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▶ 0:04:01>> keep it here for full details on these stories in the minutes ahead. >> traffic and weather later on with rita. >> we may be coming up on 10:00 but are still pretty busy --
▶ 0:16:31>> good morning, thank you for being here. I'm glad to be in the senate with chairman moran and ranking member blumenthal. Chairman bost wishes he could be here the due to travel issues due to the snowstorm he couldn't make it in time for the hearing. I would like to thank Mr. coleman nee for being here today. I would also like to recognize the dav auxiliary national commander melissa pierce. Thank you for being here today. A special shout out to Mr.
▶ 0:17:01Dan pierce for being here as well. I'm pleased that our folks here from across the country, including my home state of south carolina. Thank you for traveling through a blizzard, through the snow to be with us this morning. If you are from south carolina, please stand if you are able. I would like to see some of my folks out there. There you are. [applause]
▶ 0:17:26Rep. Mace: God bless you all, thank you for traveling here. I would like to give a warm welcome to those folks. This is my fifth year on the committee. Veterans have always been part of my life. I grew up around veterans. I know veterans. They've always been part of our community and our families community. Every time I'm on the house floor debating a bill or on the dais I'm always thinking of them. Like my dad, the generations of men and women who served, my siblings.
▶ 0:17:53Rep. Mace: I just had one comeback from a deployment overseas in the middle east. For me, it's always about taking care of our veteran community when they come home. I know the sacrifices each of you have made, especially our disabled community. Each of you has fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear.
▶ 0:18:11Rep. Mace: I come along with my house republican colleagues, leading the charge to help make life more affordable for severely disabled veterans and survivors through the veterans benefit expansion act that we reported two weeks ago. The bill would raise the monthly benefits rate for the most severely service-connected disabled veterans that require around-the-clock care by offering an additional 10,000 dollars annually.
▶ 0:18:37Rep. Mace: It would also boost the monthly support payment that veteran survivors received by an additional 1.5% annually over the next two years. These increases have made -- have not been made in decades. I need your support to help ensure they are not cut up in the election-year political games and are finally enacted. Second, insure veteran good quality health care at the v.a. Or within the community.
▶ 0:19:02Rep. Mace: That is why we are fighting for the veterans access act which is common sense legislation to build and solidify the gains made in the choice and mission acts. It would give veterans more options and how they access their health care outside of the v.a., especially veterans living in rural and remote areas. Third, reauthorize v.a. To make sure the v.a. Programs work for today and tomorrow's veterans. Something that has not been done in decades.
▶ 0:19:31Rep. Mace: The importance of the transition assistance program, tap, is an area that remains a key priority for me and all of us on the v.a. Committee. Ensuring that servicemembers are set up for their next mission in life is not something I take lightly. Thank you to the dav for highlighting the importance of new veterans, understanding the benefits they have earned and they deserve. We are committed to ensuring opportunities for veterans to explore nontraditional education.
▶ 0:20:00Rep. Mace: Whether that be through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, tap, or the veteran readiness in employment program. We must continue to focus our efforts to ensure veterans are able to find and maintain meaningful employment. The dav plays an important role in making sure we advance commonsense proposals and conduct oversight to meet the needs of all veterans, no matter their zip code and no matter where they work. Veterans should have the choice to use the benefits v.a.
▶ 0:20:27Rep. Mace: Offers in exchange for their service to meet their own needs. You know where we need to push the agency forward, not stick to the status quo. I can promise you one thing. My house republican colleagues and I will never stop fighting for you and the voices you represent, the hundreds of thousands of veterans outside the D.C. beltway who just want their health care on time, their benefits without a headache, and to live the american dream.
▶ 0:20:57Rep. Mace: We take this mission seriously, I know my house at republican -- my house at republican colleagues and president trump do too. We made progress with the recent ndaa and I support of the provisions. Enhancing tap to cover topics such as debt management, taxes, it investing.
▶ 0:21:19Rep. Mace: Improving the warm hand over process between v.a., do w, dol, allowing service members to attend tap multiple times and encourage folks to bring their spouses along too. These things make a real difference for transitioning service members and they must have all the tools needed to prepare for their next phase of life with their family. We will continue to fight to deliver historic economic really for all veterans, including severely disabled veterans like eric edmonson and survivors like she read wrongly.
▶ 0:21:50Rep. Mace: We will continue to fight to modernize the v.a. And its programs through reauthorization. We will ensure veterans, no matter where they live, get the health care they deserve at the v.a. Or in their community. I look forward to completing your mission alongside each and every one of you. Thank you for being here today. With that I will recognized ranking member to cano for his opening remarks.
▶ 0:22:11Rep. Takano: Thank you, madam chair. Good morning, everyone. I am glad that good morning. I'm glad to see so many of you here ensuring that your voices are heard today. I would like to shout out those who have traveled from the great state of california. Where are you, california? California, yes.
▶ 0:22:41Rep. Takano: Welcome, welcome to our nation's capital. Welcome everyone to our nation's capital. I would like to welcome the dav national commander coleman nee and dav auxiliary commander national commander melissa pierce and representatives from all of the organization's on our second panel of witnesses. It is great to see you all and I am looking forward to an enlightening conversation.
▶ 0:23:07Rep. Takano: Since you were here last we have all experienced uncertainty and at times flat out chaos. Last week secretary collins announced an interim final rule that would limit v.a.'s obligations to veterans whose service-connected conditions are improved by medications. The response from the veteran community has been loud and near universal, and I agree with you. This rule cannot stand. Medication -- [applause]
▶ 0:23:41Rep. Takano: Medication may be able to minimize the effects of injury or illness. It is not erase them. I know the secretary has stated he will not enforce the rule. Frankly that is not enough. Mr. secretary, if you are listening, I call on you to resend this rule immediately.
▶ 0:24:09Rep. Takano: The committee intends to submit a comment in the federal register voicing our disapproval and I highly recommend that each of you do the same. The link to do so can be found at the banner on democrats -- veterans -- house.gov. This year in addition to the secretary's harmful interim final rule we are facing a massive reorganization of the veterans health administration.
▶ 0:24:37Rep. Takano: Neither of these major actions were planned with input from congress or, as far as I can tell, from the veteran community either. V.a. Needs improvement, but this proposal appears to be more of an effort to align v.a. With what is happening in for-profit health care. The v.a. Should not emulate that model. I also want to address the hurdles that are veterans face in linking their toxic exposures to their service.
▶ 0:25:05Rep. Takano: We have had several discussions regarding overlooked veteran populations that need care. V.a. Has the authority to create new presumptive conditions and deliver that care, and yet they don't use that authority nearly enough. Instead, we seem to have a v.a. Leadership that wants to do more with less, as we have recently heard the secretary say. You know what? Doing more with less has never worked for veterans.
▶ 0:25:37Rep. Takano: We can't expand benefits to more veterans without having staff at the v.a. To do so. We need doctors and nurses and researchers, we need claims examiners at the v.a., social workers, janitorial staff, and police officers in vha to ensure that v.a. Is meeting its mission. Each of you has served, and today continues -- and you continue to serve your fellow veterans and their survivors.
▶ 0:26:04Rep. Takano: Now, from the moment you raised your hand and put on that uniform, you set yourself apart. That commitment came with a promise that you and your family would be taken care of afterwards. You fulfilled your duty. I consider it my duty, and the duty of every american, to honor that commitment.
▶ 0:26:24Rep. Takano: Over the past year we have seen attacks on veterans and their earned benefits in an attempt to paint you as a group of scammers or that you are receiving overly generous benefits. Let me be clear. These are not handouts. These are earned benefits. [applause]
▶ 0:26:44Rep. Takano: Benefits that were earned by long days, long nights, months away, missed birthdays, mist anniversaries, through blood, sweat, tears, through great sacrifice, and for some, the ultimate sacrifice. For those left behind, the survivor community, we owe you a great debt as well. That is why I support the caring for survivors act and the love lives on act.
▶ 0:27:16Rep. Takano: These bills provide meaningful change for an underserved and deserving community. I know everyone is waiting to see progress on the major richard starr act. I have heard you loud and clear. We need to pass that act. I strongly urge support for the richard -- major richard starr act and delay on action is unacceptable. It's time to get it done.
▶ 0:27:46Rep. Takano: Now, being very transparent with you, none of these bills are cheap. Under the rules of the house it has been a struggle to find ways to pay for them, but that is a lame excuse. If we can find an extra 500 billion dollars for the pentagon that they don't want or need, we can find an extra $50 billion for our nation's veterans, their dependents, and survivors.
▶ 0:28:14Rep. Takano: Congress must do the right thing and we should do so without asking veterans to shoulder the costs. Veterans earned their benefits already. They should not be asked to pay for them again when they leave service. We know veterans are willing to make sure their comrades are make sure their comrades are m taken care of, and I respect that immensely, but the point is they shouldn't have to. Congress can and should do better.
▶ 0:28:40Rep. Takano: The american public has been told that it is willing to stand up -- the american public has told us that it is willing to stand up for those who have served and ensure they get the benefits they've earned it. And that includes taking a stand against claim sharks. We must pass representative pappas' guard act today. [applause] anytime benefits are increased the sharks come circling.
▶ 0:29:12Rep. Takano: Claims sharks prey on veterans and siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars a year of veterans' hard earned benefits and this is wrong. Even in the past week the sharks have come circling again, pushing out ads in an attempt to profit off of the chaos by v.a.'s rule to roll back disability ratings. The purpose of the ads are to scare veterans into signing up for their services to "protect their services to "protect the ratings." I've even seen targeted by these ads.
▶ 0:29:43Rep. Takano: -- I've even been targeted by these ads. They're slick and made to be looking like they came from the v.a.. The lobbying efforts from these companies is immense and it stalled congressional action. Fortunately states have stepped into the breach and I would like to shout out my home state of california for stepping up on the issue and passing legislation that takes on these claim sharks. Thank you, california. And I'm proud to see california is leading the way, but congress is still not off the hook. We must act.
▶ 0:30:14Rep. Takano: Madam chair, thank you for holding support and hearing today, and I look forward to a frank and fruitful discussion today.
▶ 0:30:20Rep. Mace: I now recognize chairman moran.
▶ 0:30:24Chair Moran: Thank you chairwoman mace. It is good to be here with ranking member blumenthal, congressman nakano, and you for our first joint hearing this year. I want to welcome our witnesses and I'm glad you're here. This is an important component of what we do to make sure we are paying attention to those who served. I'm appreciative of the disabled american veterans and other veterans service organizations for their presence here today.
▶ 0:30:53Chair Moran: I extend a special welcome to the kansans in the audience today, and I look forward to spending more time with you this afternoon. I'm grateful for the work the vsos, like the one we will hear from this morning, do every day across the country and here in our nation's capital to support their fellow veterans and their families and advocate for stronger and better department of veterans affairs. Our committees are working every day with those same goals in mind.
▶ 0:31:23Chair Moran: We may talk often about the challenges that veterans face after service, but I'm always reminded of these hearings that veterans are not defined by their challenges. Far from it. Every day, every state, every district veterans bring a wealth of skills, leadership experience, and values from their military into their communities. It is our responsibility to make certain that federal programs and policies at the v.a.
▶ 0:31:45Chair Moran: And in every other department and agency help veterans translate those strengths into long-term stability, health, and opportunity. This is -- this responsibility is why I come along with ranking member blumenthal, have introduced the national veteran strategy acted to coordinate the efforts of federal, state, local governments with not for profits, for-profit organizations all of the best interest of our nation's veterans.
▶ 0:32:12Chair Moran: I'm grateful for widespread support for that bill along the vso community and I'm eager to discuss it with our witnesses today. I'm grateful to the vso leaders today for their tireless work to make sure that the congress and the v.a. Remain focused on doing what is in the best interest of our veterans and military communities. I look forward to hearing how your legislative priorities advance veterans' success, where congress can do more to make certain that the v.a.'s policies translate into real improvements in the veteran's well-being. Thank you for being here.
▶ 0:32:43Chair Moran: I look forward to today's hearing.
▶ 0:32:44Chair Mace: I recognize ranking member blumenthal.
