[Senate Hearing 119-164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-164
HEARING TO CONSIDER A PENDING NOMINATION
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
SEPTEMBER 10, 2025
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
61-628 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
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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
C O N T E N T S
----------
September 10, 2025
SENATORS
Page
Hon. Jerry Moran, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Kansas............. 1
Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from
Connecticut.................................................... 4
Hon. Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator from Alabama................. 9
Hon. Mazie K. Hirono, U.S. Senator from Hawaii................... 10
Hon. Angus S. King, Jr., U.S. Senator from Maine................. 12
Hon. Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senator from Alaska...................... 15
Hon. Thom Tillis, U.S. Senator from North Carolina............... 17
INTRODUCER
Hon. Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senator from Tennessee............... 2
NOMINEE
Karen L. Brazell, DSL, Nominee To Be Under Secretary for
Benefits, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.................. 3
APPENDIX
Opening Statement
Hon. Richard Blumenthal.......................................... 27
Nomination Material
Karen L. Brazell, Nominee
Prepared statement............................................. 31
Response to Pre-Hearing Questions for the Record submitted by:
Hon. Jerry Moran............................................. 34
Hon. Richard Blumenthal...................................... 44
Response to Questions for the Record submitted by:
Hon. Jerry Moran............................................. 52
Hon. Richard Blumenthal...................................... 54
Hon. Mazie K. Hirono......................................... 55
Hon. John Boozman............................................ 57
Questionnaire for Presidential Nominees........................ 58
Submission for the Record
Statement from Sarah Verardo..................................... 73
HEARING TO CONSIDER A PENDING
NOMINATION
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 4:05 p.m., in
Room SR-418, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Jerry Moran,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Moran, Tillis, Sullivan, Blackburn,
Tuberville, Sheehy, Blumenthal, Hirono, Hassan, and King.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY MORAN,
CHAIRMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Chairman Moran. The silence seems too oppressive to me and
so we are going to start. Senator Blumenthal is on his way, and
when he joins us he can make his opening statement.
The hearing will come to order. Good afternoon and thank
you all for your presence here. We are here to consider the
nomination for the VA Under Secretary for Benefits.
I want to remind us that tomorrow our Nation will take time
to remember the Americans who died in the terrorist attacks of
9/11, 2001, and the heroes who sacrificed their own lives
trying to save others.
Twenty-four years later, September 11th is still a vivid
and painful memory for many Americans, and especially for those
who answered the call to serve our Nation in uniform following
the attacks. To those who stood to defend our Nation in a
moment of darkness, we thank you and we thank your families for
the sacrifice that was made.
Post-9/11 veterans now represent 28 percent of the veteran
population in America, and face the highest rate of service-
connected disabilities among the entire veteran population. The
timely delivery of benefits is crucial to supporting veterans
and their loved ones after their service.
The Veterans Benefits Administration is charged with
administering disability and pension benefits, education
benefits, home loan benefits, military-to-civilian transition
support services, survivor benefits, and other resources to
veterans after they have taken off their uniform. The
responsibility of the VA Under Secretary for Benefits is to
make certain that veterans and their families receive quality
benefits in a timely manner, as have been provided by law.
We have an experienced public servant, Dr. Karen Brazell,
before us today as our nominee for this important position. She
served in the Army and is a third-generation veteran. She
understands the importance of an institution like VBA and its
impact on lives of veterans and their families.
Since January of this year, the VA has reduced the backlog
in disability benefit compensation claims by more than 37
percent. For fiscal year 2025, the VA is processing claims
nearly 18 percent faster than they were in fiscal year 2024. I
am pleased to see progress at the VBA, but as we always say,
there is still much more that we need to do to better serve
veterans, survivors, and VA beneficiaries.
If confirmed, that will be your duty, Doctor, to take upon
that task. I look forward to hearing your plans and priorities
this afternoon, and I appreciate you being here. I appreciate
your willingness to serve. I appreciate your family members
that have joined you, and the willingness for you all to take
on a role, if confirmed.
I will yield to the Ranking Member upon his arrival, but I
think we will proceed with your testimony.
Ah, I recognize Senator Blackburn to do so.
INTRODUCTION BY HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE
Senator Blackburn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and indeed, it
is an honor for me to introduce Dr. Karen Brazell, President
Trump's nominee to serve as Under Secretary for Benefits at the
Department of VA.
Dr. Brazell is a third-generation veteran who served in the
U.S. Army before building a distinguished career in Federal
service, including senior leadership roles at the VA, the
Department of the Navy, the White House Military Office. She
currently serves as Senior Advisor to Secretary Collins,
leading efforts on acquisition reform, technology
modernization, and enterprise planning to improve services for
veterans. She also holds a doctorate in Strategic Leadership
from Liberty University, with additional degrees in
organizational management, computer science, and business
administration.
The Veterans Benefits Administration is responsible for
delivering over $250 billion in benefits and services to
veterans and their families. But VBA continues to face a
growing claims backlog, which has left too many veterans
waiting for the benefits that they have earned.
With more than 20 years of experience in government and the
private sector, her extensive knowledge in Federal contracting,
IT and acquisition reform, make her well suited to tackle this
challenge and to modernize the systems that our veterans are
relying on.
And Mr. Chairman, as we have talked so many times in this
Committee, the fact that the systems are antiquated, that they
are not up-to-date, that the processes that caseworkers follow
are antiquated, we know that someone who is competent and
capable is needed. Indeed she is, and I am pleased to support
her nomination, and know that she will serve with integrity,
with discipline, with a steadfast and unwavering dedication to
our veterans.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran [Inaudible]. Raise your right hand, and let
me ask you this question.
Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you are
about to give before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans
Affairs will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, so help you God?
