[Senate Hearing 119-317]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-317
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF DISABLED AMER-
ICAN VETERANS AND MULTI VSOs: MILITARY
OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, BLUE
STAR FAMILIES, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMER-
ICA, NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDI-
ANS, SERVICE WOMEN'S ACTION NETWORK,
GOLD STAR WIVES OF AMERICA, INC., BLACK
VETERANS PROJECT
=======================================================================
JOINT HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
FEBRUARY 24, 2026
__________
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
62-986 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
=======================================================================
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 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
----------
February 24, 2026
Page
REPRESENTATIVES
Hon. Nancy Mace, U.S. Representative from South Carolina......... 1
Hon. Mark Takano, Ranking Member, U.S. Representative from
California..................................................... 3
Hon. Morgan Luttrell, U.S. Representative from Texas............. 16
Hon. Chris Pappas, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire........ 17
Hon. Kimberlyn King-Hinds, U.S. Representative from Northern
Mariana Islands................................................ 18
SENATORS
Hon. Jerry Moran, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Kansas............. 5
Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from
Connecticut.................................................... 6
Hon. Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator from Illinois................. 36
INTRODUCER
The Honorable Nancy Mace, U.S. Representative from South Carolina 8
WITNESSES
Panel I
Coleman Nee, National Commander, Disabled American Veterans...... 9
accompanied by
Barry Jesinoski, National Adjutant
Bryan ``Cody'' VanBoxel, Executive Director, National
Headquarters
Jim Marszalek, Executive Director, Washington Headquarters
Scott Hope, DAV National Service Director
Jon Retzer, DAV National Legislative Director
John Kleindienst, National Director of Voluntary Service
Ron Minter, National Caregiver Support Program Director
Melissa Pierce, Auxiliary National Commander
Panel II
Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), President and
Chief Executive Officer, Military Officers Association of
America........................................................ 22
Lindsay Knight, PhD, Chief Impact Officer, Blue Star Families.... 24
Tom Burke, National President, Vietnam Veterans of America....... 26
Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director, National Congress of
American Indians............................................... 28
Rita Graham, Policy Director, Service Women's Action Network..... 30
Barbara Burt, Legislative Liaison, Greater Boston Chapter and New
England Region, National Board Member, Gold Star Wives of
America, Inc................................................... 32
Richard Brookshire, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder,
Black Veterans Project......................................... 33
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements
Coleman Nee, National Commander, Disabled American Veterans...... 49
Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), President and
Chief Executive Officer, Military Officers Association of
America........................................................ 83
Lindsay Knight, PhD, Chief Impact Officer, Blue Star Families.... 111
Tom Burke, National President, Vietnam Veterans of America....... 122
Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director, National Congress of
American Indians............................................... 131
Rita Graham, Policy Director, Service Women's Action Network..... 137
Barbara Burt, Legislative Liaison, Greater Boston Chapter and New
England Region, National Board Member, Gold Star Wives of
America, Inc................................................... 142
Richard Brookshire, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder,
Black Veterans Project......................................... 149
Submissions for the Record
Military Times article, ``Veterans aren't campaign props--
Congress must start acting like it''........................... 159
Letter dated February 4, 2026 to Secretary Douglas Collins, U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs................................. 162
February 23, 2026 statement from various veteran, military
service, and advocacy organizations............................ 164
Letter dated February 24, 2026 to Secretary Douglas Collins, U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs................................. 167
Questions for the Record
Disabled American Veterans response to questions submitted by:
Hon. Margaret Wood Hassan...................................... 173
Disabled American Veterans supporting documentation:
Fiscal Year 2027 Veterans Independent Budget................... 177
2026 Critical Policy Goals..................................... 193
Statement for the Record
Gold Star Spouses of America, Inc., Tamra Sipes, National
President...................................................... 207
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AND MULTI VSOs:
MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, BLUE STAR FAMILIES, VIETNAM
VETERANS OF AMERICA, NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS, SERVICE
WOMEN'S ACTION NETWORK, GOLD STAR WIVES OF AMERICA, INC., BLACK
VETERANS PROJECT
----------
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026
U.S. House of Representatives,
and U.S. Senate,
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. Nancy Mace,
presiding.
Present from the House:
Representatives Mace, Luttrell, King-Hinds, Takano, and
Pappas.
Present from the Senate:
Senators Moran, Boozman, Cassidy, Sullivan, Banks,
Blumenthal, and Duckworth.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. NANCY MACE,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
Chairwoman Mace. Good morning, and thank you all for being
here. I am glad to be here in the Senate with Chairman Moran
and Ranking Member Blumenthal. Chairman Bost wishes he could be
here today, but due to travel issues caused by the recent
snowstorm that we are enduring today, he could not make it here
in time for the hearing.
I would like to thank the DAV's National Commander, Mr.
Coleman Nee, for being here today. I would also like to
recognize the DAV Auxiliary National Commander, Melissa Pierce.
Thank you for being here today. A special shout-out to Mr. Dan
Pierce for being here as well.
And I am pleased that there are folks here from across the
country, including my home State of South Carolina. Thank you
for traveling through a blizzard, through the snow to be with
us here this morning.
If you are from South Carolina, please stand if you are
able. I would like to see some of my folks out there. There you
are.
[Applause.]
Chairwoman Mace. God bless you all, and thank you for
traveling here. And I want to give a warm welcome to those
folks.
This year marks my fifth year on the Committee. Veterans
have always been a part of my life. I grew up around veterans,
I know veterans, and they have always been part of our
community and our family's community. Every time I am on the
House floor debating a bill or sitting on the dais, I am always
thinking of them, and like my dad, the generations of men and
women who have served, my siblings. In fact, I just had one
come back from a deployment overseas in the Middle East.
For me it is always about taking care of our veteran
community when they come home. I know the sacrifices each of
you have made, especially our disabled community. Each of you
has fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear.
I, along with my House Republican colleagues, are leading
the charge to first help make life more affordable for severely
disabled veterans and survivors through the Sharri Briley and
Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act that we reported
out of the Committee two weeks ago. The bill would raise the
monthly benefits rate for the most severely service-connected
disabled veterans that require around-the-clock care by
offering an additional $10,000 annually. It would also boost
the monthly support payment that veterans and survivors receive
by an additional 1.5 percent annually over the next two years.
These increases have not been made in decades. I need your
support to help ensure they are not cut up in election year
political games and that they are finally enacted.
Second, ensure veterans get quality health care at the VA
or within the community. That is why we are fighting for the
Veterans' ACCESS Act, which is commonsense legislation to build
and solidify the gains made in the CHOICE and MISSION Acts. The
bill would give veterans even more options in how they access
their health care outside of the VA, especially veterans living
in rural and remote areas.
Third, we authorize VA to make sure the VA's programs work
for today's and tomorrow's veterans, something that has not
been done in decades. The importance of the Transition
Assistance Program, or TAP, is an area that remains a key
priority for me and many of us, all of us, on the VA Committee.
Ensuring that servicemembers are set up for their next mission
in life is not something I take lightly. Thank you to the DAV
for highlighting the importance of new veterans understanding
the benefits they have earned and that they deserve.
We are also committed to ensuring opportunities for
veterans to explore nontraditional education. Whether that be
through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, during TAP, or
the Veteran Readiness and Employment program. We must continue
to focus our efforts to ensure veterans are able to find and
maintain meaningful employment.
The DAV plays an important role in making sure we advance
commonsense proposals and conduct oversight to meet the needs
of all veterans, no matter their ZIP Code and no matter where
they work. Veterans should have the choice to use the benefits
VA offers in exchange for their service to meet their own
needs. You know where we need to push the Agency forward and
not stick to the status quo.
I can promise you one thing, my House Republican colleagues
and I will never stop fighting for you. And the voices you
represent, the hundreds of thousands of veterans outside the DC
Beltway who just want their health care on time, their benefits
without a headache, and to live the American dream. We take
this mission seriously and I know my House and Senate
Republican colleagues, as well as VA Secretary Doug Collins,
and President Trump do too.
We made progress with the most recent NDAA, and I proudly
supported the following major provisions: enhancing the
financial planning section of TAP to cover topics such as debt
management, taxes, and investing; improving the warm handover
process between VA, DOW, and DOL; allowing servicemembers to
attend TAP multiple times and encourage folks to bring their
spouses along too. These things make a real difference for
transitioning servicemembers and they must have all the tools
needed to prepare for their next phase of life with their
family.
We will continue to fight to deliver historic economic
relief for all veterans, including severely disabled veterans
like Eric Edmundson and survivors like Sharri Briley. We will
continue to fight to modernize the VA and its programs forward
through reauthorization. We will continue to ensure veterans,
no matter where they live, get the health care they deserve, at
the VA or in their community.
I look forward to completing your mission alongside each
and every one of you, and thank you again for being here today.
And with that I will recognize Ranking Member Takano for his
opening remarks.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARK TAKANO,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Mr. Takano. Well thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning,
everyone. I am glad to see so many of you here ensuring that
your voices are heard today.
Now as tradition, I would like to shout-out to those who
have traveled from the great State of California. Where are
you, California? All right. There, California, yes.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Welcome, welcome to our Nation's capital.
Welcome to everybody to our Nation's capital.
I would especially like to welcome DAV National Commander
Coleman Nee and DAV Auxiliary National Commander Melissa
Pierce, as well as the representatives from all of the
organizations on our second panel of witnesses. It is great to
see you all, and I am looking forward to an enlightening
conversation.
Since you were here last, we have all experienced
uncertainty and, at times, flat-out chaos. Just last week,
Secretary Collins announced an interim final rule that would
limit VA's obligations to veterans whose service-connected
conditions are improved by medications. The response from the
veteran community has been loud and near universal, and I agree
with you. This rule cannot stand.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Medication may be able to minimize the effects
of injury or illness, it does not erase them. I know that the
Secretary has stated that he will not enforce the rule,
frankly, that is not enough. Mr. Secretary, if you are
listening, I call on you to rescind this rule immediately.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. The Committee intends to submit a comment in
the Federal Register voicing our disapproval, and I highly
recommend that each of you do the same. The link to do so can
be found in the banner on top of our website at democrats-
veterans.house.gov.
This year, in addition to the Secretary's harmful interim
final rule, we are facing a massive reorganization of the
Veterans Health Administration. Neither of these major actions
were planned with input from Congress, or as far as I can tell,
from the veteran community either. VA needs improvement, but
this proposal appears to be more of an effort to align VA with
what is happening in for-profit health care. VA should not
emulate that model.
I also want to address the hurdles that our veterans face
in linking their toxic exposures to their service. We have had
several discussions regarding overlooked veteran populations
that need care. VA has the authority to create new presumptive
conditions and deliver that care, and yet they do not use that
authority nearly enough. Instead, we seem to have a VA
leadership that wants to do more with less, as we have recently
heard the Secretary say.
You know what? Doing more with less has never worked for
veterans. We cannot expand benefits to more veterans without
having staff at VA to do so. We need doctors and nurses and
researchers. We need claims examiners in VA, social workers,
janitorial staff, and police officers in VHA to ensure VA is
meeting its mission.
Each of you has served, and you continue to serve your
fellow veterans and their survivors. Now, from the moment you
raised your hand and put on that uniform, you set yourself
apart. That commitment came with a promise that you and your
family would be taken care of afterwards. You fulfilled your
duty. I consider it my duty, and the duty of every American, to
honor that commitment.
Over the past year we have seen attacks on veterans and
their earned benefits in an attempt to paint you as a group of
scammers, or that you are receiving overly generous benefits.
Let me be clear, these are not handouts, these are earned
benefits.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Benefits that were earned by long days, long
nights, months away, missed birthdays, missed anniversaries,
through blood, sweat, and tears, through great sacrifice, and
for some, the ultimate sacrifice. And for those left behind,
the survivor community, we owe you a great debt, as well. That
is why I support the Caring for Survivors Act and the Love
Lives On Act. These bill provide meaningful change for an
underserved and deserving community. I know everyone is waiting
to see progress on the Major Richard Star Act. I have heard you
loud and clear. We need to pass that act.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. I strongly urge support for the Major Richard
Star Act and delay on action is unacceptable. It is time to get
it done.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Now I am being very transparent with you, none
of these bills are cheap. And under the current rules of the
House, it has been a struggle to find ways to pay for them. But
that is just a lame excuse. If we can find an extra $500
billion for the Pentagon, that they do not want or need, we can
find an extra $50 billion for our Nation's veterans, their
dependents, and survivors.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Congress must do the right thing, and we should
do so without asking veterans to shoulder the costs. Veterans
earned their benefits already. They should not be asked to pay
for them again when they leave service. We know veterans are
willing to make sure their comrades are taken care of, and I
respect that immensely. But the point is they should not have
to. Congress can and should do better.
The American public has told us that it is willing to stand
up for those who have served and ensure they get the benefits
they have earned. And that includes taking a stand against
claims sharks. We must pass Representative Pappas' GUARD Act
today.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Anytime benefits are increased, the sharks come
circling. Claims sharks prey on veterans and siphon off
hundreds of millions of dollars a year of veterans' hard-earned
benefits, and this is wrong. Even in the past week, the sharks
have come circling again, pushing out ads in an attempt to
profit off of the chaos sown by VA's rule to roll back
disability ratings. The purpose of these ads is to scare
veterans into signing up for their service to, quote/unquote,
``protect their ratings.'' I have even been targeted by these
ads. They are slick and they are made to look like they are
coming from the VA.