▶ 0:32:48Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you, chair mace. Thank you, senator moran, our chairman and the senate. I'm honored to be with all of you today. I particularly want to welcome anyone who has managed to make it here from connecticut come out of the snow. If you're here, connecticut, thank you. And thank all of the rest of you. Never doubt, never doubt that you are making a difference.
▶ 0:33:21Sen. Blumenthal: Our vsos are the lifeblood of hour veterans health care and other benefits and compensation to the men and women who are our national heroes. You are the ones who stand in watch over the v.a. And over us.
▶ 0:33:40Sen. Blumenthal: The latest example was your reaction to the cuts that were threatened, cruel, stupid cuts, I may be a and you and your voices turned it around. -- stupid cuts, and you and your voices turned it around. Thank you for correcting what would have been a disastrous slash in benefits.
▶ 0:34:11Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you, all of you. [applause]
▶ 0:34:19Sen. Blumenthal: There is still work to be done. There is still work to be done on that issue, among others. Representative takano and I sent a letter to secretary collins demanding the immediate rescission of the department of veterans affairs interim final rule entitled evaluate of rating impact of medication, a
▶ 0:34:51Sen. Blumenthal: Benign-sounding rule that will in fact impact, cruelly and dangerously, our veterans. I call on secretary collins to resend this rule this morning while you are testifying here. [applause] and I thank all of my colleagues who have joined in this letter.
▶ 0:35:17Sen. Blumenthal: I'm hoping that this effort will be bipartisan, as so much of our work is and should be, but it has to result in action. I reawd just this morning an excellent article written by barry jesinoski. I asked that it be put into the record.
▶ 0:35:45Sen. Blumenthal: It's headline is, veterans are not campaign props. Congress must start acting like it. I couldn't have said it better. [applause] and to quote the article, recent congresses rank among the least productive in modern history, paralyzed by dysfunction, partisan infighting, and an apparent inability to do the basic job
▶ 0:36:16Sen. Blumenthal: Voters send them to washington to do. We should -- yeah. That deserves your applause for sure. Thank you, barry. We need to overcome this kind of dysfunction. Not only for our veterans, but for our whole country. And I hope that this hearing will mark a critical step in that effort. And the best example would be passing the richard stark -- major richard starr act.
▶ 0:36:48Sen. Blumenthal: Most of you know I have championed this bill for years. I went most recently to the floor of the united states senate and asked for unanimous consent. It was blocked by one of my colleagues. I ask all of you, make your views known about the richard starr act.
▶ 0:37:10Sen. Blumenthal: Make sure that your member of the senate or congress joins in supporting a measure that is about basic fairness so that our combat veterans are not deprived of benefits they have earned. These are not beneficents, they are not charity, they are not philanthropy. You have earned them. It is not doubled the thing. It is deserved.
▶ 0:37:41Sen. Blumenthal: The richard starr act should pass during the session of the united states congress. And I will go to the floor and again ask unanimous consent that it be approved. Let me say, finally, I am deeply grateful to all of you for the support you provided to a range of measures. I read were testimony. The guard act, the kinds of basic architecture that we need to sustain.
▶ 0:38:10Sen. Blumenthal: We have seen a systematic degradation of v.a. Health care and the first-ever net reduction in v.a. Staff, a concerted effort that has forced thousands of physicians, schedulers, registered nurses, and others to leave federal service. Veterans have seen increased mental health care wait times, politically motivated policies that threaten at risk veterans and decrease quality of veterans decisions.
▶ 0:38:40Sen. Blumenthal: These administrative actions also demand scrutiny and reversal. Thank you for all you do for america and for the veterans of the united states. Thank you. [applause]
▶ 0:38:56Chair Mace: We have with us national commander coleman nee of chapter 3 in boston, massachusetts, a marine veteran of the persian gulf war and a graduate of american university in washington, the son of a world war ii veteran commander two walked into a recruiter's office at the age of 18 and join the marine corps reserve, an opportunity to serve something that t -- something bigger than
▶ 0:39:27Chair Mace: Himself while attending higher education. Commander nee was called to saudi arabia. In response to saddam hussein's invasion of kuwait. There was a motor transport officer that supported infantry units with supply runs for six months. Like so many of our veterans, commander coleman nee's service didn't end when he took off the uniform.
▶ 0:39:51Chair Mace: He served as the secretary of the massachusetts department of veteran services. The department created a number of new initiatives under his leadership to increase access to services for all veterans. Including the more than 40 7000 returning massachusetts veterans from the wars in iraq and afghanistan.
▶ 0:40:10Chair Mace: Secretary the commander oversaw the creation of a first in the nation initiative to support veterans and their families coping with the stresses of returning for more and oversaw the management of the massachusetts women's veteran's network one of the most successful women's veterans advocacy organizations in the nation. The commander went on to empower people with disabilities for nine years to succeed in employment and leadership positions before being elected to the organization's highest post.
▶ 0:40:40Chair Mace: Commander nee served on the dv board of directors, national interim legislative committee, and the national executive committee. Through his time in the marine corps in decades of mission-driven where commander nee has shown who he is, a servant leader who appreciates an honors service. It is now with great pride and appreciation and admiration that the committee recognizes dav national commander coleman nee to deliver some opening remarks. [applause]
▶ 0:41:11Mr. Nee: Thank you, chairwoman for that very kind introduction. I appreciate you stepping in for my good friend representative stephen lynch who could not be here. I believe representative lynch is still digging out a parking spot in boston. Thank you for stepping in.
▶ 0:41:33Mr. Nee: Chairwoman mace, chairman moran, ranking members gloom though and to t -- and -- ranking member blumenthal and ranking member to cano, thank you for the opportunity to represent the legislative priorities of the ava, disabled american veterans, and our partners in the auxiliary of who I am a proud member.
▶ 0:42:02Mr. Nee: Together the hour over one million members represent more than 6 million wounded, ill, injured veterans all of whom return from wartime service forever changed. My written testimony details the dav key legislative goals for this 119th congress and it summarizes our many accomplishments we've made over the last year. I will highlight some of our critical policy bills. Let me introduce my dav colleagues joining me today.
▶ 0:42:32Mr. Nee: Our national adjutant and ceo barry jesinoski, our national headquarters executive cody vanboxel, our washington headquarters executive director jim marszalek, our national service director scott hope, our national legislative director jon retzer, our national voluntary services director john kleindienst, our national caregiver support program director ron minter, our
▶ 0:43:02Mr. Nee: National employment director jeremy yost, and my good friend and partner and commander our exhilarating national commander melissa pierce. I would also like to recognize the many dav members and leaders who join me here today. Obviously, not every one of our members could make the trip to washington, but their contributions have been critical to the dav success as the nation's premier veterans service organization.
▶ 0:43:38Mr. Nee: I also wish to express my gratitude to our national executive committee, members of our interim legislative committee, as well as my chief of staff for all of their support. Finally, I want to thank my beautiful family, my wife karen, my son jack, my daughter kate, who have remained steadfast partners and supporters not only of me but veterans everywhere. Members of the committee, I sit before you as a service-disabled veteran of the goal -- of the gulf war.
▶ 0:44:10Mr. Nee: I know for my time in uniform and experiences of my comrades in arms that there is a price paid by all those who serve. As a former massachusetts secretary of veteran services I oversaw more than 100 million dollars in state funding for veterans and dependents. This included financial aid and programming. Suffice it to say, I understand the difficulties you will face when it comes to making decisions that affect the lives of your fellow countrymen.
▶ 0:44:40Mr. Nee: It is not easy and there is no shortage of critics. So, let me take this opportunity upfront to simply say, thank you for all you do. Long before gaining that insight, I watched and admired as those who made it home from vietnam built one of the nation's first memorials to the 25 sons of south boston who made the ultimate sacrifice there.
▶ 0:45:07Mr. Nee: Went missing my friends and neighbors from southie honor our fallen heroes had a profound impact on me. It illustrated the importance of banding together to accomplish a task bigger than oneself. Like many of those seated behind me, I found military service reinforced at that idea. As a marine mode of transport operator, I spent a lot of time getting tossed around the insanely uncomfortable cabs of military vehicles.
▶ 0:45:37Mr. Nee: It wasn't the kind of thing that is glamorized in hollywood begetting marines and supplies where they needed was enough for me to know that I did my part. As we all know, military service comes with the trials and tribulations that can last far beyond our time in uniform. Fortunately, the department of veterans affairs is there to assist us throughout our lives. When I pursued my higher education it was the g.I. Bill that paid my tuition.
▶ 0:46:07Mr. Nee: When the v.a. Home loan guarantee program helped karen and I buy the house we live in today. When my service-connected disabilities contributed to me stepping down as ceo from an organization that I had ran for nearly nine years, it was v.a. Disability compensation that helped me keep our finances in order. When I needed the medical care for those same disabilities, it was v.a. Hospitals and vet centers that provided the care that I need an still need today.
▶ 0:46:38Mr. Nee: When I am called to stand my final post, the v.a.'s national cemetery administration leaves the burden of my family and ensures that I'm laid to rest with honor and dignity. None of this is unique to me. Countless veterans can share that same story. Everything happening in our country today, I cannot help but wonder if the v.a.
▶ 0:47:03Mr. Nee: Will be there for future generations as it was for me and for all of our nation's veterans. The v.a. Stands at a defining crossroads. One that will shape not only the institution itself but our nation's enduring commitment to those who have worn its uniform.
▶ 0:47:29Mr. Nee: On one path lies the dismantlement, fragmentation, the gradual erosion of a system that was built to serve veterans. On the other, lies a principled effort to modernize, strengthen, and safeguard the v.a. For future generations who will answer the call to serve. It is not merely a political or bureaucratic debate, it's a moral issue. It's a strategic issue.
▶ 0:48:00Mr. Nee: It's even a national security issue. As an organization founded before our nation had a federal agency charged with honoring veterans sacrifices, we, dav, know that the v.a. Was not created by accident or convenience. It was built out of necessity and obligation. After each major conflict in american history, our nation confronted the same question. How will we keep our promise to those who bore the cost of war?
▶ 0:48:36Mr. Nee: The v.a. Emerged as the answer. It's mission is singular in american governance, to serve a population not defined by age, income, or geography, but by service and sacrifice. Yet today, the v.a. Faces intense pressure. Critics point to long wait times. Uneven quality of care. Outdated infrastructure. And administrative inefficiencies.
▶ 0:49:05Mr. Nee: These criticisms are not unfounded. The v.a., like many large institutions, has struggled to adapt to changing demands, particularly the complex needs of post 9/11 veterans. But acknowledging flaws is not the same as abandoning the mission. Calls to dismantle or significantly privatize v.a. Are often framed as pragmatic solutions offering veteran's choice by shifting care to the private sector.
▶ 0:49:35Mr. Nee: On the surface, this may sound reasonable. In practice, it risks hollowing out the only health care system in this country that is purpose-built for veterans. Private health care systems are not designed around military service. They don't specialize in combat trauma or poly trauma rehabilitation.
▶ 0:50:00Mr. Nee: They don't take into account the lifelong consequences of military toxic exposures that are not accountable to veterans in the same way that a public institution is accountable to the people it serves. [applause] dismantling, once begun, is rarely reversible. As resources, talent, and expertise are siphoned away the v.a.'s ability to function deteriorates.
▶ 0:50:31Mr. Nee: This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy in which weakened performance is used to justify further destruction of the department. Veterans are left navigating a fragmented landscape of providers, insurers, bureaucracies often at the moments they are least equipped to do so. Preservation on the other hand doesn't mean defending the status quo. Preserving the v.a. Means reforming it with seriousness and resolve.
▶ 0:51:00Mr. Nee: It means modernizing facilities, investing in digital health infrastructure, streamlining our claims processing, and holding leadership accountable for performance. It means expanding our mental health capacity, strengthening rural access, ensuring that care keeps pace with evolving medical science. Most importantly, preservation means recognizing the v.a. Is not simply a health care provider. It is a covenant with those who have earned it services.
▶ 0:51:29Mr. Nee: [applause] if our nation is serious about honoring the promise made to those who served, then our priorities must be clear. Here are some of dav's critical policy goals for this year.