Ms. Brazell. I do.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. You are now recognized for your
testimony. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF KAREN L. BRAZELL, DSL, NOMINEE TO BE UNDER
SECRETARY FOR BENEFITS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Ms. Brazell. Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Blumenthal, and
distinguished Members of this Committee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today. I am honored to be
considered for the role of Under Secretary of Benefits at the
Department of Veterans Affairs. I want to thank President Trump
for this nomination and Secretary Collins for his faith and
confidence in me to lead one of the most consequential missions
within the department. I am equally grateful to the Members of
this Committee for your unwavering commitment to veterans and
for considering my nomination.
This would be my second tour of duty, both at VA and with
President Trump's administration, and I do not take lightly
what that means. Leadership requires sacrifice, giving more
than those you lead. In today's environment, volunteering for
political service brings intense scrutiny, personal attacks,
and disclosure of one's private matters. I have accepted those
responsibilities because I believe there is no higher mission
than serving our Nation's veterans.
My family's story makes this mission profoundly personal. I
am a third-generation veteran. Both of my grandfathers served
in wartime, one in World War I and the other in World War II.
My father, a Vietnam veteran, served a 12-month deployment, and
my husband of 40 years, First Sergeant (Retired) Kent Brazell,
served in Operation Enduring Freedom. I continued that legacy
as an enlisted woman in the United States Army. I know the
rigorous preparations for deployment--the readiness checks, the
long hours, and the responsibility of ensuring that you and
your fellow soldiers are ready for whatever lies ahead.
Later, as a military spouse, I experienced deployment
preparation from the other side, holding together a household,
steadying children, and standing watch over the family so that
Kent could focus on his mission abroad. Those dual
perspectives, both in uniform and as a spouse, provided me with
a profound understanding of servant leadership.
Kent is here with me today, along with our two daughters,
Jamie and Jacquelin. And my 88-year-old mother, a proud U.S.
Air Force veteran, and my father-in-law, an almost 89-year-old
retired U.S. Air Force veteran, are watching this hearing,
along with family and friends. Their presence reminds me that
military service is just not my story; it is our family's
story, a legacy of service and sacrifice across generations.
I used my VA education benefits to advance my career,
gaining firsthand insight into how these programs empower
veterans to transition successfully, a lived experience that
will always guide my leadership. Over my 40-year career in both
public and private sectors, I have worked to enhance veterans'
access to the benefits they have earned. I proudly served 4
years on active duty, then spent the next 16 years supporting
Kent's Army career as a military spouse, experiencing the
sacrifice, resilience, and strength required not only by those
who served, but also of their families. That perspective gives
me a unique understanding of the human impact behind every VA
policy.
In public sector, I have led the intersection of policy,
technology, and veteran advocacy. As VA's Chief Acquisition
Officer and Acting Assistant Secretary for Enterprise
Integration, I managed a $30 billion portfolio and a workforce
of over 12,000 professionals. I expedited the Community Care
Network contracts to expand private sector care and modernized
benefits systems to streamline intake, scheduling, and
monitoring, always with accountability, transparency, and
trusted outcomes for veterans.
In private sector, I built on that experience by
modernizing health IT and benefits delivery with technology
companies. I deployed automation to accelerate claims intake,
implemented real-time dashboards for oversight, and reduced
backlogs that had kept veterans waiting too long for decisions.
These innovations minimized errors and delivered more reliable
outcomes for veterans and their families.
In every role, my focus has been to deliver by listening to
veterans, elevating underserved voices, and empowering teams
that never lost sight of the mission: putting veterans at the
center of every decision, and ensuring the veterans--the
benefits, they are delivered with dignity, efficiency, and
urgency.
Thank you again to President Trump and Secretary Collins
for entrusting me with this responsibility, and to the Members
of this Committee for your trust and consideration. I look
forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Brazell appears on page 31
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you very much. Before we go to those
questions, I am going to recognize Senator Blumenthal for his
opening statement.
STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. Thank you for being here,
Dr. Brazell, and thank you for your service to our Nation, in
uniform and as a military spouse, and to your husband, as well,
whom we discussed when you came to visit me. Thank you for that
visit.
You know, the VBA's core mission to provide world-class
service and benefits to our Nation is something they deserve
and need, and it cannot be accomplished without sufficient
resources, both in money and in staff. The Trump administration
inherited a VBA that was providing more benefits to more
veterans than ever before, partly as a result of the PACT Act,
which Senator Moran and I and others on this Committee
championed. For the past 8 months, we have seen, in effect, the
workforce drastically cut, through hiring freezes and
demoralizing initiatives like forced overtime, an end to
collective bargaining for the vast majority of the Veterans
Administration workforce, higher level reviews, veterans asking
the VA to take a second look at their claim because the claims
processor missed something or made an incorrect decision. Those
reviews have increased by 21 percent.
I am going to put my full statement in the record, but let
me just say that the mass exodus at VBA, about 50 percent of
the VA's regional office directors, have opted to leave Federal
service rather than implement the collective bargaining-busting
practices and policies, are, in effect, undermining the ability
of the VA to perform these essential functions. And it is not
just the regional directors. More than 1,000 claims processors
have opted to leave instead of dealing with unreasonable
commutes to unsuitable workstations or forced overtime.
You have been a part of this administration. You have been
a part of the policies and practices that have undermined the
VA's ability to deliver health care and benefits. And many of
these canceled contracts were directly under your purview. I
know you have said you were not directly involved, but I am
going to want to know exactly how you were involved in what has
been done already by the VA.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[The full opening statement of Senator Blumenthal appears
on page 27 of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Senator Blumenthal, thank you.
Dr. Brazell, from your experience at the VA, do you have
any concerns about the VBA's workplace culture, what you see as
the biggest hurdles that VBA faces in successfully serving
veterans and their dependents? What needs to change, if
anything?
Ms. Brazell. Chairman Moran, thank you for that question.
Just to be clear, I have not been involved in any of the VBA
operations. That is not my area of oversight right now. But I
do believe that we have got some challenges with culture. Any
time a new leader comes in, we do not make changes right away.
We assess what is working well and what is not working well.
And I think it is important that we look at prioritizing claims
modernization. And I say that from the aspect of having one
foundational data object.
