[Senate Hearing 119-334]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-334
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN
LEGION AND MULTI VSOs: PARALYZED VET-
ERANS OF AMERICA, AMVETS, NATIONAL ASSO-
CIATION OF STATE DIRECTORS OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, TRAG-
EDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS,
NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE
UNITED STATES, MISSION ROLL CALL
=======================================================================
JOINT HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
UNITED STATES SENATE
AND THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
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MARCH 4, 2026
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
63-116 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
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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
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March 4, 2026
Page
SENATORS
Hon. Jerry Moran, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Kansas............. 1
Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from
Connecticut.................................................... 3
Hon. Thom Tillis, U.S. Senator from North Carolina............... 14
Hon. Margaret Wood Hassan, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire....... 17
Hon. Tim Sheehy, U.S. Senator from Montana....................... 18
Hon. Angus S. King, Jr., U.S. Senator from Maine................. 19
Hon. John Boozman, U.S. Senator from Arkansas.................... 20
Hon. Patty Murray, U.S. Senator from Washington.................. 21
Hon. Elissa Slotkin, U.S. Senator from Michigan.................. 25
Hon. Jim Banks, U.S. Senator from Indiana........................ 26
Hon. Tommy Tuberville, U.S. Senator from Alabama................. 28
Hon. Ruben Gallego, U.S. Senator from Arizona.................... 45
REPRESENTATIVES
Hon. Mark Takano, Ranking Member, U.S. Representative from
California..................................................... 4
Hon. Chris Pappas, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire........ 15
Hon. Kimberlyn King-Hinds, U.S. Representative from Northern
Mariana Islands................................................ 16
Hon. Morgan McGarvey, U.S. Representative from Kentucky.......... 23
Hon. Herb Conaway, U.S. Representative from New Jersey........... 24
Hon. Kelly Morrison, U.S. Representative from Minnesota.......... 43
INTRODUCER
The Honorable Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator from Kansas.............. 6
WITNESSES
Panel I
Dan Wiley, National Commander, The American Legion............... 7
accompanied by
Joseph Sharpe Jr., Director, Veterans Employment and Education
Paul Espinoza, Chairman, Veterans Employment and Education
Mario Marquez, Executive Director, Government Affairs
Cole Lyle, Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation
Linden Dixon Jr., Chairman, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation
Matthew Jabaut, Chairman, National Legislative Commission
Panel II
Robert Thomas Jr., National President, Paralyzed Veterans of
America........................................................ 28
Paul Shipley, National Commander, AMVETS......................... 30
Terry Prince, President, National Association of State Directors
of Veterans Affairs............................................ 32
LTG Walter E. Piatt, U.S. Army (Ret.), Chief Executive Officer,
Wounded Warrior Project........................................ 33
Anita Sullivan, surviving spouse of U.S. Navy Petty Officer First
Class
Michael Sullivan, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors..... 35
Major General Frank McGinn, U.S. Army (Ret.), President, National
Guard Association of the United States......................... 36
Jim Whaley, Chief Executive Officer, Mission Roll Call........... 38
APPENDIX
Prepared Statements
Dan Wiley, National Commander, The American Legion............... 55
Robert Thomas Jr., National President, Paralyzed Veterans of
America........................................................ 94
Paul Shipley, National Commander, AMVETS......................... 119
Terry Prince, President, National Association of State Directors
of Veterans Affairs............................................ 130
LTG Walter E. Piatt, U.S. Army (Ret.), Chief Executive Officer,
Wounded Warrior Project........................................ 149
Anita Sullivan, surviving spouse of U.S. Navy Petty Officer First
Class
Michael Sullivan, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors..... 188
Major General Frank McGinn, U.S. Army (Ret.), President, National
Guard Association of the United States......................... 236
Jim Whaley, Chief Executive Officer, Mission Roll Call........... 244
Statements for the Record
Air Force Sergeants Association, Keith A. Reed, Chief Executive;
Jon Nutman, Legislative Policy Advisor......................... 251
Berry Law, Jerusha S. Hancock, Esq., Chief of Legal Operations... 268
Hire Heroes USA, Ross Dickman, Chief Executive Officer........... 303
Military Order of the Purple Heart of the USA, Tracey Brown-
Greene,
National Commander............................................. 311
Military-Veterans Advocacy, John B. Well, USN (Ret.), Executive
Director....................................................... 326
Veteran Alliance for Leadership, Outreach, and Recovery (VALOR)
Coalition...................................................... 337
Veterans Education Success....................................... 341
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND MULTI VSOs:
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, AMVETS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE
DIRECTORS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, TRAGEDY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS, NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE
UNITED STATES, MISSION ROLL CALL
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2026
U.S. Senate, and
U.S. House of Representatives,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committees met, pursuant to notice, at 9:45 a.m., in
Room SD-G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Jerry Moran,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present from the Senate:
Senators Moran, Boozman, Cassidy, Tillis, Tuberville,
Banks, Sheehy, Blumenthal, Murray, Hassan, King, Gallego, and
Slotkin.
Present from the House:
Representatives King-Hinds, Takano, Pappas, McGarvey,
Conaway, and Morrison.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JERRY MORAN,
CHAIRMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Chairman Moran. [Raps gavel three times.] Good morning.
[Laughter.] What did we do? Commander, I need an explanation.
What did I do wrong?
[Laughter.]
Mr. Wiley. You rapped the gavel and for us, that is to
stand three times.
Chairman Moran. Ah.
[Raps gavel again.]
Chairman Moran. There is a fourth one.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you for the explanation. With the
sound of the gavel, I call this hearing to order this morning.
Good morning and welcome to everyone. I would like to thank
Chairman Bost along with Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano
and the rest of the Senate and House colleagues for joining us
here today in this year's final joint hearing between the House
and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs in this year, 2026.
And I want to specifically welcome Commander Dan Wiley and
his wife Sonia from my home State of Kansas, along with the
leaders of the other veterans service organizations who will be
testifying later this morning.
I also would like to extend a special hello, as my
colleagues will do for their home states, but particularly
today with Commander Wiley as the lead witness today, I want to
express my gratitude to the Kansans who are present here, who
are watching at home, and who have been in my office numerous
times, including this week. I appreciate the Kansans' presence
in the room and I am grateful for my relationship I have with
American Legion members from across my state.
I am grateful for the work that veterans service
organizations do every day to support veterans and their
families, caregivers, and survivors to advocate for timely,
high-quality health care and benefits that they have earned and
deserve.
The work we do in our Committees, in these Committees,
would not be possible without the tireless work and dedication
of organizations like the ones here today and the ones we will
be hearing from this morning. I look forward to hearing from
Commander Wiley and his fellow veteran leaders how your
legislative priorities advance veteran success and what more
these Committees, the Committee that I chair and the others,
can do to make certain that VA policies translate into real
improvements in the well-being of veterans we are all here to
serve.
With the Commander from Kansas's presence, I would like to
take a sidenote and express my appreciation and gratitude for
everyone's service. I am not a veteran. This is not what I
normally say at a hearing in this room. I was in high school
when Vietnam was occurring. I watched what happened when you,
those who served in Vietnam, returned home and how they were
treated. If you are a year older than I am, and certainly if
you are two years older than I am, you served in Vietnam. And I
saw how my classmates at home in Kansas were treated upon their
return to the United States shores following their service,
their honorable service in Vietnam. And I told myself, as a 16-
year-old kid, I am going to do everything I can to pay my
respects and honor those who served.
I never expected, fellow Kansans, to ever be a Member of
Congress, to serve in the House of Representatives, to serve in
the United States Senate. And with that responsibility of that
service came doing something more than just saying thank you.
Something comes more than just saying I respect you.
So I take it seriously, as do Members of this Committee,
Members of the Senate, Members of the House of Representatives,
Republicans and Democrats, we take it seriously to try to make
certain we do the things that keep our promises to those who
served in Vietnam and those who served elsewhere, around the
globe and in the United States.
So I am honored to have the opportunity to be here with a
fellow Kansan, now the National Commander of the American
Legion.
I yield to the Ranking Member, Senator Blumenthal, for his
opening statement.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
to Commander Wiley and the American Legion leadership who are
here today. I am a proud member in Connecticut, and I know we
have some Connecticut members here. Welcome to you and thanks
for visiting with me yesterday. Your perspectives and your
advocacy are invaluable to what we do. You are the reason that
we have the PACT Act today, just to take one example.
Yesterday I went to the floor of the United States Senate
and asked for unanimous consent to pass the Major Richard Star
Act.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. Unfortunately, it was blocked. I asked,
as a fallback, for a simple vote on the bill before August. It
was blocked, as well. The individual Senator blocking unanimous
consent is part of a small minority in the United States
Senate. The vast bipartisan majority of my colleagues support
the Richard Star Act, because they know it is unacceptable that
tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans are denied the
full military benefits they deserve.
The Chairman just talked about promises. Promises are
meaningless unless they are kept. We made a promise to these
veterans that they would receive both retirement and disability
benefits. We owe them both, and I promise you, I will not stop
fighting until we pass the Richard Star Act in this Congress.
[Applause.]
Senator Blumenthal. And I want to add that support for it
is bipartisan. I thank the Chairman, Senator Moran, for his
support, as well as others on this Committee, including the
House Ranking Member, Mr. Takano.
Yesterday The New York Times published an article entitled
``Despite Promises, Veterans Affairs Department Cut Thousands
of Roles for Doctors and Nurses.'' In fact, thousands of
positions have been left vacant. The numbers of doctors and
nurses, physicians, has declined by significant percentages,
which is a disservice to all of you here and the many, many
veterans around the United States who depend on the VA for
their medical care.
At our hearing last month, Secretary Collins said the VA
needs more doctors, and yet he has eliminated thousands of
physician jobs.
We need your help. We need your advocacy. We need your
voices and your faces, which is why it is so important you are
here today, so that we can maintain, restore, and even grow the
numbers of doctors, nurses, counselors, psychiatrists, all of
the team at VA health care that is so important to making sure
that we have sufficient workforce to serve the needs of our
veterans. Our veterans deserve nothing less than the best
world-class medicine. Thank you all for being here today.
Chairman Moran. Senator Blumenthal, thank you.
Representative Takano, the Ranking Member.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARK TAKANO,
RANKING MEMBER, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning,
everyone. It is truly great to see all of you here, ensuring
that my fellow Members of Congress and Americans tuning in from
the country hear directly from you. So I thank all the veterans
who have traveled here today, including those who have made the
trip from my home State of California. Where are you?
[Cheers.]
Mr. Takano. Thank you, California. Welcome. And welcome to
everyone from the American Legion. I would especially like to
welcome American Legion National Commander Dan Wiley of Kansas.
Mr. Wiley, Commander Wiley, you and I have had personal
conversations about how I actually spent time in Lawrence,
Kansas, one summer, so welcome.
Auxiliary National President Pam Ray of Illinois, and Sons
of the American Legion National Commander Bill Clancy of New
York, and I offer a hearty welcome to the representatives from
all of the organizations on our second panel of witnesses. Very
good to see all of you, and I look forward to engaging in an
enlightening conversation.
Just two weeks ago, Secretary Collins published an interim
final rule to cut veteran disability compensation benefits for
veterans whose service-connected conditions were improved by
medication. Thanks to a public outcry from VSOs, Members of
Congress, and many of you here today, Secretary Collins paused
enforcement and eventually rescinded the rule. Senator
Blumenthal and I led the effort here in Congress against this
rule, but our Republican colleagues were unwilling to join us.
Protecting veterans' benefits should be a bipartisan issue, and
my colleagues across the aisle should be willing to stand with
us in holding VA accountable when veterans and their benefits
are on the line.
In addition to the Secretary's harmful interim final rule,
VA is also carrying out a massive--massive--reorganization of
the Veterans Health Administration. This reorg effort warrants
bipartisan oversight--oversight. Now, VA does need improvement.
No doubt about that. But VA leadership appears to be trying to
align VA with developments in for-profit health care.
VA is not a business, and it should not mirror business
models. Following that business mindset, this VA aims to,
quote, ``do more with less,'' end quote. Now, that approach has
never really served veterans, in my opinion, and the data
suggests VA is already struggling with the less. The New York
Times reported yesterday that VA cut thousands of clinical
positions that were filled before the Administration and DOGE
started pushing staff out. VA told us that these were unneeded
COVID-era positions. But VA's own damning data tells us that
that is not true.
As was reported by The New York Times, about 73 percent of
the 10,500 vacant positions VA just eliminated were filled just
sometime in 2025 or 2026, well after the COVID era. These were
recent vacancies, and rather than filling them, Secretary
Collins just wiped those clinical positions off the books,
clinical positions that the medical centers said that they
needed.
Expanding care and benefits for veterans requires people,
doctors and nurses, claims processors, social workers,
researchers, police officers, and support staff. All these
roles help VA fulfill its mission.
I know each of you sees the value in securing veteran care
and improving the VA because each of you has served, and today
you continue to serve your fellow veterans and their survivors.
When you raised your hand and put on that uniform, you set
yourself apart. That commitment came when our Nation promised
that you and your family would be taken care of afterwards. You
fulfilled your duty. We must fulfill ours.
We sit here just days after President Trump committed our
Nation's most precious resource, our young men and women in
uniform, to another conflict. Several servicemembers have
already been killed or wounded. Our servicemembers are carrying
out difficult and dangerous missions far from home. They
deserve the full support of a grateful nation. That support
cannot end when they take off the uniform.
So I ask, has this Administration planned and budgeted for
the long-term costs of this conflict? Is VA prepared to provide
a lifetime of medical care, disability compensation, mental
health services, prosthetics, and caregiver support to the new
generation of wartime veterans?
President Trump and this Republican Congress have added
$150 billion for the Department of Defense in the so-called
``Big Beautiful Bill,'' but it did not include a cent for VA.
If this Administration is willing to send Americans into harm's
way, it must be willing to fully fund and strengthen the VA
system that will care for them for decades. That means passing
the Caring for Survivors Act. That means passing the Love Lives
On Act. And that means passing the Major Richard Star Act, as
well.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Just a little bit of history. I was Chairman of
the House side of the Committee when I passed the Vietnam Blue
Water Navy Bill out of the House for the second time,
unanimously. And why I had to do it a second time is that the
previous Chairman, a Republican Chairman, passed it also. I
think it was unanimous, as well. But procedures in the Senate
blocked it. Just a couple of Senators ran out the clock at the
end of that session.
And look, the politics in both houses, it is procedure that
is stopping the Major Richard Star Act. It is the will of the
majority of both houses of Congress, and I will be damned if we
allow procedure to stand in the way of passing the Major
Richard Star Act, and you should be damned as well. Keep the
pressure on.