▶ 0:51:55Mr. Nee: First, we must make the claims and appeals process work for veterans not against them. Timely, accurate decisions are not a courtesy. They are a moral obligation. [applause] we must also strengthen presumptive policies so that veterans exposed to toxic substances are not forced to prove what history and science already know.
▶ 0:52:24Mr. Nee: No veteran should be forced to wait decades for the health care and benefits that they have already earned. [applause] equally urgent is closing the gaps in mental health care and suicide prevention. Every veteran in crisis deserves immediate comprehensive support, because no one who served this nation should ever feel forgotten or loan. -- or alone.
▶ 0:52:59Mr. Nee: Our survivors also deserve better. Modernizing and strengthening their benefits ensures financial security after a veteran is gone. Their sacrifices have earned the gratitude of a grateful nation and we must never neglect them. [applause] as veterans age, long-term care must keep pace with their needs.
▶ 0:53:23Mr. Nee: That means expanding assisted living options and strengthening support for caregivers, many of whom bear enormous responsibilities with limited resources. These unsung heroes deserve not just our thanks, but meaningful support that makes a difference in their lives.
▶ 0:53:38Mr. Nee: [applause] we must also protect veterans programs from arbitrary budget caps and pay go offsets that quietly road funding year after year. -- quietly you road funding year after year. Our nation should never balance its budget on the backs of those who have stood to defend it. They already paid.
▶ 0:54:07Mr. Nee: [applause] finally, just last week, a new regulation was published by the v.a.. It would have reduced compensation for some disabled veterans simply because they take medication for their service-connected disabilities. We are pleased secretary collins listened to veterans and announced v.a. Would not be implementing the rule.
▶ 0:54:36Mr. Nee: No veteran should be penalized for taking the medication they need to survive. [applause] every generation of veterans inherits a system built by those who came before. The v.a. That treated world war ii veterans like my dad enabled the care of korea and vietnam veterans. The reforms driven by gulf war veterans like myself lay the groundwork for post-9/11 care.
▶ 0:55:04Mr. Nee: What we decide now will determine whether future veterans inherit a robust, integrated institution or a patchwork of programs that treats their needs as transactional rather than holistic. The choice before us is not between reform or stagnation. It is between responsibility or retreat. The v.a. Stands at a crossroads.
▶ 0:55:36Mr. Nee: History will judge which path we choose. What lies beyond is not merely an institutional outcome but a statement of our national character. Let us choose preservation. Let us choose reform. And above all, let us choose to keep the promise to those who have always kept faith with us. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my testimony.
▶ 0:56:06Mr. Nee: May god continue to bless dav a, and the men and women who serve our great nation, and the united states of america. Thank you very much. [applause]
▶ 0:56:30Chair Mace: Beautifully stated with a beautiful boston accent. Thank you. I will recognize myself. We will have approximately three minutes each on this initial round. I will recognize myself or questions. Commander nee, how important is community care for veterans in rural and remote areas?
▶ 0:56:54Mr. Nee: I believe integrated community care with the v.a. Facilities is critical for a lot of our rural veterans. Many areas we go to do not have ready access to v.a. Services right away. It is so I am very proud of our dav transportation network. Getting many of these veterans to medical appointments. But integrated coordinated care with our v.a.
▶ 0:57:18Mr. Nee: Services is something that dav has for a long time supported, but it has to be done in the right manner. It has to be integrated with the v.a. Health care records that we are collecting that data nationwide.
▶ 0:57:32Chair Mace: In addition to transportation, is there other things we can do to improve community care in rural areas?
▶ 0:57:39Mr. Nee: If you don't mind, I want to answer your question, madam chairwoman, but I have great experts up here also. I may refer to them to give follow-up background. Jon might have some comments. Mr. retzer with community care one thing we really want to see is first and foremost the standards that the v.a. Has in training is required by our v.a. Community providers.
▶ 0:58:09Mr. Nee: When you look at the toxic exposure, traumatic brain injury, veterans of special needs, they need levels of competency that meet the standards of very diverse needs of our population. That is one of them. The second part is we need a robust interoperable system. The electronic health record modernization as we watch the v.a.
▶ 0:58:30Mr. Nee: Go through 26 and 27 as they deployed to the 13 and 26th sites we need to make sure that they have taken and address all the incidents you have all identified as concerning and safety issues had to make sure that they roll it out very seamlessly and ensure that change management within the staff is also adopted and that it is working between dod, v.a., and community care.
▶ 0:58:52Chair Mace: Commander nee, my next question is for you but you may ask someone else. In your testimony you discuss alternative therapies in health care. Any thoughts on technologies that are more valuable than others? What should we focus on on alternative therapies or tools for recovery and healing for our veterans when they come home?
▶ 0:59:12Mr. Nee: Great question. I personally am a huge believer in alternative therapies. I myself have used alternative and naturalistic therapies for my own disabilities. We have done a significant amount of work on that and have, in fact, done a significant amount of research. I believe -- john, would you like to weigh in on the specifics?
▶ 0:59:35Chair Mace: We only have a few seconds left before I have to hand off. >> we look at alternatives, psychedelics, how we can have efficacy with post-traumatic stress disorder and that women veterans with regards to menopause research is also there.
▶ 0:59:58Chair Mace: I now yield to ranking member takano. Thank you.
▶ 1:00:04Rep. Takano: Mr. nee, how would you characterize this past year in terms of information flow between the department and the vso community?
▶ 1:00:15Mr. Nee: I mean, I know our washington executive director deals directly every day with the v.a. And I would like for him to weigh in. Before that, I can say honestly over the years what I've seen is when your vet service organization community has an active working partnership with v.a. The system is better and more gets done.
▶ 1:00:43Mr. Nee: Would you like to weigh in on the specifics of this particular conversation?
▶ 1:00:47Mr. Marszalek: Yes. Thank you, commander and thank you, ranking member takano for the question. The ranking member said perfectly that working together is important. If we are able to collaborate more the better off ea is going to be as well, as you just saw last week what occurred. I think if we were involved earlier we could have told them this isn't going to go over well and the veteran community. This is not a good thing for veterans at all. The collaboration has improved a little bit over the last year.
▶ 1:01:20Mr. Marszalek: I think the deputy secretary was at our conference and spoke on sunday before he made formal remarks I was able to meet with him. He assured me that we will be collaborating more. We have a meeting later this week to discuss a couple of things. I am optimistic. I'm excited about being able to sit down with him and his team and find out how we can work better together.
▶ 1:01:39Rep. Takano: I'm glad you are optimistic about that. The information flow seems to be improving. I can tell you that I have seen that getting data from the v.a. Has been difficult. This interim rule being announced without input from veterans much less congress I thought was a huge misstep and mistake. We have several bills that would radically improve benefits for survivors like love lives on in caring for survivors.
▶ 1:02:10Rep. Takano: The dav supports these bills, right? Is that correct, commander nee?
▶ 1:02:14Mr. Nee: I believe we do. >> that is correct. Dav supports major richard starr, loves louk -- love lives on and we bring parity with all of our veterans.
▶ 1:02:27Rep. Takano: As a nonveteran I would never ask you or your members to bear the cost of earned benefits. Would you believe the veteran and survivor benefits are earned and should be paid by the general public?
▶ 1:02:38Mr. Nee: I would agree with that, Mr. ranking member. Thank you.
▶ 1:02:43Rep. Takano: I ask the same for the major richard starr act. Should veteran to shoulder the cost of the major richard starr act?
▶ 1:02:51Mr. Nee: No, they should not. We are opposed to any reduction of benefits or services that help our injured or ill veterans in v.a. Care.
▶ 1:03:01Rep. Takano: Should we allow arbitrary congressional rules to stand in the way of what is right for veterans?
▶ 1:03:08Mr. Nee: No.
▶ 1:03:09Rep. Takano: The answer is no. Thank you very much. I yield back. [applause]
▶ 1:03:17Chair Mace: I will now recognize ranking member blumenthal.
▶ 1:03:21Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you, madam chair. Thank you for that excellent testimony, Mr. nee. I have a few questions. I'm very interested in your emphasis on the need for standards for community care. And at the same time improving the quality of care in the v.a..
▶ 1:03:49Sen. Blumenthal: If the emphasis is exclusively on expanding community care, doesn't that endanger the quality and availability of care for the v.a. If all the resources go to community care?
▶ 1:04:02Mr. Nee: Thank you for that question. I believe of all the resources were going to community care that would not be something that we are in favor of. I believe v.a. Works better if there is a coordinated community care network, but in my own experience having that information and that medical record flow, the flow from the community back into your v.a. Record, helps tremendously.
▶ 1:04:30Sen. Blumenthal: And you would agree that standards comparable to what the v.a. Has to meet should be applied to community care?
▶ 1:04:38Mr. Nee: Yes.
▶ 1:04:40Sen. Blumenthal: And information about what is happening in community care should be the same, the data, the basic information provided should be the same?
▶ 1:04:52Mr. Nee: Correct.
▶ 1:04:54Sen. Blumenthal: Would you agree there ought to be a commitment to repair and upgrade v.a.'s aging of the structure?
▶ 1:05:03Mr. Nee: I absolutely would agree with that, Mr. ranking number.
▶ 1:05:08Sen. Blumenthal: To replace the 30,000 -- yes, 30,000 physicians, nurses, and others essential to v.a. Health care should be filled and replaced?
▶ 1:05:23Mr. Nee: I agree.
▶ 1:05:27Mr. Retzer: I appreciate the line of questioning. What dav has supported is a balance amongst community care, but we have to make sure. If you look at the budget fiscal year 27 we created a budget because we have infrastructure issues, inflation market values that is really plaguing the department of veterans affairs. We want to make sure that we internally strengthen the v.a.
▶ 1:05:54Mr. Retzer: Health care system to meet the needs of all of our veterans to include rural veterans. As you look at our report it will give you some guidance. One of the things we noticed with community care is the cost of emergency and urgent needs going out into community care. We did a recommendation in our report citing a plus up in regards to strengthening --
▶ 1:06:13Sen. Blumenthal: My time is about to expire, I will interrupt. Apologies. We have encountered tremendous difficulty on both sides of the aisle -- I don't want to speak for anyone -- but the flow of information from the v.a. Has been highly obscure.
▶ 1:06:33Sen. Blumenthal: And even after the last hearing that we had when secretary collins promised to fully answer all of our questions, to this moment we have received half or less than what he promised to provide.
▶ 1:06:51Sen. Blumenthal: I hope you'll join in this effort to demand full and complete transparency from the department of veterans affairs so that you can be effective advocates for the veterans of america. Thank you for being here today.
▶ 1:07:06Chair Mace: Thank you, senator. [applause] I will now recognize representative luttrell.
▶ 1:07:16Rep. Luttrell: It is good to be in the house with my brothers and sisters. I miss you terribly. I'm glad everyone made the trip. For decades congress has appropriated millions and millions of dollars to the department of veterans affairs -- help me out. Millions of dollars for suicide prevention. Inside the v.a..
▶ 1:07:46Rep. Luttrell: Millions of dollars, decades and decades. Every year the suicide rate increases. We are losing that battle. You hear the number 22 veterans a day up to 40 veterans a day. Does anyone on the panel know how many spouses of veterans commit suicide? Anybody know the answer to that question? From what I understand, every eight days a spouse takes his/her life.
▶ 1:08:16Rep. Luttrell: I don't know if that is concrete. I would like to put that on to the panel to find that answer out for me. Through my research, that's what I'm hearing. Every eight days a spouse of a veteran takes their life. I heard you say that you are supporting alternative means of treatment, psychedelics, neural plaster plasteagins. We are trying to find a name that doesn't scare everyone away.
▶ 1:08:48Rep. Luttrell: Thousands go overseas for this treatment. It is highly effective. Out loud I will say there are three members of congress, myself, openly engaged with the v.a., dod, hhs, fda on moving research on these medications to save us from that one-inch pistol range. To date it is like pushing a wet noodle up a hill.
▶ 1:09:17Rep. Luttrell: It is amazing some of the responses I've gotten. How many do you actually think this will save? My response is, one. If it saves one veteran we are moving in the right direction. But we are not making enough noise. The three of us can do this alone.