There must be consequences for this behavior. But the
lobbying efforts of these companies is immense, and it has
stalled congressional action. Fortunately, states have stepped
into the breach, and I would like to shout-out to my home State
of California for stepping up on this issue and passing
legislation that takes on these claims sharks. Thank you,
California. And I am proud to see California is leading the
way, but Congress is still not off the hook. We must act.
So Madam Chair, thank you for holding this important
hearing today, and I look forward to a frank and fruitful
discussion today.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you, Mr. Takano. I will now
recognize Chairman Moran.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY MORAN,
CHAIRMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Chairwoman Mace. It is good to
be here with my Ranking Member, Senator Blumenthal, with
Congressman Takano and you, for our first joint hearing this
year.
I want to welcome our witnesses and I am glad that you are
here. This is an important component of what we do to make
certain that we are paying attention to those who served, and I
am appreciative of the Disabled American Veterans and the other
veteran service organizations for their presence here today.
And I extend a special welcome to the Kansans who are in the
audience today, and I look forward to spending more time with
you this afternoon.
I am grateful for the work that VSOs, like the ones we will
hear from this morning, do every day across the country and
here in our Nation's capital to support their fellow veterans
and their families, and advocate for a stronger and better
Department of Veterans Affairs. Our Committees are working
every day with those same goals in mind.
We may talk often about the challenges veterans face after
service, but I am always reminded at these hearings that
veterans are not defined by those challenges. Far from it.
Every day, in every state, in every district, veterans bring a
wealth of skills, leadership, experience and values from the
military into their communities. It is our responsibility to
make certain that federal programs and policies, at the VA and
in every other department and agency, help veterans translate
those strengths into long-term stability, health, and
opportunity.
This responsibility is why I, along with Ranking Member
Blumenthal, have introduced the National Veterans Strategy Act
to coordinate the efforts of federal, state, and local
governments, along with for-profit and nonprofit organizations,
all in the best interest of our Nation's veterans. I am
grateful for the widespread support for that bill among the VSO
community, and I am eager to discuss it with our witnesses
today.
I am grateful to the VSO leaders today for their tireless
work to make certain that the Congress and the VA remain
focused on doing what is in the best interest for our veterans
and military communities. I look forward to hearing how your
legislative priorities advance veteran success and where
Congress can do more to make certain that the VA's policies
translate into real improvements in the veterans well-being.
Thank you again for being here, and I look forward to
today's hearing.
Chairwoman Mace. And I now recognize Ranking Member
Blumenthal.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Chair Mace and thank you,
Senator Moran, our Chairman in the Senate. I am honored to be
with all of you today, and I particularly want to welcome
anyone who has managed to make it here from Connecticut, out of
the snow. If you are here, Connecticut, thank you. And thank
you to all the rest of you. Never doubt--never doubt--that you
are making a difference.
Our VSOs are the lifeblood of our veterans' health care and
other benefits and compensation to the men and women who are
our national heroes. You are the ones who stand in watch over
the VA and over us. The latest example was your reaction to the
cuts that were threatened, cruel, stupid cuts in VA benefits,
and you and your voices turned it around. Thank you to the
veterans service organizations for correcting what would have
been a disastrous slash in benefits for countless veterans who
rely on medications to manage their service-connected
conditions. Thank you, all of you.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. But there is still work to be done.
There is still work to be done on that issue, among others.
Representative Takano and I this morning sent a letter to
Secretary Collins demanding the immediate rescission of the
Department of Veterans Affairs interim final rule. It is
entitled ``Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication,'' a benign-
sounding rule that in fact will impact, cruelly and
dangerously, our veterans. I call on Secretary Collins to
rescind, this rule, this morning, while you are testifying
here.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. And I thank all my colleagues who have
joined in this letter. I am hoping that this effort will be
bipartisan, as so much of our work is and should be, but it has
to result in action.
I read, just this morning, an excellent article written by
Barry Jesinoski. Thank you for this excellent article in
Military Times. I asked that it be put into the record, Madam
Chair.
Chairwoman Mace. Confirmed.
[The article referred to appears on pages 159-161 of the
Appendix.]
Senator Blumenthal. Its headline is, ``Veterans aren't
campaign props--Congress must start acting like it.'' I
couldn't have said it better.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. And to quote the article, ``Recent
Congresses rank among the least productive in modern history,
paralyzed by dysfunction, partisan infighting and an apparent
inability to do the basic job voters sent them to Washington to
do.'' Yes, that deserves your applause for sure. Thank you,
Barry.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. We need to overcome this kind of
dysfunction, not only for our veterans, but for our whole
country. And I hope that this hearing will mark a critical step
in that effort. And the best example would be passing the
Richard Star-Major Richard Star Act. Most of you know, I have
championed this bill for years. I went most recently to the
floor of the United States Senate and asked for unanimous
consent. It was blocked by one of my colleagues.
I ask all of you, make your views known about the Richard
Star Act. Make sure that your Member of the Senate or Congress
joins in supporting a measure that is about basic fairness, so
that our combat veterans are not deprived of benefits they have
earned. These are not beneficence. They are not charity. They
are not philanthropy. You have earned them. It is not double
dipping. It is deserved. The Richard Star Act should pass
during this session of the United States Congress. And I will
go to the floor and again ask unanimous consent that it be
approved.
Let me say finally, I am deeply grateful to all of you for
the support that you provided to a range of other measures. I
have read your testimony. The GUARD Act, the kinds of basic
architecture that we need to sustain. We have seen a systematic
degradation of VA health care and the first-ever net reduction
in VA staff. A concerted effort that has forced thousands of
physicians, schedulers, registered nurses, and others to leave
federal service. Veterans have seen increased mental health
care wait times, politically motivated policies that threaten
at-risk veterans and decrease quality of veterans' decisions.
These administrative actions also demand scrutiny and reversal.
Thank you for all you do for America and for the veterans
of the United States. Thank you.
[Applause.]
INTRODUCTION BY HON. NANCY MACE,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. We have with us today National
Commander Coleman Nee, a DAV life member of Chapter 3 in
Boston, Massachusetts, and lives in Cape Cod with his family.
He is a Marine veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a graduate
of American University right here in Washington. The son of a
World War II veteran, Commander Nee walked into a recruiter's
office at the age of 18 and joined the Marine Corps Reserve. It
was an opportunity to serve something bigger than himself while
pursuing higher education.
But instead of attending his college graduation, Commander
Nee was called to active duty and boarded a plane to Saudi
Arabia, in response to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.
There as a motor transport operator, he supported infantry
units with supply runs for six months.
Like so many of our veterans, Commander Nee's service did
not end when he took off the uniform. From 2011 to 2015, he
served as the Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of
Veterans' Services. Under his leadership, the department
created a number of new initiatives to increase access to
services for all veterans, including the more than 47,000
returning Massachusetts veterans from the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
As Secretary, Commander Nee also oversaw the creation of a
first-in-the-nation initiative to support veterans and their
families coping with the stresses of returning from war and
oversaw management of the Massachusetts Women Veterans Network,
one of the most successful women's veterans advocacy
organizations in the Nation.
Commander Nee went on to spend nearly nine years as CEO for
a company dedicated to empowering people with disabilities, to
succeed in employment and leadership positions.
Before being elected to the organization's highest post,
Commander Nee served on DAV's Board of Directors, National
Interim Legislative Committee, and the National Executive
Committee.
Through his time in the Marine Corps and his decades of
mission-driven work, Commander Nee has shown who he is--a
servant leader who appreciates and honors service.
It is now with great pride and appreciation and admiration
that the Committee now recognizes DAV National Commander
Coleman Nee to deliver some opening remarks.
[Applause.]
PANEL I
----------
STATEMENT OF COLEMAN NEE, NATIONAL COMMANDER, DISABLED AMERICAN
VETERANS ACCOMPANIED BY BARRY JESINOSKI, NATIONAL ADJUTANT;
BRYAN ``CODY'' VANBOXEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS; JIM MARSZALEK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON
HEADQUARTERS; SCOTT HOPE, DAV NATIONAL SERVICE DIRECTOR; JON
RETZER, DAV NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR; JOHN KLEINDIENST,
NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTARY SERVICE; RON MINTER, NATIONAL
CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM DIRECTOR; AND MELISSA PIERCE,
AUXILIARY NATIONAL COMMANDER
Mr. Nee. Thank you, Madam Chairman. Thank you, Chairwoman.
Thank you for that very, very kind introduction, and I
appreciate you stepping in for my good friend, Representative
Stephen Lynch, who could not be here. I believe Representative
Lynch is still digging out a parking spot up in Boston, so
thank you for stepping in.
Chairwoman Mace, Chairman Moran, Ranking Members Blumenthal
and Takano, and Members of the Committees on Veterans Affairs,
thank you for the opportunity to present the 2026 legislative
priorities of DAV, Disabled American Veterans, and our partners
in the Auxiliary, of which I am also a proud member. Together
our over 1 million members represent more than 6 million
wounded, ill, and injured veterans, all of whom returned from
wartime service forever changed.
My written testimony details DAV's key legislative goals
for this 119th Congress and it summarizes our many programs and
accomplishments that we have made over the last year. So I will
use my limited time here today to highlight some of our
critical policy goals.
But before I do that, please let me introduce my DAV
colleagues joining me here today: our National Adjutant and
CEO, Barry Jesinoski; our National Headquarters Executive
Director, Cody VanBoxel; our Washington Headquarters Executive
Director, Jim Marszalek; our National Service Director, Scott
Hope; National Legislative Director, Jon Retzer; our National
Voluntary Services Director, John Kleindienst; our National
Caregiver Support Program Director, Ron Minter; our National
Employment Director, Jeremy Yost; and my good friend and my
partner and my commander, our Auxiliary National Commander,
Melissa Pierce.
I would also like to recognize the many DAV members and
leaders who join me here today. Obviously, not every one of our
members could make the trip to Washington, but their
contributions have been critical to DAV's success as the
Nation's premier veteran service organization.
I also wish to express my gratitude to our National
Executive Committee, members of our Interim Legislative
Committee, as well as my Chief of Staff Mike Valila, for all of
their support.
And finally I want to thank my beautiful family, my wife
Karen, my son Jack, and my daughter Kate, who have remained
steadfast partners and supporters, not only of me but veterans
everywhere.
Members of the Committee, I sit before you as a service-
disabled veteran of the Gulf War. I know from my own time in
uniform, as well as from the experiences of my comrades in
arms, that there is a price paid by all those who serve. As the
former Massachusetts Secretary of Veteran Services, I oversaw
more than $100 million in state funding for veterans and
dependents. This included financial aid and programming.
Suffice it to say, I understand the difficulties you all face
when it comes to making decisions that affect the lives of your
fellow countrymen. It is not easy, and there is no shortage of
critics. So let me take this opportunity, up front, to simply
say thank you for all that you do.
Long before gaining that insight, I watched and admired as
those who made it home from Vietnam built one of the Nation's
first memorials to the 25 sons of South Boston who made the
ultimate sacrifice there. Witnessing my friends and neighbors
from Southie honor our fallen heroes had a profound impact on
me. It illustrated the importance of banding together to
accomplish a task bigger than oneself. And like many of those
seated behind me, I found military service reinforced that
idea.
As a Marine motor transport operator, I spent a lot of time
getting tossed around the insanely uncomfortable cabs of
military vehicles. It was not the kind of thing that gets
glamorized in Hollywood. But getting Marines and supplies where
they needed was enough for me to know that I did my part.
But as we all know, military services comes with trials and
tribulations that can last far beyond our time in uniform.
Fortunately, the Department of Veterans Affairs is there to
assist us throughout our lives. When I pursued my higher
education, it was the GI Bill that paid my tuition. When the VA
Home Loan Guaranty Program helped Karen and I buy the house
that we live in today. When my service-connected disabilities
contributed to me stepping down from as CEO from an
organization that I ran for nearly nine years, it was VA
disability compensation that helped me keep our finances in
order. When I needed the medical care for those same
disabilities, it was VA hospitals and vet centers that provided
the care I needed and still need today. And when I am called to
stand my final post, the VA's National Cemetery Administration
relieves the burden for my family and ensure that I am laid to
rest with honor and dignity.
None of this is unique to me. Countless veterans can share
that same story. Yet with everything happening in our country
today, I cannot help but wonder if VA will be there for future
generations as it was for me and for all of our Nation's
veterans.
The VA stands at a defining crossroads, one that will shape
not only the institution itself but our Nation's enduring
commitment to those who have worn its uniform. On one path lies
the dismantling, fragmentation, and gradual erosion of a system
that was built to serve veterans. On the other lies a
principled effort to modernize, strengthen, and safeguard the
VA for future generations who will answer the call to serve.
This is not merely a political or bureaucratic debate. It is a
moral issue. It is a strategic issue. It is even a national
security issue.