And with that, with that belief, Senator Blumenthal
yesterday went to the floor to ask for a vote on this bill, and
shamefully it was blocked. Procedure again. In objecting to a
vote on the Major Richard Star Act, Senator Ron Johnson of
Wisconsin lamented how much it would cost, arguing that we
needed to prioritize funding for ongoing defense capabilities.
I say this is unconscionable. We are talking about compensation
for combat-injured veterans. This is a cost of war. And as we
sit here watching the President drag us into another conflict,
we must reckon with the long-lasting impacts it will have on
our servicemembers, our veterans, and their families.
Paying for the true cost of war means investing in VA now!
Mr. Chair, I thank you for bringing these organizations
before us today, and I look forward to frank and fruitful
discussions, and I thank you, and I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Ranking Member Takano, thank you.
INTRODUCTION BY HON. JERRY MORAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM KANSAS
Chairman Moran. I now have the honor of introducing a
Kansan and a friend, the National Commander of the American
Legion, Mr. Dan Wiley. Dan, of course, has a long history of
serving veterans, particularly those in the neighborhood of his
hometown, Leavenworth, Kansas. He has also been a trusted
advisor to me on issues impacting veterans at home and across
the country.
Dan served his nation in the United States Air Force, and
following his service he obtained a law degree from the
University of Kansas. He told me this morning he is a K State
fan. He used all his skills as an attorney to establish the
Leavenworth County Veterans Treatment Court. He was a district
court judge in the State of Kansas, and he used that
opportunity to find a new way to care for veterans who appear
before his and other courts in Leavenworth and across our
state.
During his service with the Legion, Dan has pretty much
done it all. He has held 24 different positions within the
American Legion, making certain that veterans have a friend who
will listen to them and advocate for them. I have seen that in
my own circumstance at pancake feeds and American Legion events
in my hometown and across the state as he has been there for
every veteran of our state.
Dan, like many veterans, has faced his own challenges and
hurdles in his life. After service, but rather than hide or shy
away from the challenges, he has shared them openly, letting
veterans know that they are not alone. I respect Dan for being
vulnerable and honest about mental health and using his
experience to reach out to veterans.
As National Commander he is a strong advocate for the
American Legion's ``Be The One'' campaign, to prevent veteran
suicide. Thank you for working to extend hope to veterans who
are struggling with their mental health and helping reduce the
stigma around asking for help.
Outside the American Legion, Dan is very involved in his
community back home, where he has worn many different hats,
helping organize and be the master of ceremonies at the
Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade, to serving on his local
Board of Education.
Commander Wiley, you have been a friend to me and a friend
to veterans, and I have no doubt that your vision and
experience is strengthening the mission of the American Legion
and making certain that the voices of veterans are heard and
that their needs are met with honor and with respect. I thank
you for those things. I thank you for your dedication to
serving veterans in Kansas and across the country and for being
here to testify today. I appreciate your family's sacrifice for
your service in this capacity, and I look forward to working
together on our shared mission of improving the lives of
veterans across the country and back home in our home state.
With that, Commander Wiley, you are now recognized.
PANEL I
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STATEMENT OF DAN WILEY, NATIONAL COMMANDER, THE AMERICAN LEGION
ACCOMPANIED BY JOSEPH SHARPE JR., DIRECTOR, VETERANS EMPLOYMENT
AND EDUCATION; PAUL ESPINOZA, CHAIRMAN, VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND
EDUCATION; MARIO MARQUEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS; COLE LYLE, DIRECTOR, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND
REHABILITATION; LINDEN DIXON JR., CHAIRMAN, VETERANS AFFAIRS
AND REHABILITATION; AND MATTHEW JABAUT, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL
LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION
Mr. Wiley. First, thank you, Senator, for that kind
introduction. Thank you, Chairman Moran, Ranking Member
Blumenthal, Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, and
distinguished Members of these Committees. On behalf of the 2.5
million members of the American Legion family, I appreciate the
opportunity to discuss our legislative priorities for the
second session of the 119th Congress.
I would like to begin by introducing the members of the
American Legion family here with me today. Please stand if you
are able as I recognize you. Our National Officers serving with
me this year, please stand. Our past National Commanders,
please stand. Pam Ray, National President of the American
Legion Auxiliary; William Clancy III, National Commander of the
Sons of the American Legion; and my daughter, Christy, my son,
Austin, and his wife, Jesse, with their son and my grandson,
Noah. And of course, the most important person in the room,
without a doubt, my wife Sonia. Thank you.
[Applause.]
Mr. Wiley. Our written testimony contains our complete list
of legislative goals, and they are all important. With limited
time, however, I will focus on several critical issues.
This is a pivotal time for our country. Recent military
action reminds us of the cost of service, shouldered by a
shrinking minority of American families. In our all-volunteer
force, military service has become a family business. And while
average time in uniform is just 4 to 8 years, the costs can
potentially last a lifetime. And as we mark the 250th
anniversary of our Nation's founding, it is essential we
examine those costs and make sure they are paid in full.
That is precisely why Congress chartered the American
Legion after World War I, to promote a strong national defense,
encourage civic education, and to create a community of
veterans to support one another, whose voices are heard by our
Nation's leaders. Since 1919, the Legion has been instrumental
in landmark changes, like the GI Bill, creation of the modern
VA, appeals modernization, and the MISSION Act. We created
programs like the American Legion Child Well-being Foundation,
legacy scholarships, and Boys Nation. Our mission, every single
day, is to serve those who served us.
At the post level, legionnaires serve their communities in
times of crisis. Just last year, after the tragic floods in
Kerrville, Texas, Legion Post 208 provided urgently needed
resources for those who had lost everything, and served as a
relief point for aid workers who came from across the country.
American Legion service officers assist veterans with
disability claims, and in 2025 alone, processed $29.5 billion
in claims for veterans. This was free of charge, regardless of
whether they were members of the American Legion or not.
Nationally, we partner with VA on the Buddy Check Week, and
our Be The One campaign to reduce stigma, provide critical
training, and ultimately save lives. Our System Worth Saving
(SWS) and regional office actuary review programs provide
policymakers with on-the-ground feedback regarding health care
and benefits. And we have continued to work with Congress to
ensure that while the Administration seeks bold change, there
is no reduction in accessibility of services and benefits to
any veteran or their family.
Just two weeks ago, the American Legion spoke against a
proposed rule that would change the way VA rates a veteran's
disability based on medication management. We were glad to see
Secretary Collins listen to the veteran community and
ultimately rescind the rule. We will remain vigilant, and we
will give you all of our feedback on what is working and what
needs to change.
The Legion's number one priority is ending veteran suicide.
VA estimates more than 17 veterans die every day by suicide.
Traditional approaches to this problem, pills and therapy, have
objectively not worked. We need stronger transition programs,
innovative therapies, and improved safeguards to medication
management. That is why we support things like the Fox Grant
Program, the BEACON Act, the Written Informed Consent Act, and
other bills that seek to address this problem. It is also why,
after a decade of legion advocacy, I was proud to be in the
Oval Office as the President signed an Executive order
reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III drug. This allows for
Federal research on how it can reduce drivers of suicide. The
American Legion does not support use of illegal drugs, but we
strongly support research that could result in new, effective
treatments.
An important part of suicide prevention, and ultimately
VA's core mission, is access to timely, quality health care.
And while most veterans prefer to receive from VA their care,
because it is a one-stop shop, community care has exploded
since the passage of the MISSION Act. Congress must provide the
necessary funding to ensure the VA system remains strong,
without curtailing a veteran's access to community care if it
is in the veteran's best interest. It is a difficult balance,
but one we are committed to helping Congress achieve.
Ultimately, veterans should get the care they need, when they
need it. But we must remain the center of all veteran health
care in the VA.
As we discuss VHA reorganization, the Next-Gen Community
Care contract, and acceleration of electronic health record
deployment, Congress must also address aging infrastructure and
give the VA authorities and funding it needs to compete with
the private sector job market.
As we all know, the veteran population is changing, and so
are its needs. Women veterans, the largest-growing
subpopulation in our community, experience homelessness,
depression, infertility, migraines, and other issues at a
higher rate than their male counterparts. This is attributed to
military sexual trauma and domestic violence. Congress should
pass legislation to improve research on how issues unique to
women veterans, including menopause, affect outcomes, and
increase the availability of gender-specific rehabilitation
programs.
Enabling veterans to thrive in a civilian life is a huge
task. Congress can make it easier by ensuring our
servicemembers do not experience financial uncertainty prior to
separation. When I served in the United States Air Force, I
never worried about getting paid on the 1st and the 15th of the
month. But as government shutdowns become more frequent, that
is no longer guaranteed. Not long ago, the Legion provided over
$1 million in grants to Coast Guard families because Congress
failed to do its job and ensure they were paid on time. We need
iron-clad protections to ensure uninterrupted pay for all
servicemembers in our all-volunteer force.
Finally, consider Major Richard Star, who deployed multiple
times and was diagnosed with lung cancer linked to burn pit
exposure. Before his death, he endured the indignity of a
wounded veteran's tax, an offset of his disability compensation
against his pension because he was medically retired before 20
years. This is wrong.
[Standing ovation.]
Mr. Wiley. Collecting both benefits is not double dipping.
Retirement is for time served. Disability compensation is for
harm caused during service. Congress must pass the
overwhelmingly supported, bipartisan Major Richard Star Act.
[Loud applause.]
Mr. Wiley. Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, and Members of the Committees, the way
America treats its veterans directly influences whether the
next generation raises the right hand to define our 250-year
legacy. On behalf of the entire American Legion family, thank
you for this opportunity to share our priorities, and my staff
and I welcome your questions.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Wiley appears on pages 55-93
of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. National Commander, thank you for your
testimony. We will now turn to questions of you and your
colleagues at the desk.
The Richard Star Act, let's start there, for my first
question. Would you share perhaps a member's experience, a
real-world example of a veteran and their family who would
directly benefit if the Major Star Act was passed? Explain how
it would change the quality of their life. Give us an example
of why it matters.
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Senator, and without naming the
individual, you and I both know an individual that suffered
harm while he was on active duty. He was in a Ghillie suit and
he was burned by that active-duty service, and because of that
was medically retired. So he receives that medical retirement
for that time in service. Also, you would not find surprising
because of the burns on his body he was entitled to disability
compensation for the harm caused. However, because of the fact
that he did not have the 20 years in time and service he has to
waive dollar-for-dollar his retirement for the disability
compensation he receives. And quite obviously, this takes funds
away from his family that would benefit his family for a
lifetime, and he has got a lifetime of care and a lifetime of
loss as a result of those injuries.
I appreciated the opportunity last month, as I said in your
office, and we talked about the Major Richard Star Act. And you
know me, I am probably more passionate than I am articulate.
But to that extent it just frustrates me that Congress cannot
get this passed, when we have 316 members in the House that
have signed on, and approximately 75 members in the Senate who
have signed on, and yet we cannot get it to a vote on the House
floor. The buck stops with leadership. They need to get a vote
on this, up or down, because our veterans are entitled to know
whether your Congressman supports our disabled and wounded
veterans or your Congressman is against us. That is what we
believe we are entitled to a vote on this, on the House and
Senate floor. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Commander, thank you for answering my
question. I would use this moment to again, as I told you in
our office when we last visited, that I am committed to trying
to do everything I can to accomplish that. Folks in this room
probably know, but should know, the jurisdiction of this bill
does not rest with the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it rests
with our Armed Services Committee. But we are working with the
leadership of the Armed Services, I am working with the
leadership of the Armed Services Committee to find a path
forward. And I spoke yesterday on the Senate floor about this
topic, and I have also spoken to my colleagues in the Senate,
that there is no opportunity for the sponsoring of a bill that
you are not willing to vote for when the time comes. Sponsoring
is insufficient. We want you to do that. But if the time is
right, we want to make certain that the votes occur, and there
is no hypocrisy demonstrated by Members of Congress.
You mentioned community care. It is a topic that I have
significant interest in. In large part, when I was a
Congressman, I represented a congressional district the size of
the State of Illinois. Not a VA hospital in that congressional
district, and distance was often the enemy of a veteran in
being able to access quality care at the VA.
Would you elaborate on--well, let me again say that
American Legion is a strong supporter of the ACCESS Act, that
Senator Blumenthal and I are trying to work out our differences
to see that we get it passed. Would you explain to the
Committee the importance of the ACCESS Act and why the American
Legion is supportive?
Mr. Wiley. Absolutely. Thank you, Senator Moran, for that
question. Community care is obviously important for our
veterans. Most of our veterans, as I said in our opening
remarks, are very happy with the care they get at the VA, and
they prefer that. But as you know, just like Kansas and much of
this country, there is a lot of distance between VA hospitals.
You are in western Kansas you might be four hours from a VA
hospital, so we have transportation issues. We have issues with
regard to obtaining care from a specialist. And ultimately, we
believe that the veteran should receive the care that is in
their best interest, and we believe that this ACCESS Act will
provide more oversight. We need to continue to have VA
oversight of community care, but community care is obviously
important for the best interest of our veterans. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. I recognize Ranking Member Blumenthal.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you, National Commander, for
calling attention to some of the most pressing needs of our
veterans. Obviously, the Richard Star Act is a priority for me,
not only as the Ranking Member of this Committee but also as a
member of the Armed Services Committee. And you have correctly
identified where the point of persuasion has to be with the
leadership, the leadership of the United States Senate and the
House of Representatives. So I urge every member here, if you
think the Richard Star Act ought to be passed, contact the
leadership of the United States Senate. And again, I thank
Senator Moran for his advocacy and his support.
I want to call attention to your advocacy on behalf of
women veterans. As you say in your testimony, ``they are the
fastest growing cohort of veterans.'' They are serving right
now in harm's way in the Middle East. Tragically, one of the
fallen is a woman National Guard member. We owe them the same
kind of health care and compensation benefits that our male
veterans receive.
What kinds of specific measures, if you could talk about
them, would you advocate to expand the service that we provide
to our women veterans?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Ranking Member Blumenthal, for that
question. And again, I appreciate your time as we had an
opportunity last month in your office to discuss these very
issues, and I know they are of concern to you.
Obviously, the women veterans is the single biggest growing
demographic. And I can tell you that VA care has improved
significantly in the 30-plus years I have been a member of the
American Legion. I have visited VA hospitals throughout this
country. We now have hospitals--not all; we need to do a lot
more--that have separate entrances, for example, for women
veterans. And I know there are a lot of bills that impact women
veterans, so I am going to ask our Veteran Affairs and
Rehabilitation Director, Cole Lyle, to expand on that answer.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Ranking
Member Blumenthal. The American Legion has publicly supported
the SAVES Act, which would expand the evidentiary standard for
VA to be able to consider non-VA evidence, lay statements,
nexus letters, things like that, in disability process claims.