▶ 1:09:46Rep. Luttrell: You would think in the house of representatives this is where the power lives, but when I look out into the crowd and if dav supports this effort, I am calling for an all-hands muster. You have to be present. Is this the direction the way we want to go? I adamantly believe that it is.
▶ 1:10:08Rep. Luttrell: It is either taking a step somewhere else were continuing down the road of opioids, ssris, the other stuff that we pump into our bodies to make ourselves feel good and that only leads to one place for those unfortunates. I don't have a question more than a statement. If we are all in, like we are when we are in combat and you look to your left and you're right, I'm here with you, we are going, this is what we have to do, sell, and asking for your help.
▶ 1:10:37Rep. Luttrell: When you travel around the lower chamber, the upper chamber, hanging out in the administration, ask these questions. Why can't, why haven't we moved research in the v.a., the dod? Why isn't the fda supporting this? Why is the fda not supporting this? And god bless each and every one of you and your families for your service. Thank you. [applause]
▶ 1:11:02Chair Mace: Amen. I now recognize representative pappas.
▶ 1:11:11Rep. Pappas: Thank you, madam chair and commander and thank you for your service making this country great. Commander, I share your concerns that you expressed about the v.a. Not being there for future generations, efforts to dismantle the workforce, to carry out reorganization without significant feedback from the veteran community, stakeholders, to implement policies that threaten rather than improve benefits, and how that will really undermine the ability of the v.a.
▶ 1:11:38Rep. Pappas: To be there and to deliver and create the self fulfilling prophecy around privatization that I think we all are in agreement we have to guard against. You asked an essential question. How will we keep our promise to those who had borne the battle? Conveniently, you gave us the answers. You gave us a good road map into what congress needs to do to answer that question and to make good on the debt that we owe to all those who have worn the uniform of this country.
▶ 1:12:05Rep. Pappas: I regret that it has taken so long to get things like the major richard starr act considered and across the finish line. Things like the love lives on act which is really important to survivors. One issue that I here which is a top concern of veterans in new hampshire and I believe across the country, it is always brought up to me, his dental coverage. Representative brownley isn't here. She let on this issue for a number of years.
▶ 1:12:31Rep. Pappas: Can you talk about this as a priority in terms of treating the whole veteran and making sure that we have the right providers at v.a. For people to expand this and make sure that more vets get access to dental coverage?
▶ 1:12:42Mr. Nee: Thank you for that question, congressman. Dental care is essential. Proper dental care helps many veterans prevent cancer, diabetes, other very serious health issues, it helps in employment rates. I go to many veteran homeless stand downs. One of the major services that is provided with the longest lines is for dental care because that helps with them to get employment, it helps with their mental health.
▶ 1:13:09Mr. Nee: I think that if you talk to all of our members, they will tell you, all of our service-connected disabled veterans in this country deserve comprehensive, holistic health care. And dental care is health. Period.
▶ 1:13:25Rep. Pappas: Thank you for that response. Absolutely. I want to recognize the great veterans from the lives of free or die state from new hampshire joining us here. We touched on a number of issues yesterday and among those was dependency and indemnity congress -- compensation. They talked about people waiting months to be able to get access to these benefits.
▶ 1:13:53Rep. Pappas: Do you have any recommendations for congress on what we should be doing to shorten that timeframe and make sure that these benefits actually provide the support that survivors and family members deserve?
▶ 1:14:03Mr. Nee: Absolutely we do. That's a great question. We have worked extensively on this and I believe that scott hope has some very specific comments on this matter.
▶ 1:14:13Mr. Hope: Thank you, commander. Thank you for the question. It is specifically for surviving spouses. Anything that we can do to bring in additional fundswhat other fs in additional fundswhat other fe the individual who passed away, we would definitely support. We are willing to defend what is currently available and we will raise our swords to assist new -- you or any member of your staff to fight for something in the future.
▶ 1:14:41Rep. Pappas: I yield back.
▶ 1:14:44Chair Mace: Recognize king hines.
▶ 1:14:54Rep. Himes: Thank you for making your voices echo in the halls of congress today. I honor you today with my thank you. I think just listening in on the conversation, what we are are really talking about is reform. I think we can all agree that the v.a. Needs reform.
▶ 1:15:16Rep. Himes: The question here is how do we do that reform responsibly so that, one, it improves performance. But more importantly, delivers better outcomes for all of you? And I think in these conversations, what I'm looking for is trying to find that right balance.
▶ 1:15:39Rep. Himes: And so I want to ask any member of the panel who can answer this, what metrics should congress monitor to ensure that we are improving access without hollowing out the v.a. Facilities? At what point does expanding it risk the internal capacity? As a non-veteran myself, these are the conversations that I would like to have so I can make an informed opinion.
▶ 1:16:07Mr. Nee: Thank you for the question. As someone who is reliant on v.a. Health care for my own health, I am interested in that as well. I believe we have done a significant amount of work on this part let me ask john to give you a little bit of background. >> as we address the health care reform and how we balance community care, we have to address the acts of standards which you all have done for some time with the choice act, mission act, now we are at a point we also have the introduction of the excess act.
▶ 1:16:39Mr. Nee: -- access act. Not only do we have to look at with regards to how it facilitates services for the irvine metropolitan but we have to address very specifically how we do that differently for our role -- rural and remote veterans along with women veterans. They are the highest users of community care. We have to figure out how to bring that back into the v.a. Health care system.
▶ 1:17:06Mr. Nee: We need to look at the model of health care and flip it upside down maybe to say it is not a hospital model only. We need to look at strengthening the methodology that could strengthen --
▶ 1:17:21Rep. King-Hinds: What type of metrics should we develop when we talk about addressing those issues?
▶ 1:17:30Mr. Retzer: We have some recommendations within the veterans independent budget that talks about the staffing infrastructure in the budget requirements.
▶ 1:17:43Rep. King-Hinds: I'm about to run out of time but just a quick question, if congress does nothing differently over the next five years, what is the single rate -- greatest risk to the v.a. System? Quickly because I am out of time.
▶ 1:17:57Mr. Retzer: We need mandatory funding to keep it strong and healthy.
▶ 1:18:02Chair Mace: I know ranking member thune condo has a few more questions so I will allow a second round two minutes. Our side when over by one minute so I will give ranking member to cano three minutes but I will say something real quick. I love what everyone has said here today and congressman luttrell, I'm with you. I suffer from ptsd and I have other legislation on plant-based therapies. I've had a bill in the house and had a companion bill in the senate with senator cory booker and senator rand paul.
▶ 1:18:36Chair Mace: As congressman luttrell said, anything appears like pushing a wet noodle up a hill and I'm going to steal that one. We really, to move things faster, it is not happening. And the stats on plant-based therapy for veterans are suffering from ptsd and have suicidal ideation, the stats of success are through the damn roof. It is amazing what it has done to save lives.
▶ 1:19:01Chair Mace: The majority of veterans who suffer from ptsd and pay thousands of dollars were sponsored by someone who can afford thousands of dollars to go down to costa rica or wherever these plant-based therapies, in some cases it is over 75% of improvement. While we are denying veterans the ability to do that unless they're in some sort of special program at johns hopkins that the vast majority can get into is beyond me because it literally saves lives.
▶ 1:19:31Chair Mace: As congressman luttrell said --. [applause] as a daughter of a vietnam veteran, I have been to a lot of my father's vietnam reunions. They don't have them anymore. Last year was probably the last one. I have talked with men who served with my father who have a lifetime of trauma. It is only by god's grace that they are still alive. I really appreciate this candid conversation and we do need your voices here on the hill. God bless you.
▶ 1:20:01Chair Mace: With that, ranking member ta kano. Rep. takano have you heard anything about negative impacts to their health care due to the v.a. Staffing shortages? Raise your hand. Raise your hand if your problems with staffing shortages. Go ahead. Respond. Let the record show that nearly all of the audience raised their hands.
▶ 1:20:33Chair Mace: Mr. nee it is a serious issue. For those of us to rely solely on v.a. For our health care, timely and convenient appointments come again, not just a courtesy they are something that is an obligation.
▶ 1:20:48Rep. Takano: Have new members raised concern about care in the community?
▶ 1:20:53Mr. Nee: Yes, I've heard significant -- anecdotes around unity care, issues around military service not being understood, insensitive comments, things of that nature.
▶ 1:21:09Rep. Takano: The level of training and prepared us of community providers as compared to v.a. Providers is a significant issue, would you say?
▶ 1:21:18Mr. Nee: Very significant issue.
▶ 1:21:21Rep. Takano: Would your member support training for community providers?
▶ 1:21:26Mr. Nee: Yes.
▶ 1:21:28Rep. Takano: Exodus requirements be enforced to the community care agreements? We are about to enter into a 10 year. Should they be -- in other words, if v.a. Has a requirement about suicide prevention and medications, should community care providers be trained in those standards as equally as they are within the v.a.?
▶ 1:21:54Mr. Nee: Yes.
▶ 1:21:57Rep. Takano: That was her problem a number of years ago.
▶ 1:22:00Mr. Nee: They should have specific military training so they recognize the issues very specific --.
▶ 1:22:07Rep. Takano: My understanding previous contracts, including going forward in a had previously on community care, v.a. Told me that third-party administration or's have -- they're not required to do this and so when they build the networks, they can't really get there providers to do all these trainings to be up to the same standards as v.a. Doctors and providers. Do you think that is a problem?
▶ 1:22:37Mr. Nee: I do.
▶ 1:22:39Rep. Takano: Would you change that? Would usa as they v.a. To make sure third-party administrators build networks that require providers to take the same training that the v.a. Doctors get? Mr. nee: I would.
▶ 1:22:53Rep. Takano: I think we should do that. Can you elaborate on your written testimony and the risks staffing that are presented by legislation that create grant programs to fund services outside of the v.a.?
▶ 1:23:06Mr. Nee: Specifics of that, I know john has done a lot of research.
▶ 1:23:12Rep. Takano: I have run out of time but if you could quickly maybe get the written testimony.
▶ 1:23:20Mr. Nee: We can get back to you.
▶ 1:23:23Chair Mace: Our first panel is dismissed and I want to thank you for being here. We will take a three minute rest us to get the second panel -- recess to get the second panel installed. Thank you. [applause]
▶ 1:28:05Chair Mace: Welcome to our second panel. We have a lot of information of important organizations to hear from on this panel so I would like us to get right to it. Today were joined by lt. Gen. Brian kelly from military officers association of america. Dr. lindsay knight of blue star families. Mr. tom burke, vietnam veterans of america. Mr. larry right, jr., captain rita graham, Ms. barbara burt of gold star of america, and Mr.
▶ 1:28:36Chair Mace: Richard brookshire of black veterans project. Welcome to all of you and to all of your members in the audience here today. Lt. Gen. Kelly, are recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.
▶ 1:28:50Lt. Gen. Kelly: Thank you. On behalf of military officers association of america, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I'm honored to be here today alongside so many members of our community who worked tirelessly to support those who allow our nation to be free and strong. I want to invite the members who are here to stand.
▶ 1:29:19Lt. Gen. Kelly: They represent more than 300 56,000 members whose voices strengthen our advocacy and work to preserve and protect the earned benefits of over 22 million americans who serve, have served for the families and survivors across all ranks and uniform services. Thank you. Let me by -- begin by thinking both committees.
▶ 1:29:44Lt. Gen. Kelly: This legislation includes meaningful steps to address the financial, professional, emotional burdens borne by caregivers who enable veterans to live with dignity and independence but it is a bill progresses, we respectfully request your continued support to bring it to the floor in both chambers and sure passage strengthening education, employment, retirement opportunities for caregivers honors their service and retirement -- their service and helps family members avoid choosing between caring for a veteran and securing their own future all of our reducing long-term public assistance.
▶ 1:30:17Lt. Gen. Kelly: Emi written testimony but I'm focusing opening remarks on true priorities that go to the heart of the system integrity and long-term for sustainability. First the guard v.a. Benefits act. Federal laws scepters who may charge for assistance with v.a. Disability claims. That law exists to protect veterans, preserve the integrity of the claims process, ensure accountability with those who operate within it.