As an organization founded before our Nation had a federal
agency charged with honoring veteran sacrifices, we, DAV, know
that the VA was not created by accident or convenience. It was
built out of necessity and obligation. After each major
conflict in American history, our Nation confronted the same
question: How will we keep our promise to those who bore the
cost of war?
The VA emerged as the answer. Its mission is singular in
American governance, to serve a population not defined by age,
income, or geography but by service and sacrifice.
Yet today, VA faces intense pressure. Critics point to long
wait times, uneven quality of care, outdated infrastructure,
and administrative inefficiencies. These criticisms are not
unfounded. The VA, like many large institutions, has struggled
to adapt to changing demands, particularly the complex needs of
post-9/11 veterans.
But acknowledging flaws is not the same as abandoning the
mission. Costs to dismantle or significantly privatize VA are
often framed as pragmatic solutions, offering veterans choice
by shifting care to the private sector. On the surface, this
may sound reasonable. In practice, it risks hollowing out the
only health care system in this country that is purpose-built
for veterans. Private health care systems are not designed
around military service. They don't specialize in combat trauma
or polytrauma rehabilitation. They don't take into account the
lifelong consequences of military toxic exposures, and they are
not accountable to veterans in the same way that a public
institution is accountable to the people that it serves.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. Dismantling, once begun, is rarely reversible. As
resources, talent, and expertise are siphoned away, the VA's
ability to function deteriorates. This creates a self-
fulfilling prophecy in which weakened performance is used to
justify further destruction of the Department. Veterans are
left navigating a fragmented landscape of providers, insurers,
and bureaucracies, often at the moments when they are least
equipped to do so.
Preservation, on the other hand, does not mean defending
the status quo. Preserving the VA means reforming it, with
seriousness and resolve. It means modernizing facilities,
investing in digital health infrastructure, streamlining our
claims processing, and holding leadership accountable for
performance. It means expanding our mental health capacity,
strengthening rural access, and ensuring that care keeps pace
with evolving medical science.
Most importantly, preservation means recognizing that VA is
not simply a health care provider. It is a covenant with those
who have earned its services.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. If our Nation is serious about honoring the
promise made to those who served, then our priorities must be
clear. Here are some of DAV's critical policy goals for this
year.
First, we must make the claims and appeals process work for
veterans, not against them. Timely, accurate decisions are not
a courtesy; they are a moral obligation.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. We must also strengthen presumptive policies so
that veterans exposed to toxic substances are not forced to
prove what history and science already know. No veteran should
have to be forced to wait decades for the health care and
benefits that they have already earned.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. Equally urgent is closing the gaps in mental
health care and suicide prevention. Every veteran in crisis
deserves immediate, comprehensive support, because no one who
has served this Nation should ever feel forgotten or alone.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. Our survivors also deserve better modernizing and
strengthening their benefits ensures financial security after a
veteran is gone. Their sacrifices have earned the gratitude of
a grateful nation, and we must never neglect them.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. As veterans age, long-term care must keep pace
with their needs. That means expanding assisted living options
and strengthening support for caregivers, many of whom bear
enormous responsibilities with limited resources. These unsung
heroes deserve not just our thanks but meaningful support that
makes a difference in their lives.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. We must also protect veterans' programs from
arbitrary budget caps and PAYGO offsets that quietly erode
funding year after year. Our nation should never balance its
budget on the backs of those who have stood to defend it. They
already paid.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. And finally, just last week, a new regulation was
published by the VA. It would have reduced compensation for
some disabled veterans simply because they take medication for
their service-connected disabilities. We are pleased Secretary
Collins listened to veterans and announced that the VA would
not be implementing the rule. No veteran should be penalized
for taking the medication they need to survive.
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. Every generation of veterans inherits a system
built by those who came before. The VA that treated World War
II veterans, like my dad, enabled the care of Korea and Vietnam
veterans. The reforms driven by Gulf War veterans like myself
laid the groundwork for post-9/11 care. What we decide now will
determine whether future veterans inherit a robust, integrated
institution or a patchwork of programs that treats their needs
as transactional rather than holistic. The choice before us is
not between reform or stagnation. It is between responsibility
or retreat.
The VA stands at a crossroads. History will judge which
path we choose. What lies beyond is not merely an institutional
outcome but a statement of our national character. Let us
choose preservation. Let us choose reform. And above all, let
us choose to keep the promise to those who have always kept
faith with us.
[Applause.]
Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my testimony. May God
continue to bless DAV, the men and women who serve our great
nation, and the United States of America. Thank you very much.
[Standing ovation.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Nee appears on pages 49-82
of the Appendix.]]
Chairwoman Mace. Alright. Beautifully stated with a
beautiful Boston accent, so thank you.
I'm going to recognize myself. We will have approximately
three minutes each on this initial round, and I am going to
recognize myself for questions.
Commander Nee, how important is community care for
veterans, home health care in rural and remote areas?
Mr. Nee. I believe integrated community care with VA
facilities is critical for a lot of our rural veterans. Many of
these areas that we go to don't have ready access to VA
services right away. It is why I am very proud of our DAV
transportation network. We are getting many of these veterans
to their medical appointments. But integrated, coordinated care
with our VA services is something that DAV has for a long time
supported. But it has to be done in the right manner and it has
to be integrated with their VA health care records, that we are
collecting that data nationwide.
Chairwoman Mace. And in addition to transportation means,
are there other things that we can be doing to improve
community care in rural areas?
Mr. Nee. Yes. If you don't mind I want to answer your
question, Madam Chairwoman, but I also have some great experts
up here, as well, so I may refer to them occasionally, just to
give some follow-up background. And I know Jon Retzer, our
National Legislative Director, might have some comments.
Mr. Retzer. Great question, Chairwoman. I appreciate that.
And with community care, one of the things that we really want
to see is, first and foremost, the standards that VA has in
training is also extended and required by our VA community
providers. And why is that? When you look at the toxic
exposure, traumatic brain injury, women veterans, special
needs, those all need levels of competency that meet the
standards of the very diverse needs of our population. So that
is one of them.
The second part is we need a robust interoperable system.
The Electronic Health Record Modernization, as we watch VA go
through '26 and '27 as they deploy to 13 in 26 sites, we really
need to make sure that they have taken and addressed all of the
incidents that you have all identified that are concerning and
safety issues, and make sure that they roll it out very
seamlessly, and ensure that change management within the staff
is also adopted. And that is working between DoD, VA, and
Community Care seamlessly.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. And Commander Nee, my next
question is for you but you may ask somebody else. In some of
your testimony you have discussed alternative therapies in
health care. Any thoughts on any technologies that are more
valuable than others? What should we be focused on on
alternative therapies or tools for recovering and healing for
our veterans when they come home?
Mr. Nee. Great question, Madam Chairwoman. Yes, I
personally am a huge believer in alternative therapies. I,
myself, have used alternative and naturalistic therapies for my
own disabilities. We have done a significant amount of work on
that, and in fact, we have done a significant amount of
research.
I believe, Jon, would you like to weigh in a little bit on
some of the specifics?
Chairwoman Mace. We only have a few seconds left before I
have to hand it off.
Mr. Retzer. Great. Actually, what we look at is alternate
options, and we really appreciate the alternate options, doing
research on psychedelics. We are looking at options in how HBOT
can have efficacy with regards to our post-traumatic stress
disorder. And we are continuing to also ensure that our woman
veterans, with regards to menopause research, is also there.
Chairwoman Mace. All right. Thank you. And I now yield to
Ranking Member Takano. Thank you.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Mr. Nee, how would you characterize this past
year in terms of information flow between the Department and
the VSO community?
Mr. Nee. Yes, I know Jim Marszalek, our Washington
Executive Director deals directly every day with the VA, and I
would like him to weigh in a little bit. But before that I can
say that honestly, over the years what I have seen is when your
vet service organization community has an active working
partnership with VA, the system is a lot better and more gets
done.
Jim, would you like to weigh in on the specifics of this
particular conversation?
Mr. Marszalek. Yes. Thank you, Commander, and thank you,
Ranking Member Takano for the question. I think the Commander
said it perfectly, as well, that working together is very, very
important. So if we are able to collaborate more, the better
off VA is going to be, as well, as you have just seen last week
what occurred. I think if we were involved earlier we could
have told them, ``Hey, this is not going to go over well in the
veteran community. This is not a good thing for veterans at
all.''
So the collaboration has improved a little bit over the
last year. I think Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence was at our
conference. He spoke on Sunday. Before he made formal remarks,
I was able to meet with him. He did assure me we will be
collaborating more. We have a meeting later this week to
discuss a couple of things. So I am optimistic. I am excited
about being able to sit down with him and his team and find out
how we can work better together.
Mr. Takano. Okay. Well, I am glad you are optimistic about
that, that information flow seems to be improving. But I can
tell you that I have seen that getting data from VA has been
very difficult. This interim final rule being announced without
any input from veterans, much less Congress, I thought was a
huge misstep and a mistake.
We have several bills that would radically improve benefits
for survivors, like Love Lives On and Caring for Survivors. DAV
supports these bills, right? Is that correct, Commander Nee?
Mr. Nee. I believe we do. Jon?
Mr. Retzer. That is correct, Ranking Member. DAV supports
the Major Richard Star, Love Lives On, and we want to ensure
that we bring the parity with all our veterans as they are----
Mr. Takano. Well, great. Thank you. I know, as a
nonveteran, I would never ask you or your members to bear the
cost of your earned benefits. Would you agree that veteran and
survivor benefits are earned and therefore should be paid by
the general public?
Mr. Nee. I would agree with that, Mr. Ranking Member. Thank
you.
Mr. Takano. I ask the same for the Major Richard Star Act.
Should veterans shoulder the cost of the Major Richard Star
Act?
Mr. Nee. No, they should not. We are opposed to any
reduction of benefits or services that help our injured or ill
veterans in VA care.
Mr. Takano. Should we allow arbitrary congressional rules
to stand in the way of doing what is right for veterans?
Mr. Nee. No.
Mr. Takano. The answer is no. Thank you so much. I yield
back.
[Applause.]
Chairwoman Mace. I will now recognize Ranking Member
Blumenthal.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you for
that excellent testimony, Mr. Nee. I have just a few questions.
I am very interested in your emphasis on the need for standards
for community care and at the same time improving the quality
of care in the VA. If the emphasis is exclusively on expanding
community care, doesn't that endanger the quality and
availability of care for the VA, if all the resources go to
community care?
Mr. Nee. Thank you for that question. I believe if all the
resources were going to community care, no, that would not be
something we are in favor of. I believe VA works better if
there is a coordinated community care network, but in my own
experience, having that information and that medical record
flow, flow from the community back into your VA record, helps
tremendously.
Senator Blumenthal. And you would agree that standards
comparable to what the VA has to meet should be applied to
community care. Correct?
Mr. Nee. Yes.
Senator Blumenthal. And information about what is happening
in community care should be the same--the data, the basic
information that is provided should be the same. Correct?
Mr. Nee. Correct.
Senator Blumenthal. And would you agree that there ought to
be a commitment to repair and upgrade VA's aging
infrastructure?
[Applause.]
Mr. Nee. I absolutely would agree with that, Mr. Ranking
Member.
Senator Blumenthal. And to replace the 30,000--yes, it is
30,000--physicians, nurses, and others essential to VA health
care should be filled and replaced. Would you agree?
Mr. Nee. I would agree, and I think Mr. Retzer might have
some thoughts on that, as well.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
Mr. Retzer. Thank you, Ranking Member. I appreciate the
line of questioning. And really what DAV has always supported
is a balance amongst community care, but we have to make sure.
If you look at our Veterans ``Independent Budget'' of Fiscal
Year 2027, we have provided recommendations to decrease
community care budget. And the reason is that we have got
infrastructure issues, we have inflation market values that is
really plaguing the Department of Veterans Affairs. We want to
make sure that we internally strengthen VA's health care system
to meet the needs of all of our veterans, to include rural
veterans. So as you look at our report, it will give you some
guidelines.
One of the things that we noticed with the community care,
too, is the cost of emergency and urgent needs and going out
into community care. So we did a recommendation in our report
citing a plus-up with regards to strengthening----
Senator Blumenthal. Let me just speak because my time is
about to expire. I am going to interrupt with apologies. We
have encountered tremendous difficulty, and I will say on both
sides of the aisle. I do not want to speak for anyone, but the
flow of information from the VA has been highly obscure. And
even after the last hearing that we had, when Secretary Collins
promised to fully answer all of our questions, to this moment,
we have received half or less than he promised to provide.
So I hope you will join in this effort to demand full and
complete transparency from the Department of Veterans Affairs,
so that you can be effective advocates for the veterans of
America.
Thank you so much for being here today.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you, Senator.
[Applause.]
HON. MORGAN LUTTRELL,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS
Chairwoman Mace. I will now recognize Representative
Luttrell.
Mr. Luttrell. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. And it is good
to be in the house with all my brothers and sisters. I miss you
terribly, so I am glad everyone made the trip.
[Applause.]
Mr. Luttrell. You know for decades, Congress has
appropriated millions and millions of dollars to the Department
of Veterans Affairs for suicide prevention inside the VA.
Millions of dollars. Decades and decades. And every year the
suicide rate increases. We are losing that battle.
