[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 62 (Monday, May 9, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S2773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     TRIBUTE TO THOMAS J. PAMPERIN

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment today 
to recognize the long and distinguished career of Mr. Thomas J. 
Pamperin of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA. After nearly four 
decades of public service, beginning with the U.S. Army and now as the 
VA's Deputy Under Secretary for Disability Assistance, Tom is retiring. 
From his days as a VA claims examiner in Milwaukee to his present 
leadership position, he has ably served our Nation's veterans.
  Tom has earned an excellent reputation with Members of Congress and 
their staff, especially with that of the Senate Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs, of which I was proud to serve as chairman during the 109th and 
110th Congresses. He also receives high praise from leaders of veterans 
service organizations, the Department of Defense, the Social Security 
Administration, and the Department of Justice. He has represented the 
VA with distinction before the Congress, other Federal agencies, and 
foreign delegations.
  During my chairmanship of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tom was 
the ``go to person'' for matters of critical importance to veterans, 
especially those seeking compensation for their war wounds. When time 
was of the essence, he cut through the red tape and personally saw to 
it that the veteran got the benefits that were due. More broadly, he 
has led efforts to improve the delivery of benefits to all veterans, 
including initiatives to ease the burden of proof for those suffering 
from post-traumatic stress disorder, to enable veterans to begin the 
claims process before discharge from military service, to better 
coordinate the delivery of military and VA benefits, and to automate 
claims for higher education benefits under the new G.I. bill.
  In particular, I thank Tom for the work he did in improving VA's 
evaluation of and ratings for veterans with traumatic brain injuries, 
TBI. Soon after becoming chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I 
asked former VA Under Secretary for Benefits, Daniel L. Cooper, about 
limitations on TBI ratings to 10 percent ``and no more.'' Tom played a 
significant role in VA's response: He developed temporary guidance so 
that VA could promptly address cases where the limitation should not be 
applied and developed final regulations to ensure more appropriate 
ratings in subsequent claims. Tom's actions had an immediate and 
sustained impact on the lives of veterans who were injured in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.
  Nearly 40 years of service to the Nation demonstrates a commitment to 
public service matched by few. Tom has worked tirelessly to ensure that 
veterans receive the benefits that they deserve, a goal that has become 
ever more challenging with increases in the number of servicemembers 
returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan who have serious 
injuries, the demand for G.I. bill benefits, and the number of 
compensable illnesses. Over the course of his career, Tom has devoted 
himself to delivering on the Nation's promise to care for the veteran 
and his widow. I applaud his dedication, hard work, and countless 
achievements, and I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him for 
his many years of service to the country and to the many veterans whose 
lives he has improved in such crucial ways. His record is an example of 
public service at its best, and I deeply appreciate his long commitment 
to those who have worn the nation's uniform. I wish him all the best in 
his future endeavors and know that all of us who have counted on him 
over the years will miss him.

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