I have heard from veterans, even when I served before,
``How come I have to give you guys my information over and
over?'' I think it is important that we have the veterans
submit that, their discharge document, one time, and it is used
across multiple systems.
I also think there is an opportunity to digitize forms. We
have a VA form that is for the Notice of Beneficiary and
Claimants. It is a 15-page form. The first 6 pages are
instructions of how to fill out the next 9 pages. I think we
could do better than what we have today for our veterans.
And we also need to leverage emergent technologies. I want
to look at workforce strengthening. Once confirmed, I will
assess and review any challenges and look for opportunities for
improvement.
And then finally, veteran-centered reform, digital
modernization of claims processing. I think it is important
that we look at where we can leverage emergent technologies to
reduce. We have a claims backlog right now of about 650,000,
within compensation. And yes, we have done a great effort under
this administration, reducing that by about 37 percent. But I
do believe there are opportunities where we can actually
modernize that process to be more transparent to the veteran.
But most importantly, any emergent technology we bring to
the VA, we must have a human at the beginning and end of that
process.
Chairman Moran. What do you see as your impediments to
accomplish what you just described as your goals?
Ms. Brazell. Chairman Moran, over the last almost 9 months,
I think a lot of it is the culture. We have relied a lot in the
VA on our contractors, but we need our contractors, because VA
does not have all the experts. It needs to be a balanced
approach. But we have got to have leaders who are willing to
take risks. And I say those are calculated risks. Some people
may misconstrue what I mean by risk, but leaderships ensure
that their folks are uncomfortably comfortable, meaning as
leaders we have to push our people to help them grow, to get
them outside of the way they normally think.
I am going to bring an industry perspective, spending the
last 4 years in industry, and really bringing more of those
agile methodologies, encouraging them to take risks. But
celebrating what we have learned from when we take risks.
Chairman Moran. Thank you for your answer. One would think,
in hearing you describe the form, that someone else previous to
you would have decided this form makes no sense, it is unfair,
and inappropriate for our veterans. Those things that linger
trouble me, and of course, individuals' leadership matters.
I also would tell you that it seems to me that the VA may
be siloed from the rest of the department, and even within the
organization, within VBA may not necessarily talk to each
other. This lack of communication, I think, can cause veterans
to fall between the cracks, and I would be interested--I will
not ask this as a question because my time is about to expire,
and I have one specific I want to ask you, but I would ask you
to look into this issue of how do you make the VBA part of an
overall organization focused on veterans.
And I have a pet peeve. Mostly what I know about
circumstances that veterans are in are what they tell me, what
their emails tell me, what they tell my staff, and particularly
the cases, the issues they bring to us to try to solve on their
behalf. And I would love, not because I don't want to do the
work--in fact, it is part of the most rewarding thing that most
of us do--but it would be a great day in which it did not
require a United States Senator to get the VA to do what needs
to be done to care for an individual veteran.
One of my veterans in my hometown has raised this with me,
and I have raised this with the previous leadership at the VA,
and it may seem like a minor thing. But the VA sends out, to
veterans in Kansas and across the country, they receive notices
to say that their claim is, quote, ``ready for decision.'' And
a month goes by, and a month goes by, and a month goes by. It
is a misleading statement. It is not ready for decision, or if
it is, it is still not decided. And I would ask you to take
some time and address this, if you are confirmed, and serve in
that capacity. Veterans ought to know what to expect, and in
this case we are misleading them about the circumstance they
are in. And I would welcome any response to that.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, you bring up a good--excuse me,
Chairman, you bring up a good point. I think it is important to
be transparent, but we have to be also factual in our responses
to the veterans. There is room for improvement in transparency,
more outreach, more education, and there is also more
opportunity for us to collaborate collectively with you and
your staff to ensure that whatever information that we are
disseminating to the veterans, that they understand and that we
are not--I am looking for the right words.
Being on the other side, if I had a document that says,
hey, your claim is ready for basically a decision, I am
thinking I am going to get notification in the next few days.
We need to be clear what that means. And that goes back to if
we had a better--I would not better, but an improved claims
processing, where the veteran actually saw where their claim
was throughout that entire process.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Senator Blumenthal.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. When you visited me you said
that you had not been involved in contract cancellations. Have
you reviewed any specific contract that has been canceled?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, thank you again for
taking the time to meet with me Monday afternoon. And as I have
relayed to your staff, who I met with last week, and you on
Monday, my role as Senior Advisor was to assess the Executive
orders and ensure that they were followed without any
disruption to veterans delivery.
Senator Blumenthal. So you have not reviewed any specific
contract. Is that what you are testifying? Just a yes or no,
because my time is limited. Have you reviewed any specific
contracts that have been canceled--31,000 contracts canceled.
Have you reviewed any of them?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, I believe it is only 2,500
contracts that have been terminated to date.
Senator Blumenthal [continuing]. Whatever the number, have
you reviewed any?
Ms. Brazell. I have reviewed some of those, yes.
Senator Blumenthal. And have you reviewed the contract that
was canceled to train VA staff implementing suicide prevention
PACT Act and MISSION Act-mandated services?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, I do not recall that exact
contract, and I will be happy to take that back to look at that
for you.
Senator Blumenthal. Have you reviewed the one that
maintains and operates VA Cancer Registry databases in various
states--Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska--that was
canceled?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, I do not recall, and I will be
happy to look into that one, following this hearing today.
Senator Blumenthal. Have you reviewed any of the contracts
of your former employer, Science Application International
Corporation?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, I have met the
requirements of the law.
Senator Blumenthal. You have reviewed it, or not?
Ms. Brazell. I have met all the requirements of the law as
it relates to my former employer.
Senator Blumenthal. So does that mean--it is a yes or no.
Yes or no.
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, it is not a yes or no. I have
met all the requirements of the law.
Senator Blumenthal. Well, just for the record, your former
employer received $70 million from the VA. No contracts
canceled. So you can refuse to answer the question, which is
what you are doing, but that is a fact.