You hear the number 22 veterans a day, up to 40 veterans a
day. Does anyone on the panel know how many spouses of veterans
commit suicide? Does anybody know the answer to that question?
[No response.]
Mr. Luttrell. From what I understand, every eight days a
spouse takes his or her life. I do not know if that is
concrete. I would like to put that onto the panel to find that
answer out for me. But through my research that is what I am
hearing. Every eight days, a spouse of a veteran takes their
life.
I heard you say that you are supporting alternative means
of treatment, psychedelics, neuroplastogens. We are trying to
find a name that does not scare everyone away. And to date,
thousands and thousands of our brothers and sisters go overseas
for this treatment, and it is highly effective.
And out loud, I will say there are three Members of
Congress--myself, Mr. Correa, and Mr. Bergman, that are openly
engaged with the VA, with DoD, HHS, FDA, on moving research on
these medications to save us from that one-inch pistol range.
And to date, it is like pushing a wet noodle up a hill. It is
amazing, and some of the responses I have gotten was like,
``Well, how many do you actually think this will save? '' and
my response is, ``One! If it saves one veteran [applause], we
are moving in the right direction.''
[Applause.]
Mr. Luttrell. But we are not making enough noise. The three
of us cannot do this alone. You would think in the House of
Representatives this is where the power lives. But when I look
out into the crowd, and if DAV supports this effort, I am
calling for an all-hands muster. You have to be present. Is
this direction the way that we want to go? I adamantly believe
it is. It is either taking a step somewhere else or continuing
down the road of opioids and SSRIs and all the other stuff that
we pump into our bodies to make ourselves feel good, and that
inevitably leads to one place for those unfortunate ones.
And I do not have a question more than a statement. If we
are all in, like we are when we are in combat, and you look to
your left and your right and like, ``Hey, I'm with you. We're
going,'' this is what we have to do. So I am asking for your
help. When you travel around the lower chamber, the upper
chamber, or you are hanging out at the Administration, ask
these questions. Why aren't, why can't, or why haven't we moved
research in the VA, in the DoD, and why isn't the FDA
supporting this? Why is the FDA not supporting this? And God
bless each and every one of you and your families for your
service. Thank you.
[Applause.]
Chairwoman Mace. Amen. All right. Now I recognize
Representative Pappas.
HON. CHRIS PAPPAS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mr. Pappas. Thank you, Madam Chair, and Commander, thanks
very much for your testimony, and to all the members that are
here in this room, thank you for service, for making this
country so great.
Commander, I share your deep concerns that you expressed
about VA not being there for future generations and efforts to
dismantle the workforce, to carry out reorganization without
significant feedback from the veteran community and
stakeholders, and to implement policies that threaten rather
than increase or improve benefits, and how that will really
undermine the ability of VA to be there and to deliver, and
create this self-fulfilling prophecy around privatization, I
think we all are in agreement we need to guard against.
You asked an essential question, which is how will we keep
our promise to those who have borne the battle? And then,
conveniently, you gave us all the answer. You gave us a good
roadmap in terms of what Congress needs to do to answer that
question and to make good on the debt that we owe to all those
who have worn the uniform of this country.
And I regret that it has taken so long to get things like
the Major Richard Star Act considered and across the finish
line, things like the Love Lives On Act, which is really
important to survivors.
One issue that I hear, which is a top concern of veterans
in New Hampshire and I believe across the country, that is
always brought up to me, is dental coverage. And I know that
Representative Brownley is not here. She has led on that issue
for a number of years. But could you talk about this as a
priority in terms of treating the whole veteran and making sure
that we have the right providers at VA to be able to expand
this and make sure that more vets get access to dental
coverage?
Mr. Nee. Yes, thank you very much for that question,
Congressman. Dental care is essential. Dental care, proper
dental care helps many of our veterans prevent cancer,
diabetes, other very serious health issues. It helps in
employment rates. I know when I got to many veteran homeless
standdowns one of the major services that is provided, with the
longest lines, is for the dental care, because that helps with
them to get employment and it helps with their mental health.
And I think if you talk to all of our members they will tell
you, all of our service-connected disabled veterans in this
country deserve comprehensive, holistic health care, and dental
care is health care, period.
[Applause.]
Mr. Pappas. Thank you for that response. Absolutely. Well,
I want to recognize the great veterans from the ``Live Free or
Die'' State of New Hampshire who are joining us here. We had a
conversation yesterday that touched on a number of issues.
Included among those was dependency and indemnity compensation,
which we know is a critical benefit to surviving spouses and
family members who have supported our servicemembers and
veterans. They talked about waits, people waiting months to be
able to get access to these benefits. Do you have any
recommendations for Congress on what we should be doing to
shorten that timeframe and to make sure these benefits actually
provide the kind of support that survivors and family members
deserve?
Mr. Nee. Yes, absolutely, we do. Thank you, that is a great
question. I know we have worked extensively on this, and I
believe Scott Hope has some very specific comments on this
particular matter.
Mr. Hope. Thank you, Commander, and thank you for the
question. Our dependency and indemnity compensation is
specifically for surviving spouses. Anything that we can do to
bring in additional funds and parallel what other federal
agencies have for individuals who pass away of a service-
connected disability, we would definitely support. We are
willing to link shields to defend what is currently available,
and we will raise our swords to assist you or any member of
your staff to fight for something in the future.
Mr. Pappas. Thanks for that commitment, for all that you
do. I yield back.
Mr. Nee. Thank you.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I now recognize Representative
King-Hinds.
HON. KIMBERLYN KING-HINDS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Ms. King-Hinds. Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, let
me start off by saying thank you for your service and thank you
for making your voices echo in the halls of Congress today. I
honor you today with my thank you.
I think, just listening in on the conversation, what we are
all really talking about is reform, and I think that we can all
agree that the VA needs reform, right? But the question here is
how do we do that reform responsibly so that, one, it improves
performance, but more importantly, delivers better outcomes for
all of you? And I think in these conversations what I am
looking for is trying to find that right balance.
And so I want to ask any member of the panel who can answer
this, what metrics should Congress monitor to ensure that we
are improving access without hollowing out the VA facilities?
At what point does expanding community care risk weakening the
VA's internal capacity? As a non-veteran myself, these are the
conversations that I would like to have so that I can make an
informed opinion.
Mr. Nee. Thank you very much for the question. Obviously,
as someone who is reliant on VA health care for my own health,
I am interested in that as well. I believe that we have done a
significant amount of work on this, and let me ask Jon to give
you a little bit of a background, please.
Mr. Retzer. Thank you. And as we address the health care
reform and how we balance community care, we have to address
the access standards, which you have all done for some time,
with CHOICE Act, MISSION Act. And now we are at a point where
we also have the introduction of the ACCESS Act, which DAV
supports. And we believe, as we look at it, not only do we have
to look at the ACCESS Act with regards to how it facilitates
services for the urban metropolitan, but we do have to address,
very specifically, how do we do that differently for our rural
and remote veterans, along with our women veterans. When we
have over 1 million this year now enrolled in the VA health
care system, they are the highest users of community care. So
we have got to figure out how to bring that back into the VA
health care system.
So we do need to look at the model of health care and flip
it maybe upside down to say it is not a hospital model only. We
need to look at really strengthening the CBOC, and that CBOC
methodology could really strengthen----
Ms. King-Hinds. I am going to reclaim my time. I guess,
what type of metrics should Congress develop when we are
talking about actually addressing those issues?
Mr. Retzer. Yes. And I think because we have such limited
time we would love to work with your staff on it, and we have
some recommendations within the Veterans ``Independent Budget''
that talks about the staffing, infrastructure, and the budget
requirements.
Ms. King-Hinds. All right. Thank you. I am about to run out
of time, but just a quick question. If Congress does nothing
differently over the next five years, what is the single
greatest risk to the long-term viability of the VA system?
Mr. Nee. Jon, would you like to----
Ms. King-Hinds. And real quickly because I am out of time.
Mr. Retzer. Yes. It is going to be that we need mandatory
funding to keep it strong and healthy.
Ms. King-Hinds. All right. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I know that Ranking Member
Takano has a few more questions, so I will allow a second round
two minutes. Our side went over by one minute, so I am going to
give Ranking Member Takano three minutes. But before I do that
I am going to say something real quick.
I love what everyone has said here today, and Congressman
Luttrell, I am with you. I suffer from post-traumatic stress
disorder, and I have authored legislation on plant-based
therapies. I have had a bill in the House and that companion
bill was in the Senate with Senator Cory Booker and Senator
Rand Paul.
One of the problems up here, as Congressman Luttrell said,
is that anything up here is like pushing a wet noodle up a
hill--and I am going to steal that one. We really, to move
things fast, it is not happening, and the stats on plant-based
therapy for veterans who are suffering from PTSD and have
suicidal ideation, the stats of success are through the damn
roof. It is amazing what it has done to save lives. I mean, the
majority of veterans who suffer from PTSD and pay thousands of
dollars, or are sponsored by someone who can afford thousands
of dollars to go down to Costa Rica or wherever for these
plant-based therapies, in some cases it is over 75 percent of
improvement. And why we are denying veterans the ability to do
that unless they are in some sort of special program at Johns
Hopkins, that the vast majority of vets cannot get into, is
beyond me. Because it literally saves lives.
So as Congressman Luttrell said [Applause], and as the
daughter of a Vietnam veteran, I have been to a lot of my
father's Vietnam reunions. They do not have them anymore. Last
year was probably the last one. And I have talked with men who
served with my father, who have a lifetime of trauma. And it is
only by God's grace that they are still alive.
So I really appreciate this very candid conversation, and
we do need your voices here on the Hill. So thank you all and
God bless you. And with that, Ranking Member Takano, you have
got three minutes.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. Commander, have you heard anything
from your members about negative impacts to their health care
due to VA staffing shortages?
[Laughter.]
Mr. Nee. Great question, Ranking Member Takano.
Mr. Takano. Raise your hand if you have problems with
staffing shortages at VA direct care.
[Hands raised.]
Mr. Takano. Go ahead and respond. And let the record show
that nearly all of the audience raised their hands.
Mr. Nee. No, it is a very serious issue, sir. And again,
for those of us who rely solely on VA for our health care,
timely and convenient appointments again are not just a
courtesy. They are something that is an obligation.
Mr. Takano. Have your members raised concerns about their
care in the community?
Mr. Nee. Yes. I have heard anecdotes around community care,
issues around military service not being understood,
insensitive comments, things of that nature.
Mr. Takano. So the level of training and preparedness of
community providers, as compared to VA providers, is a
significant issue, would you say?
Mr. Nee. It is a very significant issue.
Mr. Takano. Would your members support training
requirements for community providers?
Mr. Nee. Yes.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. And should those requirements be enforced
through the community care agreements? We are about to enter
into a 10-year agreement. In other words, if VA has a
requirement about suicide prevention and medications and
opioids, should community care providers be trained in those
standards as equally as they are within the VA?
Mr. Nee. Yes. I mean----
Mr. Takano. That was a problem a number of years ago.
Mr. Nee. Correct. Community providers should have specific
military training so that they recognize the issues that are
very specific to our veterans.
Mr. Takano. And my understanding is that previous
contracts, and including going forward--in a hearing that I had
previously on community care that VA told me that third-party
administrators, that they are not required to do this, and so
when they build the networks for community care providers they
cannot really get their providers to do all these trainings to
be up to the same standards as VA doctors and providers. Do you
think that is a problem?
Mr. Nee. I do think that is a problem, sir.
Mr. Takano. And would you change that? Would you ask VA to
make sure that third-party administrators build networks that
require their providers to take the same training that VA
doctors get?
Mr. Nee. I would.
Mr. Takano. I think we should do that.
[Applause.]
Could you elaborate on your written testimony regarding the
risks to adequately staffing VA's own health care system that
are presented by legislation that would create grant programs
to fund services outside of VA?
Mr. Nee. The specifics of that, I know Jon has done a lot
of research.
Mr. Takano. I have run out of time. I want to be respectful
to the Chairwoman. But if you could quickly maybe get the
written testimony to me.
Mr. Retzer. We can get back to you on that question.
Mr. Takano. Okay. Thank you.
Chairwoman Mace. And thank you so much. Our first panel is
now dismissed, and I want to thank you all for being here. We
will take a three-minute recess to get the second panel
installed. Thank you.
Mr. Nee. Thank you very much.
[Applause.]
[Recess.]
Chairwoman Mace. Good afternoon and welcome to our second
panel. I want to thank you all for being here. We have a lot of
information of important organizations to hear from on this
panel, so I would like us to get right to it.
Today we are joined by Lieutenant General Brian Kelly of
Military Officers Association of America; Dr. Lindsay Knight of
Blue Star Families; Mr. Tom Burke of Vietnam Veterans of
America; Mr. Larry Wright, Jr., of National Congress of
American Indians; Captain Rita Graham of Service Women's Action
Network; Ms. Barbara Burt of Gold Star Wives of America; and
Mr. Richard Brookshire of Black Veterans Project.
Again, welcome to all of you, and to all of your members in
the audience here today.
Lieutenant General Kelly, you are now recognized for 5
minutes for your opening statement.
