Veterans Testify Before Congress

Mr. Bost (00:00):

Thank you. I would also like to give a welcome to DAV Auxiliary National Commander Christopher Easley. Thank you for being here. And I'm pleased that there are folks here from the great State of Illinois.

Audience (00:14):

Hua!

Mr. Bost (00:15):

If you will stand, I would just love to see you. Good to see you. Thanks for being here. I have to be real careful because we want to include all of Illinois, but being from Southern Illinois, we capitalize the S there. People don't realize how far out of Chicago I live. But thank you for traveling here from our home state. I want to say a special thank you for that.

(00:42)
So we want to give a warm welcome to everybody. But before we get started, I'd like to acknowledge a couple people that, if you're around here year round, these two are very, very close to this committee, and DAV should be proud of who they are and the job that they do, and that's Peter Dickinson and Shane Liermann… and for all of their national staff. But let me tell you, they work hard on your behalf. Veterans, they make a real difference for you, okay? And I want to tell you that we're continuing to keep them in our prayers as they're trying to heal up, both of them have had a health issue, and we're hoping for their speedy recovery.

(01:32)
Well, this Congress marks a decade on this sacred committee for me, and this is my second term as chairman, and it's an honor to serve you. The mission of the VA committee has always been personal to me. Many of you have heard my story of how I grew up around veterans, how my father, Army veteran, and his brothers, my grandfather, one Navy, one Marine…

Audience (02:02):

Oorah!

Mr. Bost (02:05):

Oorah, yeah.

(02:05)
… An uncle, a Marine in Vietnam that was victim of the ultimate oxymoron, friendly fire, but was very successful in life, and still alive, and doing well, and that has whole lot to do to the VA and his services he receives there. Myself as a Marine. My son is a Marine. My grandson is a Marine.

Audience (02:25):

Oorah!

Mr. Bost (02:26):

Oorah. So you know how personal this is to me. And every time I sit at this dais, I'm reminded of how important this is. And the debating, whether it's debating with the agency or the other side of the aisle, it's always my focus is on the veteran.

(02:46)
Many of you have watched me and known me around here. And you see this dirty bracelet cord right here? I've wore that ever since coming to Congress. And I'm going to tell you the story on that because, about a year and a half ago, the guy who gave me that, we lost him. We just knew him as Lieutenant Dan, and he's a Vietnam veteran, and he made these cords. And he came to me just after I was elected to Congress and he said, "I'm going to give you a couple of these and I want you to wear them on a regular basis," he says, because every time you look down, I want you to remember who you serve," and that helps tremendously.

(03:29)
Now, for me, it's always been about the veterans. It's not about protecting government bureaucracy. I know the sacrifices each of you have made, especially our disabled veterans community. Each of you has fought to protect our constitutional rights. I'm particularly proud of the work DAV has done to help disabled veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment. Your testimony that is given by you today that recovery from an injury is not complete until the veterans are able to find meaning and purpose. I look forward to hearing more about what the DAV is doing to help disabled veterans and spouses reach their professional goals and how Congress can help.

(04:25)
The DAV plays a vitally important role in making sure we advance common-sense proposals and conduct oversight to meet the needs of the entire veteran community, no matter where they live or where they want to work. Veterans should have the freedom to use the benefits of VA and that VA offers in exchange for their service to meet their individual needs, and they shouldn't spend hours driving in a car to get them or combing through wonky paperwork for months on end or needless waiting for a phone call to get a simple answer. You know where VA is falling short and you know where we need to push the agency to bring it out of the Stone Age and into the new age.

(05:27)
You have my commitment that as long as I'm in charge, we will continue to fight for you, the hundreds and thousands of veterans outside the DCA Beltway who just want their health care on time and their benefits when they need them. This old corporal takes this mission seriously, and I know our new [inaudible 00:05:53] and my friend, Doug [inaudible 00:05:55]. Under President Trump's leadership, I know we're going to put you, the veteran, and the VA service back at the center of VA mission. And when the bureaucracy tries to get in the way, I will continue to be the first to hold them accountable and get the answers for you.

(06:19)
We made great progress through the Dole Act last Congress, and I appreciate DAV's support for this legislation. By working together, we can accomplish some tremendous wins. Because of the Dole Act, we have a law that will help streamline the disability claims process, reduce veterans homelessness, strengthen mental health care, and improve access to at-home care and much more. The Dole Act was a great victory for our veterans, but there's much [inaudible 00:06:55] and will do with your help. Now, my door has always and will continue to be open to you. We must deliver for our veterans to protect their healthcare choice, expand economic and educational opportunities, streamline benefits, and get it done. I promise to keep up the fight we all are in together. Now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. I look forward to completing our mission alongside of you. Thank you again for being here today. And with that, I now recognize Chairman Moran for his opening comments.

Mr. Moran (07:39):

Chairman Bost, thank you. Thank you for hosting this joint hearing and we look forward to this continuing. The Senate will host in a few weeks, and we'll see you on our side of the building. But it's good to be here with you. It's good to be here with your members, good to be here with my ranking member, Senator Blumenthal, and the Ranking Member of the House, Congressman Takano. And I welcome our VSOs, our witnesses, and those here present and those at home watching. I, too, say a special hello to all VSO members that are here or tuning in today from Kansas. I'm grateful to the VSO leadership testifying today I've met, we've discussed, and being here in person now to share their great passion and expertise for supporting veterans, their families, and their survivors.

(08:29)
Policies and programs that we will discuss today depend upon a strong and effective workforce at the VA to deliver the care and benefits veterans deserve. I'm committed to working with VSOs and my colleagues to make certain that the necessary VA workforce is preserved as VA implements new federal workforce guidance. The Senate committee has asked for lists of those who were impacted by actions broken down by location and occupation. The VA has said none of these employees were in mission-critical positions, including no VCL responders. The VA has said there's a process in place that allows for the first senior executive in an impacted employee's chain of command to request an exemption. I have asked for, and expect to receive, but I'm continuing to wait for further details about this process.

(09:22)
The VA must be forthcoming and transparent to Congress, to VSOs, to the public, to its workforce regarding workforce strategy. We're all engaged in attempts to root out any waste, fraud, or abuse that is prevalent or is present, and we're all interested in putting the veteran first. We await additional answers to our questions. I thank you and I look forward to today's hearing.

Mr. Bost (09:49):

Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Moran. I now recognize Ranking Member Takano for his opening comment.

Mr. Takano (09:55):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today, we continue our annual tradition of jointly welcoming veteran service organizations to testify before Congress about their legislative priorities. And I'm pleased to welcome our first panel of the National Commander and representatives of the Disabled American Veterans, and our second panel representatives from AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Blinded Veterans Association, Veterans Education Success, the Gold Star Wives of America, and the Reserve Organization of America. And I'd like to extend a special welcome to DAV's National Commander Dan Contreras, who hails from Sherman Oaks, California. We're practically neighbors and it's great to see you again, sir. And speaking of Californians, are there any Californians in the room this morning?

Audience (10:47):

Woo!

Mr. Takano (10:51):

I see one very special one at the very center of the table. I know he's there to introduce you, Mr. Contreras. He's my neighbor.

(10:59)
These hearings are important because they're a great opportunity for us to hear from the VSOs about issues impacting veterans in their daily lives. And it was at these hearings in 2022, when the VSOs stood in solidarity calling on Congress to pass the Honoring our PACT Act, that finally convinced the holdouts to get on board. Without you, we would never have passed the largest expansion of veterans health care and benefits since the Vietnam War. Without you, millions of veterans would still be struggling to access health care for the toxic exposure they experienced in their service to our country. I will always be grateful to the VSOs for helping us get it done.

(11:42)
As I've said, since it passed, the PACT Act was never meant to be a one-and-done. There's still so much more work to be done, because the PACT was not only about toxic exposure. It's also about our promise to ensure that veterans have access to their care and benefits and that we do everything we can to end veteran homelessness and veteran suicide; address the new categories of illness and injury associated with military service, for example, blast injury and military traumatic brain injury; finally, achieve Guard and Reserve parity; ensure that VA is welcoming to all veterans who have earned the right to be there, ensure that VA's infrastructure can support its mission, and so much more. But unfortunately, given today's political climate, I'm not optimistic about our chances. I'm afraid these hearings are occurring in a very different atmosphere this year.

(12:42)
Now, I have grave concerns about how President Trump's executive orders are being carried out across the federal government, most especially at the Department of Veterans Affairs. And yes, Chairman Moran, I, too, have questions, and I, too, think that veterans deserve those answers to the questions we have. I question how purging the workforce, firing the watchdogs, and making VA hostile to certain veterans is helping VA serve veterans better. I think serving veterans is why we are all here. It is certainly why I am here and why I serve on this committee, because I think there is no higher calling or honor than to serve those who have served.

(13:25)
Since he was sworn in, I've requested information from Secretary Collins about his implementation of the executive orders and his employment actions against VA employees, none of which he has responded to. This is very troubling. We deserve answers. It is my hope that I can count on the VSO community to help us hold VA accountable to all veterans, and that you will also hold Congress accountable by making sure action is behind our words, that we are being held accountable for carrying out our constitutional oversight responsibilities by asking tough questions, demanding answers, and taking legislative action when it is needed. We cannot waver on this because we know that veterans are dependent on this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Mr. Bost (14:19):

Thank you, Mr. Takano. I now recognize Ranking Member Blumenthal for his opening comment.

Mr. Blumenthal (14:23):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you and the ranking member on the House side and my chairman on the Senate side for your leadership. These issues have been bipartisan, and I think the record ought to reflect, Mr. Chairman, that we have a full room, standing room only. Thank you all for being here today and showing your solidarity with the veterans of America. And we may have a couple of people from Connecticut, I'm not sure, but welcome to all of you.

Audience (14:56):

Woo!

Mr. Blumenthal (14:58):

A few. As the chairman indicated, we're here today in support of veterans, and it's very much a family affair. Less than 1% of all Americans these days have anything to do with service in our military, but they are among the most deserving, the most patriotic, the most dedicated among us. Two of my sons have served, one as a combat infantry officer in Afghanistan in the Marine Corps, and-

Audience (15:27):

Oorah!

Mr. Blumenthal (15:28):

… And the other as a Navy SEAL.

Audience (15:32):

Oorah!

Mr. Blumenthal (15:33):

And they are both proud veterans, and they keep me on the straight and narrow.

(15:41)
We are here today at a pretty momentous and important time. And I'm just going to be very blunt, our VA is under assault. The veterans of America are under assault. Just last night, another 1,400 members of the veterans family were fired from their VA jobs. Many of those who were fired are themselves veterans who have dedicated their life to serving veterans. That brings the number to now 2,400 who have been fired with no credible explanation. And I recommend to you the statement that was issued by the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander Al Lipphardt just last night. I'm not going to read it all, but I ask, Mr. Chairman, that it be entered into the record, if there's no objection. It says, and I'm quoting, "We're losing people who are genuinely committed to the mission and find a continued sense of purpose in what they do." That describes just about all of our VA employees who have dedicated their lives, many of them, to serving our veterans.

(17:07)
This past month's assault, in my view, on the VA workforce and on the federal workforce generally will do significant and irreparable harm to the delivery of your care and benefits. As I mentioned just last night, Secretary Collins fired another 1,400 more employees without notice and without cause, and all in the name of cost savings, even though we all know that the cost will be higher in the long run. If you don't care for a veteran when he or she needs it now, it will only be more expensive later. As veterans, you deserve a VA comprised of the very best medical providers, claims processors, cemetery directors, and other critical staff regardless of cost. But in this instance, the cost will be higher from these supposed savings. In the name of eliminating waste, Elon Musk and DOGE are laying waste to the VA, and the VA National Commander put it well when he said that Elon Musk is "bulldoge-ing" the VA and other agencies.

(18:35)
The attacks on the VA staff since January 20th are already having real-life impacts in the field. And all of you are hearing from our fellow veterans. All of you are hearing their stories, their individual life impacts. My office spoke to one employee last night, moments after she found out that she'd been terminated from her job with the Veterans Crisis Line, which, of course, saves people when they are thinking about taking their own lives. She's a 100% service-connected disabled veteran and an active duty military spouse with outstanding performance reviews. Her job is to ensure training is provided to other Veterans Crisis Line responders, empowering them to do their jobs better. Another 100% disabled veteran, who served his country for 14 years, did four combat tours, and has 10 years of service… fired. A veteran who was the lead coordinator on dozens of contracts for VA and had a five out of five performance rating on her last review… fired. A disabled Army veteran, who successfully transitioned out of homelessness and now has a bachelor's and two master's degrees, and who chose to serve his fellow veterans on the Veterans Health Administration… fired.