Let me ask you, Dr. Brazell, do you support means-testing
VA disability compensation benefits?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, if confirmed, I
will do a full assessment and look into that program.
Senator Blumenthal. Do you support it?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal----
Senator Blumenthal. It is a recommendation made by the OMB
Director, Russell Vought. He has proposed clawing back benefits
from veterans to save money.
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal----
Senator Blumenthal. Will you tell the veterans of America
that you will oppose this kind of extreme, cruel measure?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, we will ensure that
every veteran is provided the benefits they have earned, timely
and accurately.
Senator Blumenthal. Do you support eliminating compensation
payments to veterans rated 20 percent service-connected
disability, disabled, or lower? Again, another proposal from
OMB Director Vought.
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, we will ensure that
all veterans are provided the benefits that they have earned.
Senator Blumenthal. If you are confirmed are you going to
change the way that disability benefits are calculated and
ratings are determined?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, if confirmed, I
will follow the law.
Senator Blumenthal. Well, I am not asking you whether you
will follow the law. I am really disturbed by these answers to
my questions. I cannot force you to be responsive, but I do not
view that answer as responsive to my question.
Let me ask you, do you support the elimination of
collective bargaining at the VA?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, that is under
litigation, so I have no comment.
Senator Blumenthal. Well, you have been working for the
Secretary. He has taken this action. And you are saying you
cannot comment on it?
Ms. Brazell. That is correct.
Senator Blumenthal. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Senator Tuberville.
HON. TOMMY TUBERVILLE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALABAMA
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Brazell,
thank you for being here today, and your service, and your
family's service. A lot of sacrifice from your father on down,
so thank you.
If confirmed as Under Secretary of Benefits you will
oversee the VA's fiduciary program. Unfortunately, this program
has been riddled with fraud and abuse. I sometimes even wonder
if the VA understands its purpose.
In your own words, can you describe the purpose of the VA's
fiduciary program and your priorities?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, thank you for that question. My three
principles, we will always put veterans first, we will follow
the law, but we will ensure fiscal stewardship through
accountability. And if confirmed, I will do a review of the
current program and the state of our financials today. But most
importantly, we will ensure that we have processes and
procedures in place to mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse.
Senator Tuberville. I think we are all still concerned
about the legacy of the PACT Act and the lasting regulatory
nightmare it created for the disability claims process. So if
confirmed, how will you ensure deserving veterans receive their
benefits swiftly while reducing regulations and receive the
proper payments?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I think it is important that
collectively we ensure that the veterans receive timely and
accurate benefits, and if confirmed, I will do a full
assessment of that program to ensure that veterans are afforded
those benefits they have earned.
Senator Tuberville. Under Secretary Collins' leadership we
have seen record reductions in the backlog claims. In one
month, the VA processed I think 300,000 ratings claims. Is that
right? Have you heard anything about that?
Ms. Brazell. We have went from about 650,000 in
compensation down to an inventory of about--excuse me, the
inventory is about 650,000, and we are down to about 145,000
that they have processed recently.
Senator Tuberville. How can we ensure that that continues?
I mean, do we need any people, any more eyes on the books? How
does that work?
Ms. Brazell. We had, through VERA, VSIP, and DRP, the
voluntary departure of some of the folks. I believe we have
lost about 1,400 in VBA, of which about 1,000 of those claims
adjudicators. But what we have got to do is--it is my
understanding is that they have currently looked internally for
other folks who are looking to do, upskilling the workforce to
put additional individuals on to reduce--continually to reduce
that backlog.
Senator Tuberville. In your testimony you stated, if
confirmed, you would work to strengthen interagency
relationships between the DoD, DOL, Department of Ed, and SBA
to improve coordination and data-sharing. Can you elaborate on
how this would look in practice? How are you going to
communicate with all these groups?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, it is important that we have the
collaboration between all other departments and agencies and
leverage their best practices. Within DoD, the Memorandum of
Agreement, you know, that was signed by the DoD Secretary and
Secretary Collins allows for more data-sharing. It also allows
for us to really look at a more streamlined transition when it
comes to our servicemembers departing the military, especially
for their medical discharge exams.
Senator Tuberville. The one thing that I hear most back in
my State of Alabama from our VA and our veterans is
communications, and I think if we can communicate better, we
can solve a lot of these problems. Obviously, not all of them.
But communication to my veterans, 400,000 back in Alabama, they
are much needed of more talk, more organization, and more
explanation of what is in front of them.
So thank you, and I look forward to voting for you. Thank
you.
Ms. Brazell. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Senator Tuberville. Senator
Hirono.
HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I ask the
following two initial questions of all nominees before any of
my committees to refer to their fitness to serve for the
position to which you have been nominated. So I will ask you.
Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted
requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical
harassment or assault of a sexual nature?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I have not.
Senator Hirono. Have you ever faced discipline or entered
into settlement relating to this kind of conduct?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I have not.
Senator Hirono. You noted that one of your responsibilities
was to oversee the implementation of President Trump's
Executive orders. Can you tell me what these Executive orders
were that you were overseeing the implementation of?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, every Executive order that was
applicable to the VA are the ones that we were responsible for
implementing.
Senator Hirono. I am asking for you to name them. Which
Executive orders are we talking about?
Ms. Brazell. Reducing the fraud, waste, and abuse in
Federal contracting. We have implemented----
Senator Hirono. How about the Executive order releasing
thousands of people from the VA workforce? Wasn't that an
Executive order?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, we did not have a RIF, nor have we
released anyone from the workforce. Individuals voluntarily
left the VA through VERA, VSIP, and DRP.
Senator Hirono. So really, Mr. Chairman, I would really
like to know specifically what Executive orders the President
issued relating to VA, and I would like to request the nominee
to provide that information, very specifically.
So how many Executive orders--I mean, to say, oh yes, well,
everybody should reduce waste and fraud, that is pretty broad.
So I would like to know, was that the only Executive order you
were asked to implement?