PANEL II
----------
STATEMENT OF LT. GEN. BRIAN T. KELLY, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.),
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MILITARY OFFICERS
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
General Kelly. Thank you, Chairwoman Mace and although not
here, thanks to Chairman Bost and Chairman Moran and to our
Ranking Members Takano and Blumenthal, and all the
distinguished Members of both Committees. On behalf of the
Military Officers Association of America, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today. I am honored to be here
along with so many members of our community who work tirelessly
to support and help those who serve and have served our
veterans and their families, who allow our Nation to remain
free and strong.
I would like the MOAA members and staff who are here today
to stand. They represent more than 356,000 members whose voices
strengthen our advocacy and who work to preserve and protect
the earned benefits of over 22 million Americans who serve,
have served, their families and survivors across all ranks and
all uniformed services. Thank you.
Let me begin by thanking both Committees for your
leadership in advancing the Veteran Caregiver Reeducation,
Reemployment, and Retirement Act, MOAA's top veterans' health
care priority this year. This legislation includes meaningful
steps to address the financial, professional, and emotional
burdens borne by caregivers who enable veterans to live with
dignity and independence. As the bill progresses, we
respectfully respect your continued support to bring it to the
floor in both chambers and ensure its passage. As strengthening
education, employment, and retirement opportunities for
caregivers honors their service and helps family members avoid
choosing between caring for a veteran and securing their own
future, all while reducing long-term reliance on public
assistance.
You have my written testimony, but today I am focusing my
opening remarks on two priorities that go to the heart of the
system integrity and long-term force sustainability: the GUARD
VA Benefits Act and the TAP Promotion Act.
First the GUARD VA Benefits Act. Federal law establishes
who may charge veterans for assistance with VA disability
claims. That law exists to protect veterans, preserve the
integrity of the claims process, and ensure accountability for
those who operate within it. When criminal penalties for
unaccredited were removed in 2006, Congress did not authorize a
new industry to emerge outside the existing framework. Yet that
is exactly what has happened. Unaccredited, for-profit
companies now openly charge veterans for services that federal
law already restricts. They operate beyond VA oversight and
without meaningful consequences.
Faced with growing claims volumes, the answer cannot be to
simply change the law to accommodate those who are breaking it.
If the system is under strain, our responsibility, all of our
responsibilities, is to fix the system, not to legitimize
practices that siphon earned benefits away from veterans.
As someone who has spent decades in uniform, responsible
for people, processes, and accountability, I can say this
clearly. Weakening standards to compensate for system stress
only compounds the problem. It erodes trust, which is our
ultimate currency, undermines legitimately accredited
representatives, and sends the wrong message to servicemembers
who expect the rules to apply evenly.
The GUARD VA Benefits Act restores accountability without
restricting access to lawful, accredited assistance. It
reaffirms that the solutions to system challenges is better
performance and better oversight. MOAA urges Congress to
advance this legislation and make clear that earned benefits
belong to veterans, not to companies exploiting gaps in
enforcement.
Second, the TAP Promotion Act. MOAA believes that service
does not exist in silos. It begins the day someone raises their
right hand, and it continues into burial honors. From a
readiness enforced management perspective, the transition from
servicemember to civilian is truly a consequential period, not
only for the individual but for the credibility of the all-
volunteer force. Yet transition outcomes vary widely. Too many
servicemembers leave uniform not understanding their earned
benefits, available resources, or where to turn to for trusted
help. That lack of continuity increases the risk to the
veteran.
As both an MSO and a VSO, MOAA occupies a unique position
in this space. We support servicemembers while they are still
in uniform and continue that support throughout their life as a
veteran. That continuity matters.
The TAP Promotion Act strengthens outreach, improves
consistency, and ensures servicemembers and their family
members receive timely, accurate information before separation,
not after problems arise. It reinforces connections to
organizations like ours and the others at this table who are
there testifying before this Committee, that remain with
veterans long after their service departs.
This belief in lifecycle responsibility is also why MOAA
launched the TotalForce+ Conference. With TotalForce+ we bring
together leaders from the uniformed services, the Pentagon, the
VA, the Congress, industry, and the nonprofit community to
collaborate and advance solutions across this lifecycle
together. There are plenty of venues that focus on the types of
the next ships, the next planes, the next tanks, the next
weapons. TotalForce+ focuses on the people who make strong
national defense possible, because outcomes improve when
responsibility is shared rather than passed along, and
everybody believes that people truly outrank everything.
From first salute to final honors, how we care for those
who serve and those who stand beside them directly impacts who
will be willing to serve next. That group of people that was
behind us before with those hats on are your biggest advocates.
How they are treated will tell whether they tell somebody else
to serve, and that is important.
MOAA stands here today ready for you to serve, and I thank
you, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of General Kelly appears on pages
83-110 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I would now like to recognize
Dr. Knight for 5 minutes for your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF LINDSAY KNIGHT, PHD,
CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER, BLUE STAR FAMILIES
Ms. Knight. Thank you, Chairwoman Mace, Chairman Moran,
Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, and distinguished
Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to
provide testimony on Blue Star Families' 2026 priorities.
Blue Star Families is the Nation's largest military and
veteran family supporting organization. Its research-driven
approach builds strong communities with a focus on innovative
and data-informed solutions. Since 2009, our research has
gathered trusted feedback from over 150,000 active-duty and
veteran-connected families. Our goal is to enable military-
connected families to thrive in the communities that they call
home.
Since our founding, Blue Star Families has delivered more
than $336 million in benefits, counts over 440,000 members, and
supports more than 1.5 million people annually. Thirty-three
percent of our membership base is comprised of veterans,
veteran spouses, and veteran family members.
Using this data and member insights as our guide, Blue Star
Families has three primary legislative priorities in 2026.
The first one, in 2022, as a result of the Commander John
Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of
2019, Blue Star Families was awarded funding by the VA under
the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant
Program. Blue Star Families appreciates the extensive work your
two Committees have done to extend this program past the
original three-year pilot legislation, but we call on you both
to work together to extend the program for at least another
three years, and then to work toward a long-term authorization
for the most successful initiatives.
As recipients of the Staff Sergeant Fox grant, Blue Star
Families operates a program, Blue Star Support Circles Upstream
Solutions to Crisis. Through this community-based suicide
prevention program, we prioritize veterans who are at risk of
suicide by ensuring that their friends and family members can
recognize and understand signs and intervene before a veteran's
struggle becomes a crisis.
As a quick aside to Representative Luttrell, because he
brought up the question of how many veteran spouses die by
suicide a year, I do not have the number of veteran spouses but
I do have the most recent number from a DoD annual report in
2023 on suicide in the military. That report states that 146
family members, 93 of which were active-duty spouses, died by
suicide. I think it is an open question and one that our
research team is certainly interested in pursuing in
partnership with the VA to find out what the corollary number
is for veteran spouses.
But I also wanted to point out this is why community- and
family based interventions and programs matter. Servicemembers
do not stand on their own. They stand as part of a unit,
whether that is a family, a community. They are connected to
others, and oftentimes those individuals are most able to tell
when a crisis is going to happen before the emergency is at our
feet. That is the entire theory of change behind our program.
To date, nearly 200 individuals have completed this eight-
week nonclinical program with Blue Star Families. Support
Circles was externally validated by the University of Alabama,
and participants demonstrated through pre- and post-surveys
statistically significant improvements in their capacity to
help others experiencing suicidal thoughts and their own self-
efficacy to intervene.
Our program increased participants' confidence in
discussing suicide from 55 percent to 74 percent, enhance
knowledge of appropriate language and resources, and
significantly imparted skills to mitigate factors for loved
ones who might be having thoughts of suicide. Additionally, the
share of participants indicating that all firearms were stored
and unloaded increased from 30 percent to 43 percent as a
result of this program.
Veteran suicide prevention, however, is not nice to have.
It is a moral imperative. I think everyone in this room would
agree with that. And it also saves VA health care resources
when done right and done upstream and in a preventative
fashion.
In 2025, using the first three years of participant data,
we had an external firm conduct an economic analysis of
outcomes. That analysis projects that the Blue Star Support
Circles generate health care and economic cost savings 17 times
greater than program costs. That amounts to roughly $13,247 of
net cost savings per cohort participant. Our participants show
measurable PHQ-9 depression improvements, reducing major
depressive disorder-related health care costs, and preventing
costly emergency visits and psychiatric hospitalizations.
The second legislative priority that we have is that we are
calling on Congress to enact the Building Readiness and
Integration for Dependents Going to Civilian Environments Act.
This is sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla and Representative
Sanford Bishop and Jen Kiggans. The measure would establish a
three-year pilot project at four U.S. military bases where
national organizations serving the military and veteran
community would coordinate the extension of military transition
services to military families.
Challenges veterans face around transition are persistent.
In our 2025 annual ``Military Family Lifestyle Survey,'' 58
percent of veteran respondents described their overall
transition from military-to-civilian life as difficult or very
difficult, and 44 percent found it more difficult than
expected. The transition from military-to-civilian life is not
just a personal journey for the servicemember, it is a profound
change experienced by the entire family. However, many support
services for spouses cease at the time of separation, which is
often when families require it the most. Successful military-
to-civilian transitions depend on comprehensive support
strategies that recognize the unique needs of veteran family
members, not just in their capacity as caregivers but as
individuals navigating a significant transition themselves.
A true measure of a successful transition extends beyond
the veteran's employment or access to benefits is reflected in
the family's stability, well-being and connection to their
community as they establish their new life as a veteran family.
Finally, Blue Star Families calls on Congress to pass the
Major Richard Star Act. As many of you know, this bill will
allow 52,000 combat-injured, medically retired veterans to
receive their earned retirement pay and disability compensation
without offset. The Star Act has 315 House and 77 Senate co-
sponsors. That is three-quarters of Congress. And it could pass
today if brought to the floor on each side of the Capitol.
Thank you all and distinguished Members of the Committee
for inviting Blue Star Families to provide our priorities,
views, and research. I am happy to answer any questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Knight appears on pages 111-
121 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I would now like to recognize
Mr. Burke for 5 minutes for your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF TOM BURKE, NATIONAL PRESIDENT,
VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA
Mr. Burke. Chairman Moran, Chairman Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, I appear before you today as a Vietnam
veteran and the proud President of Vietnam Veterans of America,
an organization born not from comfort or consensus but from
necessity.
Our motto is simple, and it is unyielding: ``Never Again
Will One Generation of Veterans Abandon Another.'' That promise
was forged by Vietnam veterans who came home to a country that
did not know what to do with us. We did not return to parades,
gratitude, and too often we had returned to silence. Some
questioned even if Vietnam was a real war. We learned quickly
that if veterans did not fight for each other, no one else
would. So we fought. We fought for ourselves when no one else
would, and we won battles many said we could not win.
Long before PTSD had a name, Vietnam veterans forced this
Nation to recognize invisible wounds as real injuries. Long
before Agent Orange or toxic exposure were politically safe to
acknowledge, we demanded accountability for harms caused in
service to this country.
There were no playbooks, no large budgets--only conviction,
perseverance, and the refusal to be ignored. That is how
Vietnam Veterans of America was built. We may not have the
largest balance sheets, but our passion is rooted in lived
experience and the hard, hard knowledge of what happens when a
nation looks away from those it they sent to war.
That is why, although our name reflects one generation, our
mission has never been confined to one. We speak today not only
for Vietnam veterans but for all veterans, because we know what
abandonment looks like, and we will not allow it to be
repeated. Never again will one generation of veterans abandon
another.
That history brings me directly to the Vietnam Veterans'
highest priority, the full accounting of our prisoners of war
and those still missing in action. For those who served, this
is not an abstract. These are names not in the database. They
are friends we trained with, people we served beside, and we
expected them to come home.
The promise that no one would be left behind did not end
when the battle stopped, and it does not weaken in time. That
is why VVA has never wavered on POW/MIA accountability for all
wars. It is a sacred obligation, not a discretionary program.
Reducing budgets for the agencies responsible for
recovering our missing servicemembers is unacceptable. It
breaks faith with families who have waited decades and with
those currently serving who trust their country will not forget
them. Accounting for the missing is not about the past. It is
about trust.
Vietnam Veterans of America also carries the same sense of
passion into a cause that our members know all too well, a
fight for veterans exposed to toxic exposures. For too many of
us the war did not end when we came home. It followed us. It
surfaced years later in our bodies, and too often in our
families. Vietnam veterans were exposed to Agent Orange long
before anyone was willing to admit what it was doing to our
bodies. And evidence now demands serious research into toxic
exposure may affect spouses and biological descendants.
This fight is not limited to one generation. Vietnam
veterans have stood with all veterans who have been harmed by
toxic exposure, including those suffering from the Gulf War
illness, whose symptoms were dismissed for far too long. We
push for recognition because we know exactly what happens when
denial replaces accountability.
This nation must fully accept this responsibility to every
veteran harmed in service, and the Vietnam veterans will
continue to speak about this.
And this brings me to what deeply--veterans must never be
used as political leverage. No veteran should ever be helped,
or ignored, because it is politically convenient. Care must
never depend on party loyalty, polling, or legislative timing.
When veterans become bargaining chips, progression stops, trust
erodes, and real people pay the price. Vietnam Veterans of
America did not pick sides. We pick outcomes, and we will work
with anyone, of any party, who is serious about delivering
results for those who served.