▶ 1:30:41Lt. Gen. Kelly: In criminal penalties for an accrediting were removed and 2006, congress did not authorize a new industry to emerge outside these existing framework yet that is exactly what is happened. Unaccredited for-profit companies to openly charge veterans for services that federal law already restricts. They operate beyond v.a. Oversight and without meaningful consequences. Faced with growing claims volumes, the answer cannot be that simply change the law to accommodate those who are breaking it.
▶ 1:31:10Lt. Gen. Kelly: If the system is under strain, our responsibility, all of our responsibilities, is to fix the system not to legitimize practices that siphon earned benefits away from veterans. A someone who spent decades in uniform responsible for people, processes, accountability, I can say this clearly, weakening standards to compensate for system stress only compounds the problem. It erodes trust which is our ultimate currency.
▶ 1:31:38Lt. Gen. Kelly: Undermines legitimately accredited representatives and sends the wrong message to service members who expect the rules to apply evenly. The guard v.a. Benefits act resource accountability without restricting access to lawful accredited assistance. It reaffirms the solutions of system challenges is better performance and better oversight. Moaa urges congress to advance us legislation to make clear earned benefits belong to veterans not to companies exploding gaps and enforcement. The top promotion act.
▶ 1:32:06Lt. Gen. Kelly: Moaa believe service does not exist in silos. It begins a day someone races the right hand and continues into burial honors. From a readiness and force management perspective, the transition from servicemember to civilian is truly a consequential period. Not only for the individual, but the credibility of the all volunteer force. Yet transition outcomes vary widely. Too many servicemembers leave uniform not understanding the earned benefits, available resources, or where to turn to for trusted help.
▶ 1:32:36Lt. Gen. Kelly: That lack of continuity increases the risk to the veteran. As both an mso and vso, moaa occupies a unique position in the space and we support servicemembers while still in uniform and continue that support throughout their life as a veteran. That continuity matters. The top promotion act strengthens outreach, improves consistency, ensures servicemembers and their family members receive timely, accurate information before separation, not after problems arise.
▶ 1:33:05Lt. Gen. Kelly: It reinforces connections to organizations like ours and the others at this table who are there testifying this committee that remain with veterans long after their service parts. This belief and lifecycle responsibility is also why launch the total force conference but we bring together leaders from the uniformed services, pentagon, v.a., congress, to collaborate and advanced solutions across this lifecycle together.
▶ 1:33:31Lt. Gen. Kelly: There are plenty of venues that focus on the types of the next ships, next planes, next tanks, next weapons. Total force plus focuses on the people to make strong national defense possible because outcomes improve when responsibility is shared rather than pass along and everybody believes people truly outrank everything. From first salute to final honors, how we care for those who serve and those who stand beside them directly impacts will be willing to serve next.
▶ 1:33:59Lt. Gen. Kelly: A group of people behind us before with those hats on are your biggest advocates, how they are treated and how they are treated will tell whether they tell somebody else to serve and that is important. Moaa is ready for you to serve and I look forward to your questions.
▶ 1:34:11Chair Mace: I would like to recognize Dr. knight for your opening statement.
▶ 1:34:17Dr. Knight: Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony blue star families 2026 priorities. Blue star families is the nation's largest military and veteran family supporting organization. It's research driven approach builds strong communities with a focus on innovative and data have an informed solutions.
▶ 1:34:41Dr. Knight: Since 2009, research gathered trusted feedback from over 150,000 active duty and bettering-connected families. Our goal is to enable which are connected families to thrive in the communities they call home. Since our founding, blue start on this has delivered more than $336 million in benefits, counts over 440,000 members, and supports more than 1.5 million people annually. 33% of our membership base is comprised of veterans, veteran spouses come and veteran spouses, and veterans family members.
▶ 1:35:11Dr. Knight: Using the state and member insights as our guide, blue star families has three primary legislative priorities in 2026. The first one, in 2022 as a result of the commander john scott hannan veterans mental health improvement act of 2019, blue star families was awarded funding by the v.a. Under the staff sergeant parker gordon fox suicide prevention program. We start families appreciates the extensive work your two committees have done to extend this program has the original three-year pilot legislation.
▶ 1:35:42Dr. Knight: But we call on you both to work together to extend the program for at least another three years and then to work toward a long-term authorization for the most successful initiatives. As recipients of the staff sergeant >> grant, blue start families operates a program blue star support circles upstream solutions to crisis. This community based suicide prevention program, we prioritize veterans who are at risk of suicide by ensuring their friends and family members can recognize and understand signs and intervene before veteran struggle becomes a crisis.
▶ 1:36:13Dr. Knight: As quick as I to representative luttrell because he brought up the question of how many veteran spouses died by suicide a year, I don't have the number on veteran spouses but I do have the most recent number from a dod annual report in 2023 on suicide in the military. That report states 146 family members, 93 of which were active duty spouses, died by suicide. I think it is an open question and what our research team is certainly interested in pursuing an partnership with the v.a. To find out what the corollary number is for veteran spouses.
▶ 1:36:45Dr. Knight: I want to point out this is why community and family-based interventions and programs matter. Servicemembers do not stand on their own. They stand as part of a unit whether that is a family, a community. They are connected to others. And often times those individuals are most able to tell when a crisis is going to happen before the emergency is at our feet. That is the entire theory of change behind our program.
▶ 1:37:13Dr. Knight: To date, nearly 200 individuals have completed this eight week nonclinical program a blue star families print support circles was externally validated by the university of alabama and participants demonstrated through pre-and post surveys statistically significant improvements in their capacity to help others experiencing suicidal thoughts and their own self-efficacy to intervene.
▶ 1:37:35Dr. Knight: Our program increase participants confidence in discussing suicide from 55% to 74% from enhanced knowledge of appropriate language and resources, and significantly impart his coast to mitigate factors for loved ones who might be having thoughts of suicide. Additionally, the share participants indicating all firearms were stored and unloaded increased from 30% to 43% as a result of this program. Veteran suicide prevention is not -- it is a moral imperative.
▶ 1:38:07Dr. Knight: Everyone I think agrees with that. It also saves v.a. Health care resources when done right and done upstream and in a preventative fashion. In 2025, using the first three years a participant data, we had an external firm conduct an economic analysis of outcomes. It projects the blue star support circles generate health care and economic cost savings 17 times greater in program costs.
▶ 1:38:32Dr. Knight: That amounts to roughly $13,247 of net cost savings per cohort participant. Our participants show measurable depression improvements, reducing major depressive disorder related health care costs and preventing costly emergency visits and psychiatric hospitalizations. The second legislative authority we have is we are calling on congress to enact the building readiness integration for dependents going to civilian environments act.
▶ 1:39:01Dr. Knight: This is sponsored by senator padilla and sanford bishop. It would establish a three-year pilot project at four U.S. military bases were national organization serving the military and veteran community would coordinate the extension of military transition services to military families. Challenges veterans face are in transition are persistent.
▶ 1:39:21Dr. Knight: In our 2025 annual military family lifestyle survey, 58% of veteran responders described the overall transition from military civilian life as difficult or very difficult and 44% found it more difficult than expected. The transition from military to civilian life is not just a personal journey for the service member, it is a profound change experienced by the entire family. However, many support services for spouses cease at the time of separation which is often when families required the most.
▶ 1:39:49Dr. Knight: Accessible military to civilian transition and on companies of support strategies that recognize the unique needs of veteran family members, not just in the capacity as caregivers but as individuals navigating a significant transition themselves. A true measure of success transition extends beyond the veterans employment or access to benefits is reflected in the family's stability, well-being, connection to the community as they establish their new life as a veteran family. Blue star families calls on congress to pass a major richard star act.
▶ 1:40:19Dr. Knight: This bill will allow 52,000 combat injured medically retired veterans to receive their earned retirement pay and disability compensation without offset. It has 315 house and 77 senate cosponsors. That is three quarters of congress. It could pass today if brought to the floor on each side of the capital. Thank you all. I am happy to answer any questions.
▶ 1:40:46Chair Mace: I would like to recognize Mr. brookshire. Mr. brookshire -- I would like to recognize Mr. burke.
▶ 1:40:56Mr. Burke: I'm a vietnam veteran and proud president of vietnam veterans of america and organization were not from comfort or consensus but from necessity. Our motto is simple, it is unyielding. Never again should one generation of veterans abandon another. That promise was forged by vietnam veterans came home to a country that did not know what to do with us.
▶ 1:41:24Mr. Burke: We did not return to parades, gratitude, and too often we had returned to silence. Some questions even if vietnam was a real war. We learned quickly that if veterans did not fight for each other, no one else would. So we fought. We fought for ourselves when no one else would.
▶ 1:41:45Mr. Burke: And we battle smitty said we could not win pretty long before ptsd had a name, vietnam veterans force the station to recognize physical wounds as real injury print long before agent orange or toxic exposure were politically safe to acknowledge, we demanded that accountability of harms caused in service to this country.
▶ 1:42:10Mr. Burke: There are no playbooks, no large budgets, no conventions, only conviction, perseverance, and the refusal to be ignored. That is how vietnam veterans are built. We may not have the largest balance sheets, but our passion is rooted in lived experience in the hard knowledge of what happens when a nation looks away from those they send to war.
▶ 1:42:37Mr. Burke: That is why, although our name reflects one generation, our mission has never been confined to one. We speak today not only for vietnam veterans, but for all veterans because we know what abandonment looks like and we will not allow it to be repeated. Never again shall one generation of veterans abandon another. That history brings me directly to the vietnam veterans highest priority. The full accounting of our prisoners at war and those still missing in action.
▶ 1:43:07Mr. Burke: For those who served, this is not an abstract. These are names not in a database. They are friends we trained with, people we served beside and we expected them to come home. The promise that no one would be left behind did not end when the battle stopped. It does not we can in time. That is why bba has never wavered on p.o.w., m&a accountability for all wars.
▶ 1:43:35Mr. Burke: It is a sacred obligation not a discretionary program. Reducing budgets for the agencies responsible for recovering our missing service members is unacceptable. It breaks the faith of families who have waited decades. And with those currently serving who trusts her country will not forget them. Accounting for the missing is not about the past, it is about trust.
▶ 1:44:02Mr. Burke: Vietnam veterans of america also carries the same sense of passion into a cause that remembers no all too well, -- that members know all too well, those exposed to toxic exposures. For too many of us, the war did not and when we came home. It followed as. It surfaced years later in our bodies and too often in our families. Vietnam veterans were exposed to agent orange long before anyone was willing to admit what it was doing to our bodies.
▶ 1:44:28Mr. Burke: And evidence now demands serious research into toxic exposure may affect spouses and biological descendants. This fight does not limit it to one generation.
▶ 1:44:41Mr. Burke: Vietnam veterans have stood with all veterans that have been harmed by talk at exposure -- toxic exposure including those from suffering from gulf war illness whose symptoms were dismissed for far too long braid we push for recognition because we know exactly what happens when denial replaces accountability. This nation must fully accept its responsibility to every veteran harmed in service and vietnam veterans will continue to speak about this.
▶ 1:45:14Mr. Burke: And this brings me to what deeply veterans must ever be used as political leverage no veteran should ever be helped or ignored because it is politically convenient. Care must ever depend on party loyalty, polling, legislative timing. When veterans become bargaining chips, progressive stops, trustee roads come and real people pay the price. Vietnam veterans of america did not pick sides. We picked outcomes.
▶ 1:45:43Mr. Burke: We will work with anyone of any party who is serious about delivering results for those who served. Vietnam veterans of america will continue working across the aisle on a wide range of legislative issues. We look forward to working with both committees and every member willing to engage in good faith. We will offer our expertise directly to any office, wherever it is hopeful because results matter more than credit.
▶ 1:46:15Mr. Burke: Move for close I must ask how a nation that has so much -- essex so much of it service members can accept so many will die from suicide commas sleeping in the streets, fall apart in transition once uniform comes off. How do we explain that the danger does not end in service is over? Be that in combat or any area of other service?