(20:10)
I could spend the rest of the morning with a list, real-life impacts. These men and women weren't fired because of poor performance. They were arbitrarily fired because someone looked at an algorithm or at a status and saw a probationary, even though they might've been promoted and are in a probationary status in that new job, and decided, fired. If you believe that the VA is a system worth saving, and I think everybody in this room does, we're going to need your help. We're going to need you to be the voice and face of millions, and I mean millions, of veterans across the country whose care and benefits is at stake.

(21:02)
As we begin the first of six panels over the next two weeks, my fellow lawmakers in both the House and the Senate need you to be bold, candid, and strong. The VFW National Commander noted that next week, on March 4th, he's going to be here before this committee, and he said, quote, "I want to see hats in the hallways of our Capitol as our legislative committee members engage with lawmakers in demanding that they," quote, "'honor the contract,'" end quote, "the government has made with those who have already served and sacrificed so much for America. It's time to apply pressure and stop the bleeding," end quote. I hope we see hats in the hallways. I hope we see heads in the hallways from all of you and others. And I really want to thank you for being here today. This picture is worth 1,000 words. Let's keep fighting. Thank you. I yield back.

Mr. Bost (22:22):

Thank you, Senator. I've said this once, and I'll say it again, I trust Secretary Collins in doing the right thing for veterans, taxpayers, to effectively right-size and reorganize VA to work better for men and women it serves, one, because he is himself a veteran, and, two, because he knows the mission in serving veterans. As chairman and as a veteran myself, my mission is the same. Veterans, the people setting in front of us right now, are my number one priority, not protecting bureaucracy. Let me say that again. Veterans who are setting in front of me right now are who I'm fighting for, not bureaucracy. That should be and will continue to be the priority of Republicans on this committee. We would be lying to each other and all of you if we said that everything at the VA is perfect and there aren't any improvements that need to be made to make the agency work better. Now, that includes the workforce.

(23:45)
I take Secretary Collins at his word when he says there will be no impact to the delivery of care, benefits, services for our veterans in this plan. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to spread false information about what's happened and to scare and use veterans as pawns. VA has reduced its workforce by less than 1%. Let me say that again, by less than 1%. You do understand that there's over 400,000 employees in the VA. I also want to say the VA had a record of hiring and a surge over this last year. The last administration acknowledged many times that they were overhiring and were hoping to manage this problem through employee turnover. We've heard this song before, and I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will stop using veterans and their families as political posturing. I trust that Secretary Collins and President Trump are doing the right thing for the millions of veterans VA serves.

(25:02)
As long as I'm chairman, I will continue to focus on the results for those men and women who have served and are veterans who we are serving, not the bureaucracies. And let me also say this. Not only are veterans, veterans, they're also taxpayers. They're also concerned that they want to make sure that when they go to the VA, they receive the services that they need to and that the bureaucracy hasn't grown so big that they're focusing on other areas than the physical treatments that they need to receive at the VA or the mental health they need to receive at the VA. There's nothing wrong with making sure that our VA is operating best for you. And understand that that's where we're at. And I look forward to making sure we move forward in a way that the services are provided at the rate and the place and the time that the veteran needs them, not having to jump through the hoops that I talked about earlier in my opening statement.

(26:08)
But with that, let's get back to the business at hand, improving the delivery, care, and services, and benefits, VA for you. With that, I will now want to yield to Representative Aguilar to introduce the Disabled American Veterans Commander. Representative Aguilar, you are now recognized. Thank you for joining us.

Rep. Aguilar (26:28):

Thank you, Chairman Bost, Chairman Moran, Ranking Members Takano and Blumenthal, our colleagues in the Senate and in the House. I'm privileged to address your committee today to introduce Commander Daniel Contreras. As you know, the Disabled American Veterans organization was established after World War I and has played a vital role after every military conflict in promoting the welfare of our nation's veterans as they return home to reintegrate into civilian life.

(26:58)
A combat medic and nurse from 1980 to 1996, Commander Contreras rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class. He spent his entire civilian life working to help other veterans injured during their service. He's a role model and a pillar of our community back home in Southern California. He's a fixture in San Bernardino, or in Riverside, and throughout California, up and down the state, and now across this nation. It is an incredible honor for our community to watch someone who has given so much be recognized as a champion for veterans. As your committee looks to the role of the VSOs, I know that Commander Contreras will be an invaluable resource for your committee and a fierce advocate for the veterans that he represents.

(27:46)
This is a difficult time for our nation's veterans. As you've all mentioned in your opening statements, disabled veterans already face significant hardship in employment, housing, and accessing health care. We should not be taking steps to add to this burden. I trust that the voices of America's disabled veterans will continue to inform the work that you undertake to uphold our nation's sacred obligation to those who have worn the uniform. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back.

Mr. Bost (28:15):

Thank you. Thank you for being here as well. And Commander, you are now recognized for 10 minutes to deliver your opening statement, and thank you again for being here.

Mr. Contreras (28:28):

Thank you for that. Thank you for that kind introduction, Representative Aguilar. I very much appreciate the work we were able to accomplish together in providing our veterans access to their records through the Wounded Warrior Access Act. Chairman Moran and Bost, Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, and members of the committees on Veterans' Affairs, thank you for the opportunity to present the 2025 legislative priorities of DAV, Disabled American Veterans, an organization representing nearly 1 million members, all of whom returned from wartime service forever changed.

(29:02)
My written testimony details DAV's key legislative goals for the 119th Congress and summarizes our many programs and accomplishments throughout the last year, so I'll use my limited time today to highlight some of our most pressing critical policy goals. But first, let me introduce my DAV colleagues joining me today: National Adjutant Barry Jesinoski, Washington Headquarters Executive Director Randy Reese, National Service Director Jim Marszalek, National Legislative Director Joy Ilem, National Voluntary Service Director John Kleindienst, National Caregiver Support Program Director Ron Minter, National Employment Director Lamarr Couser, and Auxiliary National Commander Christopher Easley. I'd also like to recognize the many DAV members and leaders sitting behind me today. Not every member could make the trip to Washington, but their contributions have been critical to DAV's success

Mr. Contreras (30:00):

… as the nation's premier veteran's service organization. Others have supported DAV's vital mission over the past year. They include our senior and junior vice commanders, who step up to serve once again, and leaders of the DAV auxiliary. I wish to express my gratitude to our National Executive Committee, and members of the National Legislative Interim Committee, the Department of California, as well as my chief of staff and Ricky Ramos for all of their support. And finally, I want to thank my beautiful wife Theresa, who has remained a steadfast partner and supporter of myself and veterans everywhere.

(30:42)
Mr. Chairman, I sit before you as a service-disabled veteran who served as a combat medic and nurse for 16 years. My path to joining the military was laid well before me. As I saw my brothers and sisters raise their hands swearing to defend our nation and the Constitution, I decided it was my turn. I intended to enlist as a Navy corpsman, but I found the Army to be the best bet for me. The Army offered me an immense opportunity that continues to pay dividends today. As a medic, it opened up the world of caring. Once I saw the healing side of service, I knew I was hooked. While my time in uniform ended, my career helping veterans was taking flight. Early in my civilian transition, I reconnected with an Army buddy, who introduced me to DAV and the services we provide. What drew me to this organization more than anything was a chance to secure justice for my fellow veterans and make sure that a sacred promise was kept.

(31:49)
It was a new kind of caring, one that doesn't go away as we get older. Mr. Chairman, veterans need access to a full continuum of long-term care and caregiver support. That necessity has grown substantially, and will continue to do so as veterans who served in America's longest war continue to age. The Department of Veterans Affairs projects that in 10 years, the number of veterans aged 85 and older will increase by a third. And women veterans in this age group could more than double. To meet aging veteran needs, the VA offers several caregiver support programs. However, gaps still exist. Veteran caregivers have proved to be lifesaving. They provide some of the most essential support to veterans, putting in countless hours, often sacrificing their own well-being to care for another. And many do so by foregoing a traditional career, and at a great cost to their personal health.

(32:53)
But caregiving isn't without its own costs. Taxpayers benefit because of the services caregivers provide, which keep veterans from requiring government-funded assistance. But studies have shown that over 60% of caregivers experience burnout. We see that in the community we serve, and sadly, most don't know where to turn for help. When it comes to caregiving, for me, it's personal. I know it's an area that needs more focus, because I live it as a veteran and a caregiver to my wife, who is battling stage four cancer. Having this experience that no one asked for provides insight. I've stood by her side through multiple surgeries, during chemotherapy, radiation, infusion, and a medical trial. Like every caregiver I know, I'd do it all in a heartbeat, and I know with every fiber of my being that if the shoe were on the other foot, she'd be there for me.

(33:57)
This is such a crucial area, and we need to help veteran caregivers by providing comprehensive resources, including training and financial assistance, and requiring the VA to offer more assisted living care options. At DAV, we operate our own caregiver support initiative to help these unsung heroes. Since its inception in October of 2023, DAV Caregivers Support has connected over 1400 caregivers to a host of public and private resources. While we are exceptionally proud of the success of our program, the responsibility to provide such support ultimately rests with the VA, and we urge Congress to increase resources for expanding home-based services, and create assisted living options for service-disabled veterans. This will help us ensure that veterans can live in their own homes with respect and dignity.

(34:59)
Mr. Chairman, another crucial and critical issue for DAV is ensuring that no toxic-exposed veteran is left behind. American service members have been harmed by toxic exposures since DAV's founders returned from the trenches of World War I. With the help and leadership of these committees, the PACT Act created more than 20 presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures, and we thank you for that recognition.

(35:28)
In addition to expanding healthcare access and benefits to millions of veterans, they are no longer burdened to prove their exposures cause these cancers and illnesses. And while the PACT Act has been transformational, the law does not cover every toxic-exposed veteran. Those who served at Fort McClellan and other areas still face an uphill battle to prove their illnesses as a result of exposure. But doing so can be impossible, especially years or decades later. And it also did not include adequate accountability and transparency. That's why DAV and the Military Officers Association of America researched the history of presumptive conditions for toxic exposures and produced a groundbreaking report. And we found that veterans have been forced to wait, on average, more than 34 years after exposure before VA established presumptives for benefits and healthcare. Saying that that is too long is an understatement of massive proportions. Veterans have died waiting for justice that eludes their survivors. But if we continue teaming up, as we did to get the PACT Act to the president's desk, we can make such injustices a thing of the past. We shared our findings and recommendations last September in our report, Ending the Wait for Toxic-Exposed Veterans. And based on our findings, we call on Congress to pass legislation that would expand research on toxic exposures, launch an independent scientific review process, and establish a Veterans Advisory Commission. Together, we can help end the wait for toxic-exposed veterans. Mr. Chairman, a fully-funded VA is absolutely vital to ensuring ill and injured veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned. Underfunding or delayed funding can have dire consequences for veterans who rely on VA disability compensation or healthcare. It's not an exaggeration to say in many cases this is life or death, but efforts have been hampered from a law Congress passed in 2010 limiting its ability to increase federal spending. The underlying principle that is any new laws must not increase any deficits. In practice, congress must now offset new benefits by cutting existing ones. This arbitrary and black-and-white rule known as pay-as-you-go or pay-go is dangerous, and it doesn't consider the needs of veterans when determining where and how tax dollars are spent. But unlike every other government program, veterans benefits and healthcare have already been paid for through the sacrifices of those who serve, period.

(38:42)
And there are other drastic proposals that seek to balance the federal budget on the backs of those who guaranteed a free and prosperous nation. This is wrong, even under the pretext of fiscal responsibility. Proposals include taxing VA disability compensations, or phasing out certain unemployability benefits when veterans reach a retirement age. There's also suggestions to reduce VA disability compensation levels across the board for future and current veterans. There's even talk of ending lower disability payments altogether, as if to say your service and sacrifice doesn't matter if it doesn't rise to more serious levels. This idea is perilous, cruel, and deeply flawed. We hope that you will summarily dismiss this. We appreciate that.

(39:47)
Mr. Chairman, we must ensure that the new administration's promise of a Golden Age for America strengthens how we care for our veterans, but we're seeing organized efforts to curtail what veterans have earned and deserve: a VA that is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and timely benefits to veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

(40:13)
To follow through on this promise, veterans need Congress in their corners as they have been in ours. In this gilded era, we must ensure that veterans benefits are reinforced, not clawed back. The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to be fully funded and have predictable budgets. Veterans healthcare should be enhanced and streamlined, all while ensuring VA provides the right options to meet their evolving needs. Together, we have the chance to follow through on the social contract disabled veterans have earned, and we hope you will join us in this fight. America's counting on it. May God continue to bless DAV, the men and women who serve our great nation, and the United States of America. Thank you.