Vietnam Veterans of America will continue working across
the aisle on a wide range of legislative issues. We look
forward to working with both Committee and every Member willing
to engage in good faith. We will offer our expertise directly
to any office, wherever it is helpful, because results matter
more than credit.
Before I close I must ask, how a nation that asks so much
of its servicemembers can accept that so many will die from
suicide, sleeping in the streets, or fall apart in transition
once the uniform comes off? How do we explain that the danger
does not end when the service is over, be that in combat or any
area of other service? How can we accept the danger continues,
in paperwork, in silence? These veteran losses are mostly
caused by delay, diffusion of responsibility, and the excuse of
complexity. And when systems fail to act, veterans pay the
price with their lives.
These are our people. They stood watch, they carried the
burden, and they deserve urgency. They do not deserve
explanations about why help must wait. Vietnam Veterans of
America will not accept a system that saves resources while it
costs lives. Vietnam veterans taught this Nation something
important, that progress does not come from waiting to be
invited, it comes from showing up, from telling the truth, and
from refusing to go away. That is who we are, and that is what
we continue to be, as long as we have breath in our bodies.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Burke appears on pages 122-
130 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I now recognize Mr. Wright for
5 minutes for your opening statement.
STATEMENT OF LARRY WRIGHT, JR., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL
CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
Mr. Wright. [Speaks Native language.] Good morning,
distinguished Members of the Committee. I address you in my
Tribal language, my Ponca language, out of respect and to raise
awareness for our Navajo Code Talkers, who were instrumental in
helping our country during World Wars I and II.
My name is Larry Wright, Jr. I am the Executive Director
for the National Congress of American Indians. Previously I
served as Tribal Chairman for the Ponca Tribe in Nebraska for
11 years. I am also a proud veteran.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of
American Indian and Alaska Native veterans, who continue to
proudly serve this country at higher rates than any other
demographic in the United States.
As noted in my written testimony, the contributions of
Native American veterans span from the Revolutionary War to
today. Whether serving as Code Talkers during World War II or
helping raise the American Flag at Iwo Jima, Native American
veterans have demonstrated courage, commitment, sacrifice, and
undeniable service to this country, many before we were even
citizens of this country.
Many of these veterans commit to continued service upon
returning to their communities, whether in Tribal governance,
community development, or other forms of public service. Native
American veterans carry forward a long tradition of warrior
societies, rooted in responsibility, protection, and
leadership. This is why it is important that NCAI is here today
to advocate for the needs of our veterans, including health
care, housing, food, and other support mechanisms that ensure
their continued success in contributions to our communities and
this country.
First, on health care. Since I last testified before your
Committees, I am proud to report that the Congress has
continually provided advanced appropriations for the Indian
Health Service. Many of our veterans live far away from VA
health care facilities, making IHS the only way for many of our
veterans to access health care. I thank you for your support in
this effort, and ask that you continue to ensure that Native
American veterans relying on IHS receive the same advanced
appropriations as the VA does.
Second, on housing. Many of our veterans have difficulty
finding safe and affordable housing on or near Tribal
communities. NCAI supports the Native American Direct Loan
Program, which provides necessary financing for homes located
on Tribal trust lands at a 2.5 percent interest rate. Given the
high cost of housing across the United States and the unique
financing challenges associated with trust land, below-market
interest rates are critical to putting our deserving veterans
in healthy homes.
To ensure that the program is successful, we urge Congress
to provide a directive to the VA to put it into its current
hiring freeze, and more specifically to hire necessary VA staff
that can educate Native American veterans on the program and
provide much needed technical assistance to improve its
utilization.
Likewise, NCAI strongly supports the continuation and
expansion of the Tribal HUD-VASH Program. As part of this
process, we encourage your Committees to remove any unnecessary
restrictions for Native American veterans who reside in current
assisted stock units. In some Tribal communities, these units
are the only vacant units available to Native veterans. They
should not be penalized because of limited housing options.
Third, on food. NCAI has been paying close attention to the
changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We
were disappointed to see that recent changes to SNAP removed
the work requirement exemption for veterans, Native and non-
Native alike. The elimination of this exemption creates
unnecessary burdens in accessing critical nutrition for the
bravest among us, rather than serving as an incentive for
employment. A significant portion of our veterans reside in
remote Tribal areas where local unemployment rates are often
three times or more the national average. In these regions,
failure to secure a job that satisfies specific hourly
requirements is more frequently due to geographic limitations
than lack of effort.
Fourth, on additional resources. The VA Advisory Committee
on Tribal and Indian Affairs has served as a critical mechanism
to ensure that Tribal voices remain at the table as the VA
develops policies, programs, and services that directly impact
more than 145,000 Native American veterans that the VA serves
today. NCAI strongly believes that any disruption to the
advisory committee's operations undermines the VA's ability to
effectively serve Native American veterans. We urge your
Committees to ensure that the advisory committee has the legal
framework and financial resources required to meet its
obligations.
To this point, we appreciate the introduction of the
National Veterans Strategy Act, which would establish metrics
to determine the well-being of our veterans regarding their
physical health, mental health, spiritual health, economic
security and opportunity, education, family and social
engagement, and civic engagement. This important bill
rightfully recognizes Tribal governments and Tribal
organizations as key stakeholders to determine these metrics.
Indian Country knows firsthand the shortfalls that our
veterans face, and we are eager to work with Congress to close
those gaps. Thank you for your time. I am happy to answer any
questions that you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Wright appears on pages 131-
136 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you so much. I will now recognize
Captain Rita Graham for your opening remarks in 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF RITA GRAHAM, POLICY DIRECTOR,
SERVICE WOMEN'S ACTION NETWORK
Ms. Graham. Good morning, distinguished Members. Thank you
for the opportunity to testify today.
My name is Rita Graham. I served as an Army Field Artillery
Officer, and I now serve as the Policy Director for the Service
Women's Action Network, or SWAN. On behalf of woman veterans
everywhere and on behalf of SWAN, I respectfully highlight
three priorities today.
Number one, closing the gender-based research gaps under
the PACT Act. Number two, restoring comprehensive reproductive
health care access for veterans. And three, protecting
evidence-based policies on women service and ground combat
units. These priorities reflect what we are seeing from women
veterans across the country.
Veterans like me volunteered to serve, fully knowing the
risks of combat. But what we did not expect was that after our
service our access to health care and benefits that we earned
could still depend on whether or not the VA systems recognize
our service and sacrifice.
Which leads me to priority number one, ensuring the PACT
Act implementation fully addresses reproductive and fertility
impacts. The PACT Act has been hugely successful in
establishing long-term harms from toxic exposure. However,
implementation gaps remain for women veterans specifically.
Women veterans report substantially higher infertility rates
than civilian women, yet researchers consistently identify
significant gaps in data on reproductive health outcomes among
women exposed to military environmental hazards. Substances
linked to reproductive toxicity, miscarriage risk, and
infertility are routinely encountered in everyday military
environments from motor pools, maintenance facilities, and
firing ranges.
Yet infertility and many reproductive health conditions are
not currently included among toxic exposure presumptive
conditions. And proving service-connection can be particularly
difficult due to complex nexus and service-connection
requirements.
While VA data shows success in women veterans' enrollment
proportional to their population in toxic exposure screenings,
however, the gap that we see today is that publicly available
data related to claims approvals and denials and condition
level outcomes are not consistently disaggregated by gender,
making it difficult to fully assess whether benefits are being
delivered appropriately.
This issue is not whether or not women are being exposed to
these chemicals. That has already been well documented. The
issue today is that research systems to track these toxic
exposures were built when the force was primarily male.
Therefore, reproductive outcomes were not systematically
tracked appropriately. Our challenge today is whether or not
these outcomes are being fully and effectively measured.
And let me be clear. This is not primarily a benefits
issue. It is a measurement and accountability issue.
SWAN urges Congress to require gender disaggregated
reporting, prioritizing longitudinal reproductive health
research, and ensuring veterans with service-connected
infertility have clear treatment pathways. Recognizing
reproductive harm from toxic exposure does not expand the PACT
Act's mission but instead fulfills it.
Priority two, restoring comprehensive reproductive health
care access. In December 2025, the VA reversed its policy
permitting reproductive health services in cases of rape and
incest. This policy reversal affects countless numbers of
survivors of military sexual trauma within the female veteran
population. VA data proves that roughly 1 in 3 women will
experience military sexual trauma throughout their life, and
reporting under the Deborah Sampson Act has documented more
than 1,500 instances of sexual harassment on VA campuses every
single year.
These data highlight the serious ongoing risk, where a
veteran who survives sexual violence may seek care inside a VA
system, yet lack the full range of pregnancy-related medical
counseling available in their counterpart civilian health care
systems.
At SWAN, we believe that no veteran should lose their
bodily autonomy because of their service to our country. SWAN
urges Congress to ensure survivors of sexual violence have
access to the same medically appropriate care available in
their civilian health care counterparts.
Our final priority number three, protecting evidence-based
policies that affect women's military service. Last month, the
Department of Defense announced a new or re-review of women in
ground combat positions. This review comes despite more than a
decade of research and operational experience that prove that
integration challenges are solved through leadership,
standards, and infrastructure, not inclusion.
Today, there are approximately 5,000 women who serve in
ground combat roles, and thousands more have already
transitioned to veteran status, like myself. While not directly
under the scope of this Committee, the policies that affect who
can serve today will shape the population that the VA and this
Committee will serve tomorrow. SWAN encourages continued
oversight to ensure personnel decisions remain evidence-based
to sustain a strong military.
Before closing, SWAN would like to appreciate the VA's
reversal of the interim final rule on medication and disability
ratings, and hope this will lead to more transparency and
congressional oversight for all future regulatory changes.
In closing, when I became one of the first women integrated
into a ground combat unit, I did not consider it a historic
milestone. I was doing my job, as did so many other women
veterans around the country. And now today we women veterans
ask for something very simple. We ask that the veteran health
care system and benefits fully reflect the realities of our
service.
Thank you, and I look forward to any questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Graham appears on pages 137-
141 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I will now recognize Ms.
Barbara Burt for her opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF BARBARA BURT, LEGISLATIVE LIAISON, GREATER BOSTON
CHAPTER AND NEW ENGLAND REGION, NATIONAL BOARD MEMBER, GOLD
STAR WIVES OF AMERICA, INC.
Ms. Burt. Chairwoman Mace, Chairman Bost, Chairman Moran,
Ranking Member Takano, Ranking Member Blumenthal, and
distinguished Members of the Committees, my name is Barbara
Burt. I was born in Kansas, and now live in Hanson,
Massachusetts, on a small farm. I appear today on behalf of
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., representing the widows and
widowers across this Nation who have lost their spouses as a
result of military service.
Gold Star Wives of America was founded in 1945, to advocate
for policies and financial support for military survivors and
their children. Eighty years later, that mission remains as
urgent as ever.
I am the widow of Robert Burt Jr., who served in the United
States Army Reserves and as a full-time recruiter in the Kansas
Army National Guard. As the effects of Agent Orange emerged,
Bob's health declined. In 2019, he was diagnosed with multiple
system atrophy, a devastating neurodegenerative disease. Within
two years it took everything from him, including his life.
After Bob's death, I became trapped in grief. Gold Star
Wives of America, Inc., became my restoration. Dependency and
Indemnity Compensation, DIC, was created to prevent economic
collapse after the loss of a servicemember. The word
``indemnity'' recognizes the loss caused by military service is
permanent, yet today that promise is not being fulfilled.
As a new member of Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., I was
struck by who these military spouses are. Many gave up careers,
education, and financial security to care for their veteran.
They met medical, emotional, and financial needs without
guarantee of a future. When the spouse returned broken in body
and spirit, or in a flag-draped casket, they stepped forward
into a life of caregiving, loss, economic instability, without
hesitation. They served a nation that has not always served
them.
For more than 30 years, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.,
has advocated for updating the inadequate level of DIC. We are
often told it costs too much. Meanwhile, I watch grieving
spouses struggle with inadequate heat, food insecurity, housing
instability, and unmet medical needs, and still show up. They
show up for each other, for their communities, and for this
country. These brave, selfless women and men validated my grief
and showed me that purpose can grow from loss, what the Bible
calls ``beauty from ashes.''
Today most surviving spouses live on approximately $1,700
per month from DIC. Some receive Social Security. Many do not.
Every year that DIC remains inadequate, military spouses pay
the consequences, not in theory but in daily hardship. That
hardship means choosing between heat and medication, groceries
and gasoline, it means delaying care, skipping meals, and
living with the constant fear that one unexpected expense will
undo what little stability remains. For many it means losing a
family home and moving into shared or unstable housing.
Members of the Committee, you can change this. H.R. 6047
provides a modest but meaningful increase, and we thank
Chairman Bost and the House Committee for advancing this bill.
As noted at markup, this is a down payment, progress, not
completion. That completion is S. 611 and H.R. 2055, the Caring
for Survivors Act. Today, DIC replaces only 43 percent of 100
percent disabled veterans' compensation. This bill raises that
to 55 percent, aligning military survivors with other federal
survivors. This is not just a matter of fairness. It is a
matter of survival.