▶ 1:46:43Mr. Burke: How can we accept the danger continues and paperwork in silence? These veteran losses are mostly caused by delay, confusion of responsibility, and the excuse of complexity. And when systems fail to act, veterans pay the price with their lives. These are our people. They stood watch. They carried the burden. They deserve urgency.
▶ 1:47:11Mr. Burke: They do not deserve explanations about why help must wait. Vietnam veterans of america will not accept a system that saves resources while it costs lives. Vietnam veterans taught this nation something important, that progress does not come from waiting to be invited. It comes from showing up, from telling the truth, and refusing to go away. That is who we are.
▶ 1:47:40Mr. Burke: That is what we continue to be as long as we have breath in our bodies. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
▶ 1:47:48Chair Mace: I now recognize Mr. wright.
▶ 1:47:54Mr. Wright: [speaking native language] good morning, distinguished members of the committee. I address you in my tribal language out of respect and raise awareness for our native code talkers were instrumental in helping our country during world war I and world war ii. My name is larry right, jr.
▶ 1:48:28Mr. Wright: Previously served as tribal chairman for the ponca tribe in nebraska for 11 years. I'm also proud veteran. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of american indian alaska native veterans who continue to proudly serve this country at higher rates than another demographic in the united states. As noted in my written testimony, the contributions of native american veterans on the revolutionary war to today.
▶ 1:48:52Mr. Wright: Whether serving as code talkers during world war two or helping raise american flag at iwo jima, native american veterans have demonstrated courage, commitment, sacrifice, and undeniable service to this country. Many before we were even citizens of this country. Many of these veterans commit to continued service upon returning to their communities. Whether tribal governance, community development, or other forms of public service.
▶ 1:49:20Mr. Wright: Native american veterans carryforward a long tradition of society is rooted in responsibility, protection, and leadership. This is why it is important that we are here today to advocate for the needs of our veterans including health care, housing, food, and other support mechanisms that ensure continued success and contributions to our communities and this country.
▶ 1:49:42Mr. Wright: First on health care, since I last testify before your committees, I am proud to report congress has continually provided advanced appropriations for the indian health service read many of our veterans live far away from the v.a. Health care facilities. I thank you for your support in this effort and ask you continue to ensure native american veterans relying on ihs received the same advance appropriations as the v.a. Does. Second, on housing.
▶ 1:50:13Mr. Wright: Many of our veterans have difficulty finding safe and affordable housing on or near tribal communities. Necessary financing for homes on troubled trust lands at 2.5% interest rate. Given the high cost of housing across the U.S., and unique financing challenges associated with trust land, low market interest rates are critical to putting our deserving veterans and healthy homes.
▶ 1:50:41Mr. Wright: To ensure the program is successful, we urge congress to provide directive to the v.a. To put an end to the current hiring freeze more specifically to hire necessary v.a. Staff that can educate native american veterans on the program and provide much-needed technical assistance to improve its utilization.
▶ 1:51:03Mr. Wright: Likewise, nci strongly supports a continuation and expansion of the tribal hud program as part of this process, we encourage your committees to remove any unnecessary restrictions for native american veterans who reside in current assisted stock units. Some tribal communities, these are the only vacant units available to native veterans. They should not be penalized because of limited housing options. Food. We've been playing -- paying close attention to the changes in the s.n.a.p. Program.
▶ 1:51:32Mr. Wright: We were disappointed to see recent changes to s.n.a.p. Remove the work requirement exception or native and non-native alike. It creates unnecessary burdens and accessing critical nutrition for the bravest among us. Rather than serving as an incentive for employment. A significant portion of our veterans reside in remote tribal areas were local unemployment rates are often three times or more than national average.
▶ 1:51:59Mr. Wright: In these regions, failure to secure job that satisfies specific hourly requirements is more frequently due to geographic limitations and lack of effort. Additional resources. The v.a. Advisory committee on tribal and indian affairs has served as a critical mechanism to ensure tribal voices remained at the table as the v.a. Develops policies, programs, and services that directly impact more than 140 5000 native american veterans that the v.a. Serves today.
▶ 1:52:30Mr. Wright: We strongly believe any disruption to the advisory committee's operations undermines the v.a.'s ability to effectively serve native american veterans. We urge your committees to ensure the advisory committee has the legal framework financial resources required to meet its obligations.
▶ 1:52:48Mr. Wright: To this point we appreciate the introduction of the national veterans strategy act which would establish metrics to determine the well-being of our veterans regarding their physical health, mental health, spiritual health, economic security, and opportunity, education, family social engagement, and civic engagement. This important bill rightfully recognizes tribal governments and tribal organizations as key stakeholders to determine these metrics.
▶ 1:53:14Mr. Wright: The shortfalls are veterans face and we are eager to work with congress to close those gaps. Thank you for your time. I'm happy to answer questions.
▶ 1:53:23Chair Mace: I will now recognize captain rita graham.
▶ 1:53:34Ms. Graham: I know service the policy director for the service women's action network. On behalf of women veterans everywhere and on behalf of swan, respect we highlight -- pilot three priorities. Number one, posing the gender-based research caps under the pact act. Number two, restoring comprehensive reproductive health care access for veterans. Three, protecting evidence-based policies on women service ground combat units.
▶ 1:54:03Ms. Graham: These parties reflect what we are seeing from one veteran -- women veterans across the country. Veterans who like me volunteered to serve fully knowing the risk of combat. But we did not expect was after our service, our access to health care and benefits that we earned could still depend on whether or not the v.a. System is recognizing our service and sacrifice. Priority number one, ensuring the pact act in public communication -- the pact act has been hugely successful in establishing long-term harms of talk at exposure.
▶ 1:54:37Ms. Graham: Implementation gaps remain for women veterans specifically. Women veterans report higher in fertility than civilian women yet researchers consistently identify significant gaps in data on reproductive health outcomes. Among women exposed to military environmental hazards. Substances related to toxicity, miscarriage risk come are routinely encountered in everyday garments from motor pools, maintenance facility, firing ranges.
▶ 1:55:04Ms. Graham: Yet infertility and many reproductive health conditions are not currently included among toxic exposure presumptive conditions. It can be difficult due to complex nexus and service-connected requirements. While v.a.
▶ 1:55:19Ms. Graham: Data shows success in women's veterans enrollment proportional to the population and screenings, however, the gap we see today is that publicly available data they did to claims or approvals and denials and condition level outcomes are not consistently disaggregated by gender, making it difficult to fully access whether benefits are being delivered appropriately. This issue is not whether or not women are being exposed to these chemicals. That has been well documented.
▶ 1:55:51Ms. Graham: The issue today is that research systems to track these toxic exposures were built when the force was primarily male. Therefore reproductive health outcomes were not tracked appropriately. Our challenge today is whether or not these outcomes are being fully effectively measured. Let me be clear, this is not primarily benefits issue. It is a measurement and accountability issue.
▶ 1:56:14Ms. Graham: Swan urges congress to require gender disaggregated reporting, predatory -- prioritizing health research and ensuring veterans with service-connected infertility have clear treatment pathways. Recognizing reproductive harm from toxic exposure does not expend the pact act mission but fulfills it. Priority two, restoring comprehensive reproductive health care access. In december 2025 from the v.a. Reversed its policy permitting reproductive health services in cases of rape and incest.
▶ 1:56:46Ms. Graham: This policy reversal affects countless numbers of survivors of military sexual trauma within the female veteran population. V.a. Data proves roughly one in three women will experience military sexual trauma throughout their life. Reporting under the deborah simpson act as document and more than 1500 incidences of sexual harassment on v.a. Campuses every year. These data highlight serious ongoing risks where a veteran survives a sexual violence may seek care and set a v.a.
▶ 1:57:14Ms. Graham: System yet lack the full range of pregnancy-related medical counseling available in their counterpart systems. At swan, we believe no veteran should lose their bodily autonomy because of their service to our country. Swan urges congress to ensure survivors of sexual violence have access to the same medically appropriate care available in their civilian health care counterparts.
▶ 1:57:40Ms. Graham: Our final priority three, taking evidence-based policies that affect women's military service. Last month the department of defense announced a new or re-review of women in ground combat positions. This review comes despite more than a decade of research and operational experience that prove integration challenges are solved through leadership, standards, and infrastructure. Noninclusion. Today there are approximately 5000 women who serve in ground combat roles. Thousands more have transitioned to veteran status like myself.
▶ 1:58:12Ms. Graham: While not directly under the scope of this committee, the policies that affect who can serve today will shape the population that the v.a. And this committee will serve tomorrow. Swan encourages continued oversight to ensure personnel decisions remain evidence-based to sustain a strong military. Before closing, swan would like to appreciate the v.a.'s reversal of the entire final rule on medication and disability ratings and hope this will lead to more transparency and congressional oversight for all future regulatory changes.
▶ 1:58:43Ms. Graham: When I became one of the first women integrated into a ground combat unit, I did not consider it historical milestone. I was doing my job read as 270 other women veterans. And now today we women veterans as for something similar. We asked the veteran health care system and benefits fully reflect the realities of our service. Thank you and I look forward to questions.
▶ 1:59:04Chair Mace: I will recognize Ms. burt.
▶ 1:59:08Ms. Burt: Distinguished members of the committees, my name is barbara burt. I was born in kansas and you live in hanson, massachusetts, on a small farm. I appeared today on behalf of both star wives of america inc.
▶ 1:59:33Ms. Burt: Representing widows and widowers across the nation who have lost their spouses as a result of military service. Gold star of america was founded in 1945 to advocate for policies and financial support for military survivors and their children.
▶ 1:59:51Ms. Burt: 80 years later, that mission remains -- I am the widow of a man who served in the united states army, army reserves, and as a full-time recruiter in the kansas army national guard. As the effects of agent orange emerged, bob's health declined. In 2019, was diagnosed with a devastating neurodegenerative disease.
▶ 2:00:20Ms. Burt: Within two years, it took everything from him. Including his life. After bob's death, I became trapped in grief. Goldstar wives of america inc. Became my restoration. Dependency, compensation, dic, was created to prevent economic collapse after the loss of a servicemember. The word indemnity recognizes the loss because permanent.
▶ 2:00:53Ms. Burt: Yet today that promise is not being fulfilled. As a new member of goldstar wives of america inc., I was struck by who these military spouses are. Many gave up careers, education, and financial security to care for their veteran. They met medical, emotional, and financial needs without guarantee of the future.
▶ 2:01:16Ms. Burt: When their spouse returned broken in body and spirit or in a flag draped casket, they stepped forward into a life of caregiving, loss, economic stability, and stability without hesitation. They served a nation that has not always served them. For more than 30 years, goldstar wives of america inc. Has advocated for updating an adequate level of dic.
▶ 2:01:44Ms. Burt: We are often told it costs too much. Meanwhile, I watch grieving spouses struggle with inadequate food, housing instability, and unmet medical needs. And still show up. They show up for each other, for their communities, and for this country.
▶ 2:02:06Ms. Burt: These brave selfless women and men validated my grief and showed me that purpose can grow from loss, with the bible calls a beauty for ashes. Today most surviving spouses live on approximately $1700 per month from dic. Some receive social security, many do not. Every year that dsc remains inadequate, military spouses pay the consequences -- not in theory, but in daily hardship.
▶ 2:02:37Ms. Burt: That hardship means choosing between heat and medication, groceries and gasoline, it means delaying care, skipping meals, and living with the constant fear that one unexpected expense will undo what little stability remains. For many, it means losing a family home and moving into shared or unstable housing. Members of the committee, you can change this.
▶ 2:03:04Ms. Burt: Hr 6047 provides modest but meaningful increase and we think the chairman for advancing this bill. As noted at markup, this is a down payment progress not completion. That completion is s611 and the caring for survivors act. Today dic replaces only 43% of 100% disabled veterans compensation.
▶ 2:03:35Ms. Burt: This bill raises that to 55%, 90 military survivors with other federal -- aligning military survivors with other federal survivors. It is not just a matter of fairness, it is survival. Hr 1685 from the justice for als veterans act, reflects medical reality. Als carries a two year to five year life expectancy. Policies requiring eight years of total disability creates structural exclusion.