As the Commander alluded to, infrastructure at a lot of VA
facilities, specific for women veterans, residential
rehabilitation programs, secure areas in VA facilities for them
to feel safe if they have experienced military sexual trauma or
intimate partner violence.
Also, Congresswoman Brownley has a bill to expand research
on menopause. There is not a lot of evidence. There is a lot of
anecdotal evidence. There is not a lot of research on
menopausal links to certain things that drive suicide. And as
we know, women veterans experience suicide at a much higher
rate than their civilian counterparts.
Senator Blumenthal. That is a great answer, and I want to
just volunteer my services, my office, on this issue and others
that you have raised, Commander, most especially the continuing
scourge of veteran suicide, the need to expand the PACT Act,
the importance of recognizing the next generation of toxic
exposures, very, very important.
And I want to just commend the American Legion for a
program that is very close to my heart. In Connecticut, and I
do not know how many of the other states have it, we have a
Boys State and Girls State program, which fosters future
leadership. Young people are chosen--it is a very competitive
program--to participate in a nearly weeklong series of
sessions, in usually it is a school location. They live in
dormitories. They participate in mock Senate and House
sessions. I think their conversations are considerably more
erudite and informed than I often find around here.
But I just want to say to the American Legion, providing
the role models, fostering the leadership, is so important. We
need to develop our future veterans. My son, who served in the
United States Marine Corps, as an infantry officer in
Afghanistan, my other son, who served as Navy SEAL, had you as
role models. And they, in turn, will be role models for others.
But you, in the American Legion, whatever your age, are role
models for our future leadership. Thank you for being there for
our great country. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. To what office were you elected at Boys
State?
Senator Blumenthal. I did not participate, but my sons did,
and it had an impact on them.
Chairman Moran. I am quite certain I was never a Senator at
Boys State. Representative Takano.
Mr. Takano. I was at Boys State California. I did not get
elected to anything, either.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Commander Wiley, one thing that I have heard
loud and clear from the veteran community this month is
veterans should never be punished for following medical advice.
When VA issued changes to how medication effects would be
treated in disability evaluations, did the Legion receive
advance notice or a chance to weigh in?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Ranking Member Takano, and again, I
appreciate your time and having the opportunity to meet with
you last month. The simple answer is no. But I will also tell
you that was an aberration for this Administration and the VA,
because we have been fortunate enough in the American Legion to
have been advised of most things. But we were not advised of
this, and if we had been we would have told them exactly what
we told them in the end, and that it was a terrible idea. So we
are glad they rescinded it. But thank you.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. Do you think VSOs like the American
Legion should be brought in early before policies are rolled
out, so that they are not surprised and trust is not shaken?
Mr. Wiley. Absolutely. The veteran community is entitled
and needs to be heard, yes.
Mr. Takano. There are several important bills pending that
would radically improve benefits for veterans, their families,
and their survivors, like the Major Richard Star Act, or
Representative Hayes's Caring for Survivors Act. Commander, you
have been very clear that these are earned benefits, not
favors. I see you are nodding your head. On bills like the
Major Richard Star Act and survivor reforms, do you agree that
Congress should not force veterans or survivors into a tradeoff
where one group's earned benefit is paid for by cutting another
group of veterans' benefits?
Mr. Wiley. Yes.
Mr. Takano. Do you think Congress should put the burden of
paying for veterans benefits increases on other veterans or on
the American people as a whole?
Mr. Wiley. No, not on other veterans.
Mr. Takano. Not on other veterans.
Mr. Wiley. There is an obligation to pay for what a veteran
has earned, and that is incurred at the time of service and
they time they were put in harm's way. So yes, the American
people and the American government, when they do that they have
an obligation, but it should not be put on the shoulders of
other veterans.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. That was the point. I think the
American people are very much willing to honor the obligations
that we made to them.
Commander Wiley, I sponsored the PACT Act, which has
certainly helped many veterans gain access to VA benefits and
health care that they have earned through their service. But
even as we were writing the PACT Act, we knew that the PACT Act
was only a step and that there would be more work left to do in
the future. Where should Congress push next, and what exposures
or cohorts are most urgent to address a PACT Act follow-on?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you again, Ranking Member Takano, and
obviously the PACT Act, when it was passed, there is a
mechanism in there for identifying future toxins that has not
been adequately used. But to further elaborate, I am going to
call on our VA&R Director, Cole Lyle, to answer.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and I see time is short so
I will try to be brief. Yes, the mechanism that the Commander
was talking about existed because Congress did not want to have
to legislate individual presumptive conditions going forward.
That process has been slow, and sometimes the process has been
opaque. So I think if there were mandatory timelines requiring
VA to review prospective presumptive conditions within, let's
say, 180 days, mandate some sort of external review if
presumptives were removed or an external review right after
they were finalized, and then codify that presumptives could
probably only be removed if there is overwhelming evidence that
contradicts the existing science that was used in the approval
process.
Mr. Takano. Well, is the Secretary fully leveraging the
authorities granted by Congress to establish new presumptives,
in your view, or could he be more assertive?
Mr. Lyle. I think Secretary Collins and the VA, as I said,
there are some conditions, that particularly like with K2
veterans, Red Hill, that could be advanced more quickly.
Mr. Takano. What would be more helpful, faster presumptive
decisions, clearer transparency on where conditions are in the
process, or better access to exposure record so veterans are
not left guessing?
Mr. Lyle. Sir, I would say all three. I think the DoD, the
ILER, the Individual--I am forgetting what the acronym stands
for--but basically the individual record of exposures to
servicemembers while they are on active service, that the DoD
could track and then give to VA. That was supposed to be made
available, I think, a year ago, and we are still waiting on
that. There are definitely things that could improve in that
process.
Mr. Takano. Well, thank you. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Senator Tillis.
HON. THOM TILLIS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Senator Tillis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks, everybody,
for being here today. I always like it when my colleagues ask
for people that are from California or whatever state. I would
like to know if we have got anybody here that either is from
North Carolina or spent a little quality time there in your
past, if you will please raise your hands.
[Hands raised.]
Senator Tillis. There you go. First off, an explanation on
the bolo. The Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina got recognized
after 137 years of racism, neglect, and more recently as a
target of the casino cartels. The reason I wear this today is
because they have disproportionately, in spite of all those
challenges, they are among some of the most courageous and
disproportionately represented people in Armed Services in the
State of North Carolina. So I am looking forward to them, now
that they have been federally recognized, putting a mark in
Lumbee and Robeson County focused on veterans and all those
great Native Americans that have served this country, in the
same way that you did. Thank you for your service.
You know, as I was looking at the written testimony and my
staff this week, I was trying to think of what I can do in my
remaining time here. It is 305 days. Now, some people think I
am counting the days before I am out of here, but I am a
project person, and I am always mindful of how much time I have
left in my budget. So as a U.S. Senator I have got 305 days to
do everything I can to help you guys.
One of the ways I want to help you is by having a frank
conversation about how we address all the things the Commander
has outlined, but not kill you with kindness. Because what we
do here a lot of times is we rush to pass a bill, and we get it
and we high five, and then about a year later we come back and
figure out why it has failed to be executed properly.
And quite honestly, I will give you the best example of
that. You all know that I voted, in spite of being an original
co-sponsor, and in spite of having the TEAM Act and the Camp
Lejeune toxics being written out of my office and promoted, I
voted against the PACT Act. And the reason I voted against the
PACT Act, even knowing that it was going to pass by
overwhelming majorities, is because I thought we were going to
come up short on the execution. And that, by God, is exactly
what has happened.
So one of the things that I hope to do in my remaining time
here, and my time is short on these comments, is to try and
convene a meeting to figure out how we can get to all these
priorities, past and future, Mr. Commander, but do it in a way
that is honest, that is instructed by the reality of resources
that we have here, to make sure that we can have maximum impact
on you all. And not only kind of fulfill the promise by passing
a law, but true to the state motto of North Carolina--it is
Esse quam videri--it says ``To be, rather than to seem.''
Instead of seeming to support you all by passing bills that get
caught up in execution, I want to be somebody that helps you do
that in my remaining tenure in the Senate.
So you will be getting a call from me, and we will get
other veterans service organizations together, and we are going
to figure out how to make the most out of the 305 days I have
left to begin to make an installment on a debt we will never
repay. Thank you.
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Senator Tillis, and I will tell you,
me and my staff are more than happy to contact with your staff
and work together to accomplish just that.
Senator Tillis. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Senator Tillis, thank you. Representative
Pappas.
HON. CHRIS PAPPAS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Mr. Pappas. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Commander,
thank you so much for your testimony here today, and I want to
thank everyone from the American Legion family who is joining
this hearing. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. It does
not go unnoticed by Congress, and we certainly owe you all a
debt, and have to work to repay that. And I think you have
given us an important roadmap of how we can pursue our
obligations to the veteran community and our Nation.
Thank you for highlighting veteran suicide as your number
one priority. It is on the minds of every veteran I talk to in
the State of New Hampshire, and a shout-out to all those from
the ``Live Free or Die'' State of New Hampshire who are joining
this hearing today.
I want you to know that this is important, and we need to
focus on the kinds of alternative therapies that can help
veterans manage pain and ensure that they are living with a
high quality of life. We have got legislation called the NOPAIN
for Veterans Act that can help reduce reliance on opioid-based
treatments for veterans. And I am just wondering if you can
kind of evaluate how we are doing at opening up the doors to
some of these alternative therapies that can result in a better
quality of life and less reliance on opioid-based medications.
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Representative Pappas. I appreciate
that question. It is no secret that far too long doctors have
prescribed opioids, which are destructive and addictive, to our
veterans. And the American Legion, by resolution, supports
alternative therapies, which is one of the reasons why we were
proud to be in the Oval Office on December the 18th when the
President signed the Executive order reclassifying cannabis
from a Schedule I to Schedule III. There are a lot of other
therapies that we believe would be productive for veterans, and
I am going to ask, again, our VA&R Director, Cole Lyle, to
address those.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Congressman.
The NOPAIN for Veterans Act, right now the VA still treats many
of these non-opioid pain management things, so long-lasting,
topical pain cream, things like that, non-opioid injectables,
as non-formulary, so it makes it harder for physicians to
prescribe. They have got to go through extra red tape to do it.
And it often costs more to the veteran out-of-pocket.
So the bill, and why it would fix that problem, is it would
mandate that VA add these no-opioid alternatives as VA
formulary, to make it easier for those providers to prescribe
alternatives, which, as the Commander noted, obviously we had
an opioid crisis in the United States. As the VA and other
agencies have worked to kind of lower that or reduce the impact
of that on the population, veterans still have to find a way to
deal with things like chronic pain. So without alternatives,
they turn to self-medication and things like that. This would
provide realistic alternatives.
Mr. Pappas. Well, I appreciate those observations. We are
committed to working with you on this, and on all the other
priorities on the list. We have got to make some progress here.
So let's get things moving. Your presence here in Washington is
a big show of support for priorities that are going to
positively impact the lives of veterans and their families all
across our country. So thanks for being here, and let's keep up
the pressure. I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Congressman. Representative
King-Hinds.
HON. KIMBERLYN KING-HINDS,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Ms. King-Hinds. First of all, I want to say thank you for
your advocacy and for your leadership, and I want to thank all
the members of the American Legions for being here, and for
your continued work to be able to get Congress to move on some
of these priority legislation. I appreciate all the hard work.
I read your testimony, and I appreciate the clarity and the
urgency in the testimony that you submitted. One of the things
that I want to get a better understanding of, after reviewing
your testimony, is from the priorities that you have outlined,
what do you believe is the single biggest systematic failure in
how we currently deliver benefits to veterans, and what
specific legislative action should we be prioritizing to
address it?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Representative King-Hinds. I am going
to ask, again, our VA&R Director, Cole Lyle, to address that
question.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander. I think if we are going to
talk specifics in the benefits process it is the high rate of
remands from the Board of Veterans Appeals, and that has
directly resulted from the quality of CMP exams in that
process. The VA largely utilizes contractors to conduct those
CMP exams, and there is fairly consistent, in our regional
office action review site visits we find inadequate DBQs that
are submitted for CMP exams, that result in appeals, delays,
things like that. So I would say that is the biggest----
Ms. King-Hinds. Point of failure?
Mr. Lyle [continuing]. Point of failure. And there are
several bills, to include the MDEO--I am forgetting on what the
specific bill number is off the top of my head--to improve the
oversight of those contractors and ensure there is quality in
those CMP exams.
Ms. King-Hinds. Okay. Where do you see is the widest gap,
then, between some of these legislation that have been enacted,
going back to the point that Senator Tillis was making with
regards to delivery, in terms of connecting legislation and the
actual delivery and the way that the VA currently does its job?
Mr. Lyle. It is a great question. From a 30,000-foot view
perspective, I would say really education and advocacy, and
educating veterans, many of whom often feel like if they apply
for disability compensation they are going to be taking
something away from another veteran. So I would say from a top-
level view that is the biggest thing, between legislation and
actual delivery of benefits is educating veterans.
Ms. King-Hinds. I would like to continue working with the
American Legion to figure out how to actually address those
systematic failures. Thank you. I yield my time.
Chairman Moran. Senator Hassan.
HON. MARGARET WOOD HASSAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator Hassan. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and to you and
Chairman Bost and Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, thank
you for this hearing. And to everyone here today, to Commander
Wiley and everyone from the American Legion, including the
Granite Staters who are in attendance, thank you for your
service.
I also just want to note that as the country is at war, our
troops in harm's way are in all of our hearts today, as are the
families of our fallen heroes.
Our country owes all of you a debt of gratitude, not just
for your service in uniform but also for your service to your
fellow veterans.
Commander Wiley, I wanted to start with a question about
how we are handling services for women who are, of course, the
fastest-growing group of veterans. They obviously deserve easy
access to care that is specific to them and their needs.
Senator Blackburn and I are working on this issue, and we are
going to introduce a bill soon that would codify the ability of
women veterans to directly schedule gender-specific care
without having to get a primary care referral first. But we
know we need to do more.
Commander, what else can Congress do to ensure that women
veterans have easy, reliable access to the care that meets
their specific needs?
Mr. Wiley. I think a couple of things that they can do
specifically. As I suggested, or saw in one of the VA hospital
visits, is having a separate access for women veterans. It is
also having a sufficient number of doctors that can treat women
veterans. You know, 20 years ago you would never have heard of
an OB-GYN in a VA, and we have, obviously, veterans that are
having babies. And we need more women physicians and more of
those types to treat women veterans. So those are the big
things we can do right off the bat, I think, to help women
veterans.
Senator Hassan. Thank you for that, and I look forward to
working with you and your members on that issue.