Ms. Brazell. No, Senator. I believe at the VA there were
over, at least a dozen Executive orders.
Senator Hirono. Good. Can you provide us with that list,
please, very specific?
I commend you for your commitment to making sure that our
veterans receive the benefits that they deserve and have
earned, and I think your testimony was that there was a
dramatic reduction in the claims backlog at the VA? Did that
result in an increase in the number of requests for review of
the claims decisions?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, are you specifically--I am not quite
sure your question.
Senator Hirono. So the claims backlog was dramatically
reduced, so you made decisions based on--and I do not know what
the numbers were, something like from 600,000 to 100,000, or
you reduced the backlog by 100,000, or you reduced it to
100,000. Can you clarify for me?
Ms. Brazell. Well, the current inventory is about 650,000.
Senator Hirono. Claims or backlog?
Ms. Brazell. Claims for compensation.
Senator Hirono. Down to--what was it before it got to
600,000?
Ms. Brazell. It was over a million.
Senator Hirono. So since you made the claims decisions and
you reduced the backlog, when a claims decision is made, can't
the veteran ask for a review of your decision?
Ms. Brazell. I believe they can.
Senator Hirono. So when you reduce the claims by 400,000 or
so, did the requests for review increase significantly?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I do not have that information, but I
will provide that to you.
Senator Hirono. Could you provide that? Thank you very
much.
Ms. Brazell. Absolutely.
Senator Hirono. My concern is that even if, on the one
hand, you are reducing the claims backlog, on the other you are
doing it so fast that the veterans are saying, ``Wait a minute
here. I don't think that was right.'' So I would like to know
what those numbers are.
Then, you know, your goal is to make sure that our veterans
get all the benefits they deserve. How many veterans are there
in the United States?
Ms. Brazell. By the DoD count that we have, it is over 17
million.
Senator Hirono. Seventeen million? Do you know what
percentage of those veterans have access to veterans benefits?
Ms. Brazell. I believe right now the count of what we have
enrolled in the VA is around 8 million.
Senator Hirono. How many?
Ms. Brazell. Eight million, or over 8 million.
Senator Hirono. So that means that there are thousands of
veterans that have not accessed veteran services. So what is
your plan to enable them to access services, to find out what
you can do to help them?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, it starts with outreach. We have got
to improve our outreach.
Senator Hirono. Outreach how?
Ms. Brazell. We have got to be out there and talking to
veterans. We have got to be out there introducing the VA,
because there is going to be a handoff when they leave the DoD.
They are going to be part of the VA family. We have to start
early; discussing that transition, educating them on the
benefits----
Senator Hirono. Excuse me. I have been told, for the whole
time that I have been on this Committee, that there are
millions, literally, of veterans who do not get that kind of
outreach, and we are always told by all of you that there is
going to be outreach. How do you intend to do outreach when the
numbers of people who are working for VA is going down?
Secretary Collins was asked if there is a plan to reduce
another 80,000 or so--we still do not have that plan--but how
do you expect to increase your outreach if, at the same time,
you do not have the people to do it?
Ms. Brazell. We have a great Veterans Experience Office,
and we are going to leverage that Veterans Experience Office
when they are out there at VSO events, with our community
partners, with our internal and external stakeholders.
Senator Hirono. Okay. One more question then. What is your
goal for reaching out to the, what is it, 9 million veterans
who are not accessing? Do you have a goal, like within one year
you will want to reduce the number of people who are not having
access to what? Do you have those goals?
Ms. Brazell. I do not have those specific goals today, but
I think within the next year to 15 months is a probability that
we could address extended outreach.
Senator Hirono. Okay. Mr. Chairman, I would like to really
know how successful the outreach efforts are. I mean, I commend
you for doing that. We just need to have them succeed. Thank
you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Dr. Brazell, you will make every effort to
answer the Senator's questions as you get the information.
Ms. Brazell. Absolutely.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Senator King.
HON. ANGUS S. KING, JR.,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Doctor, I was a
little puzzled by your non-answers to Senator Blumenthal on did
you have any involvement whatsoever in the review of the
contract of your former employer. And don't tell me you
followed the law. I am asking you a straight-up question. Did
you have anything to do whatsoever in the review of the
contract of your former employer?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, I did not review the contracts
of my former employer.
Senator King. Did you have any involvement whatsoever in
that process?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, I am not a contracting officer
nor a contracting authority. I do not have that authority. Only
a warranted contracting officer has the authority to award,
modify, negotiate, or terminate a contract.
Senator King. I understand that. I am asking you a pretty
straightforward question. Did you have anything to do
whatsoever with the review of the contract of your former
employer? That is a pretty straightforward yes-or-no question.
I did or I did not.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I have not reviewed the contracts of
my former employer.
Senator King. That is not what I asked. I asked did you
have anything to do whatsoever with that review.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I have not reviewed any contracts of
my former employer.
Senator King. Okay, that is the third----
Ms. Brazell. Again, I am not a contracting authority.
Senator King [continuing]. The third time you have given me
that answer, and for the third time I am going to say that is
not what I am asking. I am asking were you involved in any way
whatsoever with the review of the contract of your former
employer?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, I have answered that. I am not a
contracting official or contracting authority. I have not
reviewed the contracts of my former employer.
Senator King. By failure to answer that question you just
lost my vote on this nomination.
In your opening statement you used the term ``risks'' three
or four times, or five times, with regard to people under your
supervision. I do not want the people under your supervision
that are making decisions about benefits for veterans taking
risks. What in the world did you mean by taking risks?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, when you employ new technology, and I
think you know that from your time at L.L. Bean, per our
discussion when I visited you, there are opportunities for
folks when we--you have got to learn your mistakes. You have
got to fail fast. You do that in a test environment,
understanding the constraints of the technology and how it is
going to interface with the legacy systems when you go to a
live environment. So test it in a production environment, fail
fast, learn faster.