Mr. Bost (41:18):

Thank you, Commander Contreras, for your testimony. And members be advised that we, rather than our normal five minutes, we'll have three minutes for the sheer number, and we have a second panel to get to, but we do want to get to the questions, and I'll recognize myself for three minutes. With that, Commander, DAV supports my bill, HR 740, that's the Veterans Access Act of 2025, which expands community care options. Can you explain what this bill would do in support of our veterans?

Mr. Contreras (42:04):

Thank you, Chairman Bost. That's a very important question, and I'd like to ask our legislative director, Joy Ilem, to answer that question.

Ms. Joy Ilem (42:13):

Thank you, Commander. We appreciate the Access Act, and I know that for a long time with community care, there've been a number of issues that have needed fixing, and we appreciate the timeliness of that bill that's been introduced. We appreciate working with your staff on that. While we have a few provisions that we'd like to see changed, we think overall it's a good bill. We appreciate it. We want to make sure that veterans, when they have to use community care, they have timely access to that care and services, and especially specialized services like residential rehab treatment programs. Thank you.

Mr. Bost (42:57):

Thank you for that answer. Commander, next question is, I'm grateful first off for the DAV, that it's passed support of my legislation, that the Veteran's Second Amendment Protection Act, which would ensure that the veterans that need fiduciary receive the same due process rights as every other American before their constitutional rights are taken away. Is this legislation something the DAV will continue to support?

Mr. Contreras (43:28):

Thank you once again, Chairman Bost. That's a very important question. I think you'll find that DAV's position is we're not going to take or support anything that takes away constitutional rights from our veterans. I think our national executive director, Randy Reese, could even go further into DAV's position.

Mr. Reese Jr. (43:51):

Thank you, Chairman Bost. Last year, we definitely supported the legislation to make sure that veterans' rights are not abridged, and that their constitutional due processes also protected. We appreciate your legislation. You have us on board.

Mr. Bost (44:08):

I appreciate that very much. With that, I will now yield to Senator Moran, Chairman Moran for his questions.

Mr. Moran (44:16):

Chairman Bost, thank you very much. Commander, great to see you in this setting, and thank you for the conversations that we've had. The PACT Act has been a topic of conversation in your testimony. The PACT Act, part of the PACT Act, the secretary is required to hold quarterly engagements with VSOs to collaborate with, partner with, and give weight to the advice of veteran service organizations and other such stakeholders. What has been your experience thus far with the provisions, this provision of the PACT Act? Could you describe whether these engagements are taking place, and what value they provide to veterans? What type of insight and feedback are you able to provide the secretary on behalf of your members during these engagements?

Mr. Contreras (45:03):

Thank you, Member Moran. That's a very insightful question, and I know that our national service director, Jim Marszalek, could provide great insight into that.

Mr. Moran (45:14):

Mr. Marszalek.

Speaker 1 (45:15):

Thank you, Commander. Yes. So the quarterly updates aren't occurring, right? The VA does meet with us frequently, so we are collaborating a lot, but we're not getting information we really need. And as you know, our Ending the Wait report that we published, 34.1 years on average from the time a veteran's exposed to a time of presumption is actually established, is very concerning. It's way too long, so we got to do better. And part of the PACT Act required the study to begin on Fort McClellan, and those exposures, and what residual disabilities can be attributed to those exposures. That study started 30 months ago and we still don't have any updates to what's occurring. So VA does got to provide more regular updates with more information, and be more inclusive in these studies. When we're talking about establishing-

Mr. Moran (46:03):

In addition to providing information, the goal of that provision is for you to provide information to them, so how they can better implement the Act and care for more veterans. True?

Speaker 1 (46:10):

Absolutely, sir.

Mr. Moran (46:11):

I appreciate, although I'm disappointed by your answer, I appreciate your frankness, and we'll work to see that the VA is doing what the law requires. It's, this thing of passing legislation is hugely important, but if it's not implemented to its fullest extent, we're really missing out on the benefits that we provide. Commander Contreras, what specific strategies can be implemented to close the gaps in mental health care for veterans?

Mr. Contreras (46:39):

Well, I thank you again for your question, Ranking Member Moran. I believe DAV's position is that there should be a comprehensive review on how we can do things, not just one way. And I would say that our legislative director, Joy Ilem, could definitely give you more insight.

Mr. Moran (47:03):

Ms. Ilem?

Ms. Joy Ilem (47:04):

Thank you, Chairman Moran. VA does a great job on mental health services, providing mental health services to veterans, but there's always room for improvement. One program that we think is excellent program and initiative is their firearm safety counseling. We know that so many veterans who do take their lives unfortunately do so using a firearm, it's like 72, 73%. We have to make sure that those veterans feel comfortable being able to talk to their provider and get the access to the counseling that they need to put that time and distance between them and that firearm during a period of crisis. And I think that's one initiative that we can really, VA can continue to build on.

Mr. Moran (47:46):

Thank you for highlighting that program. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. Bost (47:49):

Thank you, senator. Ranking Member Takano, you're now recognized for three minutes.

Mr. Takano (47:53):

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, you were a bit distracted when Senator Blumenthal asked for the VFW calls on administration, Congress to stop indiscriminate firing of veterans statement. Can we, unanimous consent to have it enter the-

Mr. Bost (48:07):

Without objection, [inaudible 00:48:09].

Mr. Takano (48:08):

Thank you. Commander Contreras, did you see the VFW statement last night related to the Trump Administration's indiscriminate firing of veterans? Have you seen this statement?

Mr. Contreras (48:20):

Thank you, Ranking Member-

Mr. Takano (48:20):

Are you aware of it?

Mr. Contreras (48:21):

… Takano, we have seen that.

Mr. Takano (48:23):

Thank you. Do you agree that the indiscriminate firing of thousands of veterans from the federal workforce is troubling?

Mr. Contreras (48:31):

DAV is highly concerned with what's going on with VA, because we know that that's going to take away the expedition of being able to accomplish so many things, not only in healthcare, but on claims processing. I would've liked to ask our executive director, Randy Reese, to respond further.

Mr. Takano (48:51):

Well, if you mind, I just want to get through some of these questions.

Mr. Contreras (48:52):

Okay, sure, absolutely.

Mr. Takano (48:54):

Do you agree that the termination of thousands of federal employees, including thousands of veterans who are continuing to serve our great nation after taking off the uniform, means that American taxpayers are losing technical expertise, training, and security clearances that we already bought and paid for? That may be, Mr. Reese can elaborate.

Mr. Contreras (49:15):

Most definitely.

Mr. Reese Jr. (49:19):

Thank you, Ranking Member Takano. We view the series of actions, from return to work, hiring freeze, delayed resignation, probationary employee terminations, all as just unprofessional acts. That's not how you treat people. You don't treat your own staff that way. These are not widgets. These are human beings. And that's that's got to end.

Mr. Takano (49:43):

Well, thank you. Commander Contreras, does DAV intend to issue its own statement related to this destruction of the federal workforce?

Mr. Contreras (49:54):

Can you repeat that question?

Mr. Takano (49:55):

Do you all intend to issue your own statement regarding the destruction of the federal workforce?Through these firings?

Mr. Contreras (50:03):

We are actively working on our own statement.

Mr. Takano (50:05):

Thank you. To my knowledge, over two million claims under the PACT Act alone, not including regular claims, have been processed. And that's because there was a surge in hiring at the VBA made possible by the PACT Act. I can't name the thousands of claims processors that were hired. But you are aware that the VA told Congress that at the VHA, that we are short and understaffed by 40,000 employees. Does that seem right to you, that number, Joy?

Ms. Joy Ilem (50:45):

Yes. That's what we hear. And just in terms of providing, the demand is higher for services. We've had the expansion with the PACT Act of veterans coming in. So absolutely, we have staffing shortages that have been noted by the Inspector General.

Mr. Takano (51:03):

So the PACT Act made 3.5 million veterans, theoretically, eligible for benefits in just two years. Two million claims have been processed, made possible by the surge in hiring at VA. Now that they're cutting, VA still tells us that more veterans have been made eligible, but that we are still short 40,000 employees at the VHA to serve those veterans healthcare. I fail to see any rhyme or reason to these firings. And I want to work with the DAV to make sure that we hold VA accountable and Congress accountable to make sure veterans are served. I yield back.

Mr. Bost (51:57):

Thank you, Ranking Member. Senator King, you're recognized. Three minutes.

Speaker 2 (52:02):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would call to the attention of the DAV a very troubling paragraph in something called Project 2025, which I suspect you have heard of, which seems to be the template for this administration's approach. Here's the sentence that I hope you will attend to. "The next administration should explore how veterans reviews should be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant, significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards for future claimants," and listen to this, "while preserving them fully or partially for existing claimants." Mr. Leader, how do you feel about that idea?

Mr. Contreras (52:54):

Well, anything that is going to take … Senator King, apologize. Anything that's going to take away from veterans benefits, we do not support that. We're aware of Project 2025's initiatives not only to reduce category seven and eight, also to tax veterans benefits, or to look at unemployment benefits as far as at Social Security age. So I would say that we would not be in favor of that. And there is one of our critical policy goals, and it outlines that, that we need to protect those benefits, and there'll be a great opposition to that. And we had the secretary visit our mid-year conference recently and he stated, and we're going to hold him to it, that he's putting veterans first. That would not be putting veterans first.

Speaker 2 (53:55):

I appreciate that. We've been talking a lot about the layoffs. In fact, combining the hiring freeze and normal attrition with the recent layoffs. We're really down about 5000 people at the VA in the last month. Now, the secretary, when he released his statement last night, said, in fact, veterans are going to notice a change for the better. My question to you and to the veterans is tell us if that's what you notice. The power is with the veterans, and you need to use your voice. It's hard for me to believe that these cuts, which have been made in the last 20 days, as near as I can tell, pretty indiscriminately, are going to change things for the better for the veterans.

(54:40)
And by the way, talking about bureaucracy, in my view, the person that answers the phone can be as important as the person that delivers the care. If a veteran calls for a healthcare appointment and there's no one there to answer the phone, that's a denial of benefits just as sure as if they can't see the doctor. So I hope that the people in this room will hold us accountable, and thereby the agency, the department, the new secretary, to truly putting veterans first. That's an easy phrase to say, but I look at what's actually being done. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the work you've done.

Mr. Bost (55:33):

Thank you, Senator. Representative Radewagen, you're recognized for three minutes.

Speaker 3 (55:42):

Thank you. I want to thank the panel for appearing today, thank the chairman and ranking members, and thank you for your sacrifice and service to our nation, Commander Contreras. What are some of the challenges veterans face when accessing mental healthcare at VA, and what role do VSOs play in connecting veterans with mental health resources?

Mr. Contreras (56:11):

Representative, thank you very much for that question. It is something that, of course, mental health is a critical issue, not only from suicide prevention and other aspects and alternatives, but I would like to ask our legislative director, Joy Ilem, to elaborate further.

Ms. Joy Ilem (56:35):

I would just add to that, the timeliness is essential in terms of mental health services. VA provides great services wraparound, all types of options of mental health services, from the crisis line, to the vet centers, to inpatient care. But those specialized services are really critical to those who are struggling with PTSD and chronic conditions like a substance use disorder, and veterans have telling us they want to get those services. The demand for them is increasing. We need to make sure that we break away those barriers to accessing those services.

Speaker 3 (57:13):

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Bost (57:19):

Thank you, Representative. Senator Tillis, you are now recognized for three minutes.

Congressman Thom Tilli (57:23):

Thank you Mr. Chairman. Thank you all for being here. I have to ask the obligatory question, how many people are either from North Carolina or spent some time at one of our bases? Well, thank you all. Come back and visit. A quick question. I know I think it's on page, begins on page 17, some of the things that you all would like to consider as enhancements to the PACT Act to make it work. I think many of you probably know I voted against the PACT Act, but it wasn't for a lack of being a material contributor to it, the TEAM Act and the Camp Lejeune toxics language alone. But I was worried about the implementation. Now, so when you answer, if you could answer, and use the balance of my time. One, I still see headwinds on funding. We saw the $3 billion shortfall before, and I see more.

(58:15)
I see also headwinds on wait times. These are all things that I anticipated that hopefully we were going to fix before we got passed. Didn't happen. So if you could answer that. And I'd also like to know, I get the narrative about the job eliminations. I particularly have a problem with somebody who's not in the VA suggesting job cuts. But now we have Secretary Collins there, and I have a lot of respect for him. He's an even-keel person. He got bipartisan support. I think he's going to be a good leader.

(58:49)
But people are talking about gross numbers in an organization that has tens of thousands of employees. So if you can point to any eliminations that you're aware of today that you think are mission- critical to veterans, I'd like to know that. I don't have that information. I don't know if you do yet, but I have requested that. So tell me a little bit about the eliminations, whether or not you have evidence that they're mission-critical operations. And give me some suggestions on homework for how we get the PACT Act to where I hoped it was when we passed it, when we should have passed it, I should say. And I'm assuming that's Mr. Reese.