Another question concerning families of veterans. It is not
just to care for our veterans, we also owe a debt to their
families. And after a veteran passes, surviving family members
may encounter financial strains. Some can qualify for monthly
payments under Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), but
those payments can be much smaller than what a veteran was
receiving for VA disability.
Commander, what are some potential options that Congress
should consider to help these families through this adjustment
period, so that they do not have to immediately worry about
money while they are grieving for their loved one?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you again, Senator Hassan. I agree with
you 100 percent on the premise, and I am going to ask our VA&R
Director Cole out to address that specifically.
Senator Hassan. Thank you.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Senator. I
think the American Legion has supported the Caring for
Survivors Act and the Love Lives On Act specifically to raise
the DIC, the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, because as
you pointed out, while their servicemember is alive they rely
on a certain level of income for the quality of life and
standard of living, and when it gets significantly reduced that
is a pretty big financial shock.
Senator Hassan. Sure. Thank you very much. I yield.
Chairman Moran. Senator Sheehy.
HON. TIM SHEEHY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA
Senator Sheehy. We are veterans, not victims. Veterans, not
victims. And we are not entitled to anything. We have earned
the benefits that we deserve, and we deserve those benefits in
the form that they should come. And I think the best thing we
can do for our veterans when we get home from war--and I will
talk to Mr. Sharpe and Espinoza about this--is make sure that
they can serve again, and that can be as law enforcement
officers, that can be as a firefighter, that can be as a small
business owner, a machinist, a welder. Right now America has a
skills gap. We do not have enough pilots, police officers,
firefighters, welders, electricians, and these careers are
actually well suited for veterans. Probably the best careers as
veterans even is agriculture. We do not have enough producers,
ranchers, and farmers, and we are not afraid of getting up
early and working until the sun goes down. And these jobs are
important for the future of America. They sustain our economy
and they feed our Nation.
So Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Espinoza, I would like to hear from
you what you think we can do to make sure that when our
veterans come home and take that uniform off they do not spend
the rest of their life talking about how great it was to be
veteran. They spend the rest of their life achieving new great
heights as veterans and make us proud yet again.
Mr. Sharpe. Thank you for that question. The American
Legion has always supported expansion of the TAP program. We
believe TAP program should be a way for veterans to find
employment and also be gainfully employed. Currently not all
our veterans are aware of the various services that are out
there for veterans as far as finding employment, so the
American Legion has, for our resolution, we believe that there
should be a transition app with an AI component to it, to put
all veterans that are leaving the military on a level playing
field. Because depending on what installation that you are
leaving from it may not have all the services for everyone. So
we believe that transition app is the one thing that will level
the playing field, keep veterans informed of all the services
and programs that the TAP office currently has, but also keep
an eye on what is happening in the private sector, as well.
Thank you.
Senator Sheehy. What I say one thing I could use all of
your help with is one of the requirements to receive your DD
214 upon discharge should be a full transfer of your health
records to the VA, a VA disability physical has been completed,
and you are ingested into VA before the DoD lets go of you.
That would solve this chasm that too many veterans fall into,
which is they step off active duty and they spend months or
years or the rest of their lives trying to get into the VA,
trying to get the disability claims adjudicated. That should be
a condition of discharge, and I think the sooner we adopt a
clear transfer of health records and health status from the DoD
to the VA will solve that problem. Thank you.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Senator Sheehy. Senator King.
HON. ANGUS S. KING, JR.,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not want to
throw shade at you guys but you were talking about Boys State.
I was Governor of American Legion Boys State.
[Applause.]
Senator King. Now, the tricky part, Boys State was
Virginia, and later I was elected Governor of Maine, and the
people of Maine are still trying to figure that out.
[Laughter.]
Senator King. And also I want to congratulate you on Matt
Jabaut being your Legislative Director. But it is pretty sneaky
because he lives a mile away from me. Having your chief
legislative guy as my neighbor, I think that is, you know, come
on, man.
I want to follow up on Senator Sheehy. There is a bill we
are hoping to get in markup that would allow, and in fact
mandate, the registration of people into the VA health system
before they leave active duty. So I hope that is something we
can work on together, because I think that is a really good
idea.
One of the things I have been focused on since I have been
here is transition. My rule is very simple. The government
should spend as much money, time, and effort on transition out
as they do on recruiting in, and they do not do that. So I hope
that is something we can work together on. TAP promotion, I
think we almost made it last year, giving the VSOs access to
people during the TAP process. The whole idea is to give people
leaving active duty more information about what is available.
You are nodding. I hope you agree, Mr. Wiley.
Mr. Wiley. Senator King, we absolutely agree with you. To
have the VSOs have access will make that transition to the
community much easier because we can provide them the
information necessary so they can make that transition into the
community.
Senator King. Something else that I am working on in the
area of veteran suicide, which is one of the great tragedies of
this country, is for the VA to provide free lockboxes for
firearms, to any veteran. Seventy-five percent of veteran
suicides, almost 75 percent, are with firearms, and as we have
learned, the data shows that if there is any gap between the
idea and execution, self-execution, that that can be a real
help to somebody who is thinking about this terrible act. So I
hope that is something you can also help us with. It is based
on a pilot program in Utah that has been very effective. We are
not taking any names. This is not gun control. This is safety
for veterans. So I hope you can help us on that one.
Mr. Wiley. Senator King, we absolutely support that.
Senator King. And then, finally, staffing issues at the VA.
We all know that the VA has lost a lot of people in the last
year. The number, I have heard 30,000. I have heard more. What
I want from you is reports from the field as to whether or not
that is having an impact on service for veterans. We have
gotten the word from the VA. They feel, the Secretary, you
heard him the other day, everything is good and wait times are
down. But I would like some feedback from people in the field
as to whether that is the case. Because you are the ones that
are actually experiencing this, and we are looking to fix
problems here, but we cannot fix the problems if we do not know
what they are.
So I look forward to working with you on that, as well. And
thank you very much for your leadership, and I look forward to
continuing our work together on behalf of American veterans.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Governor, thank you for your questions.
[Laughter.]
Chairman Moran. Senator Boozman.
HON. JOHN BOOZMAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS
Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
being here. I thank all of you for being here. In the last
several years, Congress has been able to step forward and
again, as somebody whose dad did 20 years, I understand that
these are, as Senator Sheehy just said, ``these are certainly
earned benefits.'' And we have been able to accomplish a lot,
but the only reason we have been able to accomplish it is
because of you all. And so there is nothing more heartwarming
to sit here and look out and see a full chamber. People on the
wall, that is a good thing. There is no substitute for you
being here, talking to the people that represent you, telling
them how important these things are and why they are needed.
And because of your help, like I said, we have been able to do
a lot of good things, and we will continue to do that in a very
bipartisan way. That is really what it is all about.
So, the VA recently released its annual Veteran Suicide
Prevention Report with the date 3/20/23. It shows that veteran
suicide crisis, as you all know, continues to rage. The report
highlighted the success of the Staff Sergeant Fox Grant
Program, making more than 24,000 referrals and 854 lifesaving
emergency service-connections for veterans.
Mr. Wiley, what have you heard from your members regarding
the program and aspects that need to be changed or improved?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate the question. I
think there are several things that can be done with regard to
the epidemic of veteran suicide. As you know, this is our
number one mission in eliminating the stigma. But more
resources, number one, are needed for mental health. We need
more resources for things to combat homelessness, like the HUD-
VASH program. And we need basically--I lost my train of
thought. I apologize.
I am going to ask Cole Lyle to elaborate on that. Thank
you.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander.
Senator Boozman. You are just trying to make me feel
better. That happens to me more often than not [laughter].
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Senator Boozman. I think the success
of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Grant Program, over the
years we have seen the VA move closer and closer to the
community, from medical centers to CBOCs to vet centers, and
now things like the Fox Grant Program, that are not VA
organizations but leverage VA funding to provide that outreach
to veterans, which is crucial because less than 50 percent of
veterans use the VA. The number of veteran suicides with the
declining population has stayed stagnant, so the rate of
suicide, if you look at the data, has actually increased.
And these types of programs are local programs that
veterans trust, that are in their community, that provide that
outreach, and deal with the upstream factors of suicide, like
transportation, relationship issues, acute financial stress,
any number of different things. So we want to get to the
veteran before there is a critical mass of despair, and
programs like that are really helpful.
Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, thank you
all for being here, and the fact that you are pushing hard and
together, we are getting a lot done.
Chairman Moran. Senator Boozman, thank you. Senator Murray,
former Chairman of the Committee.
HON. PATTY MURRAY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON
Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank
you to all of you who are here today and everyone in this
country who has served our Nation. We all owe you, and we all
say this, a debt of gratitude for your service, but it is more
than that. We owe you to keep the promise that when you come
home we will be there for you in any way, both to the current
veterans and to the ones who we will see in the future.
I think it is really important today, Mr. Chairman, and
this has kind of been glossed over, this point of time that we
are in, where we have a President who is taking us to war in
Iran, who seems to have no problem sending other kids off to a
war but seems to have a problem in picking up the tab when it
comes right by doing our servicemembers when they come home.
With a VA right now that has waiting lines, that veterans
cannot get served, that we see doctors and nurses who are not
being hired, and no thought has been given to that. What we
hear from Trump is that he is saying that this bombing campaign
in Iran could go on indefinitely. He is saying the death of our
servicemembers in a war of choice is, quote--and he said this--
``just the way it is.'' He is saying he will not rule out
putting American boots on the ground in Iran. I think it is a
very serious time for our country.
I have served on this Committee for more than 30 years. I
know the consequences of war, as each and every one of you does
in front of me. And to go to war without preparing for the
future, and making sure that we are there for the men and women
whose service, and we thank them for that, but when they come
home, as well. And, Mr. Chairman, we are not ready for that
today.
This has to be a consequence that we consider. For numerous
reasons I am going to be using my voice today to vote ``no'' on
the war in Iran. But it is the responsibility of this Committee
and every Member of Congress to think about all the
consequences of war and take that into account and hold this
Administration accountable and make that clear when we make our
choices, moving forward. I felt it was really important to say
that today, with all of you who have served our country, and
know what those sacrifices mean.
So, Mr. Chairman, I only have a few seconds left, and with
that I want to change the subject and thank you, Commander
Wiley, for saying the word ``menopause.'' Having been on this
Committee for more than 30 years, this is the first time I have
heard it, and I think I counted four times.
For our women whose service in this country, we know that
they experience early menopause after having served in the
military, more than women in the general population. We need to
know why, and we need to be able to make sure that we are doing
the right thing for those women. I did introduce a bill last
year for the VA to do more research on that. That, along with
all the other things that you were talking about today have as
serious a consequence today as we are in this time, where a
President has taken us to war in Iran without congressional
consent, as any other time.
And I want to thank every one of you for being here. And my
promise to all of you is I will fight to make sure, no matter
what goes forward, that this Committee and this Congress will
do, for our veterans who serve us, the right thing when they
come home, and we have to take that cost into account as we
make these decisions.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Moran. Senator Murray, thank you. Now I recognize
Mr. McGarvey.
HON. MORGAN MCGARVEY,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM KENTUCKY
Mr. McGarvey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for
being here today. Thank you for your continued service to our
country. Mr. Wiley, thank you guys. The American Legion, you
all have spent generations making sure that our veterans are
taken care of when they come home, that they continue to have
meaningful lives after their service. And I know everyone on
this Committee shares that same goal of making sure that we get
our veterans the care that they have been promised, that they
have earned, and that they deserve.
I think one area where the VA could be doing much more
right now is getting innovative ideas off the ground. You heard
Senator Murray talk about the need for research, particularly
among our women veterans right now. Look what the VA has at its
disposal. It is the largest patient population of any hospital
system in the country, by multiples, 9 million patients. We are
the largest longitudinal dataset of any health system in the
country. Think about it. We get you oftentimes when you are 17
or 18 years old. We keep you until the day you die. Seventy-
five percent of physicians do some sort of training or work in
the VA right now. And what are we doing with this treasure
trove of talent and information? Not enough. Not nearly enough.
Right now, even really good ideas can sit around for years
before veterans are able to see them, because the VA does not
have the tools or the flexibility that other agencies use. We
have the stuff there but we have structural impediments to it.
At places like the Department of Defense and NASA, they can
partner quickly with early stage companies that guarantee a
market for promising technologies, and they can move these good
ideas and these research things from concept to real-world use,
without getting buried in red tape. The VA does not have those
same authorities. And the veterans are the people who feel the
impact of that delay and that bureaucracy every day.
It does not have to be this way. We can empower the
innovation team at the VHA to conceive and test new solutions
that go after the hardest problems that our veterans face. And
think about this, we solve these problems for our veterans, we
can start solving them for everyone in the country.
So, I want to go to you, Mr. Wiley, and just say if the VA
had flexibility and authorities to test and scale these types
of new care models quickly, what kinds of innovative programs
would you want them to prioritize first to better meet the
needs of your members?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you for that question, and absolutely, we
are always looking for different methods of treatment to treat
our veterans that might be more successful than those have been
in the past, because we believe that is one of the main ways to
combat the epidemic of veteran suicide.
But with regard to the specifics, again, I am going to ask
our VA&R Director, Cole Lyle, to address that.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Congressman.
I think some basic programs like digital matching tools, I
think there is a pilot program for identifying substitute
caregivers that could be directly expanded and utilized
nationally, so caregivers could have trusted resources for
substitutes to come and care for their servicemember. Hybrid,
in-person telehealth type things, where there is a remote
monitoring with the wearables and home sensors. So for rural
veterans that have to travel long distances for chronic pain
management and things like that, they only have in-hospital
visits for severe issues that are not routine, and they can do
telehealth appointments for things that are pretty routine. So
it would reduce readmittance rates, wait times, things like
that, that the VA could utilize pilot and expand rapidly if
they had those authorities.
Mr. McGarvey. Thank you so much. I am out of time, Mr.
Chairman. I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Representative Conaway.
HON. HERB CONAWAY,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW JERSEY
Mr. Conaway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I tell you, I
like Senator King because as it turns out I was Boys State
Governor, as well, in New Jersey, in 1980.
[Applause.]
Mr. Conaway. I have not gone on to become a Governor, but
it certainly was a very impactful time of my life that
certainly has paved my way to going into elected office.
Thank you, Commander Wiley, for your testimony, and thank
you to the American Legion and this panel for your advocacy and
leadership. I wanted to take this time to shout-out to my local
American Legion post, of which I am a member, Slade-Valentine
Post in Burlington City, 336. Where are you guys? I think they
are here. New Jersey folks, there you are. I am happy you are
here with us in the audience, as well.