Senator King. I just do not like the idea of a test
environment and risks being taken with people's lives and
disability compensation. If you are talking about working a
model, that is one thing. But if you are talking about real
people and real decisions, the idea of risks and experimenting
is not acceptable.
What role did you have in the whole contract cancellation
process?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, I recommended a structure for
proper review, by career senior leaders, who independently
evaluated contracts to decide which ones to terminate, descope,
or not renew.
Senator King. I thought the bulk of that process was done
by a fellow at DOGE. Were you in charge of that? Did you bring
him in? Did you consult with Mr.--I cannot remember his name--
Levine, or something along those lines?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, we have no DOGE employees. They
are VA employees.
Senator King. I know. But the people who did the initial
review of the contracts were DOGE. Is that not correct?
Ms. Brazell. They were VA employees, Senator.
Senator King. They were VA employees. Are you familiar with
Sahil Lavingia, a programmer enlisted by DOGE, which was then
run by Elon Musk, who worked at the VA and developed the
software that evaluated the contracts? You are denying that he
ever was involved in this process?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I did not say I was denied--he was
not involved in the process, nor did I deny I know him. But
what I am clarifying for the record, there were VA employees--
--
Senator King. He was a VA employee when----
Ms. Brazell. He was a VA employee. He was a VA employee.
Senator King. Do you feel that the contract review process
was successful and effective?
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, the contract review process has
never been done before, but it did allow a lot of the senior
leaders responsible, the career leaders responsible for their
programs, to be made aware of a lot of--several of the
duplicate contracts that they had under their oversight.
Senator King. Several thousands were canceled. Wasn't it
16,000? There has been some dispute. The Ranking Member said
30-something. The number I have been using is 16,000. Isn't
that the correct number, canceled?
Ms. Brazell. No, Senator. The correct number as of today is
about 2,500, out of about 76,000.
Senator King. Well, that's certainly a number we can check.
And in your answer to the questions of the Committee you said,
``The FY '26 budget''--this is a direct quote--``reflects no
reduction-in-force.'' And yet I have the budget filing that
says disability compensation minus 862 people. What am I
missing? That sounds like a reduction-in-force to me. The
budget of the administration for 2026 is 862 fewer people than
were there the year before. Isn't that a reduction-in-force?
Ms. Brazell. No, Senator, and I am not sure of the document
that you are referencing. But----
Senator King. It is a VA document. It's General Operating
Expenses FTE by Business Line and Management Direction and
Support. Subtotal, disability compensation, minus 862 people.
Ms. Brazell. Senator King, I was not involved in any of the
budget development, and I have not been involved in any of the
VBA operations.
Senator King. Then, why did you say the FY '26 reflects no
reduction-in-force?
Ms. Brazell. Because we have not had a reduction-in-force,
Senator. We had voluntary separations through VERA, VSIP, and
DRP.
Senator King. If somebody leaves, isn't that a reduction-
in-force?
Ms. Brazell. Not in----
Senator King. You have fewer people to process claims,
right? 862 fewer, according to the budget submitted by the
administration.
Ms. Brazell. And those are voluntary separations.
Senator King. I understand that. But that is still 862
fewer people there to process claims.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I cannot say if 862 people is going
to impact the claims processing, and if confirmed, I will do a
full workforce assessment.
Senator King. Well, thank you. I have to say that the
contract cancellation process is one of the most disastrous I
have ever seen in 25 years in this business, and to say that a
person who was engaged in that will then become in charge of
the veterans' benefit program, that is a lift for me. Thank
you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Senator Sullivan.
HON. DAN SULLIVAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Ms. Brazell,
I want to thank you and your family for wanting to serve. By
the way, I want you to maybe talk a little bit about your
family and service. Your dad was a Vietnam vet. Your husband
served 40 years, I think--no, husband of 40 years. Sorry.
Ms. Brazell. Yes.
Senator Sullivan. You served in the military. Can you give
me a little sense of your military service and your family's
military service, and why you want this position?
Ms. Brazell. Senator Sullivan, first I want to thank you
for your leadership on Camp Lejeune.
Senator Sullivan. Oh, I am going to get to that. Trust me.
All my colleagues are leaving, too, because I want them to hear
it.
Ms. Brazell. I think----
Senator Sullivan. Your service and your family's. I think
it is a big part of wanting to go join the VA.
Ms. Brazell. It is. Again, service is in my heart. It is in
my--I do not want to say DNA, but, you know, I grew up as an
Air Force family member. We have been stationed everywhere. I
was born abroad. And one thing that I remember about my dad is
he was enlisted, and he took his GI Bill and went back and got
his degree, when he was in his 40s. And I remember when he
walked across that stage with his bachelor's degree, me,
personally, I said, it does not matter what your age is.
Education is a continuous journey.
It is just like me. I just finished my doctorate. All four
of my degrees I have earned at night school while working full-
time.
Senator Sullivan. Good. And didn't you use the GI Bill for
some of your----
Ms. Brazell. I did. I did for my first two degrees, my
associate's and my bachelor's.
Senator Sullivan. Good. Well, thank you for your service
and your family's service. It is not always easy. And when I
say it is a family matter when you are serving your country,
either in uniform or in an important position like this. So
thank you.
So let's turn to the Camp Lejeune bill. This is, you know,
a real outrage from my perspective. I voted to provide the
long-awaited relief for veterans and families who were affected
by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune. And yet, the Biden
administration Department of Justice, now the Trump
administration Department of Justice, all predicted if you do
not put attorneys' fees, caps on the awards, that the trial
lawyers would get all the money, and the sick Marines and their
families would not get anything.
And I know we have some VFW and American Legion post
members here, but this is an issue I have been fighting for,
because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, to be
honest, were more interested in giving their allies at law
firms money, not sick Marines and their families. And I have
been sick about it. It is the biggest issue, the biggest
injustice I have seen in my 10 years in the Senate. Everybody
knows about it. Everybody kind of looks the other way. I was
not looking the other way.
