ms. Monet. So the progress we have seen was absolutely
real. VA programs helped hundreds of thousands of veterans
every day--well, not every day--across the course of a year. I
am sorry. But, you know, there are things that we can do to
improve, and I think I laid out a few of them in my testimony
today. When I think about roadblocks, I do think a lot about
things that are not really tied to VA. We do not have a lot of
affordable housing. We know that people are struggling to stay
employed. We know that veterans are overrepresented in the
Federal workforce that is getting fired at a very rapid pace.
There are these challenges that we have to contend with,
and within VA there are some things that we can do, right. We
can connect services to veterans a little bit better. We can be
thoughtful about prevention and how we really learn about
preventing homelessness and the risk factors. There is so much
that we could do. But I think that we can do it if we commit to
it.
Mr. Takano. Yes. Yes. Thank you so much for your response.
I would like to ask Mr. Lyon, I met with many of your
student veteran members from SVA yesterday, and I was disturbed
to hear stories about many contract employees who serve as
counselors. Can you tell us about the situation before these
recent firings in terms of the number of counselors, the vital
role they play? And they, oddly enough, play a role in terms of
preventing waste, fraud, and abuse within the VR&E program. The
VR&E program, by the way, is the program for veterans, student
veterans. It is not about the GI Bill. It is about their
service-connected disability and being able to get them
education, which will make them gainfully employed.
Mr. Lyon, do you want to respond?
Mr. Lyon. Thank you very much for the question, sir, and
you are right. We have had many conversations with the highest
levels of VA, from appointed officials to senior government
employees, about the impact that terminations are having, which
I think have been well addressed by the first panel this
morning and my colleagues up here today.
But in particular, when we continue to hear that mission-
critical roles are not being cut, we are seeing, in particular
with the VR&E program, a program that was already chronically
understaffed and had delays with not only approving benefits
but then also addressing concerns for these service-connected
disabled veterans while in school, have been exacerbated by
some of the recent terminations and some of the canceling of
contracts, the very contracts that were staffing some of the
oversight for fraud, waste, and abuse of the program, but also
approving. This is causing, in many instances, weeks if not
multiple months of delays just to hear back from the initial
claim, a VR&E claim.
Mr. Takano. Well, that has meant delays, you know, really
incredible delays, and sometimes students not being able to get
the courses, hardships on families, student veterans' families.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Representative Takano.
Representative Ramirez.
HON. DELIA RAMIREZ,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM ILLINOIS
Ms. Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman, and thank you, Ranking
Member. I am really grateful that we are holding today's
hearing.
I want to start by acknowledging and thanking the veterans
service organizations that are joining us today for all the
tremendous work you do every single day on behalf of our
veterans. The work that we do, the legislation that we pass to
bring more veteran benefits, none of that could happen without
your help. So I just want to thank all of you for being here.
And each time we come together I think it is important for
us to rehearse our why. Or at least for me, I believe it is my
responsibility to ensure that every veteran has full access to
the full spectrum of benefits that they have earned, frankly
that they deserve. As a former nonprofit community director of
an organization that served people who are unhoused, people
experiencing homelessness, including many veterans, I
understand that often the gap between our ability to fulfill
our mission and the realities on the ground are often about
resources. For many, housing and homeless service providers'
Federal grants are an essential part of the resources layered
together to meet the needs of our neighbors, particularly our
veteran neighbors.
So I am clear that to ensure that every veteran has full
access to the full spectrum of benefits they have earned and
deserve, we have to make sure that the programs and services
the VA offer are fully funded. And we know that fully funding
our programs can make an impact on veteran homelessness.
Ms. Monet, you were just talking about it. Over the past
few years, there has been a record investment on veteran
homelessness, addressing veteran homelessness, and as a result,
in the national point-in-time count data, that I participated
in, in the past as the executive director of a shelter, not
only have we made progress in reducing veteran homelessness,
but veterans are the only population, across the country, that
has seen a decline in rates of homelessness, according to this
count.
So Ms. Monet, I want to follow up on that. I want to ask
you if there is a freeze on the grants that serve unhoused
veterans or that support that veteran permanent housing is
needed, what impact do you think it would have on the ability
to end veteran homelessness? And let me give you a follow-up to
that. More broadly, what I am interested in hearing is what
would those freezes mean for the organizations and the
communities that depend on Federal resources?
Ms. Monet. So when we experienced the last freeze it was
chaotic. Organizations were sort of pushed to the brink, and a
lot of them were really running numbers, looking at their
budgets, thinking really intently about their cash-flow, and
questioning the level of commitment that the Federal Government
has to this initiative.
At NCHV, because we have a toll-free referral line, we got
calls from veterans who were upset that they had been looking
for housing for 3 or 4 weeks, finally found somewhere that
would take their subsidy, but could not get their check cut
because of the funding freeze. We got calls from medical center
staff who said that their SSVF provider did not have enough
cash-flow to cut checks for a whole community of veterans come
February 1, and they were looking for other funds to support.