As a physician and veteran, I have been extremely
disappointed with the VA's decision to shrink its medical
workforce. We all know that in order for the VA to continue to
provide quality care it must be fully staffed. Just yesterday,
the VA reported 1,500 vacancies among its physician workforce,
and 4,900 vacancies with respect RNs in the VA. Our veterans
depend on these medical professionals. Quality care depends on
quality, fully staffed workforce.
What would you say are the biggest barriers, and
particularly given your emphasis, rightly, on mental health
services for veterans? And here, I want to thank Senator King
who is working with us on trying to get telehealth services in
a pilot to veterans who are incarcerated, and also for his
effort, and he has mentioned it here today, to lift the cap so
that we can help the VA recruit more physicians into the
service. But what would you say are the biggest barriers to
veterans trying to access mental health services within the VA?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you. I appreciate that question. And I am
going to ask our VA&R Director, Cole Lyle, to address that
question.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Congressman.
I think, obviously, outreach is a huge thing. The VA's budget
for mental health and suicide prevention outreach I think is
hovering around $600 million right now, which sounds like a
large number. A big portion of that is going to the Fox Grant
Program, and advertising things like that. That represents less
than 1/10th of 1 percent of VA's overall budget.
So outreach could definitely improve. I think utilizing
VSOs, things like the Fox Grant Program, making it easier for
local and state-level organizations to access those funds and
expand those funds, primarily authorize the program, would be
very helpful.
Mr. Conaway. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Thank you. Senator Slotkin.
HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MICHIGAN
Senator Slotkin. All right. You are almost done, I think. I
am Senator Elissa Slotkin from Michigan, a former CIA officer.
I did three tours in Iraq alongside the military. And I want to
associate myself with Senator Sheehy's comments, but
particularly mention a piece of legislation he and I are
working on, on making sure that the GI Bill gives the same
benefits for a veteran choosing an apprenticeship versus going
into education of some kind. Right now you get dinged every six
months if you are in an apprenticeship, and your benefit just
does not go as far.
We have talked to the Legion about this. I think we are on
the same page. But I just want to put a marker down that at a
time when our country needs, again, so many specific career
types--a lot of those career types that Senator Sheehy
mentioned, especially skilled trades, are apprenticeships, and
you should not be dinged because you want to go into a
successful career in the trades versus going to a four-year
university. So I just wanted to put that marker down.
But as a part of this kind of post-9/11 generation, I want
to raise a separate issue, and if not get an answer, get this
community thinking about this, artificial intelligence in
deciding what benefits our veterans get or do not get. There is
a lot of discussion about bringing artificial intelligence into
the VA. I am working on legislation right now debating this.
And there are lots of pilot programs being looked at.
What I am concerned about is that before we hardly know
what is happening, we are going to let software decide if a
veteran gets a benefit or not. And I have got a problem with
that. And we understand that AI can do amazing things and can
amalgamate data and figure out if a veteran has got all their
paperwork in, but does the Legion have thinking on this? Who is
the thought leader that is trying to help our veterans
organizations think through this new, hot issue that is coming
to a theater near us?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate your question.
And let me give you an example of a recent visit I had to a
regional office and explain, in my mind, how artificial
intelligence can be productive.
What they do is use artificial intelligence for
administrative tasks such as organizing records and putting
those all together for a reviewer or rater. What should not
happen, and what we cannot allow happen, is for artificial
intelligence to substitute for judgment.
Senator Slotkin. Right.
Mr. Wiley. Judgment has to be a human being that can review
all of the evidence and make an independent determination using
everything they know. Artificial intelligence is not a
replacement for that.
Senator Slotkin. Yes, so thank you. And, Mr. Chairman, I
just think this is an issue we are going to have to deal with
as a Committee, both Chairmen here and Ranking Members, of just
how much power are we going to give to AI to decide if a
veteran gets reimbursed for something, if a veteran qualifies
for something. I just think we are moving very fast and there
are some real benefits, I know, but a human being needs to be
in the decision tree before we start making life-and-death
decisions for veterans.
So I appreciate everyone's work here, and thank you. I
yield back.
[Applause.]
Chairman Moran. Senator, thank you. Representative Takano
has an additional question I am going to allow him to ask, and
then we are going to turn to the Senator, and then we are going
to conclude this panel. There is a vote that started in the
Senate, and we will have a change to our second panel during
that vote. Senator? Representative?
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, with The New
York Times article yesterday, I wanted to quickly ask a
question about staffing. Veterans' care does not happen without
staff, and Commander, are you hearing from legionnaires about
appointments being pushed out or services getting harder to
access?
Mr. Wiley. Anecdotally, the answer is yes.
Mr. Takano. So anecdotally. For the legionnaires here
today, I just want a show of hands. Are you experiencing
delayed care or longer wait time because a clinic, a CBOC, did
not have enough staff? Just raise your hand, by show of hands.
[Hands raised.]
Mr. Takano. All right. So a number of hands have been
raised. Thank you. I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Thank you, Ranking Member. Senator?
HON. JIM BANKS,
U.S. SENATOR FROM INDIANA
Senator Banks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all,
welcome to the many Hoosier legionnaires who are in the
audience. I am very proud to be your Senator. I am a member of
the American Legion Post 98 in my hometown, Columbia City,
Indiana, and I am very proud of it.
[Applause.]
Senator Banks. Our veterans count in the American Legion
and all of our great veterans service organizations to advocate
for the very best possible health care, education, and
disability benefits for our veterans every day, and I want to
thank all of you for the important work that you do.
Commander Wiley, I strongly agree that veterans deserve a
claims and appeals system that is simple, efficient, and worthy
of their service. I appreciate the Legion's support for my
Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act that I have introduced, that we
worked with you on. Can you talk about the bill and why it
would be helpful?
Mr. Wiley. Thank you, Senator Banks. It is something that
is important to us, and I am going to ask our VA&R Director,
Cole Lyle, to specifically address that.
Mr. Lyle. Thank you, Commander, and thank you, Senator. The
act you cited is a great idea. There are a lot of specific
provisions in there, reporting requirements from the VA, making
the process more transparent.
I know there have been concerns in the veteran community
about aggregation of data. I think obviously, as mentioned
earlier, there is a high remand rate from the court.
Aggregation, particularly for presumptive conditions, could be
a good thing, if granted. I understand we have had
conversations with your office about an opt-out if they choose
not to, because one of the big concerns would be the veteran
losing their individual POA, and that would be particularly
difficult to deal with if it was an aggregated claim that got
denied. It would just kind of clutter the system.
So if we could work with your office on improving the
language for the bill, just discussing some of the concerns and
make it more effective, if passed.
Senator Banks. I am glad to work with you on that. Thank
you for that explanation.
Commander, the VA's legal authority to care for homeless
veterans expired during the government shutdown last fall. We
can never let that happen again. And I am introducing
legislation to make the Health Care for Homeless Veterans
(HCHV) Program permanent, so that it cannot shut down during a
shutdown. Can I count on the Legion's support to help pass that
bill?
Mr. Wiley. Yes.
Senator Banks. Very good. All right. Well, thank you for
that. Again, thank you for all that you do, each and every one
of you in the room, and your leadership. I am a big fan of the
American Legion. I am proud to be a member. With that, Mr.
Chairman, I yield back.
Chairman Moran. Senator Banks, thank you very much.
National Commander, thank you for you and your team's
testimony. I will use a moment to recognize the National
Commander of the Sons of the American Legion. I am a member of
the Sons of the American Legion, and use this as an opportunity
to indicate to others like me that there is an opportunity to
serve veterans and to be a part of the American Legion program.
With that we close out this panel and transition to our
second panel. Again, Commander Wiley, thank you. I will see you
in Kansas at some point in time. But thank you to your entire
team of American Legion advocates and workers on behalf of our
Nation's veterans and their families.
We will take a brief recess to allow the American Legion
panel and the audience members to depart, and our second panel
organizations and members to get situated. We are pausing.
Thank you.
[Recess.]
HON. TOMMY TUBERVILLE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALABAMA
Senator Tuberville [presiding]. Welcome, everybody. You can
take your seats. We will get started. Welcome to our second
panel of witnesses and audience members. Thanks for being here
today.
In our second panel today we have Mr. Robert Thomas,
National President for Paralyzed Veterans of America; Mr. Paul
Shipley, National Commander for AMVETS; Mr. Terry Prince,
President for National Association of State Directors of
Veterans Affairs.
[Applause.]
Senator Tuberville. You have a pretty good contingent here,
Terry.
Lieutenant General Walter Piatt, Chief Executive Officer
for Wounded Warrior Project. Thanks for being here. Ms. Anita
Sullivan, surviving spouse of Navy Petty Officer Third Class
Michael Sullivan, testifying for Tragedy Assistance Program for
Survivors; Major General Frank McGinn, President for National
Guard Association of the United States; and Mr. Jim Whaley,
Chief Executive Officer for Mission Roll Call.
Thank you all again for being here and for your
organizations' hard work and dedication. You provide tremendous
value to our Committee.
So we will start now. Mr. Thomas, you are recognized for 5
minutes, and we will just go down the line.
PANEL II
----------
STATEMENT OF ROBERT THOMAS JR., NATIONAL PRESIDENT, PARALYZED
VETERANS OF AMERICA
Mr. Thomas. Chairman Moran, Chairman Bost, and Members of
the Committees, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you
today on behalf of the tens of thousands of veterans with
spinal cord injuries and disorders who rely on VA's benefits
and care.
The VA is the best health care provider for veterans with
catastrophic disabilities. The Department's Spinal Cord
Injuries and Disorders System of Care provide a coordinated,
life-long continuum of services. There is no comparable private
system of care in the community. Thus, preserving and
strengthening VA's specialty care system remains PVA's highest
priority, and it should be for you too.
When I appeared before these Committees last year, I spoke
about the ways that ongoing staffing deficiencies and
infrastructure problems were undermining not just VA's SCI/D
System of Care but VA's specialized services in general. Now,
much has changed since then, and it is frustrating to have to
bring up this, year after year, without resolution.
Unfortunately, the previous administration's practice of
simply eliminating unfilled positions continues. This is
extremely concerning because it presents the illusion that
staffing levels are better than they really are, and I must
call a ``foul'' on this. Because at the same time positions are
being eliminated, it could be difficult to fill them due to the
staffing caps and funding limitations. I urge you to continue
to press VA for answers regarding how it plans to care for the
tens of thousands of veterans with SCI/D who are on its
registries and depend on VA for quality, timely, direct care.
This cannot be allowed to continue for another year.
Access to lifelong services and supports continue to be
crucial for PVA's members. We are very appreciative of
Congress' passage of the Senator Elizabeth Dole Act. VA says
the VA's Directed Care program is now available at all major
facilities. But the feedback we have suggests some programs
exist in name only or serve few veterans. Congress must ensure
that the Elizabeth Dole Act's provisions are carried out as
intended.
Another important aspect of lifelong support is VA's Bowel
and Bladder program. For veterans with SCI/D, support for
neurogenic bowel and bladder dysfunction is a crucial aspect of
their care. Unfortunately, VA's current Bowel and Bladder
program is fraught with challenges for caregivers. Timely
reimbursement and the tax treatment of payments are the two
chief complaints I hear. Codifying the program would provide
the opportunity to fix many of these problems. I thank Chairman
Moran for his bill, the Disabled Veterans Dignity Act, which
would help to address these issues. We also appreciate the
interest from the House in introducing a similar bill that
includes the provisions addressing the taxability issue.
Another area of concern is transportation to VA care. We
are very concerned about new VA guidance that ends facility
prepayment of round-trip common-carrier airfare for veterans
traveling to VA SCI/D facilities. This change requires veterans
to arrange and pay for travel up-front and seek reimbursement
after their appointments, effectively preventing many from
receiving necessary care. We appreciate that the VA is
attempting to figure out a solution to this problem, and call
on Congress to provide VA any resources, including clear
statutory authority, to ensure veterans can access specialty
care.
Finally, Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is arguably the
most important ancillary benefit for veterans with severe
service-connected disabilities. Given the extreme nature of the
disabilities incurred by most veterans in receipt of SMC, we do
not believe that the impact on the quality of life can be
totally compensated for. However, SMC does at least provide
these veterans a financial resource to help accommodate their
individual needs.
In similar fashion, survivor benefits are intended to
protect veterans' families from impoverishment after the death
of a service-disabled veteran. Unfortunately, they do not
always do that, and many survivors who, in many cases, were
once caregivers, face a financial cliff. Congress established
the baseline rates for these programs decades ago. They must be
updated now. We urge Congress to quickly pass the Sharri Briley
and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I would be happy
to answer any questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Thomas appears on pages 94-
118 of the Appendix.]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Thomas. I would like
everybody to pull your microphone just a little closer. You
have got people in the back. Make sure that you speak into it,
because we are a government entity. We do not run real well up
here, as you all well know.
Mr. Shipley from American Vets, you have 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF PAUL SHIPLEY,
NATIONAL COMMANDER, AMVETS
Mr. Shipley. Chairman Bost, Chairman Moran, Ranking Members
Takano and Blumenthal, and distinguished Members of the
Committees, on behalf of AMVETS thank you for the opportunity
to present our legislative priorities and for your continued
commitment to the men and women who have served our country.
AMVETS represents more than 20 million veterans, from every era
of service, including active duty, National Guard, Reserve, and
those who have transitioned to civilian life.
This past year marks a new chapter for our organization.
After more than 80 years in the National Capital region, we
relocated our National Headquarters to Washington,
Pennsylvania, where we also established the AMVETS Family
Service Center. This 35,000 square foot facility will serve our
homeless veterans and their families. Our veterans will be able
to remain with their spouses and children while they secure
employment, permanent housing, and long-term stability.
Through the Center, we administer Department of Labor
Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program grants in Salt Lake
City, Utah, and Phoenix, Arizona, along with workforce programs
and Veteran Stand Downs across the Nation. These efforts
reflect what experience has taught us--housing, employment,
mental wellness, and family stability are interconnected.
Effective policy must reflect that reality.
Mental wellness and suicide prevention remain our top
legislative priority. Despite significant Federal investment,
suicide continues to take an unacceptable toll on the veteran
community. We have seen strong, evidence-driven results from
community-based efforts supported by the Staff Sergeant Fox
Grant Program, which often reach veterans for whom traditional
care has not worked.
As Congress considers reauthorizing the Fox Grants, we urge
expanding proven models and continuing to focus on measurable
outcomes. Our current approach spends billion while delivering
minimal improvement in reducing symptoms and suicide.
After two and a half decades following 9/11 and more than
140,000 veteran deaths, the time has come to invest in programs
where outcomes are front and center. Congress and the VA must
embrace a proactive, outcome-driven approach and move beyond an
expensive, reactive system that is not working for the vast
majority of veterans.