H.R. 1685, the Justice for ALS Veterans Act, reflects
medical reality. ALS carries a two- to five-year life
expectancy. Policies requiring eight years of total disability
create structural exclusion.
We also support S. 410 and H.R. 1004, the Love Lives On
Act, which affirms that our Nation's responsibility to military
families does not end at loss. Chairman Moran, thank you for
your leadership.
Finally, we support H.R. 2264, the Service-Connected
Suicide Compensation Act. Like the PACT Act, it shifts the
burden of proof away from grieving spouses and toward fairness
and compassion.
Members of this Committee, we urge your favorable
consideration of these bills and are confident that bipartisan
leadership can move them to the President's desk.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of Gold
Star Wives of America, Inc.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Burt appears on pages 142-
148 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. I would now like to recognize
Mr. Richard Brookshire for 5 minutes for your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF RICHARD BROOKSHIRE, CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND
CO-FOUNDER, BLACK VETERANS PROJECT
Mr. Brookshire. Chairman Moran, Chairwoman Mace, Ranking
Members Blumenthal and Takano, and distinguished Members of the
Committees, Black Veterans Project represents the first
comprehensive reparative justice effort mobilizing Black
veterans and military families systematically denied access to
the GI Bill during the height of Jim Crow, as well as those who
endured systemic racial inequities across the Department of
Veterans Affairs benefits programs since the end of legal
segregation.
BVP leverages data-driven research, narrative storytelling,
and impact litigation to redress the Federal Government's
sustained legacy of racial bias that has siphoned an estimated
$100 billion in wealth-generating opportunities from Black
veterans and military families since World War II.
While the families of white veterans now hold 32 times more
wealth than those of Black veterans--a gap of $164,000 per
household--Black veterans remain twice as likely to live in
poverty and represent fully one-third of the homeless veteran
population.
Since 2020, Black Veterans Project has worked with Yale Law
School and the National Veterans Council for Legal Redress to
FOIA internal VA data exposing the systemic denial of billions
in disability pay to Black veterans in the post-9/11 era. Monk
v. United States, a legal case leveraging these findings, is
poised to become the first race-based class action reckoning
with the legacy of racial discrimination in VA's benefits
programs.
While more recent disparities at VA has taken years of
strategic advocacy to bring to light, efforts to further
investigate and address systemic inequities were haphazardly
upended last year, when the Office of Equity Assurance was
liquidated under the auspices of government efficiency.
For decades, VA flat-out ignored repeated requests by
advocates to access its racial data. A 2021 lawsuit by Black
Veterans Project compelled the release of just two decades'
worth of disability grant rate data by race, substantiating
what Black veterans and advocates had long suspected--sustained
and systemic disparities in the administration of a veterans'
benefits program. Despite a government record spanning the
widespread obstruction of Civil War pensions through the
multigenerational obstruction of veterans' housing, education,
and healthcare benefits from World War II through the Gulf
Wars, accountability remains elusive.
In January 2024, VA summarily eliminated its diversity,
equity, and inclusion initiatives focused on improving outreach
to minority, women, and veterans adversely affected by
persistent inequality. Seemingly overnight, it terminated more
than 60 employees and reallocated more than $14 million in
earmarked funding to wage a war shameless war on ``woke.'' Now,
innocuous rule changes and unregulated artificial intelligence
are wreaking havoc in ways that will undermine access, with too
few guardrails in place to ebb their impact.
The deployment of anti-diversity, equity, and inclusive
narratives, levied through dubious Executive orders, has sown
confusion and fear, threatening those working to mitigate
adverse discriminatory outcomes at VA and beyond. The very
systems built to catalyze integration and guarantee
accessibility for all veterans have been eroded for partisan
political gain, and the dignity of our Nation's veterans has
become collateral damage for an anti-woke agenda that serves to
distract from the rapid privatization of our Nation's largest
public health care system.
Worse still, powerful forces are actively colluding to
redefine who is entitled to the myriad of benefits earned
through military service and whose contributions in uniform are
ultimately remembered, honored, and uplifted.
As we mark our Nation's 250th anniversary, historical
erasure is adding insult to injury. The veneration and
advancement of anti-democratic, discriminatory narratives and
policies present a nexus of crisis across our Federal
Government that must be confronted, and a decay of values that
must be uprooted and repaired. Americans envision a multiracial
democracy in which all veterans are respected and protected.
That is not the moment in which we now find ourselves.
We are at a pivotal crossroads where apathy, animus, and
willful ignorance are converging. This must be met with moral
clarity and conviction. The shared values of integration, equal
opportunity, equity, and inclusion are structural necessities
that equip the best of us to do the most for all of us. That is
the America for which countless souls have perished, that is
the America for which I donned a uniform, and that is the
America your Committees must embody to adequately care for
those who have borne the battle, no matter their identity.
Black Veterans Project looks forward to working with each
of you to repair past and present harms and to rebuild the
public trust required for VA, veterans, and our Nation to
thrive into the future. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Brookshire appears on pages
149-155 of the Appendix.]
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you so much, Mr. Brookshire. I will
now recognize myself for three minutes of questions.
My first question goes to you, General Kelly. The barriers
within the transition process preventing veterans from
accessing and understanding their benefits, what are those
barriers?
General Kelly. First, thanks for the question, Chairwoman,
and thanks for having us here again today. I think first and
foremost, when you get into those room--you know, I have gone
through the Transition Assistance Program, as many of the
veterans, I am sure, Representative Luttrell went through, as
well--you get in there and there is focus on a very short
period of time, and most people are focused on only their
disability claims, the information that comes out and what is
going to happen. There are so many other benefits and so many
other things that have to happen that the information is not
necessarily passed in the right way.
In addition, to make the connections that have to happen
afterwards, to help people make their transitions to the VA and
access to all those other benefits and have continued--
continued--continuity in that really requires a focus, for
which many of the VSOs, many of the MSOs that you see here, are
prepared and set to do that, not just on the disability side--
in fact, we do not even do disability claims at MOAA--but to
make sure that those veterans have access to all of the
benefits that they have, and have information from a trusted
source, so that they do not go looking for somebody who is out
there just doing it for profit.
Chairwoman Mace. And so what are some of those key benefits
you think that they are missing hearing about?
General Kelly. Education, housing, other health care that
is not related to disability claims. There is a variety of
those in there that they have earned through their service,
that are just being lost, or sometimes they are being sent to
folks who are there to prey on them in regard to helping them
get a disability outpayment, for which then they will reap the
benefits, which is unfortunate for our veterans.
Chairwoman Mace. I think we call those sharks, right?
General Kelly. Yes, we do. That is correct.
Chairwoman Mace. And then how do we, I guess for that
continuity, making sure they know all their benefits, how do we
remove some of those barriers? What are some of your ideas?
General Kelly. I think we have looked at some of them in
our written testimony, but certainly the work that is being
done for the GUARD VA Act, to help make sure we police some of
those sharks, as you called them, out of there is important,
make sure we get the right groups of people involved in that
transition so that the connections and the discussions can be
made, and we can know who the trusted sources are so the
veterans, even if they do not have the information the first
time, have the right places to follow up and make sure that
they get access to all of their benefits.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. And I have 45 seconds left,
Captain Graham. My last question is for you. How can the VA be
more efficient with how it delivers benefits to veterans, their
families, women, et cetera, everything you talked about?
Ms. Graham. Thank you for the question. I think, first of
all, just having proper reporting data coming from the VA up.
The question obviously is how to receive the benefits, but the
VA needs to know what issues there are. A lot of the data that
we pull is anecdotal from individuals. The VA just needs a
better understanding of what these issues are for service
women, and that comes from better research, disaggregated by
gender.
Chairwoman Mace. Okay, thank you. I would now like to
recognize the Ranking Member.
Mr. Takano. I will yield to Senator Duckworth.
Chairwoman Mace. Okay. Senator Duckworth, you are now
recognized.
HON. TAMMY DUCKWORTH,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS
Senator Duckworth. Thank you, and I want to thank the
Ranking Member, Congressman Takano for yielding to me. I am
running a little behind schedule.
From the moment my buddies carried me to safety, I have
dedicated my life to supporting our Nation's veterans and
serving them, in order to try, in a minuscule way, honor their
bravery and their sacrifice. That mission is why I am here
today as a Member of Congress, and that is why I continue to
join you in fighting tirelessly against Donald Trump's attack
on the VA. Because I see clear as day that the end goal here is
to privatize and eventually dismantle the VA, and this effort
has started even before this Administration. It has been long
ongoing, and we have been fighting this for a very long time.
At this point, President Trump has fired more veterans than
any other President in American history. He has taken an axe to
the VA workforce. He has killed collective bargaining rights to
instill a culture of fear, and consistently withheld oversight
authorities from Congress. His Administration plans to gut the
Veterans Health Administration's management structure and
outsource $1 trillion away from VA clinicians and to a civilian
provider network that does not have the specialized
infrastructure to provide service-informed care.
Over one year into his second term, there is still no clear
strategy on how Donald Trump's VA plans to deliver more
resources to veterans, not less. He claims that he cares about
veterans, and I state, the President said, and I quote, ``Under
my leadership our Nation will always uphold the legacy of our
veterans, and as President I will always have their backs,''
end quote.
Frankly, I am tired of his broken promises, and the veteran
community should be too. His Administration has turned its back
on veterans every single time an opportunity has presented
itself.
Secretary Collins' most recent ambush interim final rule,
should be a sobering call to action. Do not be fooled. Until
Secretary Collins rescinds that rule, it remains in effect. It
remains in effect. If you think that this is the end of this
Administration's effort to attack disability compensation, then
you are wrong. If that was the case, Secretary Collins would
have consulted all of us, or at the minimum rescind the rule
and assert a clear consultation plan with all stakeholders
being consulted, beginning with the Members of Congress, and
then, of course, with the VSOs. You are the voice of our
Nation's veterans, each and every one of you. You should have
been consulted.
This is not a Republican versus Democrat issue. This is not
even a Trump issue. This is an issue of privatizing the VA,
which has been an effort that has been underway for decades,
and we must stand up to it. This is a veterans issue.
And my promise, my commitment, is to fight to uphold our
Nation's promise to veterans, even when that makes us unpopular
and calls for confrontation. More than ever, Republicans,
Democrats, and VSOs alike need to come together to protect our
Nation's veterans. So, let's get to work to codify protections
that ensure that Donald Trump, or any other future President,
cannot come after veterans' disability compensation, ever
again.
Before I close, I want to get the panel's view on a
particularly offensive angle of this ambush rulemaking that the
public may not fully appreciate. And again, I want to establish
a precedent that no future President, no future administration,
regardless of their party affiliation, can do this ever again.
So this question is open-ended to the members of the panel that
is here.
Can you explain why it was so inappropriate to use an
interim final rulemaking process for such a controversial
policy and address the message that is being sent by the
Administration to the VSOs and the entire veterans community
and seeking to jam this through before a single comment was
filed? Basically, I would like each of you to explain to me why
it is important that you should be consulted when such a rule
is being made. General?
General Kelly. Senator Duckworth, first, thanks for your
support of veterans in what you do. It is amazing.
You know, all of us think we have the ears of our veterans
and have some information to provide, so transparency in terms
of consulting us, giving us information, we think would have
provided the Secretary and the VA with some information that
may have adjusted the outcomes, which means anxiety and all the
things that were associated with this recent thing would have
been avoided. And we think that can happen in the future.
This group of people has information to provide and should
be consulted.
Senator Duckworth. Anybody else?
Mr. Wright. Yes. From Indian Country it is very important
that we have those consultation processes and upholding the
trust and treaty responsibility that the United States has to
our Tribal people, and in this case, especially our veterans.
When we look at, there are 145,000 Native veterans in this
country, a law was passed creating a VA Tribal Advisory
Committee, and this kind of information and that kind of
consultation should have gone through that committee, that is
upheld by law.
Senator Duckworth. I was very proud when I was at VA, under
General Shinseki, to set up the situation where we dealt with
our First Nation veterans on a nation-to-nation basis. That is
critically important, especially for a population that has the
highest per capita service in our Nation's military than any
other population. So thank you. I think you have a unique
voice, and you should have a seat at the table, because your
veterans, in particular, have unique needs that should have
been addressed, and you were not consulted, and that is
completely inappropriate.
Ms. Graham. On behalf of Service Women's Action Network we
also fully believe that the filing of the interim rule is so
important because it has happened to us already, where the
reproductive health access were taken away under an interim
final rule. So this just shows a pattern of these unofficial
systems without any of the veterans, the VSOs being consulted
on ways to take away further and further minority health care
and minority veteran benefits.
Senator Duckworth. Thank you. You have been very indulgent,
Madam Chairwoman.
Chairwoman Mace. I have been very generous. It is fine. I
want to hear from our veterans, and thank you, Senator
Duckworth.
Ranking Member Takano, you are now recognized for three
minutes.
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Graham, my
colleagues and I in both the House and the Senate have
introduce legislation to overturn VA's final rule restricting
abortion access. How important is it to your members to
overturn this rule and allow veterans access to abortion?