You know, there were a lot of instances where our members
were facing this uncertainty and trying to figure out how do we
work through this, what does this pause actually mean, what
activities will be acceptable or not acceptable, and really
thinking intently about that versus serving the veterans in
front of them. And that is not what we want them to be doing.
Ms. Ramirez. Thank you, Ms. Monet. I know my time is up so
I just think, in summary, what you are saying is freezing funds
means our veterans are at risk of homelessness, it is chaos,
and it means it takes us back, when in fact we should be doing
more for our veterans. Thank you, Ms. Monet.
I yield back, Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Representative.
Mr. Lyon, we have a long history, mostly related to COVID,
and student access to education during those difficult times. I
really appreciate your strong support, your organization's
strong support for the National Guard GI Bill Parity Act.
Based upon your focus, the organization's focus on the
success of student veterans, explain why this change is needed
and how the bill, if signed into law, would impact the outcomes
of National Guard and Reservists.
Mr. Lyon. Thank you very much, sir, and I really appreciate
the question. When you look at the service of those in uniform,
regardless of if it is active duty, Guard, or Reserve, every
day in uniform should count equally with regard to your
benefits. And unfortunately, as the GI Bill is a benefit that
requires specific and nuanced related service, as pertains to
Guard and Reserve members wearing that uniform, they are not
equally eligible.
There are countless instances in which we hear from student
veterans that have been activated for any number of supports,
from overseas deployments to work down on the border, to
natural disasters. And when they are, their service does not
count equally for their ability to be eligible for the GI Bill.
If we are able to get this done and pass this bill, we
would be able to say, indefinitively, that every day in uniform
counts equally. So this would be exceptionally impactful for
those members of the Guard and Reserve that find themselves as
student veterans.
Chairman Moran. Disadvantageous circumstance for those in
the Guard and Reserve is a result of the law, not a result of
interpretation of the law or bias toward those not in active
duty. It is the law that needs to be changed. Is that true?
Mr. Lyon. Yes, sir.
Chairman Moran. Major Carroll, thank you and your team for
ongoing work with Senator Warnock and I in advocating for Love
Lives On Act. As you know, we have been challenged by the
expense of this legislation. That is not a reason not to do it,
and we are fully committed to its passage and implementation.
But do you have suggestions of how we could advance--we have
advanced several steps of this legislation--any suggestions as
to what we do next?
Major Carroll. Love Lives On is incredibly important to our
surviving families. It is probably the top priority for those.
It is something that our families are already receiving
compensation for. All of those who are receiving those
benefits, the DIC, are already getting them. It is only when
they remarry that that is taken away.
The rate is so low right now, and our team has done
extensive work into that, looking at that, talking, I know, to
your team, to many members on exactly what that would mean. But
it would allow our families to be whole, to allow our children
to be raised in a two-parent household. It would allow our
families to move forward with their lives. And we are very,
very hopeful that the amount required will be recognized as an
amount that is owed to these families who have sacrificed so
much for this country.
Chairman Moran. You and others associated with you are such
valuable advocates. Even what you said just now, it suggests to
me how would one say no. It is hugely important for us to have
success, and more rapid success.
As I indicated earlier, it is nice to be thanked, I
suppose, for your efforts, but this is one that would be great
to be thanked for results.
Major Carroll, do you have recommendations for how the VA
and Congress can better work with the VSO community to reach
survivors and make certain that they are aware of the benefits
and resources that they may be entitled to?
Major Carroll. Absolutely. We have surviving family members
who receive some benefits, DIC, but through our networks,
through public awareness, through community efforts, through
other VSO partnerships we are reaching out to surviving
families. One of the ways we did this is also through the
National Cemetery Administration, where we reach all those who
are survivors of anyone buried at a national cemetery or a
state cemetery. We are very active with the National Funeral
Directors, to reach all of those whose loved ones lives
included service to this country, to ensure that they have the
benefits that they have earned and that their families will
never be forgotten for that service.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Speaking of national cemeteries,
Ms. Monet, there are 156 national cemeteries across our
country, and the NCA runs the Cemetery Apprenticeship Program,
which offers training and employment in either a caretaker or
an administrative position to veterans who are, or at risk of
becoming, homeless. Would you speak to the importance of that
program?
Ms. Monet. Absolutely. At NCHV we think that employment is
an important part of solutions for veteran homelessness. It
gives folks the dignity of a job, some income, connections to
other people in a network, and the Cemetery Caretaker
Apprenticeship Program is absolutely an important part of that.
I think that we would love to see that program expanded, and we
would love to see more opportunities for supportive employment
of veterans within VA and other Federal agencies.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. And Ms. Beck, you indicated, I
wrote down, ``learning more,'' and what you, I think, were
saying before I got all my notes in place, learning more about
contract cancellation. What happens that you are going to learn
more? Where are you getting information, and what can you tell
me about those sources?