Mr. Reese Jr. (59:26):

Thank you, Senator. Thank you Senator. It was a long-winded question. Well, in the big picture, there are lots of our members bringing to our attention that they're leaving the workforce, from all the different methodologies that's been put out there. From return to work, they leave, hiring freeze, they leave, delayed, they leave. And now, with this probationary period, probably the most concerning to us is we would rather have disabled veterans than their spouses unemployed

Mr. Reese Jr. (01:00:00):

… unemployed than working at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I mean, that's a sad thing to say.

Congressman Thom Tilli (01:00:06):

I agree. I agree with that, but I'm a very boring, management consultant, fact-based sort of guy. So if you all could provide me with specific instances of mission-critical jobs or that situation that you gave me, clearly there's no Republican that's going to be any more comfortable with that than a Democrat.

(01:00:25)
But if we can get that information on exactly how some of these determinations have affected service levels or a threat to wait times, that's very important information for the secretary to have because I'll guarantee you he wants those service levels to be the best they ever were. Thank you all for your service. God bless you. Come back to North Carolina soon.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:00:47):

Thank you, Senator. Congressman Pappas, you are recognized for three minutes.

Congressman Chris Pappas (01:00:52):

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to welcome all the veterans here today. I thank you, Commander, for your testimony. I had a great meeting with New Hampshire DAV folks last night in my office, so I want to thank all the veterans from the Live Free or Die state who are joining us here today.

(01:01:05)
Those conversations are so important because we can't just simply count on VA or Congress to get it right. We need the veteran input and feedback along the way, so we look forward to future conversations and continuing to shape an agenda that's going to make things better for America's veterans. I wanted to bring up a piece of legislation that I think is critically important. It's a bill that I'm going to reintroduce to this Congress called the GUARD VA Benefits Act, which would reinstate criminal penalties for unaccredited claims representatives or claim sharks who charge unauthorized fees for assisting-

(01:01:47)
So you've heard of these guys. They charge unauthorized fees for assisting veterans with VA claims. So I want to applaud DAV's VA-accredited representatives. The only individuals who are authorized to prepare, present, or prosecute VA claims under strict regulatory and ethical standards.

(01:02:04)
In contrast, these unaccredited representatives operate without such oversight, often engaging in predatory practices and prey on veterans. It's disgraceful. So VA, in its limited ability, can't enforce the law because the explicit criminal penalties were stripped from the law decades ago. We've come across a lot of dubious arguments about my legislation, but I'd love to hear from the veteran perspective about the GUARD VA Benefits Act and the need to take on these claim sharks.

(01:02:33)
Commander?

Mr. Contreras (01:02:35):

Thank you, Representative. That is certainly a critical issue with us, especially when not only DAV provides at a national level free services. We have our department service officers, our chapter service officers. I came from the world to being a service officer, and I know DAV is prepared to help in that claims process in any way possible. So we are looking at these predatory actors as really, one, not being competent, but also you're hearing where for a 10% claim, veterans are paying $30,000. That's ridiculous.

(01:03:19)
So we're asking that there becomes more of a process of being able to be accredited with the VA and not being able to have access to our veterans, their claims or information, and also list who's available. We're available, and we can handle it. I know there's been talk that there are so many claims that are going on, but we don't rest on our laurels. We help that one veteran and move on to the next one, and that's what we believe we can do and get rid of these predatory actors.

Congressman Chris Pappas (01:03:54):

Well, thank you, Commander, for that commitment, for the work that DAV does each and every day. It makes a difference. We want to continue to hear from you as we do our work here in Congress. I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:04:04):

Thank you.

(01:04:05)
General Bergman, you're recognized for three minutes.

General Jack Bergman (01:04:07):

Thank you. Thanks for all of our witnesses for being here. Any Michiganders in the crowd?

Veterans (01:04:12):

Yeah.

General Jack Bergman (01:04:13):

All right. Any Yoopers?

Veterans (01:04:14):

Yeah.

General Jack Bergman (01:04:16):

Oh, there has got to be one everywhere. We're required to have one. All right. Well, very good.

(01:04:24)
I'm looking forward to working with all of you continuing. As a fellow veteran and served all over the world, I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of human behavior, but we are a free country because our veterans step up and do what we need to do to guarantee that we have freedom. So let's get to the business here. Commander Contreras, last Congress, DAV endorsed legislation that I introduced along with Congresswoman Brownley, the Veterans Spinal Trauma Access to New Devices, or Veterans STAND Act.

(01:04:58)
As you might remember, the bill would codify the VA's obligation to offer annual examinations for spinal cord injured and disabled or SCID veterans, take steps to improve the outreach for those who are eligible, ensure paralyzed veterans are able to be assessed and provided with these assistive devices.

(01:05:18)
Could you please describe the benefits, if you will, of preventative health screenings? So preventative health screenings like those provided by the SCI for the SCID veterans.

Mr. Contreras (01:05:31):

Thank you, General. We appreciate that important question. To fully address the specifics, I'm going to ask our legislative director, Joy Ilem, to respond.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:05:42):

Great bill, and we appreciate that, and we support making sure that veterans, especially those who have catastrophic injuries, spinal cord injuries, have the access to all of the services that they need and new innovative technologies that are coming forward, and those preventative appointments to make sure that they have access to know what might be an option best for them are critical. And so we appreciate those provisions being included in the bill.

General Jack Bergman (01:06:16):

Thank you. And we all know that there are challenges for the disabled veterans when they're seeking to get, if you will, qualified for and assessed for. So we have to really understand that new technology appears every day, and we have to be realistic about how we advance new technologies to better provide those assisted services for the veterans.

(01:06:44)
Another quick, I see we've got about a half a minute left, but Commander Contreras, I see that DAV supports legislation directing the VA to research and make available effective psychedelic compounds for treating mental health conditions and traumatic brain injury. For those of you who may not be aware, I'm the co-chair of the PATH Caucus, Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, along with my dear friend and colleague Lou Correa from California.

(01:07:11)
Any thoughts or comments on what do you think the VA's role should play in advancing the promising field in that area of medicine through research or whatever?

Mr. Contreras (01:07:23):

Thank you once again, General, for that question. I can say that DAV's position is certainly that we should look at alternatives. As I addressed earlier that my wife Teresa is going through her challenges, and so obviously there needs to be some alternative choices. So psilocybin is one of them that is being introduced with her, but I will let our legislative director-

General Jack Bergman (01:07:50):

And I see I'm over my time, so-

Mr. Contreras (01:07:52):

Oh, I'm sorry.

General Jack Bergman (01:07:52):

… make it quick.

Mr. Contreras (01:07:52):

I appreciate-

General Jack Bergman (01:07:53):

No, that's okay. Whoever you're going to just but… The answer, let's do more research at the VA?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:07:59):

Yes, we want to make sure the research is available and that VA can expedite that to the field as long as it's efficacious and it can benefit veterans.

General Jack Bergman (01:08:09):

Yeah, we should not discount anything just because we don't understand it. That's how we get better. Seek to understand before trying to be understood, I think, as Stephen Covey said. With that, I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:08:19):

Thank you, General.

(01:08:27)
Representative Cherfilus-McCormick, you are now recognized for three minutes.

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (01:08:30):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you also to all our witnesses and DAV, and thank you to all of our Florida veterans who are here. I see you in the crowd.

Veterans (01:08:40):

Yeah.

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (01:08:40):

Yes.

(01:08:41)
I have real concerns. I feel like we keep focusing on some of the cuts that are being made and the firing, but we have to look at the cumulative effect, and I proffer that any of the cuts that are being suggested that can actually harm our veterans should be completely off the table right now. We have a contract to our veterans, and we cannot compromise them by one of our veterans being hurt.

(01:09:05)
One of the areas that I also wanted to look at, as I have a short amount of time, is focusing on our veterans access to long-term care. Long-term care has allowed our veterans to stay in their homes and in their communities with respect and dignity and with their families. We have a real responsibility to protect our veterans. And so I wanted to talk about the Homemaker and Home Health Aide Care program administered by the VA and how it helps our veterans sustain themselves and their families.

(01:09:34)
However, the program is limited to the number of veterans who have the service, which doesn't allow all of our veterans to live with dignity in their homes when they get sick.

(01:09:44)
Ms. Ilem, how have your members benefited from the Homemakers and Home Healthcare Act program?

Mr. Contreras (01:09:50):

Thank you, Representative. That is a question that touches on one of our critical policy goals. I'm going to ask our legislative director, Joy Ilem, to address that.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:09:59):

Long-term care options for veterans, a wide variety, are absolutely essential, from that Home Health Aide and Homemaker services all the way through community living centers, but we have also, in our critical policy, asked for more assisted living options to, again, that might benefit younger veterans who want to be able to live independently but still need some help. So those home health services are absolutely essential all the way through to meet the unique needs of each veteran.

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (01:10:38):

One of the largest payers for long-term care services is actually Medicaid. In fact, 9.4 veterans rely on Medicaid, and there's a proposed budget to actually start cutting Medicaid. These are the compounded effects that we're talking about. And so I also wanted to know how could cuts to Medicaid affect DAV members?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:11:01):

Certainly, services that are outside where a program goes away can certainly put more stress on the VA. More veterans may need to utilize their VA services. So we're always looking at the impact of, I know there's some talk again about Medicare subvention issues, veterans that are Medicare age, and also those that perhaps are on Medicaid. So if a program goes away, veterans still need care. So they're going to probably turn to VA in many cases for that care.

Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (01:11:40):

Thank you so much. I just wanted to stress before my time is over that any cuts that will affect one of our veterans should be off of the table. We have a promise to each and every one of our veterans, and we must stand by that, and we must look at the cumulative effect.

(01:11:56)
When we look at the cumulative effect right now, we're looking at tens and thousands of people who have been fired, who are being denied of Medicaid, who will now be sitting there by themselves trying to provide for themselves, and that is not what our country is made for. Thank you. I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:12:18):

Congressman Luttrell.

Congressman Morgan Luttrell (01:12:19):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And since everybody else is throwing a shout-out to their state, where are my Texans at in the room?

(01:12:26)
Yeah, right. There you go. Luckily for you guys, there's not that many of us because we have a tendency to tear things up. So if you guys go out and drink tonight and get in trouble, call me. I won't join you, but maybe I can call somebody. And do I have any of my Army Rangers or any Army Rangers in the audience? It's tragic. I mean, it's just in my bones, and I just cannot… I mean, me and Army Rangers just do not get along at all.

(01:12:54)
I mean, y'all's existence bothers me. I say that. And the reason I do say that is because I have an identical twin brother who was rescued by Army Rangers, so I'm indebted to you guys for the rest of my life. So this is me saying thank you. Just don't repeat this on social media, and I'm sure nobody in here is paying attention to what I'm saying anyway.

(01:13:12)
Mr. Contreras, I don't have anything for you, sir. So you're not going to be able to pass the football on me. I'm going to go straight to Mr. Marszalek here to your statements earlier today and your engaging with the VA, and it seems to be as if you're kind of hitting a brick wall and there's no responsiveness from the VA. This is the tricky part. So the VA is this big machine. It's this big glorious machine that we lean on as veterans quite a bit.

(01:13:36)
And I love to wire brush the VA more than anybody. I do, and I hate doing it, but it's absolutely necessary, and I'm going to provide you some guidance to help out the member of Congress in the Senate. So when you come to us with this problem set, the first thing when you walk into my office is I'm going to say, who are you talking to?

(01:13:54)
I need a name. I need a timeframe and a window that you're engaging with the VA so I can personally, or we can personally, with the chairman and the committee staff subcommittee, can engage with that particular individual directly so it didn't get tossed into the abyss and nobody is responsive because right now you're pushing a wet noodle up a hill. And I hate to say it, but it's just the absolute truth. So when the organization is engaging, do that for us so we can stand alongside you shoulder to shoulder, one team, one dream, right? All that kind of stuff.

(01:14:25)
And I just wanted you to hear me say that to you so moving forward as we come out of this, we're moving into the next phase of VA leadership with Mr. Collins in the direction that he's going to take VA. We can provide guidance to him at our level, and then you come up and into the organization, and we're sitting on this up top and coming down, and we meet in the middle, and the veterans are the ones that, glory be to God, we increase our quality of life. Yep. That good enough deal for you?

Mr. Marszalek (01:14:53):

Absolutely.

Congressman Morgan Luttrell (01:14:54):

Okay. Don't take that personally, Mr. Contreras. That's who I wanted to go to. Mr. Easley, do you have anything you want to add? You're not going to come all the way up to Washington D.C., sit in front of a couple of hundred people, and not say anything. So I'm going to throw you something.