▶ 2:04:07Ms. Burt: We also support s410 and hr1004 which affirms our nation's responsibility to military families does not end at loss. Chairman moran, thank you for your leadership. Finally, we support h2 finally, we support hw2264. It shifts the burden of proof away from grieving spouses and toward fairness and compassion.
▶ 2:04:39Ms. Burt: Members of this committee, we urge her favorable consideration of these bills and are confident that bipartisan leadership can move them to the president's desk. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of goldstar wives of america inc.
▶ 2:04:56Chair Mace: I would like to recognize Mr. richard brookshire for your opening statement.
▶ 2:05:02Mr. Brookshire: Black veterans project represents a first conference of reparative justice effort mobilizing black veterans and military families systematically denied access to the g.I. Bill during the height of jim crow as well as those who endured systemic racial inequities across the department of veteran affairs benefits program since the end of legal segregation.
▶ 2:05:31Mr. Brookshire: Narrative storytelling and impact litigation to redress the federal government's legacy of racial bias site for an estimated 100 billion dollars and will generating opportunities from black veterans and military families since world war ii. While the fan was a white veteran hold 32 times more wealth than those of black veterans, a gap of $164,000 per household, black veterans remain twice as likely to live in poverty and represent fully one third of the homeless veteran population.
▶ 2:06:01Mr. Brookshire: Since 2020, black veterans project has worked with yale law school in the national veterans council for legal redress to holy data exposing the systemic denial of millions in disability pay to black veterans and the post-9/11 era. A legal case leveraging these findings is poised to become the first race-based class action reckoning with the legacy of racial discrimination in v.a.'s benefits programs.
▶ 2:06:27Mr. Brookshire: One more recent disparities he has taken years of strategic advocacy to bring to light from efforts to further investigate and address systemic inequities are haphazardly ended last year when the office of equity assurance was liquidated under the auspices of government efficiency. For decades, v.a. Flat out ignored repeated requests by advocates to access its racial data.
▶ 2:06:49Mr. Brookshire: 2021 lawsuit by black veterans project compelled the release of just two decades worth of disability grant, substantiating what black -- despite a government records banning the widespread obstruction of civil war pensions for the multigenerational obstruction veterans housing, education, and health care benefits from world war ii through the gulf wars, accountability remains elusive.
▶ 2:07:23Mr. Brookshire: January 2020 four, v.a. Summarily eliminated its diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives focused on improving outreach to minority, women, and veterans adversely affected by persistent inequality. Seemingly overnight, it terminated more than 60 employees and reallocated within 14 million in earmarked funding to wage a shameless war on woke.
▶ 2:07:45Mr. Brookshire: No real changes in unregulated artificial intelligence are we getting -- wreaking havoc in ways that will undermine access with too few guardrails in place to other impact. The deployment of enter diversity narratives levied through dubious executive orders have shown confusion and fear print threatening those working to mitigate adverse discriminatory outcomes v.a. And beyond.
▶ 2:08:09Mr. Brookshire: The very systems built to catalyze and guarantee accessibility for all veterans have been eroded bipartisan -- for partisan political gain. The dignity of our nation's veterans has become collateral damage for an anti-woke agenda that serves to distract from the rapid privatization of our nation's largest public health care system.
▶ 2:08:31Mr. Brookshire: Worse still, powerful forces are actively colluding to redefine who is entitled to the merit of benefits earned to military service and whose contributions in uniform are ultimately remembered, honored, and uplifted bread as we mark our nation's 250th anniversary, historical erasure is adding insult to injury. Advancement of antidemocratic discredited -- discriminatory -- must be confronted.
▶ 2:09:04Mr. Brookshire: Americans envision a multiracial democracy in which all veterans are respected and protected. That is not the moment in which we now find ourselves. We are at a pivotal crossroads where apathy, animus, willful ignorance or converging. This must be met with more clarity and conviction. Shared values of integration, equal opportunity come equity, inclusion are structural necessities that equip the best of us to do the most for all of us.
▶ 2:09:31Mr. Brookshire: That is the america for which countless souls have perished, that is the america for which I donned a uniform, and that is the america your committees must embody to adequately care for those who have borne the battle no matter their identity. Black veterans project looks forward to working with each of you to repair past and present harms and rebuild the public trust required for v.a. And two's drive the future. Thank you.
▶ 2:09:54Chair Mace: Thank you so much. I will now recognize myself for three minutes of questions. My first question goes to you, lieutenant gen. Kelly, the bears within the transition process preventing veterans from accessing and understanding their benefits, what are those barriers?
▶ 2:10:10Lt. Gen. Kelly: Thank you for the question. Thank you for having us here today. First and foremost, when you get into those rooms, I've gone to the transition assistance program as many veterans I'm sure representative the troll went there as well. Most people are focused only on their disability claims. There are so many things that have to have it that the information is not necessarily pass in the right way.
▶ 2:10:41Lt. Gen. Kelly: To make the connections that have to happen afterwards to help people make the transitions to the v.a. And access to those benefits and have continued continuity, really requires a focus for which many of the vso and mso uc are prepared to do that.
▶ 2:11:07Lt. Gen. Kelly: Have information from a trusted source so they don't go looking for somebody who is out there just doing it for profit.
▶ 2:11:12Chair Mace: What are some of the key benefits?
▶ 2:11:15Lt. Gen. Kelly: Education, housing. There's a variety of those that they have earned their service that are just being lost over sometimes -- or being sent to folks who are there to pray on them in regard to helping them get disability out payment for which they will reap the benefits.
▶ 2:11:34Chair Mace: I think we call those sharks. How do we -- continuity, making sure they know their benefits, how do we remove some of those barriers? What are some of the ideas? Lt. Gen. Kelly certainly the work being done for the guard v.a. Act to help make we police some of those sharks as you call them out of their is important.
▶ 2:11:58Chair Mace: Make sure we get the right groups of people involved in that transition so the connections and the discussions can be made and we can know who the trusted sources are so the veterans even if they don't have the information the first time have the right places to follow-up and make sure they get access to benefits.
▶ 2:12:13Chair Mace: Thank you. Captain graham, how can they v.a. Be more efficient without delivers benefits to veterans, families, women, etc.?
▶ 2:12:24Ms. Graham: First of all, having proper reporting data coming from the v.a. Up. The question obviously is how to receive their benefits but we need -- the -- they need to know the issues. A lot of the data we pull is anecdotal from individuals. The v.a. Needs a better understanding of what these issues are and that comes from that research disaggregated by gender.
▶ 2:12:49Chair Mace: I would like to recognize the ranking member. Ok, senator duckworth.
▶ 2:12:55Sen. Duckworth: I want to thank the ranking member takano for yielding to me. I'm running a little behind schedule. From the moment my buddies carried me to safety, I have dedicated my life to supporting our nation's veterans and serving them in order to try them in meniscal way to honor their bravery and their sacrifice.
▶ 2:13:19Sen. Duckworth: That admission is why I'm here today is a member of congress and that is why I continue to join you in fighting tirelessly against donald trump attack on the v.a. Because I see clear as day the end goal is to privatize and eventually dismantled the v.a. This effort has started even before this administration. It has been long ongoing and we been fighting this for a very long time. At this point, president trump has fired more veterans than any other president in american history. He has taken an ax to the v.a.
▶ 2:13:48Sen. Duckworth: Workforce and killed collective bargaining rights to his steer -- instill a culture of fear. His administration plans to get the veterans health administration's management structure and outsource $1 trillion away from v.a. Clinicians and two civilian provider network does not have the specialized infrastructure to provide service and care. Over one year into a second term, there is still no clear strategy on how donald trump's v.a. Plans to deliver more resources to veterans not less.
▶ 2:14:18Sen. Duckworth: He claims he cares about veterans and I stayed, the president says "under my leadership, our nation will always uphold the legacy of our veterans and is present I will always have their backs." frankly, I am tired of his broken promises and the veteran community should be, too. His administration has turned broken promises and the veteran community should be also. He has turned his back on veterans every single time an opportunity has presented itself. It should be a sobering call to action. Do not be fooled.
▶ 2:14:48Sen. Duckworth: Until secretary collins rescinds that rule, it remains in effect. It remains in effect. If you think this is the end of this administration's efforts to attack disability compensation, you are wrong. If that was the case, secretary collins would have consulted all of us and at minimum recent will and assert a clear consultation plan beginning with the numbers of congress and the vso's.
▶ 2:15:15Sen. Duckworth: You are the voices of our veterans. You should have been consulted. It is not a republican versus democrat issue or even a trump issue. This is an issue of privatizing the v.a. Which has been an effort underway for decades and we must stand up to it. This is a veterans issue. My promise, my commitment is to fight to uphold our nation's promise to veterans, even when that makes us unpopular and cause for confrontation.
▶ 2:15:43Sen. Duckworth: Republicans, democrats, and vso's need to come together to protect our nation's veterans so let's get to work to codify protections and ensure donald trump or any future president cannot come after veterans disability compensation ever again.
▶ 2:15:58Sen. Duckworth: Before I close my want to bring up a particularly offensive angle that the public may not fully appreciate, and I would establish a precedent that no future president, no future administration, regardless of their party affiliation can do this ever again so this question is open-ended to the members of the panel that is here.
▶ 2:16:18Sen. Duckworth: Can you explain why it was so inappropriate to use an interim final rule making process for such a controversial policy and address the message being sent by the administration to the entire veterans community seeking to jam this through before a single comment was filed? I would like interview to explain to me what it is important you should be consulted when such a rule is being made. >> first, thank you for your support of veterans and what you do. It is amazing.
▶ 2:16:47Sen. Duckworth: All of us think we have the ears of our veterans and have some information to provide such transparency in terms of consulting us, giving us information we think would have provided the secretary and the v.a. With some information that would have adjusted outcomes which means anxiety and all the things associated with this recent thing would have been avoided and we think that can happen in the future. This group of people has information it can provide and should be consulted.
▶ 2:17:09Sen. Duckworth: Anybody else? Go ahead. Somebody else? >> thank you. It is very important we have those consultation processes and upholding the trust and treaty responsibility the united states has to our tribal people and in this case, especially our veterans.
▶ 2:17:36Sen. Duckworth: When we look at there is 145,000 native veterans in this country, a law was passed creating a v.a. Tribal advisory committee, and this kind of information, that kind of consultation should have gone through that committee as upheld by the law.
▶ 2:17:54Sen. Duckworth: I was very proud when I was at the v.a. To set up a situation where we dealt with first nation veterans on a nation to nation basis. That is critically important, specially for a population that has the highest per capita service in our nation possibility me than any other proposition, so thank you. I think you have a unique voice and should have a seat at the table because you are veterans in particular have unique needs that should have been addressed and you were not consulted in that, completely inappropriate.
▶ 2:18:24Sen. Duckworth: >> on behalf of service woman's actions network, we also believe the filing of the interim rule is so important because it has happened to us already where our reproductive health access was taken away under the interim final rule so this just shows a pattern of these unofficial systems without any of the veterans, the vso's being consulted on ways to take away further and further minority health care and minority benefits.
▶ 2:18:50Sen. Duckworth: Thank you. You have been very indulgent. >> I want to hear from our veterans. Ranking member chicano, you are recognized for three minutes. >> thank you, madam chair. Ms. graham, my colleagues and I in the house antenna have introduced legislation to overturn the final rule restricting abortion access. How important it into your member's to overturn this will and allow veterans access to ? >> thank you for the question.
▶ 2:19:20Sen. Duckworth: We believe it is incredibly important. If nothing else, there is no other health care in the v.a. System that men can have that women cannot other than this abortion ruling. When these actions get taken place, women veterans are told time and time again our service does not come as much, does not mean as much, and we do not deserve the same benefits.
▶ 2:19:43Sen. Duckworth: >> can you tell me, how do women veterans feel that they put the uniform on forever country and defend the rights of all americans but yet have this right over their own health care taken away? >> it is insulting both as a veteran and on behalf of swan, it is insulting that the fact that our health can even be limited in the system that we have earned, that we deserved so it is insulting and also terrifying. Women veterans especially need, informed karen that the v.a.
▶ 2:20:11Sen. Duckworth: -- informed care that the v.a. Is excellent at. When we received care -- women will die, their health outcomes will be impacted so it is usually detrimental. >> thank you. How is the implementation of the act regarding awarding grants estates to indian tribes been going this year?