Wellness interventions must begin earlier and be embedded
throughout a servicemember's career. The real antidote to
suicide is not slogans or billboards telling veterans to seek
help. It is ensuring that the men and women who serve are
equipped with the tools to build meaningful lives and know
where to turn when times become difficult.
A similar forward-looking approach is needed in the
treatment of traumatic brain injury. Since 2000, more than
500,000 servicemembers have been diagnosed with TBI. Many face
lasting cognitive and emotional effects that disrupt
employment, relationships, and overall health. Legislation such
as the BEACON Act and the Veterans TBI Adaptive Care
Opportunities Nationwide Act will allow the VA to evaluate and
expand innovative, patient-centered therapies. We are also
thankful to Chairman Moran's leadership on the Precision Brain
Health Research Act of 2025, which would help broaden our
understanding of the impacts of repetitive, low-level blast
injuries on veterans' mental health. Veterans deserve care that
evolves with science and focuses on meaningful recovery.
We must also honor our commitments to surviving families.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation has not kept pace with
the comparable Federal survivor benefits. Modernizing DIC
through the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefit
Expansion Act, the Caring for Survivors Act, and the Love Lives
On Act is a matter of fairness and dignity for families who
have already sacrificed so much.
Modernization with the VA is equally essential. A fully
interoperable electronic health record between the Department
of Defense and the VA reduces duplication, improves patient
safety, and ensures continuity of care. As the rollout
continues next month, sustained oversight and disciplined
execution are necessary for success. Failure is not an option.
Fairness also requires passage of the Major Richard Star
Act. For decades the Federal Government has reduced military
retirement pay simply because a servicemember was wounded badly
enough to receive disability compensation. This has been framed
as concurrent receipt, suggesting veterans are double dipping.
They are not. Military retirement is earned through years of
service. Disability compensation addresses injuries sustained
in that service. When the government offsets one against the
other, it is taking away retirement that was already earned.
Let me be clear. It is time to stop stealing from our
servicemembers. Congress needs to immediately end this
injustice and pass the Major Richard Star Act.
Finally, AMVETS supports the development of a coordinated
national veterans strategy focused on measurable outcomes. This
nation invests hundreds of billions of dollars each year in
veteran-related programs. Those resources must be expended
around clear goals, accountability, and results that improve
health, employment, and quality of life. As the men and women
who defend our Nation are once again placed in harm's way, we
depend on this body to ensure that we are cared for when they
return home. Our veterans and their families deserve more than
promises. They deserve measurable progress in their health,
their opportunities, and their quality of life.
Thank you for your continued commitment to those who have
served. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Shipley appears on pages
119-129 of the Appendix.]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Shipley.
Next is Mr. Terry Prince.
STATEMENT OF TERRY PRINCE, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
STATE DIRECTORS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Mr. Prince. Ranking Member Takano, great to see you again
visiting LaSalle last year. Senator Tuberville and Ranking
Members, distinguished Members of the Committees, my name is
Terry Prince. I am a 31-year veteran of the United States Navy,
Hospital Corpsman, and currently serving as the President of
NASDVA, the National Association of State Directors of Veterans
Affairs.
That crowd in yellow you heard behind me is the
distinguished members of 50 secretaries, directors, and
commissioners that lead the states, territories and the
District of Columbia veterans affairs. Collectively, these
veteran leaders make up the membership of NASDVA, and together
they are the second-largest provider of veteran services in our
Nation, second only to the Federal VA. These are your
government-to-government partners who have worked together
since 1946, to serve veterans where they live and work. They
should be your first point of contact for constituent issues
and ensuring that the Nation's 18 million veterans and their
families and survivors receive the benefits and services they
have earned in order to improve the quality of life and their
overall well-being.
In our testimony, we cover a lot in our written testimony.
A few of important items. One is our State Veterans Homes, that
provide more than 50 percent on the total VA long-term care in
175 operational veterans homes and 30,000 beds. We recommend
$600 million to provide Priority Group 1 construction projects,
where the overall costs to fund all the necessary need to build
and maintain our veterans homes is nearly $1.3 billion.
On a separate note, the State Veterans Homes are having to
pay for high-cost medications for veterans in their care. This
needs to be addressed by passing H.R. 1970, so that VA
reimburses our State Veterans Homes that, for medications that
exceed 8.5 percent of the per diem rate, which is what the VA
pays to private nursing homes that are contracted by VA to
provide health care.
The other grant program is the National Cemetery
Administration's Veterans Cemetery Grants Program. One hundred
twenty-four cemeteries across 47 states. The number far exceeds
the amount of funding. The establishment just to cover Priority
1 and 2 for establishment and maintenance of cemeteries is in
the neighborhood of $220 million, and NASDVA recommends
addressing at least these groups for fiscal year 2027.
It was mentioned earlier about VA health care, and for the
9 million veterans receiving care, we also recommend they
continue to emphasize enrollment, better access, and quality
care at the VA. Regardless of gender and whether it is provided
by the VA or Community Care programs, which accounts for nearly
40 percent of that care and is, in all essence, is VA care.
On to health records, we support the need for congressional
oversight to ensure that the VA modernizes the electronic
health record. It currently costs nearly $16 billion, with a
projection of over $40 billion, with full deployment not
expected until 2031.
The American Legion mentioned TAP class. As a military
servicemember I am very familiar with this process, and I can
tell you that every servicemember describes it in a different
way. What I do know, as a corpsman and married to a
psychologist, that transition from anything in life, especially
the military, is one of the most dangerous periods in a
servicemember's history, especially toward suicide and other
things. Our state directors need to be a part of the TAP
program. They need to be brought in early and often, to ensure
that these veterans are connected with their state benefits.
The Major Richard Star Act, it is time. This is a wounded
veterans tax. NASDVA strongly recommends that this Congress
pass this critical legislation for these deserving disabled
veterans.
Veteran homelessness, we commend what the VA is doing.
However, we would like them to expand eligibility to any
veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or receiving
assistance through another housing program.
And I am going to close out my testimony with the number
one issue that hits home to me and everybody in this room--
suicide. Every 11 minutes in America, a family loses a loved
one to suicide, and NASDVA believes that the prevention of
veteran suicides requires a whole-of-government engagement,
with fresh ideas and approaches. Your state directors and
Veterans Affairs play a crucial role in suicide prevention by
connecting veterans to their earned benefits back home, where
they live, working with their state and human services and the
Governor's Challenge.
We also recommend new treatment modalities to eliminate
pharmacological intervention and other issues that do not
allows veterans to explore non-traditional methodologies.
Your partnership with NASDVA is as important to our
veterans as it is to us. It is a promise kept to those who once
stood the watch for all of us, and together we can ensure that
their service is honored, not just in words but in action,
through strong policy, sustainable funding, and unwavering
commitment. All of us sincerely respect and appreciate your
work to improve the well-being of our Nation's veterans, and we
are honored to be a part of that noble mission with you. Thank
you.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Mr. Prince appears on pages 130-
148 of the Appendix.]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Prince.
Next we have General Piatt from Wounded Warrior.
STATEMENT OF LTG WALTER E. PIATT, U.S. ARMY (RET.), CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT
General Piatt. Chairman Moran, Chairman Bost, Ranking
Member Blumenthal, and Ranking Member Takano, and distinguished
Members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans'
Affairs, thank you all for today's hearing and for the honor to
join you on behalf of Wounded Warrior Project and the warriors
and families we serve.
First, all of us at Wounded Warrior Project are deeply
saddened by the recent loss of servicemembers, and we stand
ready to serve all those impacted by current military
operations.
Twenty-three years ago, Wounded Warrior Project was founded
on a promise, a promise to be there, no matter what, for those
who defend our freedom. It is that same promise that grounds
the work we do today.
Our nation's military remains engaged globally, fighting to
keep the world and our Nation safe. We should never allow the
strategic purpose for war to mask the toll it takes on those
asked to fight it.
For the dangers our military is asked to face, we cannot
accept the warrior simply coming back as the final tally of
successful transition out of military service. We must see them
fully home--mind, body, and soul. This is not captured in one
moment in time, but through a process of hope, healing, and
reconnection to a life of renewed purpose.
Last week, 125 of our warriors visited many of you Members
of Congress. They were honored to tell you their stories and
share the living, breathing impact of why your support matters.
We discuss three priorities with you.
The first, a passionate plea to do right by our past,
current, and future combat veterans by passing the Major
Richard Star Act this year. Finally allowing for those who were
forced to medically retire due to combat-related injuries to
receive the benefits they earned in blood.
Second, on ending veteran suicide. In 2023, we lost more
than 6,000 veterans to suicide. We must explore advanced
treatments for those who are suffering. The time is now to push
forward evidence-based solutions, like psychedelic-assisted
therapies for PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance use
disorder. We must explore all alternative treatments,
coordinate research, expand access to clinical trials, and
ultimately make these treatments accessible to all veterans.
Third, ending veteran homelessness. VA and supportive
communities are making historic progress, with nearly 52,000
veterans moving into permanent housing last year. Let's finish
the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act to ensure no
veteran's disability compensation is counted against them.
Your time spent with these warriors last week and your
genuine appreciation for their service touched them deeply, and
reminded them that their sacrifice is a big reason why our
Nation remains free. With the continued support of Congress and
that of our grateful nation, Wounded Warrior Project will
continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, as we
pursue the path to save a million more lives, cure PTSD, end
veteran suicide, and end veteran homelessness.
Warriors are the foundation of our freedom. They have done,
and continue to do, their part. It is now time to do ours. We
must keep the promise and find every warrior, everywhere, and
bring them home, mind, body, and soul.
I am honored to be of service to this distinguished
Committee and for the opportunity to testify. Thank you for
helping our Nation keep the promise to our veterans, and I
welcome your questions.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of General Piatt appears on pages
149-187 of the Appendix.]
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
Next we have Anita Sullivan from TAPS. Anita.
STATEMENT OF ANITA SULLIVAN, SURVIVING SPOUSE OF U.S. NAVY
PETTY OFFICER THIRD CLASS MICHAEL SULLIVAN, TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS
Ms. Sullivan. Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members
Blumenthal and Takano, and distinguished Committee members,
thank you for the opportunity to share my family's story.
Seven years ago, on February 9, 2019, I became a widow, a
title no one pursues. My husband, the father of our three
children, Navy Petty Officer Third Class Michael Sullivan, died
by suicide after faithful service to our Nation and decades of
physical and mental health battles that plagued him during and
after his time in the Navy.
Much has changed in the seven years since he passed, but
one thing has not. I am, and always will be, his widow. No
passage of time will change that, not my 55th birthday, or the
becoming someone else's wife.
I met Michael in 1999, while he was stationed in
Jacksonville, Florida. He was funny and captivating, and we
married quickly. But soon he became seriously ill. He was
diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome, which landed him in
the hospital every six weeks, like clockwork. When he returned
from his last deployment in June 2003, we welcomed our first
child. His physical health had impacted his career and his
mental health, and by that July he officially separated from
the Navy.
His health worsened, and over the next 16 years he was
hospitalized approximately 35 times. I became the primary
breadwinner while caring for our three children and becoming
Michael's caregiver. I could not leave his side during those
hospital stays because he wouldn't know where he was, would
often rip out IVs, and even try to leave the hospital.
On his good days, he coached our kids' baseball teams,
volunteered his time to youth activities, was involved in our
church, but on his bad days he truly suffered, and so did we.
His suicide, in 2019, ended his physical and mental health
battles, but it was just the beginning of new challenges for
our grieving, traumatized family. I was at a TAP seminar when I
learned that Michael's suicide was deemed service-connected.
After going for Michael's 100 percent VA disability
compensation to zero overnight when he died, we would only have
43 percent reinstated.
Our eigth-month process was fast by VA standards. The wait
for DIC is financially devastating for many survivors, and the
month-to-month stress continues for families, mine included.
Raising DIC from 43 percent to 55 percent may seem
insignificant to some, but for surviving spouses like me, who
struggle to maintain a career, because it always came second to
military service and caregiving, it makes a meaningful
difference. Passing the Caring for Survivors Act would provide
long overdue breathing room and ease financial pressures.
Surviving families face drastically reduced income, the lasting
impact of career limitations, ongoing therapy costs, and the
full responsibility of providing opportunities for our children
in single-parent households.
As the only living parent of our now 11-, 16-, and 22-year-
old, CHAMPVA health benefits are critical to our family's
stability. Under current law, my oldest son will age out of
CHAMPVA in just a few months, despite being a full-time college
student. Unlike most other health insurance programs, CHAMPVA
does not extend to age 26.
Seven years after Michael's passing, I am still his widow,
and we are still dependent on the benefits he earned to support
our family. After a three-year-and-counting engagement, I am
still waiting to marry a man that I love, who will never
replace him as a husband or father, but cares deeply for the
four of us. My youngest child, Sophia, was just four when her
Daddy died. She is growing up without a legal father in her
life, which can be confusing for her and her friends, as she
goes around and is sharing so much of her life with him. But
knows that if Love Lives On does not pass, she will be almost
an adult before she can officially call him her stepdad.
John is sitting beside her today, here supporting us both
as we advocate for benefits that were earned through service
and sacrifice, benefits that dissolve under current law if I
remarry before age 55. Marrying John does not mean that we
should become his financial responsibility. He is already doing
so much, bringing happiness back into our lives. But I will not
become his financial burden.
When my late husband joined the military, our country made
a promise to support his family if anything happened to him.
There were no restrictions attached to that commitment.
My family's story is one of many. I hope that my voice is
loud enough to bring attention to long-overdue legislative
changes, like finally ending remarriage penalties, treating
suicide as a presumptive condition, increasing DIC, and
bringing CHAMPVA in line with civilian insurance.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my story today.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of Ms. Sullivan appears on pages
188-235 of the Appendix.]
Chairman Moran. Thank you.
Next we have General McGinn of the National Guard
Association.
STATEMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL FRANK MCGINN, U.S. ARMY (RET.),
PRESIDENT, NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES
General McGinn. Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Blumenthal,
Chairman Bost, Ranking Member Takano, Senator Tuberville, and
distinguished Members of the Committees, on behalf of the
National Guard Association of the United States and the 435,000
Soldiers and Airmen with the Army Air National Guard, thank you
for the opportunity to discuss some important issues affecting
today's National Guard. We appreciate your bipartisan support
in recognition of the Guard's vital role in our national
security.
Over the past two decades, the National Guard has evolved
from a strategic reserve into an operational force. Guard
members deploy globally, strengthen alliances through the State
Partnership Program, and provide key capabilities to the total
force at less than 4 percent of the defense budget. At home
they remain the Nation's first military responder, supporting
disaster response, protecting critical infrastructure, and
assisting civilian authorities.
