▶ 0:06:58Morning everyone. We're not going to start yet. We're waiting for a quorum. So, I just thought I would say hello to everybody. Quiet. Quiet group. Must be a I'm not going to make an Air Force joke, but probably should.
▶ 0:09:39there he is. I was just going to start talking bad about you, but I knew you'd show up just as I was going to get into right. Good morning everyone. Today we are considering six bills, several of which I will be asking unanimous consent to consider on block.
▶ 0:10:07All these bills were considered at legislative hearings in the subcommittee. In accordance with committee rules, the subcommittee has contacted the Congressional Budget Office seeking informal preliminary cost estimates for each of these bills being considered today. These preliminary scores are only a range of potential costs. None of these bills today include the offsets that would be necessary to move the bills forward through full committee. Finding offsets ensure that we keep our fiscal house absolutely in order. If we cannot find these offsets for these bills, we not be able to consider them in the full committee markup.
▶ 0:10:35I look forward to working with ranking member McGarvey and other members of this subcommittee to find reasonable offsets for these bills. I now recognize the distinguished ranking member for any opening remarks he may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Chairman Latrell. I truly appreciate you holding this markup today and working through the legislation that's intended to help our veterans, the families and survivors. Uh I also really appreciate the bipartisan nature of this committee and of the work we do to help our veterans here. So, thank you. Uh we have several bills that tackle a range of issues.
▶ 0:11:04These bills address burial rights and benefits, military sexual trauma training, aviator cancers, form simplification, claim sharks, and the everpresent VA claims backlog. I'm particularly excited to delve deeper into my bill HR2303, the Board of Veterans Appeals Attorney Retention and Backlog Reduction Act. We need to get a better name for that one, I think. Yeah. Uh, as we recently discussed, my bill would authorize the Board of Veterans Appeals to create non-supervisory staff attorney positions at the GS-15 level.
▶ 0:11:33Right now, that backlog is causing long wait times and delaying critical decisions that our vet veterans urgently need. This bill is a solid step toward solving that problem by making sure the most experienced attorneys stay at the Board of Veterans Appeals. I think our veterans are worth us investing in this effort and getting them through the limbo of claims processing and decision-making. So, I hope this bill is worthy to move forward so we get veterans their earned benefits without delay.
▶ 0:11:58also look forward to advancing HR647, the Ensuring Veterans Final Resting Place Act of 2025, HR1 1344, the Dennis and Lois Chrisy act to ensure the best benefit delivery at the end of a veteran's life. I'm also eager to move forward HR2201, the improving VA training for military sexual trauma claims act. Claims of this nature are especially sensitive and require a different approach so as not to retraumatize a veteran who survived terrible abuse. This bill has broad support in the VSO community and I hope we pass it here today. So, Mr.
▶ 0:12:28Chairman, again, I thank you so much for working with us on these issues and look forward to getting these bills out of the committee. Thank you, Mr. McGarby. I now ask unanimous consent to consider onblock the following bills that do not have amendments. HR530, the ASES Act, HR1286, the simplifying forms for the Veterans Claims Act, HR1578, the Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025, HR2303, the Board of Veterans Appeals Attorney Retention and Blockage Reduction Act. Hearing no objections, so ordered.
▶ 0:12:59The clerk shall report the bills. HR530 to provide for a study. Bills were circulated in advance pursuant to the committee rules. I ask the reading of the bills be dispensed with and the bills be open to amendment at any point without objection. So ordered. I recognize myself for a moment to say that these bills would provide comprehensive medical research needed to compensate military pilots and air crew for cancers caused by radiation and chemical exposures in service. Simplify the forms that veterans and survivors must complete to access their earned benefits.
▶ 0:13:25Educate veterans on about how they may receive assistance at no cost when they navigate the VA claims process. And help improve attorney retention at the VA board of appeals. Veterans Appeals. Do any other members wish to speak on any of the bills, including on block? Do any members wish to offer an amendment to any of these bills? Hearing none, I recognize ranking member Gar for a motion. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:13:50I move that on block number one consisting of HR530, HR 1286, HR1587, and HR2203 be forwarded favorably to the full committee. There's a motion to favorably forward the bills included in the onlock to the full committee. All those in favor say I. All those pairs say no. In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it and the bills HR530, HR 1286, HR1578 and HR2303 are favorably forward to the full committee.
▶ 0:14:16I now ask unanimous consent to consider onblock the amendment in the nature of a substitute for both of the following bills that were included in the notice for this markup. An amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR647, the Ensuring Veterans Final Resting Place Act of 2025 and an amendment in the nature of the substitute to HR2201, the improving VA training for military sexual trauma claims act. Hearing no objection, so ordered. Clerk shall report the bill. HR, sorry. HR 647 to amend title 38.
▶ 0:14:46The bills were circulated in advance pursuant to the committee rules. I ask the reading of the bills be dispensed with and the bills be open to amendment at any point without objection. So ordered. There is an amendment in the nature of a substitute to both of these bills that is considered base text for purposes of markup. Without objection. So ordered.
▶ 0:15:03I recognize myself for a moment to say that these bills would ensure the service members and veterans can be buried and mourned together with their loved ones and improve training concerning military sexual trauma claims so that victims of MST military sexual trauma receive accurate decisions and are not retraumatized during the claims process. Do any members wish to speak on either of these bills or the amendments in the nature of a substitute including in the on block? Does any member wish to offer an amendment to either of the amendments in this nature of a substitute?
▶ 0:15:32Hearing none. The question now occurs on agreeing to each of the amendments in the nature of a substitute including including the onb block. All those in favor say I. I. All those oppose say no. In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it. Without objection to motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. I now recognize ranking member McGarvey for a motion. Mr. Chairman, I move that on block number two consisting of ANS to HR 647 ANS to HR2201.
▶ 0:15:58There is a motion to favorably forward the bills as amended including in the on block to the full committee. All those in favor say I. I. All those post say no. And opinion of the chair the eyes have it and the bills HR 647 and HR2201 as amended are favorably forward to the full committee. I ask unanimous consent that the committee staff be authorized to make technical clerical and conforming changes to the bills favorably forwarded today. Hearing no objection. So ordered. I thank the members for their attendance today and the subcommittee is adjourned. Thank you.