Mr. Easley (01:15:06):

Thank you, Congressman.

Congressman Morgan Luttrell (01:15:07):

Yeah, you're welcome, buddy. You look lonely down there. Look, I'm down here on the end too. They can't see us. I'm just so-

Mr. Easley (01:15:15):

No, I just want to say, as the national commander of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, the family side of the organization, we support our veterans. I support my best friend here, Dan Contreras, and I hold my auxiliary members accountable to educate members like yourself at their state level and at the local level and the needs of our injured, ill, disabled veterans and their families.

Congressman Morgan Luttrell (01:15:37):

Sure, we need that too. Make no mistake about it. Catch us on the road, catch us on the street, in a restaurant, or at a red light. You're the knowledge base that provides the information that gives Congress the ability to do our job, and that is legislate, okay? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:15:52):

Representative McGarvey.

Representative Morgan McGarvey (01:15:54):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That's a tough act to follow. Appreciate that, Morgan. I'm the other Morgan on the committee, but I guess if you guys do go out tonight, Morgan and Morgan will come get you. I am from Kentucky, though, so I just recommend bourbon be your beverage of choice. Appreciate everybody being here today. Thank you. Thank each and every one of you for your service. Each and every one of you put on a uniform, were willing to sacrifice everything to serve us. That is a debt for which we can never adequately repay you. What we certainly can't do is take away the services you have earned that we're already not doing a good enough job providing. And last night when the administration announces the indiscriminate firing of 1,400 workers at the VA. I was glad to see that the VFW stood up and spoke against it. You all have always answered the call for service, and so I hate to ask you to stand up again, but we must do everything we can to protect our veterans. That includes making sure that the people are in place so that you get, again, not the services we are giving you, the services you have earned, and that we're doing that in the right manner.

(01:17:25)
I do want to talk briefly about, Mr. Contreras, a bill I put forward called the Innovate Act. I think that one thing the VA can do is do a better job of incentivizing innovation. We have so many great people come through the VA, but we don't have that right incentive to innovate. When they do innovate, they can do cool things.

(01:17:45)
There was a pilot last year, the technology-enabled respite home care model pilot. It allowed to have a find a home caregiver temporarily and the caregiver to pay a substitute at a higher wage than the average home care providers. 96% veteran satisfaction score and a lower cost to the VA.

(01:18:04)
Mr. Contreras, just briefly on how many we have left, would you talk about the areas of healthcare your members are most concerned about, where they have expressed the needs that they have, and where innovation could require an interesting approach?

Mr. Contreras (01:18:17):

Well, since you have limited time, Representative, I'll go ahead and pass that on to Joy.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:18:24):

Innovation is key. One of the things VA does very well is in best practices and looking at how the delivery of care and benefits can be improved to veterans, and that is essential to keep looking at that. Mental health is one of the key areas. Suicide prevention is on everyone's mind in the veteran community, and I know Congress. So there are opportunities again to look at that through that office of innovation to make sure that they can utilize all of the resources they have and the best minds that are out there with new ideas to prevent suicide.

Representative Morgan McGarvey (01:19:02):

Thank you so much. Know we've got your back. We'll stand up for you too. And I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:19:06):

Thank you. Representative Hamadeh.

Representative Abraham Hamadeh (01:19:12):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for focusing this committee on putting the veterans first and not protecting the bureaucracy. And I want to thank every single one of you. As a veteran myself, I am so proud to see so many veterans supporting each other. It's a really good sense of community. We all put that uniform on with the American flag on our shoulder sleeve. It didn't matter what race, religion, or what your social status in life was, we all put on that uniform. And for that, I thank you, and our entire country owes a debt to all of you.

(01:19:45)
Now, Commander, President Trump's Mission Act was really put the veterans in charge of their own healthcare decisions. Yet today, we're still seeing bureaucratic roadblocks that are getting in the way to prevent timely access to mental health services. What specific changes would ensure veterans can immediately access mental health care in their communities without the VA's red tape?

Mr. Contreras (01:20:07):

Representative, certainly DAV is focused on making sure every part of the Mission Act is implemented. Our legislative director, Joy Ilem, will give you greater insight to DAV's position.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:20:23):

I think there's a number of provisions that are in the Access Act that are positive and can try to overcome bureaucratic delays. And definitely within the community care program, we've heard from members, our members, when you do have to access care in the community, one of the biggest delays is trying to get first connected with the Office of Community Care. And so that will be essential to try to do that and to have the providers available that can help forward these referrals, make sure that veterans get the care when and where they need it.

Representative Abraham Hamadeh (01:21:01):

Yeah, we heard tragically in some other committee hearings about loss of life, and we need to get better at this because it doesn't matter where you're getting help, at the VA or at community care; it's all about putting the veterans first and ensuring their needs are being met. But would permanently codifying access standards help prevent the VA administrators from making arbitrary denials that put veterans' health at risk?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:21:25):

I would just note the access standards are reasonable. However, they can always be better. We want VA to improve access to services, and I think some of those details and trying to look at where the holdup is is really where we need to target targeted solutions to overcome those issues.

Representative Abraham Hamadeh (01:21:49):

Thank you. Chairman, I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:21:52):

Thank you. Representative Budzinski, you're recognized for three minutes.

Representative Nikki Budzinski (01:21:57):

Thank you, Chairman. Thank you to the ranking member, Ranking Member Takano. It's also great to be with Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Blumenthal for hosting this hearing today. It's wonderful to be in a room with so many veterans, and I too want to extend my deepest gratitude for your service to our country. Thank you very much.

(01:22:17)
It is crucial that we always listen to what our VSOs have to say, and I think that is especially important today in light of the extreme uncertainty and actions we have witnessed in these last two months. There is a lot to touch on, but I only have a few minutes and would like to focus specifically on our women veterans.

(01:22:38)
Thank you. The VA, as you know, is a national leader in academic research, health research, providing groundbreaking work on advancements in medical treatments, technology and training our health workforce, and just as important have been the breakthroughs in the unique care required for our women veterans. One of the actions that we have seen taken by the Trump administration, including within NIH and the VA, is the targeting of research grants that includes certain so-called trigger words.

(01:23:21)
One of these words is the word women. As DAV and many of us here know, research on women is already considered underfunded. And now this administration is taking actions to curtail the little yet incredibly important research being conducted specifically for women's healthcare. I'm very concerned about how these sweeping attacks on this research will impact women veterans. I recently spoke with members of my own women veterans council at home, including a council member working at the St. Louis VA, who expressed serious concerns that women veterans might lose access to essential gender-specific care.

(01:24:02)
One of the things we can all agree on is that women veterans face distinct challenges both during their military service and afterwards. If you don't mind, it's wonderful to have you here, National Commander Contreras. If you don't mind, I will go to Ms. Ilem. It's great to see you again. I know the DAV has a focus on women veterans and has been a leader in advancing the work being done to improve care for them. I've enjoyed partnering with the DAV on these issues and am looking forward to continuing that fight.

(01:24:35)
But Ms. Ilem, how could banning or restricting the use of certain terminology, such as the word women, in VA-sponsored research affect our understanding of health impacts and conditions unique to our women veterans?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:24:51):

Thank you for that great question. And certainly that would be extremely disappointing because VA really has been a leader in women's health research. No one else in the world is doing the research that VA has done over the last, especially the last 10 years, looking at wartime-related service and all of the impact of military service on our women veterans. Our reports, our three reports that we've done. The latest one, our Journey to Mental Wellness, was all focused on VA research efforts.

(01:25:22)
And we hope that there will be reasonableness and mindfulness when looking at that because that would be a real detriment to our women veterans and the step forward in the progress that's been made in providing VA services, which every veteran should have access to, including our women veterans. But they do remain a minority, a statistical minority within the VA. We can't let that slip. So thank you for your attention to that, and we stand ready to work with you.

Representative Nikki Budzinski (01:25:54):

Thank you. I look forward to working with the DAV on this and encourage, again, all of our veterans to speak out on these very important issues. So thank you very much. I yield back.

Chairman Mike Bost (01:26:03):

Representative King-Hinds, you're recognized for three minutes.

Representative Kimberlyn King-Hinds (01:26:08):

[foreign language 01:26:08]. Good morning. I'm from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 8,000 miles away from here. I want to first of all start by saying thank you very much for your service, and to the VSO, thank you for your fierce advocacy for our veterans. [foreign language 01:26:24].

(01:26:25)
I wanted to go back to the previous conversation with regards to long care support for our veterans. So what I'm seeing in my district is that families are basically having to choose between taking care of their veterans or having a job. So folks are literally quitting their jobs to be able to provide that long-term care. And I know that this is a challenge that's very different in rural communities in comparison to more urban centers, and so I wanted to hear what your thoughts were with regards to policy specific to remote, rural communities.

Mr. Contreras (01:27:10):

Thank you, Representative, for that question. Looking at telemedicine as certainly an option, but as far as community care, as long as it provides the same quality care that it would in an in-house facility, I'm going to have Joy, our legislative director, further elaborate on that.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:27:32):

Thank you. Great question. I think long-term care is on all of our minds. We have a really significantly aging veteran population of 65, 75, and 85 years and older. All of us will need long-term care, especially service-disabled veterans, earlier than usually the general population. Those veterans living in rural and remote areas, such as yourself, really struggle with that access to care. And we're really asking the committee to work on long-term care services and options for veterans to start now to really make this a focus as well as the VA for the near future because it's right around the corner where everybody is going to be really, really needing these services to a greater extent.

Representative Kimberlyn King-Hinds (01:28:17):

Thank you. Looking forward to having this continued conversation. I yield back my time.

Congressman Thom Tilli (01:28:23):

Thank you. Representative Morrison, you're recognized for three minutes.

Representative Kelly Morrison (01:28:28):

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have to begin by echoing my colleagues' grave concerns with the recent mass firing of VA employees. After laying off 1,000 employees two weeks ago, we found out last night that another 1,400 more public servants were inexplicably let go. I am very fearful that these actions threaten the well-being of our veterans in Minnesota, and I would urge Secretary Collins and the Trump administration to reconsider and to carefully consider the impact these decisions will have on veterans' access to care and benefits.

(01:29:03)
Mr. Contreras, I want to thank you and your colleagues for your service and for being here today to testify. I had the pleasure of meeting with a group of women veterans from DAV of Minnesota yesterday, many, if not all, of whom are here today. I want to thank them again for traveling here to Washington and for taking the time to share their stories with me.

(01:29:24)
According to the VA, women are the fastest-growing group in the veteran population. And as an OBGYN, a women's health provider myself, it's a top priority of mine to make sure the VA is equipped to care for women after their service to our country.

(01:29:37)
So, Mr. Contreras or Ms. Ilem. I'd like to begin by asking you to expand a little bit on your testimony. How do you think the VA can rethink its suicide risk model and mental health care services to account for risk factors that disproportionately affect women, like intimate partner violence and military sexual trauma?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:29:59):

Thank

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:30:00):

Thank you. Obviously, you've been reading our report, and we really appreciate that. That was one of the things that we identified early on and we really wanted to highlight. We know that one in three women experienced military sexual trauma, it also affects our male veterans, but we know for a higher percentage within our women veteran population. Women veterans deserve to be able to get the care, the specialized services and care that they need in VA, and VA has worked hard to really increase the providers that serve our women veterans to make sure specialists like yourself, they have access to them. Because much of the care for women, especially maternity care, is all throughout in the community and so their care can easily be fragmented. So we want to make sure that we're really paying attention to those issues and really work on them, and we look forward, our staff does, to working with you in the future.

Representative Kelly Morrison (01:31:00):

Thank you. If I may just briefly follow up. As the population of women veterans continues to grow, I think we need to be thinking about how we can expand VA provider workforce for women's healthcare so we can cut down on wait times for necessary procedures like mammograms and hysterectomies. How would you assess VA's current capability to provide these types of procedures and what should VA be doing to improve in this area?

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:31:27):

VA has really tried to increase their workforce, but we always need Congress to provide oversight and attention on that issue. Especially women living in rural communities, VA is doing some very specific programming to bring training providers in those rural areas. But we know we don't have enough providers for women throughout the country and at all locations that are needed and that population is really growing, the last I heard was about 900,000 enrolled, which is another big leap. So more and more women are getting the word that VA is the place to come for care, you're going to get the specialized services that you need, now we need to make sure those providers are there and they can get timely quality care wherever they live.

Representative Kelly Morrison (01:32:19):

Thank you so much. My time has expired, but before I yield my time, I just as the wife of an Army combat veteran and a proud American, I want to thank every single veteran in this room for your service to our country.