As missions have expanded, policies have not kept pace.
Today I will focus on three priorities: duty status reform, GI
Bill parity, and the development of a Reserve Component-
specific track within the Transition Assistance Program.
First, duty status reform. As of this week, more than
40,000 Guardsmen are on orders serving at home and abroad. They
frequently operate alongside active component forces under
identical conditions. Yet while their service is equal,
compensation and benefits are not. The common system of over 30
duty statuses was created piecemeal over the decades. In fact,
six additional statuses were created between 1999 and 2013. It
is overly complex, confusing for servicemembers, and difficult
for states to administer.
In the fiscal year 2016 NDAA, Congress directed the then
Department of Defense to submit a Duty Status Reform
legislative proposal. While studies and discussions have
continued over the years, legislative proposals have not yet
advanced. We are grateful to finally have some momentum this
year, with bicameral and bipartisan support of the Duty Status
Reform Act, this bill aligns authorities with how Guard and
Reserves are employed today and ensures fair treatment when
members are mobilized. The new framework would provide equities
in pay and benefits, efficiency in programming and budgeting,
and streamlined accessibility to the Guard and Reserve.
Duty status reform is our top priority for fiscal year
2027. We strongly ask for your support of H.R. 6976, and
introduction of a Senate companion bill.
The next point I want to discuss is GI Bill parity. The
Post-9/11 GI Bill remains one of the most powerful recruitment
and retention tools. It provides those who serve with access to
education and the opportunity to build a successful future.
However, many periods of Guard and Reserve service still do not
qualify for GI Bill benefits. Title 32, including annual
training and drill weekends, are left out, which falsely
implies lesser value. Each day in uniform should count as a day
of service to our country. The benefits earned should reflect
that sacrifice.
The GI Bill Parity Act corrects this inequity. We thank
Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Blumenthal, Congressmen Takano,
Levin, and Kelly for leading on this issue, and request swift
passage of S. 649 and H.R. 1423.
The third and last issue I want to address is the Reserve
Component--Transition Assistance Program track. The Transition
Assistance Program is critical to preparing servicemembers for
civilian life. However, most Guard members return to their
civilian employment and normal routine. This presents unique
challenges not fully addressed in the traditional TAP model.
Guardsmen receive limited counseling tailored to retirement
points, TRICARE coverage, GI Bill benefits, and the VA claims
process. Transition assistance without these topics is a misuse
of time and resources. We are grateful for your support on this
issue. The fiscal year 2025 NDAA directed development of a
Reserve Component-specific track. Continued oversight is
necessary to ensure that this is tailored to the Reserve and
not simply a modified active model. We respectfully request
updates on this implementation and stand ready to assist.
In closing, thank you for your continued leadership and
commitment to those who serve. These are not abstract policy
concepts. They are tangible issues that affect readiness,
retention, and the long-term well-being of the National Guard
members and veterans. The National Guard stands ready to meet
the Nation's needs, and in return our servicemembers ask only
for fairness, clarity, and recognition of their service. We
look forward to working with you to address these issues and
ensure that National Guard service is treated with the equity
and respect it deserves.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today, and I
welcome your questions.
[The prepared statement of General McGinn appears on pages
236-243 of the Appendix.]
Mr. Takano [presiding]. Thank you, Major General McGinn.
Mr. Whaley, you are now recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF JIM WHALEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MISSION ROLL
CALL
Mr. Whaley. Chairmen Bost and Moran, Ranking Members Takano
and Blumenthal, and distinguished Members of both Committees,
thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
Mission Roll Call represents veterans by doing one thing
consistently: listening. We survey veterans, their families,
and caregivers nationwide, and we bring that data directly to
policymakers, so decisions are grounded in lived experiences.
Our 2026 priorities come straight from those surveys.
Veterans told us four issues should guide the work ahead:
access to quality health care, support for service-connected
injuries, suicide prevention, and housing stability.
For veterans, these priorities are connected. When access
falters, injuries worsen. When injuries go untreated, mental
health risk increases. Without stable housing, even effective
care becomes difficult to sustain.
First, access to quality health care, both VA and non-VA.
Veterans define access by timing, distance, and follow-through.
In May 2025, Mission Roll Call surveyed more than 1,200
respondents in all 50 states on the ACCESS Act. Sixty-seven
percent said the legislation would improve health care outcomes
overall. Among rural veterans, 71 percent said it would improve
timely access. Mental health access is central to this
discussion. Sixty percent of veterans told us they are
comfortable receiving mental health care from a non-VA
provider. Seventy-nine percent said allowing veterans to access
mental health or substance use care in the community without a
VA referral would improve access.
Veterans are not voting against the VA. In fact, many we
speak to report very positive experiences. But they are asking
for options that reduce delays, shorten travel burdens, and
help them get care before a problem becomes a crisis.
Second, support for service-connected injuries and
conditions, including traumatic brain injury.
In our 2025 TBI survey of more than 2,500 veterans, family
members, and caregivers, 14 percent reported a TBI diagnosis in
their household. Among those seeking TBI-related care, more
than 70 percent said accessing appropriate treatment is
somewhat or very difficult. Distance, wait times, and
fragmented care remain consistent barriers.
Mild to moderate TBI is where we see the greatest gap.
Symptoms persist, but care pathways are often unclear, and
coordination between VA and non-VA providers remain
inconsistent.
This is the space the BEACON Act seeks to address. The
legislation creates a structured, evidence-based framework to
evaluate innovative approaches for veterans with chronic mild-
to-moderate TBI, with rigorous outcome measurement and
independent evaluation. Veterans are not asking for lower
standards. They are asking the VA to test promising therapies
responsibly, publish results transparently, and expand access
when evidence supports it.
This urgency is reinforced by the VA's 2025 suicide report,
which shows the suicide rate among recent VHA users with a TBI
diagnosis was nearly 94 percent higher than among those without
a TBI. Early intervention in TBI care is not separate from
suicide prevention. It is part of it.
Third, veterans tell us the current trajectory of veteran
suicide is unacceptable. In July 2025, Mission Roll Call
surveyed more than 2,100 veterans, family members, and
caregivers nationwide. Sixty-seven percent of veteran
respondents said they have struggled with suicidal thoughts or
mental health challenges themselves, or know someone who has.
Nearly one-third described access to mental health care as
difficult or very difficult.
Veterans also told us the barriers are not only clinical.
They pointed to isolation, stigma, and loss of purpose as early
warning signs.
We have come to describe this as working ``Left of
Clinical.'' Not instead of care, but before crisis. Earlier
engagement. More on-ramps to stability. Fewer veterans reaching
a breaking point before help arrives.
Fourth, and lastly, housing stability. Housing is
foundational. Without stability at home, treatment adherence,
employment, recovery, and family life suffer. Veterans
consistently rank housing access and homelessness prevention
among their top priorities because instability magnifies every
other challenge.
Across all of our surveys, veterans are asking Congress to
do a few consistent things: expand access where delays persist,
strengthen community care pathways, treat TBI and chronic
conditions as long-horizon rehabilitation challenges, invest in
earlier suicide prevention strategies, and protect housing
stability as a core element of veteran wellness.
None of these priorities replace the VA. They strengthen it
by recognizing that veteran wellness is built upstream, long
before prescription drugs, an emergency room, or an inpatient
bed is involved.
Veterans are speaking clearly. We are listening. Mission
Roll Call is here to ensure their voices remain central to the
work of these Committees.
Thank you. I look forward to any questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Whaley appears on pages 244-
248 of the Appendix.]
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. Whaley. I will now recognize the
former Boys State Governor of Virginia and former Governor of
Maine, Senator Angus King, for questions.
Senator King. That refers to the prior hearing. Sorry about
that.
General Piatt, one of the provisions that I have been
pushing is preregistering for VA health care before you leave
active duty. It is called the Servicemember to Veteran Health
Care Connection Act. Is this something the Wounded Warrior
Project is interested in?
General Piatt. Thank you, Senator. We are extremely
interested in this. I think if we get transition early, we are
doing a lot of work ourselves, registering members in the
Wounded Warrior Project while on active duty. We feel if they
are registered before they transition, the higher success rate
we will have during transition. So we appreciate this bill. We
fully support that.
Senator King. I appreciate that. And my position on
transition is very simple. The government should spend as much
money on transition out as they do on recruiting in, because
right now, I think transition, although it has been improved in
the last several years, I do not think people realize what a
dramatic moment that is in a veteran's life. And suicide rates
are higher among people in the first two or three years.
Mr. Whaley, I very much appreciate your comments on TBI. We
had a tragic case in Maine, as you may know, several years ago,
that involved TBI, and I think that is something we have to
focus upon.
Something I have been looking at is a bill that would have
the VA provide free lockboxes for firearms. No lists. This is
not a gun control bill. No names taken. But the data shows that
if there is any gap between the idea and carrying out a
suicide, that can help. And 75 percent of veteran suicides take
place by firearms. Is that safe storage something that you
could support at Mission?
Mr. Whaley. Senator, yes, it is. I think all of us on this
panel are concerned about the continuing rise of suicide and
our inability to really bring those numbers down. So any effort
to reduce those numbers is something all of our members and all
veterans and their families can get behind.
Senator King. Thank you. Mr. Prince, we passed a provision
in the defense bill last year that will increase the number of
people who are leaving the service whose contact information is
shared with your representatives across the country, at the
State Veterans Offices. It used to be you had to opt in in your
paperwork. Now you have to opt out. And we expect that will
significantly increase the people whose contact information is
made available.
I hope that your organization and your members are getting
ready for what I suspect will be a very large number of
contacts so that the purpose of this law, which is to have
people met at the airport, to advise them of their rights and
what options are available to them. I do not want those names
coming to your offices and sitting in a file somewhere. I hope
you will work with the VSOs to develop a system whereby
veterans emerging from service, you will reach out to them, not
wait for them to reach out to you.
Mr. Prince. Thank you, Senator, for that very much
appreciated comment. Our membership is receiving additional
information. We are getting the VA to work even closer with the
Department of War. Because the sooner we can get in, even while
they are on active duty, as a former master chief it was my
intention to get to sailors a year or two before they got out
of the military and start the conversation then and connect
them with services.
So you can absolutely count on NASDVA to be a player in
that and making sure that we are at the front of the line when
it comes to getting that information into the hands of our VSOs
and our local communities.
Senator King. Thank you very much. Thank you to all of you
for the work that you are doing on behalf of our veterans.
And one final comment. It is about damn time we passed the
Richard Star Act.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Senator King. I will now recognize
myself for questions.
General Piatt, what is the urgency on, and why Congress
should pass the Major Richard Star Act, now?
General Piatt. Because these young warriors have been asked
to go to war to defend the freedom of this country, and in the
course of that they were wounded, and they spilled blood in
foreign countries. The reason we are free is because they
serve. Most of them, sadly, are young men and women that are
serving, not even close to retirement years. So they have to
accept the end of the life they thought they were going to
have, and it brings a whole different life they did not think
was possible. And we cannot punish them for their sacrifice on
combat fields.
Mr. Takano. I wholeheartedly agree with you. I am very
moved by your answer. And it needs to happen as soon as
possible. It needs to happen this Congress, and this Congress
and its leaders need to be held accountable for getting it
done.
Now, do you agree that this is also about fairness? That
ending a wounded veteran's taxed and that Congress should not
pay for it by reducing other earned benefits?
General Piatt. I think veterans should get the benefits
they earned in combat.
Mr. Takano. And what about, we should not be asking other
veterans to pay for it by reducing their benefits.
General Piatt. I think all veterans deserve the benefits
they earned in the course of their service.
Mr. Takano. And so you would agree with me that the
American people and this Congress, that it is part of our
obligation to take care of the veterans, not to ask one veteran
group to pay for another veteran group's benefits.
General Piatt. We appreciate the service and support of
this Committee and getting veterans their benefits they
deserve.
Mr. Takano. Thank you. Ms. Sullivan, there has been a lot
of discussion over the past several months on disability
indemnity compensation, and I read the moving testimony from
survivors such as yourself in TAP's written statement, about
the impact a full DIC benefits increase would have on their
lives. Can you give us a quick snapshot of the reason why
Congress needs to do this full increase and why it needs to
happen, now?
Ms. Sullivan. Yes. Thank you for the question. So our
military and veteran survivors currently only receive 43
percent of what 100 percent disabled veteran receives. All
other Federal survivors currently receive that 55 percent. So
we are asking for parity. That is simply bringing us in line
with all other Federal programs, to bring that from 43 to 55
percent, or an additional $454 per month.
Our base rate currently, the actual number is $1,699.36.
And for most of our survivors, myself included, that is the
only surviving benefit we receive. So that increase could have
a very large impact on our families.
And for some of us, it is the difference in providing for
families in ways that can include keeping their homes, being
able to really do what is necessary to raise grieving children,
and to do just critical care for their families. So this is
something that ultimately we believe is fulfilling a commitment
to saying that our sacrifice and our loved ones' service is
just as important as other Federal benefits, Federal employees'
sacrifice.
Mr. Takano. I agree with you, and the wait has been long
enough, and it is urgent we get it done now. Thank you.
I want to now recognize Mr. McGarvey for his three minutes
of questioning.
Mr. McGarvey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for
your service, your continued service here today. I want to echo
something that Senator King said earlier. Right now we have an
Administration who is coming to us asking for billions upon
billions of dollars to send people into war again, but are
unwilling to find the money to take care of those who served in
those wars prior to this. The money for the Major Richard Star
Act, the money for widows and widowers--Ms. Sullivan, thank you
so much for your courage and your testimony--who have
sacrificed and served. These are benefits they have earned,
they have deserved. We will keep fighting for them.
I want to switch gears a little bit, Mr. Thomas, and come
to you. Talk about your testimony. We were talking about how
the VA does not have enough staff in the Spinal Cord Injury and
Disorder System of Care. Many of the buildings are old but they
are not designed for the care of our veterans that they need
right now, and that more than a third of the jobs in these
units are unfilled. That means that beds are staying empty even
though veterans are waiting for them currently. It is our
veterans who feel this neglect every single day.
So what should our VA medical centers be doing right now to
fill these critical spinal cord injury and disorder positions
and keep beds open for the veterans who depend on them?
Mr. Thomas. The VA should prioritize the hiring for the
SCI/D System of Care as well as the other specialty care
systems within the VA. Currently there is no other system out
in the community that can take care of the unique needs that
you have when you have a spinal cord injury. So they need to
prioritize hiring that. And also they should, for the
infrastructure, they should prioritize some of the projects
within the SCI/D System of Care to ensure that they have the
most modern equipment to take care of us, with our unique
needs.