Ms. Beck. The information that we have at this point, sir,
is that the new round of contract cancellations, I believe is
totaling 585, is that that is a reduction in the number of
contracts from last week that they said were going to be
reduced. We certainly hear from a number of those contract
providers who are very concerned about their ability to
continue to be able to provide those services. And then we
certainly hear from caregivers who are concerned about that, as
well.
As Ms. Monet indicated, we do not have any visibility on
what the actual contracts are that will be included in that
585, but there is definite concern, especially about the one
that I mentioned, from our perspective, about the veteran-
directed care perspective.
The other piece of it that is of concern that we hear about
quite a bit is from the research perspective, not just the
funding cuts to the research but also the staffing freezes, and
how that impacts the ability to execute active contracts and
research initiatives that are ongoing. We are hearing from
those at NAVREF, the national association that represents the
nonprofit community that supports the research done within the
VA, and those would be programs and services and clinical
trials that are incredibly important for PACT Act
implementation and otherwise.
Chairman Moran. Have you had any success in outreach to the
VA, either you asking them or they are telling you what is
transpiring?
Ms. Beck. No, sir, we have not.
Chairman Moran. Let me ask both Ms. Jaslow and Mr. Thomas.
I do not want you to feel left out of my questioning. Anything
that you would add to the knowledge base as to what is
happening in regard to contact cancellation or pause? Mr.
Thomas?
Mr. Thomas. Well, with the contract cancellations, we are
hearing a lot of fear from our members that the SAH grants and
things like that are being canceled. And our members with ALS
need their housing and everything done now. They cannot wait
because this is something that is demanding upon them to be
able to get around and move in a house that is really
accessible for them. So that is something that is really hard,
canceling those contracts from the SAH grants.
Chairman Moran. So the only knowledge that anyone has is
coming from their members or from contractors who are in the
circumstance of either fearing or experiencing a contract
cancellation?
Mr. Thomas. The information that we are getting is coming
from our members. They are in the process of getting the SAH
grant, calling the individual that they are in contact with.
And then all of a sudden that individual is not there. So
again, this makes them go back through the entire process all
over again. It is causing many delays.
Chairman Moran. Understand. As my usual practice, are there
any or all of you who have anything you want to make certain is
clearly put on the record before we close this hearing?
Mr. Lyon. Sir, I just wanted to make one point relative to
the data, in particular, VA's Enrollment Manager. We are
reporting issues, particularly those individuals in Chapter 35,
that did not receive their February payments. In addition, we
have gotten reports, specifically from Alabama, California, and
North Dakota, that also have payment issues.
So we are both getting it from specific members but also
the school certifying officials within the system. They can
show on their end that the Enrollment Manager demonstrates that
the payments have been processed, but then they cannot see the
distribution. And then we are also getting the input from the
actual veterans.
It currently numbers less than 1,000 veterans impacted, but
impacted, nonetheless.
Chairman Moran. And that is a consequence of what, that the
payments are not being made. They show on the record but not
actually being fulfilled. And what has transpired that causes
that to happen?
Mr. Lyon. The school certifying officials are reporting
staffing challenges.
Chairman Moran. At the VA.
Mr. Lyon. Yes, sir.
Chairman Moran. Okay. Anyone else? Ms. Beck.
Ms. Beck. Sir, I was just going to say that for example,
again, with that veteran-directed contract, which is of great
concern to us, you know, many of us advocated for the passage
of the Dole Act and the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act itself,
based off of that and other home-based services, that in that
particular example the contractor was on the previous list to
be terminated and also has a stop work order in place, as the
only contractor who does that certifying work to bring on new
contractors for expansion.
And so I think that is where we were seeing the information
that it was coming from, is having that stop work order in
place.
Chairman Moran. And that is still true?
Ms. Beck. Until we get clarity on the new list, it is in
place as of this moment. Yes, sir.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Ms. Jaslow.
Ms. Jaslow. Sir, I just would be remiss if I didn't take
the opportunity to thank you for your leadership on the PACT
Act specifically. That continues to be an important law to our
entire community. You are looking at somebody who slept next to
Camp Trash Can for 15 months, on my second deployment. And we
all know that it almost did not make it across the finish line.
So I just want to make sure that I thank you on behalf of our
members for your leadership on that important law, that will be
an important law not just today but for many, many years, as we
all age and understand the consequences of our toxic exposure.
So thank you.
Chairman Moran. I thank all of you for your efforts in
regard to convincing members of the Senate and the House that
the PACT Act was something of value and important to pass.
I think that concludes the hearing. I do not want to leave
anything out. Oh, I know what I was going to say. I knew there
was something there. Ms. Beck, you do not have to advocate for
the Elizabeth Dole Act because everybody else advocates for it,
for you. It seems just consistent, constant.
Ms. Beck. It is a benefit of being in a very supportive
community, sir.
Chairman Moran. It is demonstrated again this morning.
Again, we thank you all for your advocacy. The record will
remain open. If we ask additional questions, please respond
quickly. And with that the hearing is adjourned. Thank you.
[Applause.]
[Whereupon, at 12:58 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
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