Ms. Graham. Thank you for the question. We believe it is
incredibly important. If nothing else, there is no other health
care in the VA system that men can have that women cannot,
other than this abortion ruling. When these actions get taken
place, women veterans are just told time and time again that
our service does not count as much, it does not mean as much,
and that we do not deserve the same benefits.
Mr. Takano. Can you tell me, how do women veterans feel
that they have put on the uniform of our country, put their
lives on the line to defend the rights of all Americans, but
yet have this right over their own health care taken away?
Ms. Graham. It is insulting, both as a veteran, and on
behalf of SWAN. It is insulting that the fact that our health
care could even be limited in this system that we have earned,
that we have deserved. So it is insulting, and it is also
terrifying. Women veterans, especially, need trauma-informed
care, that the VA is really excellent at providing, and it has
only improved over the years. When we cannot receive trauma-
informed care for reproductive health access, women will die.
Their health outcomes will be adversely impacted. So it is
hugely detrimental.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. Mr. Wright, how is the
implementation of the Dole Act regarding awarding grants to
states and Indian Tribes to improve veteran outreach, how has
that been going this year?
Mr. Wright. Indian Country is very thankful for the Dole
Act and the impact that it has. And in particular, this law was
signed in January 2025. Two landmark provisions that represent
a significant step forward for Indian Country is expanding home
ownership opportunities for Native American veterans----
Mr. Takano. Excuse me, Mr. Wright. Is it going well? Is it
not going well?
Mr. Wright. It is. There are other opportunities that we
would like to see continue to help with the Native American
Direct Loan Program, HUD-VASH are two other programs that are
very helpful for Indian Country.
Mr. Takano. Well, thank you. Mr. Brookshire, last May,
Black Veterans of America participated in our roundtable
assessing disparities for minority veterans. And what we
highlighted was the importance of the VA's now shuttered Office
of Equity Assurance. What has been the impact that this office
closure has had on your community?
Mr. Brookshire. Thank you for the question. It is the
inability to track data and to move on findings that the Office
of Equity Assurance, findings that were beginning to
materialize out of the office that were pinpointing where
disparities were most concentrated and trying to get down to
the root cause issues. Obviously that work has been abandoned.
Mr. Takano. We have seen an explosion in the use of
artificial intelligence at VA, in both clinical and non-
clinical spaces. What concerns do you have about these use
cases, and what recommendations do you have for better
protecting veteran data as AI continues to expand at VA?
Mr. Brookshire. The use of AI at this point is an evolving
technology with a lot of concern about exacerbating racial bias
in the system, if implemented without proper oversight and
regulation. And I believe that many veterans organizations,
including Black Veterans Project, want an AI Veterans Bill of
Rights, so that we understand how our data is being leveraged
at any given moment.
Mr. Takano. Thank you for that. Thank you, Madam.
Chairwoman Mace. All right. I will now recognize Ranking
Member Blumenthal for three minutes.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to
go a little bit off script, because as you know, you are here
on a very important day. It is the day of the State of the
Union address. And typically a President delivering the State
of the Union address talks about veterans. I certainly hope
tonight President Trump will talk about veterans.
And I have sort of a wish list. I don't know whether you
do. I would like to see the President of the United States
commit to immediate passage of the Richard Star Act. I would
like to see the President of the United States commit to
replace all of the 30,000 workforce who have been fired or
encouraged to leave--positions that are open now and are
essential to veterans' health care and other benefits. I would
like to see him commit to restoring contracts. We do not know
how many exactly, and we do not know which ones they are. But
we know that hundreds have been canceled. The VA has not been
forthcoming.
I would like to see the President commit to the full
funding of all the programs that benefit veterans, education
and training that are so essential to their making productive
lives when they leave active duty. And I would like to see him
commit to rescinding the interim final rule that we have been
discussing here today--rescinding it. The Secretary of the VA
can do it right away, and I would like to see the President
commit to it, as well as the reversal of the ban which--Ms.
Burt, you were talking about--that bars providing reproductive
health care to veterans.
Those are just some of the steps that I would like to see
him take. And I would like to invite anyone who wants to add to
that wish list to do so now.
Mr. Burke. Sir, if I might. The interim rule, according to
our research, has been in existence since 1958, evaluating
disability ratings in light of medications veterans are taking.
This is really not a brand-new concept, but the way it was
introduced created confusion and concern across the entire
veterans community.
VVA was engaged in professional dialogue with Secretary
Collins and senior officials to ensure veterans were protected.
Our concern is not political. It is about clarity,
transparency, and ensuring no veteran is harmed, now or in the
future.
Never again means never again. Veterans should not be
blindsided by regulatory action without clear communication and
opportunity for input, which we never had, and we did not,
obviously, have a clear communication from the VA. Our goal
really is simple, is to protect veterans today and prevent
problems for future generations.
Senator Blumenthal. Well, thank you, sir. I hope the
President is listening, or someone in the White House is
listening to you, because that interim rule needs to be
rescinded, or we need to do legislation that will, as you put
it very well, clarify what the rules are and make sure that
veterans understand, they do not have to sacrifice their
medical benefits in order to comply with this rule, which is
the threat that was raised, the confusion that was created, and
the unfortunate impact on the veteran community without any
real communication with them. Thank you.
My time has expired. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Chairwoman Mace. Yes. I will now recognize Mr. Luttrell.
Mr. Luttrell. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Mr. Brookshire,
ideally, in my opinion, as a veteran you are probably going to
appreciate what I am about to say. The transition from active
duty to veteran, it really does not exist as far as
information, moving from one space to the other. In my opinion,
we should be able to take all of the information, our service
records, our medical records, everything that we have touched,
tasted, felt, and smelled inside active duty, and it should
automatically move into the veteran system. I am leaving the
Navy, PSD says, ``hey look,''-- calls VA up,``Morgan is
inbound.'' We are going to drag all the information that lands
inside the VA. The VA says, ``I've got him. He's good to go,''
and everything is actioned.
When I am dealing with VSOs, it touched the homeless
population. The homeless population don't have all their
information. They either lost it, or wherever that goes. How do
we get out in front of the issue that affects our homeless
population while they are still in the DoD? Is there a
trajectory that we are missing? Is there information breakdown
that we can catch? And when you are engaging with the homeless
population, is there something that kind of elevates to the
top, like hey, this is what we are seeing in the vast majority
of our homeless veterans that we could probably catch while
they are still active duty, or the VA could pay more attention
to? Until--which I have been working on this for three years
now--until the system itself moves effectively and efficiently
for us.
Mr. Brookshire. I appreciate the question. I would like to
consult with the organizations that focus specifically on that,
specifically Black veterans organizations that focus on that,
and get back to you.
Mr. Luttrell. Because I deal with Black Veterans
Empowerment with Shawn Deadwiler. I do not know if you are
familiar with that gentleman. This is where he operates. And I
have asked the same question to him. But I am trying to gather
as much information as possible here so we can legislate that
appropriately. Because to your point, no veteran should be
forgotten. No veteran should be dismissed. And the system
itself, since its creation, has created that problem set. I
would like to say that you take the veteran out of the
equation, make the system correct, and the veterans are better
taken care of. And the reason I asked you that specific
question about our homeless population--and the answers that I
get, some of our homeless population is like, ``Hey, I'm happy
where I'm at.'' How are we supposed to address that?
Mr. Brookshire. Again, I do not know how to specifically
answer that question, but the first thing that comes to mind is
there is a disproportionate amount of homeless veterans who are
facing other-than-honorable or dishonorable discharges, so you
have to kind of address some of the root causation of that
within DoD, that puts them at a disadvantage to begin with when
they get out. And Black folks are overrepresented even today,
in the present data, twice as likely, almost three times as
likely, depending on branch of service, to get out with an
other-than-honorable discharge, which affects their
accessibility to benefits. So I think there is a need to
address the systemic racial justice issues relative to the
UCMJ.
Chairwoman Mace. All right. Thank you. I would like to
thank Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Blumenthal, we would like
to thank you for being here today. I will now recognize Ranking
Member Takano for closing remarks.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. Very briefly, I want to really thank
the sincere interest of my colleague from Texas, Congressman
Luttrell, in his questions. Congressman, your concern about the
transition of military servicemembers going smoothly, making
sure that all the data, information gets transferred from DoD
into the VA.
I want to suggest you take a look at legislation that I
have offered called EVEST, which would basically be an opt-out
program, so that veterans do not have to go and get into VA.
They are assumed and presumed to automatically be enrolled in
VA, and they have to opt out of it. That was what EVEST does.
Oddly enough, it does cost some money to do this. But I think
for that year, two years, three years that they leave the
military, that is a very critical time for them to be in touch
with VA and to know and learn about all the programs. They
should not have to opt in. They should automatically be put
into VA as number one.
Secondly, we know from the Vietnam War era, minority
veterans, African American veterans, Latino veterans, faced
disproportionate disciplinary actions, and upon review many of
them might retrospectively look very unjust, and I would say
unjust. And it is not just that particular war. It was many
other conflicts, where other-than-honorable discharges were
issued, and it is a big issue for the veteran community. And it
impacts their ability to get those transition services, and
many are disproportionately on the streets because of that
reason.
So, I think if we want to address veteran homelessness,
other-than-honorable discharges are something that we need to
look at rectifying. And it goes beyond minority veterans. It
goes to the general veteran population in addressing
homelessness. We need to look at what veterans are being denied
services that they need. And look who enters the military
service. It is not the wealthiest. It is not the most
privileged. It is people from low-income backgrounds who are
looking for a way out, a way up. And for many servicemembers,
the military has been an excellent place for that to occur. But
the transition services are so important.
Madam Chair, thank you so much for hosting these hearings,
and thank you to all the veteran service organizations for
being here and testifying. I yield back.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you. And I want to thank everybody
for being here today, for the veterans who served and traveled
through snow, through a blizzard, for their testimony today. It
is very clear we still have, no surprise, shocker, a lot of
work to do for our veterans when they come home. I am the
daughter of a Vietnam veteran, exposed to Agent Orange, have
seen the lifelong health complications that my father has had.
You would like to give remarks, as well? Okay. I will
recognize you.
Senator Blumenthal. I am happy to follow you, Madam Chair.
Chairwoman Mace. Okay, that is fine. You can go. Go for it.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you. Well, let me begin by
thanking you and our other House colleagues for making the long
trip over here. But I think this hearing has been very, very
useful. Thank you for your and Representative Takano's
leadership, and of course, Senator Moran. And I want to thank
all of you who have demonstrated your enormous patience and
perseverance in staying with us in the audience and, of course,
this panel, which has been excellent, like the last one. And as
I said at the very start, never doubt that you are making a
difference. You are the chief champions and advocates for our
veterans, and they need your voice and face.
I want to reiterate, for the record, that the Senate
Committee has yet to receive many of the most important
responses that we have urged--I was going to say demanded, but
that we have requested--from the Secretary of the VA, Doug
Collins. I am going to ask that our letter of February 4th,
almost three weeks ago, which asks for this information as
promptly as possible--we have not yet received more than half
of the responses that are due. If there is no objection, Madam
Chair.
Chairwoman Mace. So ordered.
[The letter referred to appears on pages 162-163 of the
Appendix.]
Senator Blumenthal. And again, I think transparency is so
important; transparency, the flow of information,
communication. Our veterans are attuned to listening. If you
are taught nothing else in the military it is pay attention.
Our veterans pay attention. And they deserve, and they need, to
be told the truth, promptly and accurately.
So thank you all for being here today because your
oversight is so important. And thank you again, Madam Chair.
Chairwoman Mace. Thank you, Senator. I would be remiss if I
did not recognize the Charleston Ralph H. Johnson Veterans
Affairs Medical Center for those who are here from South
Carolina. Some of the most preeminence and greatest
technologies coming out of there for our veterans. A lot of my
family gets served there, and we are very proud of their work.
But coming from a veteran family, talking about those that are
poor and destitute to get out of rural America and make
something of themselves.
My father went into the Army in 1963. He was from little
old Hampton, South Carolina. He knew to hunt. His family did
not have a lot of money. And when he went to Vietnam he was one
of the best sharpshooters they had, even though they did not
really have that back then. And, you know, he still has
shrapnel in his body from those days, from serving two tours in
Vietnam. And his best friend, Mr. Brookshire, was his radio
operator, a Black young man from North Carolina, who died in
that service. My father still cannot tell that story without
tearing up because of the sacrifices. Men and women from all
walks of life, all colors, have come forward to serve their
nation, valiantly.
And I appreciate the very open, the very honest
conversation we have had today. I would urge you all to
continue to use your voices, to be loud, to be heard, as we
work together for the future, for serving all of our veterans
across the country. I want to say thank you, I want to say
welcome home, and I want to say God bless each and every one of
you.
Thank you, and this concludes today's joint VSO hearing. I
think it is clear that the Committees, in collaboration with
the VA, under the leadership of Secretary Collins, have a lot
more work to do in service to our veterans and their families.
And, of course, we all are committed to the work needed for our
veterans and their families.
Chairwoman Mace. So I ask unanimous consent that all
members have five legislative days in which to revise and
extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials. And
hearing no objection, so ordered. This hearing is now
adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 12:23 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Prepared Statements
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Submissions for the Record
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Questions for the Record
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Statement for the Record
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]