Mr. Bost (01:32:32):

Thank you. Dr. Miller-Meeks you're recognized for three minutes.

Dr. Miller-Meeks (01:32:40):

Thank you very much, Chair Bost, I don't think Brad Whitmore from Iowa's in the audience today, but I do want to shout out to the over 41,000 veterans we have in my congressional district. And I say that having a maternal grandfather who was in the Army, my maternal uncle was in the Navy, my father was Air Force, six of the eight kids in our family served in the military, one in the Marine, one in the Air Force, the rest of the Army. The only branches of service my family has not served in is the Coast Guard and the Space Force, but I'll sign up for the Space Force as well as the Army.

(01:33:20)
I think the challenges that you all have presented to us as a member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for the past four years that I've been a member in regards to telehealth, in regards to modernization, getting our EHRs, active duty military has a functioning EHR system that is still driving costs in our VA system and it's making it difficult for you all to engage in care, engage in care in difficult facilities, and engage in care in the community. What we have done in promoted in community care is especially important. I live in a rural area of Iowa. I've lived in very big areas such as San Antonio, Texas, which has a lot of military bases and VA facilities, worked at the VA facility adjacent to Bexar County, but what we've done in community care to provide access to veterans who either cannot get into the VA in a timely manner or the distance where they live is too cumbersome.

(01:34:19)
We have done good work on PTSD and suicide prevention, but we know we need to do more. And then let me also say that what we've done in trying to get employment opportunities, and this is both on the active duty side as you transition out and for veterans who have already transitioned out of the military and their spouses, I think it is extremely important work that we do that may be non-traditional VA work, but it's extremely important for us in making our veterans whole. Taxes and GI Bill, need I mention those, but then I'm going to just ask a question so we can get that done since my Time's limited. Commander Contreras, the work your organization does in the Adaptive Sports Program has done wonders for veterans over the years and we're glad to see participating increase post-COVID. What changes do you think Congress could make to make the program to ensure the benefit could be utilized by more veterans?

Mr. Contreras (01:35:18):

Thank you representative for that question. DAV's programs with our Winter Sports Clinic as well as our disabled Veterans Golf Clinic, it's an amazing event and I'd like to ask our Voluntary Service Director, John Mr to address your question.

Mr. Kleindienst (01:35:38):

Thank you, commander. Adaptive Sports is absolutely a life-changing event. There are many in this room, many watching today whose lives have changed for the better as a result of DAV and VA's involvement with Adaptive Sports, more specifically the Winter Sports Clinic and the Golf Clinic. I think awareness for the types of programs and in the Adaptive Sports arena could be highlighted and leaders like yourselves, executive leaders at VA and their attendance, and awareness, and education about what we're doing at this event are truly rehabilitative. They're not athletes, they're coming to a rehabilitative event to get reintroduced into an activity they did pre-injury, so I just think awareness, and education, and allowing the funding for these types of events to take place is of the utmost importance.

Dr. Miller-Meeks (01:36:29):

I thank you for that. We have a Quad City Veterans Outreach Program in Scott County, which is all voluntary, which recently purchased a school system from the city, which now has a program for Adaptive Sports and I think it has done worlds of benefit for our veterans. I could not be a member of Congress if it were not for you all, so thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do in defending our freedoms, our liberties, and our constitutional, I yield back.

Mr. Bost (01:36:58):

Thank you Dr. Miller-Meeks. Senator Hassan, you are recognized for three minutes.

Ms. Hassan (01:37:08):

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and Ranking member. I want to start by just acknowledging all the veterans who made the trip here today and especially give a shout-out to the Granite State veterans who are in the room. I am also here as the proud daughter of an infantry sergeant from World War II, and I am particularly grateful to all of the army veterans here in the room.

Speaker 4 (01:37:36):

Yeah.

Ms. Hassan (01:37:36):

I'd also like to join others who've expressed concern about the recent firings at the VA, a thousand a couple of weeks ago, 1400 just last night, and I think what I'd like to say to Mr. Musk is this isn't Twitter, it's the VA. To Commander Contreras, I want to see if we can get through two questions here. I want to start off by thanking DAV for its advocacy on behalf of veterans and especially toxic-exposed veterans. I was happy to work with my colleagues to develop and pass the PACT Act, but I know just as the DAV does as well, that more needs to be done to help toxic-exposed veterans get the benefits that they have earned and deserve. Unfortunately, as DAV has noted, it takes the VA too long to formally acknowledge toxic exposures. Commander, can you please discuss the importance of ensuring that processes are in place to quickly and fairly process veterans claims for toxic exposures?

Mr. Contreras (01:38:35):

Thank you, representative, that's a very important issue, and it's one of our critical policy goals. And you can see that we worked with MOA to establish the Ending the Wait report, which indicates that there's a lot that Congress can do in order to avoid this long delay. It takes too long to establish presumptives, and if you can see in our critical policy goals, that's a key issue that we believe by preempting and studying these things in advance, we could provide our veterans in presumptive conditions more expedient services.

Ms. Hassan (01:39:12):

Thank you very much for that. And I now want to follow up on one of the areas that Representative Morrison was talking about, and it may be to you Commander Contreras or maybe Ms. Ilem, in your written testimony you discuss the fact that suicide rates among women veterans have been steadily rising, and in DAV's report on women's veterans mental health, DAV identified that women veterans have several unique risk factors for suicide. Commander, can you describe the importance of tailoring outreach and services to women's veterans and how that can help address the mental health needs that these veterans may have?

Mr. Contreras (01:39:48):

Thank you again for that question. As you alluded to, this is our third report, this one being the The Journey to Mental Wellness. Let's definitely have our Legislative Director, Joy Ilem address that.

Ms. Hassan (01:39:59):

Great, thank you.

Ms. Joy Ilem (01:40:00):

Just very quickly, we appreciate your attention to that report and our real concern over women veterans and mental health, and some unique risk factors. Especially military sexual trauma and making sure that that's in VA's predictive model. We know that veterans are at higher risk who have experienced MST, and so therefore we want to make sure that's part of that predictive model so there can be outreach to them with a focus on prevention.

Ms. Hassan (01:40:30):

Thank you very much. And Mr. Chair, with just a moment of privilege, I'll follow up on what my colleague on the other side of the aisle said. My dad, the World War II veteran, used to ask us at the breakfast table, "What are you doing for freedom today?" Which when you're fourth grade is kind of a hard question to answer, but it just always reminds me he had the right to ask it. Thank you for everything you have all done for our freedom.

Mr. Bost (01:40:54):

Thank you. Thank you Senator. Commander, thank you for being here. I want to express this to you, but I'm also going to express it to Mr. Reese and Ms. Ilem. As we see these changes and the conversation as they go on, if you see a reduction in any service that is due to the changes this administration's made, or if you see or hear of someone specifically that has been relieved and or let go of their duties, that you think is something that we should hear, my office, you know, is always open. The job of this committee is to make sure that the veterans are provided for. As I said before, not that the bureaucrats are protected, but making sure that the services that is provided through the VA are for our veterans to make sure that they're taken care of.

(01:41:53)
And I want to thank all of you, the Disabled American Veterans for being here today, for what you've done, and what you continue to do, and I want to thank the audience members for coming in from every corner of this United States. And with that, we're going to move to the second panel, but here's some instructions that I need to give to you please, because after 11 years of being around here, I understand how this room works. If you would, your exit please this way so that the next panel can come in this way for the flow of traffic. Thank you again for being here, God bless you all.

Mr. Contreras (01:42:34):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you Ranking Member Takano.

Speaker 5 (01:42:37):

You sure you don't need a Mountain Dew or anything?

Mr. Bost (01:42:44):

I don't want a Mountain Dew this late… [inaudible 01:53:45]. Mr. Johnson, you are now recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.

Mr. Johnson (01:55:14):

Well, thank you, Sir. Chairman, ranking members, and members of the committee, the challenges faced as veterans aren't new but recent actions making are them worse. Right now, veterans working at the VA are losing their jobs, veterans owning small businesses are losing contracts, and critical services are being cut without a clear plan and without accountability. The Department of Government efficiency, DOJ, is making significant changes in the name of reform. Well, real reform means fixing what's broken, not breaking what works. The VA needs improvement but reckless cuts are not the answer. Veterans should not bear the brunt of mismanagement. Congress must step in before these changes do lasting damages. At the same time while resources disappear in the name of efficiency, the VA mental health budget has grown from $600 million at the start of Iraqi and Afghanistan wars to over $17 billion in 2025 yet veterans suicide rates remain heartbreakingly high.

(01:56:32)
This crisis isn't about a lack of funding, it's about misplaced priorities. Beings are wasted on ineffective programs, bureaucracies and contracts that over-promise and under-deliver. And while that money disappears, veterans are left without the care they need. This has to change. Veterans is calling for a real solution. We propose that Veteran Continuum of Wellness, a framework designed to tackle the root causes of mental health struggles. It focuses on early intervention, self-sufficiency, and long-term wellness. It explains access to alternate therapies, including peer-led counseling and community-based support, giving veterans more options beyond traditional VA care and pharmaceuticals. Because when a veteran is struggling, they don't need to be put on a waiting list, another waiting list, they need help when they ask for it.

(01:57:36)
Another issue that has been overlooked for far too long is traumatic brain injury. TBI. Since 2000, nearly a half a million service members have suffered at least one TBI each year. Over a hundred thousand veterans seek VA care for TBI yet too many are given medications instead of real treatment. Business are shut out, Congress must increase competition, remove barriers for veteran-owned businesses, and hold contractors accountable. There are other urgent issues. Surviving spouses and children of service members receive far less DIC payments than other civilian counterparts. This must change.

(01:58:28)
The Richard Star Act must pass so that medically retired combat veterans can receive both their full retirement pay and disability benefits without penalty. Far too long, veterans and their families have been told to wait while billions are wasted. Veterans are still dying by suicide, veterans with TBI are still searching for solutions, veteran-owned small businesses are still being shut out while corporate profits from failed projects, we cannot keep on doing the same thing, Congress must act now. Our legislative priorities will ensure every veteran has the opportunity to thrive. At the same time, Congress must hold underperforming contractors accountable, support veteran-owned businesses, and prioritize competition and innovation. AMVETS is ready to help with Congress, the administration, and the VA to make real reform happen. Veterans don't need more bureaucracy, they don't need more failed programs, they need leadership, they need vision, they need real results, the time is now. Thank you.

Mr. Bost (01:59:45):

Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Mr. McManus, you're recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.

Speaker 6 (01:59:49):

Who?

Mr, McManus (01:59:54):

Morning chairpersons, esteemed members of the Joint

Mr, McManus (02:00:00):

House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs and fellow veterans in the room. VVA remains steadfast in our mission to advocate for the rights, health, and well-being of all veterans who have served. We are driven by the commitment that has guided our organization since its founding. Never again shall one generation of veterans abandon another. To divide one's veteran service based upon the distinction in time and location at the expense of another veteran's equally honorable service is an injustice to both veterans. Could we really believe that the sacrifices of the veterans lost in the Beirut barracks, at the embassy in Benghazi, were any less a sacrifice than those lost in Fallujah in Iraq, or Kaysan in Vietnam? We are American veterans. First, last, and always.

(02:01:26)
Foremost, I must address an urgent matter. That is the need for a full accounting of US personnel categorized as prisoners of war or missing in action from the war in Vietnam. The families of those service members deserve the answers, and you, the members of this committee, multiple committees representing the American people, owe it to our former fallen comrades to ensure every effort is made to bring them home. We call on Congress to fully fund and prioritize efforts to recover and account for our missing service members in all Vietnam War combat areas. Diligent recovery efforts are imperative and must continue at a fast pace, at potential sites which have been altered by construction and by land reclamation. America has made an oath to never abandon our fellow veterans. In keeping this promise, do not allow this time and opportunity to slip away.

(02:03:05)
The health and safety of our veterans and their descendants should be of paramount concern for all veterans. All Americans, excuse me. Therefore, we ask for comprehensive studies to identify and potentially resolve the negative effects of toxic exposures on veterans and their descendants. In this, we hope to identify best practices that will mitigate or eliminate future toxic exposures.

(02:03:43)
Thousands of Vietnam veterans were exposed to Agent Orange in the water and on the ships outside the current 12-mile nautical limitation. We call for Amendment of the Blue Water Navy Act of 2019. To extend this arbitrary man-made limit, if you served in the Vietnam Theater of combat operations and are entitled to receive the Vietnam Service Medal, you should be presumed exposed.

(02:04:24)
1,120 women volunteered to serve with the Red Cross during the Vietnam War. 627 of those women worked as doughnut dollies, and three of them never made it home from Vietnam. Providing critical morale boost to our soldiers, these doughnut dollies traveled by helicopter to forward operating positions as well as in the rear. We call for recognition of their perilous volunteer service by awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the doughnut dollies. I implore this committee to introduce this long overdue legislation.