Mr. McGarvey. Yes. I totally agree. And, of course, part of
the reason we need to do this is it is both a legal and a moral
promise we have made our veterans. We said if you come in and
you serve us and you are willing to sacrifice everything for
us, we will take care of you. And I think we are falling short
of that with this issue.
You also described facilities that are decades old, with
outdated layouts, with long construction delays. Where do you
think Congress needs to focus first to modernize spinal cord
injury and disorder facilities so that veterans are receiving
care in safe, accessible, and up-to-date spaces?
Mr. Thomas. Currently there is only one long-term care
center west of the Mississippi, and the long-term care, as we
all age, we need to have these long-term care facilities,
because again, in the community there is no nursing homes that
can take care of us.
Mr. McGarvey. Thank you. That is very helpful. Very quickly
in my remaining time, General, I just want to talk to you.
Thank you for highlighting the struggles of mental health that
our veterans are still experiencing, particularly post-9/11.
Quickly, where should we focus first if we want veterans to
have timely access to effective mental health treatments
through the VA, not just in the private sector?
General Piatt. First, I would say residential
rehabilitation treatment programs. We need more beds. We need
more states to have them. And second, I would say pursue
alternative medication. Do the research. Get the trials going.
We are seeing real promise here. Warriors should not have to
travel to other countries to get the treatment that they think
works. They should get it here. We are the best country in the
world for medical care. That is where I would start.
Mr. McGarvey. Thank you so much. I agree with you on that,
General. I appreciate you bringing it up. Mr. Chairman, I yield
back.
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Mr. McGarvey. Now I recognize Dr.
Morrison for questions.
HON. KELLY MORRISON,
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM MINNESOTA
Ms. Morrison. Thank you, Ranking Member Takano, and thanks
to Chairman Moran and Chairman Bost and Ranking Member
Blumenthal for convening our hearing today. Thank you so much
to all the witnesses for being here today and the work that you
all do every day, advocating on behalf of fellow veterans and
servicemembers.
A special shout-out to any Minnesotans in the crowd today?
Come on, you all. Are you out there? Well, I met with some of
them earlier and it was a pleasure to see them here in
Washington, advocating on behalf of their fellow vets.
General Piatt, my team has been working with yours back in
Minnesota to partner on supporting our women veterans, and we
have been very impressed by all the work that you are doing. As
you know, women are the fastest-growing group of veterans, and
as an OB/GYN myself it is important to me that women veterans
can receive top-quality menopause and infertility care.
In your view, where can Congress act to ensure that VA is
equipped to meet the needs of a growing women veteran
population in 2026 and beyond?
General Piatt. Thank you for the question and your help
with our work there. First, I would say women veterans are
veterans, and our country needs to recognize that. Munitions do
not discriminate by gender. They need the same care. But their
medical care is gender specific. We need to meet them where
they are, allow them to choose the provider of their choice,
allow them the care they need, where they want it. If it is at
home, if it is via telemed, but meet their needs. Don't just
consider their needs the same as the counterpart male veterans,
because they are very different. And we support going forward
with more work on the Menopause Care Equity Act. We think that
is the right way to go. Because their core set of services,
their medical challenges will be different later in life, and
we need to get the research now so we can provide them the
support they need later on in life.
Ms. Morrison. Thank you, General. I appreciate that answer.
Ms. Sullivan, thank you so much for being here today. I
just want to take a moment to recognize the immense sacrifice
you and Sophia and the rest of your family have made, and I
just want to share my admiration for your advocacy on behalf of
survivors everywhere. And I am excited for your future, as
well.
It is such an injustice to me that surviving spouses risk
losing their benefits if they choose to remarry before age 55,
and that is why we need to pass the Love Lives On Act. Ms.
Sullivan, can you share a little bit more about what it would
mean to you to eliminate the remarriage penalty for surviving
spouses?
Ms. Sullivan. Thank you so much for your support and the
question. At its most basic tenet, to myself and to others here
with us, it would mean that the government is keeping its
promise. It would mean that it is keeping its promise to myself
and to Michael and to our children, that if something were to
happen to him as a result of his service that we would be taken
care of.
We did not expect that there would be some limitation on
that. We did not expect that in the indemnity portion of that,
that there would be an end to that simply because of a decision
to not replace him--that could never happen, not as a spouse
and not as a father--but to choose to also carry on with our
life and our love, that that could end, and could end some
things that are very critical to our family.
So, it would mean that we no longer have to choose between
doing what feels very right for myself and John or for our
families and financial security. And in the end, it would mean
that we would marry fairly soon after it passes and that we
would really, truly celebrate that love does live on.
Ms. Morrison. Thank you, Ms. Sullivan, and thanks to all of
you for your ongoing service.
[Applause.]
Mr. Takano. Thank you, Dr. Morrison. I would now like to
recognize Senator Gallego.
HON. RUBEN GALLEGO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ARIZONA
Senator Gallego. Thank you, Chairman. And, General, I was
rude. I walked in and you were talking a little bit about the
veterans being penalized when it comes for their VASH vouchers
because of a disability. Was that correct?
General Piatt. Yes, as far as on housing and how veterans
access it. But we support it, so they will not be disadvantaged
by their disability compensation.
Senator Gallego. That is great. So in the ROAD to Housing
Act, I authored a portion of the bill, which is going to
permanently exclude veterans' disability compensation from the
annual income calculations under HUD-VASH programs, so that way
veterans will not have to make this decision going forward. So
it is in the bill. It was actually moving through the Senate.
We just need some friends on the House side to make it.
But just to assure you that we have thought about this. It
is in that bill, and I have kept it in both times that it has
gone over the side. So we are definitely looking into that,
actually are trying to fix it. Hopefully we will have it fixed
by next week or so. So I just want to make sure we have some
progress on that. Obviously it is not everything we need, but
it is definitely moving in the right direction.
Mr. Whaley, you also mentioned the American Legion's
support for expanding innovative therapies for veterans and the
use of MDMA for treatment of PTSD. As you may know, I am
working to introduce Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence
Act in the Senate. I want to continue to push it to get it to
the point where it is across the finish line.
Mr. Whaley, can you please discuss the current use of
innovative therapies like MDMA at VA, and why centers of
excellence are important to ensure veterans have access to
these therapies, with proven success at reducing PTSD symptoms?
Mr. Whaley. Right. Did you ask me that, sir, or General
Piatt?
Senator Gallego. Mr. Whaley. And I am sorry. I need to get
some readers pretty soon. Whaley. I apologize.
Mr. Whaley. Yes, no worries. No worries. We support that
because we know right now that the number of TBIs across the
Nation, but certainly among veterans, is much higher than we
think. We do not have the ability right now to treat all those
TBIs.
The TBI issue affects not only that servicemember but their
family, as well. We have a number of children in our country
that are primary caregivers to veterans because their mother or
father needs that service.
We need to make sure that we are partnering with the very
best in the civilian world, hospitals that are doing cutting-
edge research when it comes to TBIs.
Senator Gallego. I do not want to interrupt to be rude, but
I just want to make sure we communicate that. There are some
veterans that are actually getting MDMA therapy, but it is not
necessarily guided. Some of it is overseas. Some of them are
paying out-of-pocket. Is that correct?
Mr. Whaley. It is correct, and, of course, I agree with
General Piatt that that is unfortunate and should not be
happening in a country such as ours, and we should know that
these issues have long-lasting effects and we need to make sure
they get the health care when and how they need it. And we need
to explore different ways to solve TBI or mitigate it, using a
variety of different methods.
Senator Gallego. And General, do you want to jump in on my
thought. One of my concerns is that whoever gets good MDMA
therapy now is basically connected to how much money you have,
if you get to one of those really good programs. I know there
are a couple programs in Mexico. There are some actually in
Europe that some veterans that had the wherewithal or can
bundle the money from donors are able to do.
But then there are also some veterans, unfortunately, that
I know personally, that are so desperate that they are using
any type of program that they hear is good, and, of course,
when you have desperation you have potential fraudsters,
peddlers, and people that will try to take advantage of these
men.
So by having some kind of regulated, VA-approved therapies
we could potentially be saving these guys, and saving these
guys money, and potentially from some damage they may incur.
Correct?
General Piatt. Absolutely correct. We have done initial
research on our Warrior Care Network already on MDMA use with
already evidence-base to other therapies and seen great
results. We are going to help with trials next year, and I
think the more we do that in this country, it will be done
correctly, we will be able to follow the science. The treatment
may not be for everybody, but it is showing that it is working
for some, and we should not send them to a different country
where we do not know, where it is not regulated.
But you are seeing great promise here, and we fully support
the Centers of Excellence Act, because I think that will help
the VA tie all that science together and promote quicker
trials, that we can get more in. Our numbers that signed up for
initial trials that we advertise far exceed the numbers that we
will be able to do. There is a big appetite there for it, and I
think the Centers of Excellence will help tremendously. Thank
you.
Senator Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I really hope
that we can push this. This is more of an issue of a cultural
resistance, actually, using this versus an actual medical
resistance. And with proper therapy, training, licensing, there
are so many veterans that could actually benefit from this. I
think people have to get over the ickiness of the idea, MDMA or
other types of therapies.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Takano. Well, thank you, Senator. I am aware that there
were some trials done in Loma Linda, which is near me. I have
not checked into where VA is on it recently. I will have to
say, also, regarding this whole area of TBI and traumatic brain
injury and PTSD, I was with some neurologists recently. I am
concerned about the State of VA research, the number of
research positions that have been left vacant. That is a topic
I want to explore further, because it also bears on the
research capacity of VA to be able to move this forward. But
thank you. I share your concerns.
Senator Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Takano. I now recognize myself for some more questions
before we conclude. General McGinn, I saw your testimony on
duty status reform, and I will be following the Armed Services
Committee's progress closely, as that greatly impacts VA
benefits for our Reserve Component servicemembers.
I would like to focus on one benefit specifically, and that
is the Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility. National Guard and
Reservist servicemembers are serving in the same uniform,
taking the same risks as their active-duty counterparts, yet
not getting the same GI Bill eligibility. Three out of the four
Chairs and Ranking Members on the Veterans' Affairs Committee
are lead sponsors or co-sponsors of the Guard and Reserve GI
Bill Parity Act, which would fix this inequity.
As we are watching our country enter another overseas
conflict, how imperative is it that Congress get this bill
done?
General McGinn. Yes, thank you for the question. It is
imperative. We have been working this issue for years and
years, and Congress has been great. The GI Bill really
initiated years ago from Congress. But again, it is an
inequity. If you are flying a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter
during your weekend drill or your two weeks of annual training,
how is that different service than flying it off an active-duty
base? It is the same service, it is the same risk, and we think
a day in uniform, regardless of what your status is, should be
a day that counts toward Post-9/11 GI Bill, and early
retirement, as well, early retirement credit.
So we think it is imperative that this finally gets passed.
And we appreciate what Congress has done thus far, but we think
it is time to take it to that next level. And if they are
serving in whatever status they are in, other than stay at
active duty, that time should count.
Mr. Takano. Well, Major General, here is my point. As
National Guard and Reserve servicemembers are on the front
lines and under threat right now, that is what I am hearing. So
that is my point, that there is an urgency now to deal with
this inequity, because we have Guard and Reserve right now. It
is not the Guard and Reserve that we knew back in the Vietnam
War days, right. Sometimes they have been called up for service
and deployed many, many times. It is not a safe haven. And I
think Americans understand that, and we need to make sure we
update how we administer the GI Bill accordingly. Would you
agree with that?
General McGinn. I completely agree. I enlisted in 1981 and
I had a front row seat of the transition of the Guard and
Reserves from the 1-weekend a month and the 2-weeks in the
summer, to where we are today. We have got, as you know,
Guardsmen and women that have done multiple deployments. They
are coming on and off active duty a lot. And that is why the
whole TAP issue is a concern, too.
My colleague here with me today has been through the TAP
process, I think, four times, and she just comes off active
duty, comes back to her regular job. But she has to do 12 hours
of this mandatory transition training. And I just got an email
from Djibouti, somewhere in AFRICOM, from a servicemember over
there, having to put his whole unit, brigade-sized unit,
through the TAP program. And none of it is really relevant to
what they are going to experience when they come back off
active duty.
So we really have got to get these benefits right, rightly
aligned, and to your point, this is the time to do it. As I
mentioned, 40,000 of us are deployed today, somewhere, either
in the homeland or overseas. So it is time to make equities in
those benefits.
Mr. Takano. Well, I hope you and the other VSOs and
veterans themselves will hold the Chairs', Ranking Members'
leadership accountable to getting this legislation passed and
signed into law without delay. And, of course, we wish Godspeed
to all of our servicemembers abroad.
Commander Shipley, this will be my final question for the
day and we will bring this to a close. Your written testimony
highlighted the need to equality the disability indemnity
compensation rate with that of other Federal survivor programs,
taking it from the current 43 percent to 55 percent, a monthly
increase of $450. I am a co-sponsor of Representative Hayes's
bill, the Caring for Survivors Act, which would do just that.
We have even offered it as an amendment to a bill last month
that would only increase the DIC rate by $24. Unfortunately,
our majority rejected the full increase.
From my direct interactions with my constituents and
nationwide polling, I believe that the American people are
willing to pay for the full increase and are willing to do it
without taxing other veterans to do so. In other words, without
creating a pay-for that we diminish the benefits of other
veterans. I am strongly opposed to doing that.
Do you think that the American people are willing to pay
for, or would ask their Members of Congress to pay for the full
DIC increase and live up to the promises made to our
servicemembers and veterans?
Mr. Shipley. Thank you for this question. I absolutely
believe that the American public would support this. It is
bringing the fairness of the promise that is made to the
servicemembers to take care of our families, no matter what,
especially those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for this
Nation.
Mr. Takano. I agree with you. I agree with you 100 percent,
and I think we ought to apply that in this policy space, that
we, in order to make sure that we resolve the inequities--and
here we are talking about the survivors of veterans being paid
less for their survivor benefits than those that are survivors
of Federal employees. And that gap simply does not make sense
when you kind of explain it to the American people. It is kind
of complicated, this percent versus this percent.
Mr. Takano. But we need to take care of that inequity, and
I believe that we need to do it without asking other veterans,
who will, in many cases, say we want to help other veterans.
But here is my point about that. We should not be asking
veterans to do it. We, as Members of Congress, should take it
upon ourselves to make sure that we find a way to take care of
these inequities in veterans' benefits.
And with that I will just say, before we gavel out of this
hearing today, I want to thank our second panel for everything,
our second group of panelists, for everything that you do each
and every day to support not only the members of your
individual organizations but all veterans and their families.
Your work and your advocacy does matter, and we thank you for
that advocacy.
And with that this hearing is adjourned.
[Applause.]
[Whereupon, at 12:29 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
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