The Attorney General of the Biden administration agreed
with me, saying this is an outrage. You cannot have law firms--
and you see them advertising all over the place--70 percent
contingency fees, 65 percent contingency fees. Stealing the
money from sick Marines and their families. It is disgusting.
So can you give me your commitment to work with the
Secretary, who is very committed to this, and the Attorney
General--and I have had a lot of discussions with her--on at
least where we are on the current contingency fees. Anything
above that would be against the law. Anything above 25 percent.
I am still trying to pass my bill to make those not so high.
These are not trials. These are kind of, you know, already
determined administrative procedures that, under the law, are
very simple. I do not even think a lot of Marines and their
families need attorneys. They can work through the Department
of the Navy and you guys.
But can you give me your sense on that? It is an issue I
care deeply about, and I have just been so disappointed how the
other side of the aisle has thrown the Marines under the bus,
to help law firms. It is really disgusting.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, no veteran should have to pay a third
party to receive the benefits they have earned.
Senator Sullivan. Especially if that third party is
charging them 70 percent contingency fees. Correct? Seventy
percent of the money goes to these law firms.
Ms. Brazell. Agreed. And Senator, Camp Lejeune is very
personal to me. My oldest brother was a Marine--I should say
former Marine--and he was medically discharged because of his
toxic exposure to the water from his independent trucking job,
about a decade ago. So it is near and dear to my heart, as well
as all the other Marines, family members that served or lived
on Camp Lejeune.
Senator Sullivan. Is he still alive, your brother?
Ms. Brazell. Yes, Senator, he is.
Senator Sullivan. Good. Well, I hope----
Ms. Brazell. And he is watching today.
Senator Sullivan. Good. Well, tell him semper fi. Tell him
I have his back. Tell him not to sign up for any of these darn,
you know, law firms that are advertising. By the way, billions
of dollars. Do you think they are advertising billions of
dollars because they want to help guys like your brother? No.
They are doing it because they want to line their own pockets.
So can I get your commitment to work with me, at least the
present way in which to make sure? The Attorney General of the
United States, under President Biden, said that if you are a
law firm and you are charging more than 25 percent, they will
go after you, civil and criminal liabilities. We should be
doing that.
Can I get your commitment, Ms. Brazell, on that issue, to
work with me, work with this Committee, and work with the
Department of Justice to make sure that injustice does not
happen in the Marines? They have already suffered through the
contaminated water, and we want guys like your brother to be
whole. Can I get your commitment to work with me on that?
Ms. Brazell. Yes.
Senator Sullivan. Good. And we will work with you, and make
sure people like your brother who served in the Marine Corps
honorably--by the way, there are no former Marines; there are
just Marines--that we will work with you together on that. But
I appreciate your commitment to that cause, and I appreciate
you and your family's service.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Senator
Tillis.
HON. THOM TILLIS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Senator Tillis. Welcome, Dr. Brazell, and I would like to
associate myself with everything my friend from Alaska had to
say about, I think, some of the abuses. It is even worse than
that. I tried to get something done in H.R. 1, to go after
third-party litigation. So it is even worse.
Now you have private equity. You have sovereign wealth
funds from foreign nations investing in litigation. They get
some of the wins. And it is absurd. So we really do need a
whole-of-the-administration approach to getting people to
recognize. When our office worked on the Camp Lejeune Toxics
Act, it was to do right by the families who had suffered. And
now you have got a bunch of slimy lawyers taking advantage and
making more money than the people who were absolutely harmed.
We need to go after every one of them.
And actually, in that same bill was the PACT Act, that I
want to get to you a little bit later on, about some of the
headwinds that it has created. Because, quite honestly, with
all due respect to my colleagues here, I voted against the bill
because it was not ready for prime time, and you are going to
be a part of what is going to be needed to fix it.
Let me poison the well here and tell you, I am going to
support your confirmation.
I am going to get back to a few questions in the time
remaining, but I know the hour is late. But Mr. Chair, I want
to read, Sarah Verardo, I think that you have met Ms. Verardo,
from The Independence Fund. Her husband, Mike Verardo, died. I
have got this statement I want to read to you, because I think
it is appropriate. I spoke at his eulogy.
``When my husband Michael died on August the 26th, his VA
pay and his Army retirement pay were deposited into our account
the very next day, August 27th. Without any notice to me, those
payments were then reversed on 9 September, overdrafting my
account and triggering fees. I had the means to cover it, but
many surviving families do not. The lack of communication and
that window between a veteran's death and the start of survivor
benefits is unacceptable. Families need clear notice and a
process that does not leave them financially blindsided in the
midst of all that grief.''
I would like unanimous consent also to have her statement
in the record.
Chairman Moran. Without objection.
[The statement referred to appears on page 73 of the
Appendix.]
Senator Tillis. We have got to fix this. You know, I was
there. I spent a lot of time at the Verardo home the night he
died. This is the last thing she should have had to experience.
And she has the means to get through it. A lot of people do
not.
So now let me get mad so I won't cry. I am hopeful that
somebody with your background in information technology and
supply chain, and presumably large-scale implementations, that
we can finally get a scheduling system that works, after
billions of dollars that have been spent, that we can finally
get wait times down to a level that are acceptable, because
they have grown. In spite of all the efforts on a bipartisan
basis, over several administrations to fix it. How do we go
about fixing that? Or how do you propose to come in--you have
got to know the situation. Tell me your method for actually
going after this and giving me some hope that in my remaining
time in the U.S. Senate I may be able to see some progress.
Ms. Brazell. Senator, you raise a good point. Let's address
first the overpayment. That is unacceptable that we would do
that to a veteran or a veteran's family. We have to address
that. We have to ensure that we have the processes and
procedures in place to actually have those capabilities of
ensuring that we are not putting any veteran in financial
burden.
With respect to your question about scheduling, that is for
the health care side. But I commit to you that I will----
Senator Tillis. But it is a broader problem. It is the
reason I am bringing it up. You are going to be head of the
VBA, and there is going to be a lot of transformation
opportunities here. I think that we are throwing money down a
money pit, and it is not about the money. It is about the lack
of service that we are giving veterans by throwing that money
down the money pit. This is a $10 billion scheduling system.