(02:05:24)
As a personal aside, it would be very important and very critical if we could get the members of this committee to sponsor and introduced the legislation for the Congressional Gold Medal for the doughnut dollies. Finally, we adamantly oppose any proposed dilution or expansion of the criteria for which the DOD Gold Star designation lapel button is awarded. It should always be for our nation's aspiration to have fewer gold star families, not more. We are opposed to any efforts to diminish the noble and selfless sacrifice of those lives ended in military conflict.

(02:06:24)
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. VVA is keen to work with Congress on behalf of our veterans. More of our priorities can be found in our written testimony.

Mr. Bost (02:06:38):

Thank you Mr. McManus. Mr. Olivarez, you are recognized for five minutes.

Mr. Olivarez Jr. (02:06:43):

Thank you. Thank you Chairman Bost and ranking member Blumenthal and distinguished members of the Veterans Affair Committee. I'm honored and humbled to represent America's Purple Heart veterans in addressing you today.

(02:06:58)
I would like to begin by congratulating the new members of Congress and expressing my gratitude to those who have returned to serve and enhance the quality of life for our nation's veterans, with the collective efforts that I am confident that the 119th Congress will make significant stride in supporting our nation's heroes. The 118th Congress passed pivotal legislation, such as the VA Accountability Act, PACT Act, and the Compact Act, which have made substantial improvements in various aspects of the American Veterans' lives. This foundation will undoubtedly guide our progress during the 119th Congress. Our nation's veterans answer the call to protect us from the darkest threats the world has to offer. We implore you, this committee, and the rest of Congress to consider passing further legislation that addresses and presents needs of our veterans. We, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, ask for your support in the following.

(02:07:56)
First, the Military Medals Protection Act. George Washington established as the badge of merit, which is the precursor to today's Purple Heart. Recognizing the profound significance of the military honors. This act grants the Department of Defense exclusive trademark authority over all military medals, safeguarding them from exploitation and preserving their symbolic value. Commercializing or misusing these symbols diminishes their essence. The 113th Congress recognized the sacredness when they passed the Stolen Valor Act. Let's collaborate and expand their protection and restore the trade word marks to DOD, ensuring their unimpaired safeguard.

(02:08:39)
Second, the National Green Alert. Act HR175-2017 aims to create a specialized alert system for missing veterans. The purpose of this system is to leverage a successful existing system like the Amber Alert and Silver Alert, which have demonstrated high recovery rates. The Green Alert System would provide critical response tools to enable specialized response to include public education components to address the unique challenges faced by the veterans in crisis.

(02:09:12)
Third, the Healthy Heroes Act. This act addresses veterans healthcare crisis including mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness. This act would introduce changes to the VA healthcare by embracing alternative treatments such as holistic approaches and comprehensive mental health services. The Military Order of the Purple Heart also requests Congress to expand on the VA Dental healthcare qualifications for all veterans.

(02:09:42)
Finally, the Fulfilling the Legacy Act seeks to rectify a systematic failure that has been affecting all veterans' financial security. Consider the story of 90 two-year-old Purple Heart recipient who diligently paid Survivors Benefit premiums for decades, only to lose $50, 000 in premiums when his wife passed away. This is not an isolated incident, but a clear indication and a need for action. This act modernizes the Survivors Benefit Plan, ensuring that veterans investments, and their families' futures are protected. The military retirees have already met all requirements and have earned healthcare benefits.

(02:10:26)
So the Military Order of the Purple Heart opposes any changes to TRICARE for Life or VA disability benefits that would increase the fees and shift costs from the Department of Defense to retirees over 65 years of age who rely on TRICARE for life and those who rely on their VA disability compensation. The cost of inaction extends beyond monetary losses. It involves the loss of life, shattered families and broken promises. Each day, 44 families tragically lose a veteran to suicide for our delays. Every night, 33,000 veterans who valiantly defended our nation find themselves sleeping on our streets.

(02:11:08)
On top of that, countless military families face financial insecurities due to outdated benefit systems. Continuing to allow companies to profit while penalizing a nation's heroes who earn these benefits diminishes the sacrifices made by America's warriors.

(02:11:24)
These four acts, the Military Order of the Purple Heart present are more than mere policy changes, but they embody our sacred moral obligation to those who have served. The Military Order of the Purple Heart proposes these acts for American veterans to secure their healthcare for their family's futures. Each piece of legislation addresses critical gaps in support for veterans. George Washington recognized the importance of honoring those veterans who served under him. We must too recognize our duty to today's veterans. The 119th Congress holds the opportunity to transform how America cares for its heroes. Let us set aside partisan politics and focus on the issue at hand. The Military Order of the Purple Heart is seeking your support and collaboration on these presented acts, and also remember to honor the contract.

Mr. Bost (02:12:17):

Thank you.

(02:12:18)
Mr. Mimms, you're recognized for five minutes.

Mr. Mimms (02:12:26):

Good morning, Chairman Bost and Chairman Moran, and ranking members Blumenthal and Takano, and the other esteemed members of the Congressional Veteran Affairs Committee. The Blinded Veterans Association is honored to present our legislative priorities for the coming year, as we approach, on March 28th, the anniversary of our 80th year of existence.

(02:12:51)
What I want to talk to you about today is the ways in which America's blinded veterans are continuing to be underserved and disenfranchised. And I present that to you by presenting myself to you as a blinded veteran who served in Vietnam, and was injured there, a former employee of the Department of Veteran Affairs as a vet center counselor, and later computer skills instructor, and eventually a visit impairment services team coordinator. And now I am a consumer of medical care from my local VA medical center.

(02:13:38)
A day in the life of just trying to get a primary care appointment, I'll present to you, and the first barrier we encounter is transportation. The VA has inadequate transportation resources available to blind veterans. What we do have provided by the VTS service is that we may actually have our appointment canceled the night before, if not the day of the appointment, leaving us scrambled to try to figure out how to get there.

(02:14:07)
Once we get there, we get to the waiting room and very often somebody's going to walk out, call my name, and they'll walk up to me and say, "Here, fill this out and hand me a clipboard," which of course I can't see. Then when I finally get in, have my appointment, they're going to give me yet another sheaf of papers and say, "Here's your treatment plan and your follow-up plan, and so go over that and I'll see you in six months." Okay.

(02:14:33)
Then I leave there, I go to labs, or I go to pharmacy. Both are going to be the same thing. We required to take a number. From where? And so it's not obvious. And if there's nobody there to help, then I got to find somebody else that's sitting there, and hopefully there is somebody, so I can ask them, "Where do I get my number?" Okay, now wait, can you tell me what it is?" So that system is not for us, but yet we get through that and when we go to pharmacy after we put in our prescriptions, we're sitting in lobby with everybody else, and what we're tasked with doing is waiting to see our name on the screen, although we can't. So we got to ask somebody else to find my name if the pharmacy doesn't come up with a way in order to inform us that we will notify you when your name comes up so you can come up and pick up your meds.

(02:15:28)
After we leave to go to the window in order to apply for transportation reimbursement because we had to pay our own way to get there, then they say, "Well, you're going to have to use the website." So I tell them, the website is not accessible. "Well, I'm sorry we can't help you." Yet another barrier.

(02:15:50)
And so that's just a day in the life of what we go through as blinded veterans, and I'm not unique in that. And so I want to say one more thing about me and that is that I am a guide dog handler. And as such, for the last three administrations, we have been waiting for the VA to implement their own mandated program that would've establish a person called Service Dog Champion at every VA facility. And they have yet to do that. And for the few that are on duty, there is no such thing as the training program for them. There is no such thing as the guidance for them. So our expectations have to be very low in terms of them delivering the service that's supposed to come from that program. Another barrier.

(02:16:46)
So I don't want you to think that I'm a blinded veteran and therefore I have a disability, and so I want everything my way. It's far from that. We served like everybody else served, and we served you in front of me, and every other veteran in this room, we served alongside them, and the country we served on behalf of them. And so we deserve as blind veterans, the same level of dignity, respect, sensitivity, and we need to be treated as much of a human being as everybody else who doesn't have an obvious different abilities. My abilities are different now than they were when I was inducted, as I have been discharged. And those different abilities don't mean that therefore I have a different level of respect and service that I should be able to expect as I try to access VH programs.

(02:17:46)
So I'm advocating right now for you to continue the funding for Blind Rehabilitation Service. I can tell you there is nothing in the general community that will come anywhere near the level of service that we get from that program. And we desperately need that in order to be able to take our place in society alongside our sighted peers, and our family members, and our fellow veterans, being able to serve in the community as husbands, fathers, brothers and taxpayers.

(02:18:18)
And I want to make sure that we have continued funding for vision research through Senate appropriations. I want the VA to engage on a program that would just come up with training for the ways that they need it. Once I mentioned that VA employees don't know how to guide us. So when we go to a clinic appointment, they're going to grab our thumb wrist, my clothes, my dog's leash, the cane, and whatever they can think of that they're supposed to grab so they can lead us, when in reality they just need to offer us an elbow and we can take that and it's all done, but the VA doesn't see that it makes sense to teach them that.

(02:19:03)
And so I asked for that education, education for the service dog champions, and lastly but not least, we advocate vigorously for the establishment of the Federal Advisory Committee on Access, and more so, we advocate for having a seat at that table because we finally need, now, the opportunity to speak up for ourselves, instead of having people decide, "Oh, this is what they need. So just give them this so they'll be quiet."

(02:19:38)
So I thank you for this opportunity to present to you and I offer the opportunity to answer any of your questions. Thank you very much.

Mr. Bost (02:19:46):

Thank you Mr. Mimms. Mr. Hubbard.

Mr. Mimms (02:19:49):

Thank you.

Mr. Bost (02:19:56):

Mr. Hubbard, you're recognized for five minutes.

Mr. Hubbard (02:19:58):

Thank you. Chairman Moran and Bost, ranking members Blumenthal and Takano, and esteemed members of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on behalf of Veterans Education Success. We thank you for your longstanding leadership, especially Chairman Moran, Senator Cassidy and ranking member Takano for closing the 90/10 loophole.

(02:20:22)
Our organization works on a bipartisan basis to advance higher education success for veterans, service members, and military families, and to protect the integrity and promise of the GI Bill and other federal post-secondary education programs. The stakes are high. Veterans and taxpayers alike deserve a return on their investment in higher education. While most US colleges are honorable and good, some are not, but VA continues to approve them anyway.

(02:20:59)
For example, there's roughly 100 colleges that's spent less than 20% of the tuition they charged VA on actually educating veterans. And predictably, these schools have abysmal outcomes. One veteran told us quote, "There were issues such as schools replaying free web seminars as their own training and using unqualified people to lead the classes." They literally go to YouTube, find the free course by someone, then they play that during the Zoom meeting and call it training. Everything they're doing could have been done by me for free. They also attempted on two occasions to place me in classes that are not part of the program and do not serve a purpose except to show me in class."

(02:21:54)
A couple of years ago, student veterans and whistleblowers reported a different school to us. A school pretending to be a legitimate Bible college, which as the students described, was actually a cult. We interviewed the students and teachers and provided a comprehensive memo to VA, and yet the school continued to receive GI Bill funding for another two years. The school even continued to receive GI Bill funding a full three months after the FBI raided the school's locations across the country. Transitions between military service and civilian life are challenging enough as it is, even in the best of times. I've personally made this transition multiple times between active duty service and the civilian world after several overseas deployments, including my last tour in Afghanistan in 2018 and 2019.

(02:22:51)
When veterans apply to use their GI bill at a training program or college, they don't think, "Gosh, this is going to be such a scam." No. Of course they think they're investing their time, energy, and valuable GI Bill benefits in something worthwhile. Yet we hear from veterans and their families time and time again, "Why would VA approve this program in the first place?" And that really is a question for Congress to ponder.

(02:23:20)
Our written testimony suggests some common sense standards to prevent this kind of fraud in the first place. One, ensure teachers are qualified to teach in their subjects. Two, require colleges to prove they're financially stable and won't suddenly collapse. Three, require colleges to spend the GI bill on the veteran's education rather than siphoning it off for massive marketing budgets. Four, stop colleges from overcharging repackaged content, a hit to veterans and taxpayers alike. Five, no more YouTube lectures. Require real instructor engagement in online classes.

(02:24:04)
A related and worse problem is that if a veteran was defrauded of their hard-earned GI Bill benefits, that veteran will never get their GI bill back. Unlike traditional students who can apply to be made whole, the veteran is left out. Last year, the house voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act, a bill sponsored by Congresswoman Delia Ramirez and championed by Chairman Mike Bost, both members from Illinois where I grew up. We need to pass this bill this year.