▶ 2:20:37Sen. Duckworth: >> indian country is very thankful for the act and the impact it has. In particular, this law was signed on january 2025. Two landmark provisions that represent a significant step forward for indian country is expanding homeownership, opportunities for native american veterans. >> excuse me. Is it going well, not going well? >> is.
▶ 2:21:03Sen. Duckworth: There are other -- it is, but there are other opportunities you would like to see continue to help with that. Two other programs that are very helpful for indian country. >> thank you. Last may, black veterans of america participated in a roundtable assessing disparities for minority veterans. When we highlighted the importance of the v.a., what has been the impact this office closure has had on your community? >> thank you for the question.
▶ 2:21:36Sen. Duckworth: It is the inability to track the data and to move on findings that the office of equity assurance was beginning -- findings were beginning to materialize under the office that were pinpointing where disparities were most concentrated and trying to get down to the root cause issues. Obviously, that work has been abandoned. >> we have seen an explosion in the use of artificial intelligence in the v.a. In clinical and nonclinical spaces.
▶ 2:22:01Sen. Duckworth: What concerns do you have about is you -- about these use cases? >> the use of ai at this point is an evolving technology with a lot of concern about exacerbating racial bias in the system if implemented without proper oversight and regulation.
▶ 2:22:23Sen. Duckworth: I believe many veterans organizations including my veterans project what the bill of rights so we understand however data is being leveraged at any given moment. >> thank you for that.
▶ 2:22:33Chair Mace: I will not recognize rating member blumenthal for three minutes.
▶ 2:22:37Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you, madam chair. I am going to go a little bit off script because as you know, you are here on a very important day a day of the state of the union address, and typically a president delivering the state of the union address talked about veterans. I certainly hope tonight president trump talk about veterans.
▶ 2:23:08Sen. Blumenthal: I have sort of a wish list. I don't know whether you do. I would like to see the president of the united states commit to immediate passage of the richard starr act. I would like to see the president of the united states commit to replace all of the 30,000 workforce who have been fired or encouraged to leave positions that are open now and are essential to veterans health care and other benefits.
▶ 2:23:39Sen. Blumenthal: I would like to see him commit to restoring contract. We don't know how many exactly, and we don't know which ones they are, but we know that hundreds have been canceled and the v.a. Has not been forthcoming.
▶ 2:23:57Sen. Blumenthal: I would like to see the president commit to the full funding of all the programs that benefit veterans's education and training that are so essential to their making productive lives when they leave active duty.
▶ 2:24:20Sen. Blumenthal: And I would like to see him commit to rescinding the interim final rule that we have been discussing here today. Rescinding it. The secretary of the v.a. Can do it right away.
▶ 2:24:46Sen. Blumenthal: And I would like to see the president commit to it as well as the reversal of the ban, which you were talking about, Mr. burke -- m. Mr. burke -- Ms. burke, the bars reproductive health care. Those are some steps I would like to see him take. And I would like to invite anyone who wants to add to that wish list to do so now.
▶ 2:25:17Sen. Blumenthal: >> sir, if I might, in the interim rule, according to our research, it has been in existence 1958.
▶ 2:25:34Sen. Blumenthal: Evaluating disability ratings in light of medications veterans are taking, this is really not a brand-new concept, but the way it was introduced created confusion and concern across the entire veterans community.
▶ 2:25:58Sen. Blumenthal: Vva was engaged in dialogue with secretary collins and senior officials to ensure veterans were protected. Our concern is not political. It is about clarity, transparency, and ensuring no veteran is harmed now or in the future. Never again means never again.
▶ 2:26:24Sen. Blumenthal: Veterans should not be blindsided by regulatory action without clear communication and opportunity for input, which we never had. And we did not obviously have a clear communication from the v.a. Our goal really is simple, to protect veterans today and prevent problems for future generations.
▶ 2:26:52Sen. Blumenthal: Thank you, sir. I hope the president is listening or somebody at the white house is listening to you because that interim rule needs to be rescinded or we need to do legislation that will as you put it very well clarify what the rules are and make sure that veterans understand they don't have to sacrifice their medical benefits in order to comply with this rule, which is the threat
▶ 2:27:23Sen. Blumenthal: That was raised, the confusion that was created, and the unfortunate impact on the veterans community without any real communication with them. Thank you. My time has expired. Thank you, madam chair.
▶ 2:27:34Chair Mace: Yes. >> thank you, madam chairman. Ideally in my opinion as a veteran you are probably going to appreciate what I am about to say, the transition from active duty to veteran, it really does not exist as far as information moving from one space to the other.
▶ 2:27:53Chair Mace: In my opinion, we should be able to take all of the information, service records, medical records, everything we have touched, tasted, felt, and smelled inside of active duty, and it should automatically move into the veterans system. I am leaving the navy. Psd because the v.a. Up and says he is inbound and lands inside the v.a. And the v.a. Says I got it, good to go, and everything is actioned.
▶ 2:28:23Chair Mace: When I am dealing with vso's that touched the homeless population, the homeless population don't have all of their information, lost or wherever that goes. How do we get out in front of the issues that affects our homeless population while they are still in the dod? Is there a trajectory we are missing? Is there information breakdown we can catch?
▶ 2:28:51Chair Mace: When you are engaging with the homeless population, is there something that kind of elements to the top like hey, this is what we are seeing in the vast majority of our homeless veterans that we can probably catch while they are still active duty or the v.a. Can pay more attention to? Until, which I have been working on for three years now, the system itself works efficiently and effectively for us.
▶ 2:29:15Mr. Brookshire: I appreciate that question. I would like to consult with the organizations that focused specifically on that, specifically back veterans organizations that focus on that and get back to you. >> I have been with black veterans empowerment with sean detweiler. I don't know if you are familiar with that gentleman. This is where he operates. I am trying to gather as much information as possible here so we can legislate that appropriately because to your point, no veteran should be forgotten. No veteran should be dismissed.
▶ 2:29:46Mr. Brookshire: All right. And the system itself since its creation has created that problem set. I like to say we take the veteran out of the equation, make the system correct, and the veterans are better taken care of. The reason I asked that specific question about our homeless population, the answers that I get, even the veterans in our homeless population, I am happy where I am at.
▶ 2:30:18Mr. Brookshire: How are we supposed to address that?
▶ 2:30:19Mr. Brookshire: I don't know how to specifically answer the question, but the person that comes to mind is there is a disproportionate amount of homeless veterans facing honorable or dishonorable charges so you have to address the root causation of that within dod that puts them at a disadvantage to begin with when they get out. Blackfoot are overrepresented even today in the present day.
▶ 2:30:42Mr. Brookshire: They are twice as likely come almost three times as likely to put out with an other than nominal discharge, which affects their accessibility to benefits. Need to address the systemic issues relative to that.
▶ 2:30:56Chair Mace: All right, thank you. I would like to thank chairman moran, writing memory blumenthal. I would like to thank you for being here today. I will now recognize the ranking member for closing remarks. >> thank you. Very brief. I want to really thank the sincere interest of my calling from texas, congressman l, and his questions.
▶ 2:31:22Chair Mace: Congressman, your concern about the tradition of military service members going smoothly, making sure that all the data information gets transferred from dod into the v.a., I want to suggest you take a look at legislation I have offered, which would basically be an opt out program so that veterans don't have to go and get into v.a.
▶ 2:31:50Chair Mace: They are assumed and presumed it to automatically be enrolled in the v.a. And have to opt out of it. That is what it does. Oddly enough, it does cost money to do this. But I think for those years, two years, three years that they leave the military, that is a critical time for them to be in touch with v.a. And to know and learn about the programs. They should not have to opt in. Should automatically be put into the v.a., number one.
▶ 2:32:21Chair Mace: Secondly, we know from the vietnam war era minority veterans, african-american veterans, latino veterans faced disproportionate disciplinary actions. And upon review, many of them might retrospectively look very unjust. I would say unjust. We have so many. It is not just that particular war. It was many other conflicts where other than honorable discharges were issued and it is a big issue for the veteran community.
▶ 2:32:52Chair Mace: It impacts their ability to get those transition services, and many are just proportionately on the screens because of that -- on the streets because of that reason. I think if we want to address veteran homelessness other than honorable discharges, something we need to look at, rectify, and it goes beyond minority veterans. It goes to the general veteran population in addressing homelessness.
▶ 2:33:18Chair Mace: We need to look at what veterans are being denied services that they need. Look who address the military service. It is not the wealthiest or the most privileged. It is people from low income backgrounds looking for a way out, a way up. And for many service members, the military has been annexed to the place for that to occur but the transition services are so important.
▶ 2:33:45Chair Mace: Madam chair, thank you so much for hosting these hearings. And thank you to all the veteran service organizations for being here and testifying. I go back.
▶ 2:33:54Chair Mace: Thank you, and I want to thank everybody for being here today for the veterans who served and traveled through snow, through a blizzard for their testimony today. It is very clear we still have no surprise, shocker, a lot of work to do for our veterans when they come home. I am the daughter of a vietnam veteran exposed to agent orange. I have seen the lifelong health complications that my father has had. Oh.
▶ 2:34:25Chair Mace: You would like to give remarks as well? Ok.
▶ 2:34:27Sen. Blumenthal: I will follow you, madam chair.
▶ 2:34:29Chair Mace: That is fine. Go for it.
▶ 2:34:31Sen. Blumenthal: Let me begin by thanking you and our other house colleagues for making the long trip over here. But I think this hearing has been very, very useful. Thank you for your and representative takano's leadership and of course senator moran.
▶ 2:34:50Sen. Blumenthal: I want to thank all of you who have demonstrated your enormous patience and perseverance in staying with us in the audience and of course this panel, which has been excellent like the last, one. As I said at the very start, never doubt you are making a difference. You are the chief champions and advocates for our veterans, and they need your voice and face.
▶ 2:35:15Sen. Blumenthal: I want to reiterate for the record that the senate committee has yet to receive many of the most important responses that we have urged that I was going to say demanded, but that we have requested from the secretary of the v.a., doug collins.
▶ 2:35:39Sen. Blumenthal: I'm going to ask that our letter of february 4, almost three weeks ago, which asks for this information as promptly as possible -- we have not yet received more than half of the responses that are due. If there is no objection, madam chair. And again, I think transparency is so important.
▶ 2:36:09Sen. Blumenthal: Transparency, the flow of information, communication. Our veterans are attuned to listening. If you are taught nothing else in the military, it is pay attention. Our veterans pay attention. And they deserve and they need to be told the truth promptly and accurately.
▶ 2:36:36Sen. Blumenthal: So, thank you all for being here today because your oversight is so important. And thank you again, madam chair.
▶ 2:36:42Chair Mace: Thank you, senator. I would be remiss if I did not recognize the trust in ralph h johnson medical johnson med veteran affairs medical facility from south carolina, some of the most preeminent and greatest technology for veterans. A lot of my family gets served there and are proud of their work. But coming from a veteran family, talking about those that are poor and destitute to get out of rural america, make something of themselves.
▶ 2:37:12Chair Mace: My father went into the army in 1963. He was from little old hampton, south carolina. His family did not have a lot of money. When he went to vietnam, he was one of the best sharpshooters they had even though they did not really have that back then. He still has shrapnel in his body from those days from serving two tours in vietnam. His best friend was his radio operator, a black young man from north carolina who died in that service.
▶ 2:37:41Chair Mace: My father still can't tell that story without tearing up because of the sacrifices men and women from all walks of life, all colors have come forward to serve their nation valiantly. And I appreciate the very open and honest conversation we have had today. I would urge you all to continue to use your forces, to be loud, to be heard as we work together for the future for serving all of our veterans across the country. I want to say thank you. I want to say welcome home. And I want to say god blesseach and everyone of you.
▶ 2:38:11Chair Mace: That concludes today's joint vso hearing. We have a lot more work to do in service of our veterans and their families. Of course, we are committed to the work needed for our veterans and their families so I ask enemas's consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend remarks and include any extraneous material. Hearing no objection, so ordered, this hearing is now adjourned. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap.org]