So my point is, in the VBA, and where you need people,
process, technology changes, can you assure me that you will do
right by the veterans and right by Congress to spend this money
effectively, getting the lead on target, and succeed?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, it will require the internal
stakeholder engagement, but I commit that we will ensure that
the right stakeholders at the table at the very beginning, to
ensure that we deliver to our veterans.
Senator Tillis. Well, I think we need to step back, and I
think we ought to have a discussion about the extent to which
Benefits Administration has been affected by any of the
decisions of Congress.
Here is what I will leave you with, and I hope that you
will commit to me that you will come back here. Oftentimes the
problems we see in various agencies are a result of bad
decisions made by us--well intended but not very well thought
out in terms of how to implement them. And then we bring you
back here and flog you for not being able to implement
something that we are responsible for not having thought
through the implementation.
So I would really appreciate if you could come back to us,
not necessarily in an open hearing, but give us a stop-start-
continue on the kinds of things that we are doing that are
working and the things that we should stop doing, because it
puts you further away from the very things we are asking you to
accomplish. That would be very helpful if we could get some
report back, specifically within the VBA, within 90 or 120 days
of you getting over into the job. And I would appreciate that
feedback. Can I get that commitment from you?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, you have my commitment.
Senator Tillis. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Chairman Moran. Senator Blumenthal.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to
be clear about some of your responses to Senator King and
Senator Hirono. Is it your testimony that nobody has been
discharged or fired?
Ms. Brazell. Outside--it is my testimony that nobody has
been--nobody has been RIF'ed. Nobody has been RIF'ed.
Senator Blumenthal. Nobody has been discharged or fired. Is
that your testimony?
Ms. Brazell. Nobody----
Senator Blumenthal. In other words, involuntarily
separated, whatever you want to call it. But RIF'ed, I do not
know what RIF'ed means. Tell me in the language that veterans
can understand. Has anybody been fired?
Ms. Brazell. Senator Blumenthal, not to my understanding.
Senator Blumenthal. Not to your knowledge? What about the
thousands of probationary employees who have been discharged?
They have been told they do not have a job anymore.
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member Blumenthal, I believe that is
under litigation, so I cannot comment on that.
Senator Blumenthal. You cannot comment on it, but how you
can you say that no one has been fired, when in fact, thousands
of probationary employees have been told, ``You're
discharged.'' And, by the way, thousands have been hired back,
because lo and behold, the VA discovered it needed them. Are
you aware of that fact?
Ms. Brazell. Senator, I mean Ranking Member Blumenthal, I
am not aware of that.
Senator Blumenthal. You are not aware of it. But your
testimony to us is no one has been fired. I cannot believe that
testimony. Have you spoken to anyone at your former employer
since your beginning work at the VA, anyone at Science
Application International Corporation?
Ms. Brazell. The only individuals I spoke with was one to
actually get some information from my financial disclosure.
That was it.
Senator Blumenthal. So you have not talked to anyone other
than the person who was in charge of your financial disclosures
facts.
Ms. Brazell. That is correct.
Senator Blumenthal. Are you aware that, of the people who
have been separated from the VA--and it is in the thousands, is
it not?
Ms. Brazell. I am not sure what you are asking me, Ranking
Member.
Senator Blumenthal. One third of them have been veterans.
Correct?
Ms. Brazell. I can't confirm.
Senator Blumenthal. What proportion have been veterans?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, I do not have that number. I
will be happy to provide that to you following this hearing.
Senator Blumenthal. In the VA workforce, isn't it a fact
that 25 to 33 percent are veterans?
Ms. Brazell. Ranking Member, I do not have those
statistics, and I would have to get back with you following
this hearing.
Senator Blumenthal. You have worked at the VA, under the
Trump administration, you have worked now for 7 months, and you
do not know what proportion of the VA workforce are veterans?
Ms. Brazell. Not at the top of my head, what I can recall.
Senator Blumenthal. Did you ever care to find out?
Ms. Brazell. Absolutely. I am a veteran myself. But those
have not been statistics that I have asked.
Senator Blumenthal. You did care to find out, but you do
not remember?
Ms. Brazell. That is not what I said, Senator.
Senator Blumenthal. I am sorry. I----
Ms. Brazell. I do care. I do care, as a veteran. I think it
is important that we look to always hire our veterans first.
But I do not have those metrics for you at this hearing. I will
be happy to provide those following this hearing.
Senator Blumenthal. Mr. Chairman, I hope that this witness,
perhaps in written responses after this hearing, will provide
some answers to us. I think you can tell from our side that we
are frustrated, because these are answers that I think veterans
deserve. You know, veterans agree or disagree, but they really
do not have a lot of tolerance for people who just will not
answer. So thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal. I think this
hearing is about to conclude. Let me make sure that we have
nothing to add. And I want to give you, Doctor, the chance to
say anything you would like to say, that maybe you want to
clarify or something you wish you would have been asked,
anything that you would like to add to the record before I
close it for today.
Ms. Brazell. Thank you, Chairman Moran. I just want to
thank the Committee for their time and for their consideration
for my nomination, and if confirmed, I will ensure that all
veterans are delivered timely and accurate benefits.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. There are no further questions,
and I thank the Committee members and certainly our witness and
our audience for being here today.
Any Member, and this is what Senator Blumenthal was talking
about what you were agreeing to do, Dr. Brazell, any Member who
would like to send a question for the record to this nominee
should do so as soon as possible, but no later than the close
of business tomorrow. I did not say that quite correctly, but
should do so as soon as possible, and then we need your
response shortly thereafter. And this is your testimony today
but your response to those questions are just like they are on
the record, and will be considered by the Committee in your
nomination process.
And with that the Committee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 5:08 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Opening Statement
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Nomination Material for
KAREN L. BRAZELL
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Submission for the Record
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