(02:24:40)
Before I close, I want to briefly mention two additional priorities. First on the DoLE Act. We provide some suggestions and our written testimony for some possible technical improvements. And second, we call for much better interagency data sharing by VA to answer critical questions on veterans outcomes. Thank you for your time and commitment to these issues. I look forward to your questions.

Mr. Bost (02:25:06):

Hey, Mr. Hubbard, what amazement is it that the two people sitting at the dais are the ones that are sponsor of your bill?

Mr. Hubbard (02:25:14):

Yeah. I appreciate it.

Mr. Bost (02:25:16):

With that, Ms. Menagh you are recognized for five minutes for your opening statement.

Ms. Menagh (02:25:22):

Chairman Bost, ranking members and committee members, thank you so much for inviting us to testify this year. This year marks 80 years that Gold Star Wives of America has worked with Congress to bring attention to surviving spouses and their families. In our written testimony, we address our many concerns concerning toxic exposure, traumatic brain injuries in relation to suicide, claims for suicide and their issues, and the burial allowance and many other issues facing veterans and their families.

(02:25:55)
But today, we're here to focus on the Caring for Survivors Act of 2025. The first part of the bill will match dependent indemnity compensation known as DIC, closer to benefits in other federal survivor programs. And the second part will ensure surviving family members receive the financial help they deserve if their veteran dies at the five-year mark instead of the 10-year mark, if they die of a condition not deemed part of their disability.

(02:26:23)
My husband, captain Philip Menagh, served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps where he earned the Silver Star, the Navy Commendation Medal with valor, and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. He then later joined the Virginia National Guard. On June 9th, 1984, I was eight months pregnant and our four children stood at the window, 10, eight, five, and three, each holding a dollar bill, listening for the ice cream truck. My eight-year-old suddenly yelled, "Mom, mom, there's a police car with two Army guys." As I stood waiting for that knock at the door, I knew our lives had changed forever.

(02:26:58)
I am now one of the many survivors who rely on DIC. Currently, over 93% of those who receive DIC are over the age of 57, and over 70% are surviving spouses of Vietnam. Whether an active duty death, or a slow Agent Orange death years later, it is this demographic who needs this increase in DIC. Of all those who receive DIC, only around 15% also receive DIC and SBP. Those who receive only DIC are primarily those who are married to our Vietnam veterans.

(02:27:36)
Well, what does this increase mean to us? Let's look at the numbers. A married 100% disabled Vietnam veteran receives an annual amount of $48,532. If that veteran dies, the household income drops to a mere $19,836. The rent remains the same, the utilities remain the same, and yet that spouse now has less than half of the monthly income to maintain that household, and that's because their surviving spouse rate is only 43% of what a single 100% disabled veteran receives. To bring parity with other federal employing programs by raising that amount to 55% is really a very small price to pay for the sacrifices made for those who served in Vietnam and their families. Certainly, the sacrifice made by our service members are at least as important and worthy as other federal employee jobs. Been a lot of talk today about federal jobs.

(02:28:39)
While my husband is the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, it is me, the surviving spouse who continues to pay that price each and every day for the rest of my life. I wear the Silver Star my husband earned to remind me every day of who he was, what he did, and how to continue his life of service. Our country drafted thousands and thousands of young men to serve in Vietnam, and now it is time to show our respect for them by taking care of their families left behind. It is part of the price tag for their sacrifice, and it is a very small price to pay.

(02:29:18)
The second part of the Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 addresses the surviving families of 100% disabled veterans. Currently only the families of a veteran rated 100% for 10 years receives benefits in the situation of a death deemed not caused by the disability. This bill reduced the tenure qualification to five years, thus providing benefits to those families who have put their lives on hold, caring for those veterans every day. You can pass the Caring for Survivors Act of 2025 to provide just a little more financial ability to pay the bills, to buy that extra bag of groceries or fill a tank of gas.

Ms. Menagh (02:30:00):

It is no secret how our Vietnam veterans were treated when they came home. You can send a message to them that we recognize and thank them for their sacrifice, and now we'll do better to take care of the family they leave behind. For 80 years, we have come to remind you to follow the words of Abraham Lincoln. "To care for him who have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan." Thank you.

Mr. Bost (02:30:23):

Thank you. Mr. Schwartzman, you're recognized for five minutes.

Mr. Schwartzman (02:30:33):

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Bost and Moran, ranking members Takano and Blumenthal, and distinguished members of the Committees on Veterans Affairs. On behalf of the Reserve Organization of America, the only national military organization that solely and exclusively supports the Reserve and National Guard, thank you for the opportunity to testify on our veterans priorities for the 119th Congress.

(02:30:59)
By setting aside partisanship, your committees have consistently extinguished the fires of faction warned of in the Federalist papers, and have instead kindled a flame of constitutional cooperation seldomly seen within the federal government. That flame was recently ignited with the signing of the Dole Act, which included several provisions modernizing the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act supported by ROA. ROA is eager to work with you and your staff to build on this success, and thanks you for your hard work in the previous Congress.

(02:31:36)
For over a century, ROA has championed the Reserve and National Guard, advocating for military readiness and national security. The Department of Veterans Affairs is essential to this mission, and must ensure the Reserve components receive the support they need and deserve. While my written statement details over 20 actions Congress can take, my remarks today will focus on three critical reforms.

(02:32:03)
80 years ago, President Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill into law, issuing an emphatic notice that the American people would not let down their service members. Yet, despite ongoing improvements, members of the Reserve and National Guard are still left behind. Under current law, an active-duty service member and a reservist can perform the same mission, but only one earns education benefits. This is simply unacceptable. The Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act reintroduced in the 119th Congress would resolve this disparity by counting every day in uniform toward post-9/11 G.I. Bill eligibility. Beyond parity, this bill would boost voluntary reserve participation, strengthen the military's compensation package, enhance senior enlisted and officer promotion opportunities, and improve civilian career prospects for Citizen Warriors. ROA thanks Senators Moran and Blumenthal, and Representatives Levin and Kelly for sponsoring this bill, and urges its swift passage into law.

(02:33:10)
The G.I. Bill's core purpose transcends education that is evident in other VA programs, like the Transition Assistance Program. ROA commends your committees for prioritizing TAP in the previous Congress, leading to the establishment of a reserve-focused track within the program. This was a significant step forward, but more work remains. For example, ROA proposes expanding TAP's eligibility criteria and allowing participants to waive requirements under certain circumstances that are detailed further in our statement. ROA also supports incorporating reserve component-specific issues in the TAP pre-separation checklist and ensuring military spouses are fully integrated into the process. ROA remains committed to working with your committees to refine TAP, and ensure Citizen Warriors and their families receive the support they need.

(02:34:09)
President Roosevelt's words about the G.I. Bill were not just a promise, they were a call to action. ROA answered that call in supporting the PACT Act. During the 72-hour Fire Watch vigil, which helped secure the Act's passage, I had the honor of spending a night with veterans and other patriotic Americans on the Capitol steps. With ROA's headquarters nearby, I offered access to our facilities to sustain the vigil. That night, a veteran jokingly called me Bathroom Guy, a title I now wear proudly as a symbol of ROA's commitment to delivering toxic exposure relief. Thanks to the PACT Act, almost one and a half million claims have been approved, with over 6 million toxic exposure screenings completed. Despite this, some veterans are still left behind.

(02:35:04)
Consider those at the Pentagon on 9/11, forced to return to duty the very next day. Many of these heroes were exposed to toxic substances that still affect them to this day. Take retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Susan Lucas for example. Susan was at the Pentagon on 9/11. The next day, she returned to duty. Soon after, she developed debilitating symptoms, including difficulty swallowing and breathing. Years later, she was diagnosed with a rare lung condition, forcing her to leave the career she loved. Today, toxic exposure and PTSD continue to impact her life.

(02:35:47)
But you don't have to take my word for it. In fact, Susan is here with me today. After this hearing, she's ready to share her experience firsthand and discuss ROA's proposal to establish a presumption of service connection for her fellow battle buddies. ROA, again, thanks the Committees on Veterans Affairs for the opportunity to testify. Before closing, I'd like to recognize ROA's policy fellows, Jake Fales, Peter Donlon, and Hannah Miller for their contributions to this statement.

(02:36:20)
Thank you again, and I look forward to answering any questions you may have.

Mr. Bost (02:36:23):

Thank you, Mr. Schwartzman. I want to thank you and thank all of the entire panel for the thoughtful testimony, and I will now recognize myself for three minutes for questioning.

(02:36:36)
Commander Johnson, your organization directly interacts with veterans from various walks of life, especially as they navigate VA healthcare. What feedback do you receive from veterans regarding their experience with the VA healthcare?

Mr. Johnson (02:36:55):

Most of it's positive, but when it comes to making appointments and things like that, it takes a little longer than we would want that to happen. We would prefer it to be more hands-on and more… The input being more felt and more timely, because when people are sick, they're sick right then.

Mr. Bost (02:37:16):

Right.

Mr. Johnson (02:37:18):

Okay? They don't want to wait until the next month. By the time they get their appointments, they're well already. That's a lot of the feedback I get from veterans.

Mr. Bost (02:37:28):

Appreciate that. Mr. McManus, can you elaborate on why you believe VA's practice of reporting veterans with fiduciary to the National NI… To the NICS list, okay? For a background check system stigmatizes them and discourages them from receiving help from the VA?

Mr, McManus (02:37:59):

We stand in support of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and a number of other veterans organizations in unison, in the efforts to ensure that a level of fairness and due process is accessed by our veterans. It's a shame that the very people who defend the rights of all Americans are some of the ones it has been the easiest to strip away, and we are in full support of the Second Amendment Protection Act.

Mr. Bost (02:38:40):

Appreciate that. Mr. Hubbard, in your testimony, you highlighted the need to restore veterans benefits when there are cases of fraud. Would you be supportive to the reintroduction of the Student Benefit Restoration Act and the language passed the house 406 to six last Congress?

Mr.Hubbard (02:39:00):

Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman. Obviously, we appreciated working with your office and Congresswoman Delia Ramirez on that language. I think the fact that it was passed so overwhelmingly bipartisan demonstrates the fact that America and Congress has acknowledged the need for veterans to be made whole when they're defrauded, and we look forward to working with you and your office on that very closely moving forward.

Mr. Bost (02:39:23):

Thank you very much. My time has expired, and I now recognize ranking member Takano.

Mr. Takano (02:39:29):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My first question is for Mr. Mimms of BVA. In your testimony, you identified issues that blind and low vision veterans are experiencing when using the Veterans Transportation Service. Mr. Mimms, what do you think needs to be changed in the VTS program, and how do you think it could be improved?

Mr. Mimms (02:39:54):

Well, the first thing that needs to be improved is, it needs to be an available service that covers the need. Very often, the reason those appointments are canceled that I mentioned is because they don't have enough drivers. I don't know how would we recruit a driver, because I couldn't apply for the job, but I know that there are ways that the VA could come up with where they could recruit drivers, if they could pay them an adequate wage, so that it would be something that people would want to apply for. I think I'll stop there.

Mr. Takano (02:40:31):

Okay. Well, have you seen any indication, or are you concerned? I want to ask you about section 508 compliance, or access-… You're kind of laughing a little bit there. Section 508 compliance or other accessibility initiatives supporting blind and low vision veterans. Are you concerned that this compliance may be impacted by President Trump's anti-diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility executive order?

Mr. Mimms (02:41:00):

I think it could be if we are lumped as blinded veterans, or even just veterans with different abilities, as participants in the program of DEI. But section 508 has been around for a long time, and it was before they even thought of DEI, and before they really understood blinded veterans. And so it has to do with the VA engaging the purpose, engaging in the purchase rather, of equipment that will not meet our needs as veterans with these different abilities. But they put them in place anyway, and then if it works out, well, then they'll think about how to do that later, I guess. But in the meantime, once again, that's another barrier, and a case in point is the kiosk that is… They've been around for 12, 15 years, and by and large, they're still not accessible to us, but they keep them in place. Well, that's how we check in.

(02:42:01)
Yes, sir?

Mr. Takano (02:42:01):

Well, thank you. I'm just very concerned about the President's executive order impacting blind veterans as part of DEI.

Mr. Mimms (02:42:08):

Yeah.

Mr. Takano (02:42:09):

That's a concern of yours as well?

Mr. Mimms (02:42:10):

Right, yes. As I mentioned, blind rehab. There's nothing adequate beyond VA in blind rehab that would meet the needs, and therefore, we get the care that we already have. Once again, we served the country, and so we just want you, the 119th Congress, to serve us back.

Mr. Takano (02:42:36):

Well, thank you so much. I'm very concerned that blind veterans are going to get caught up in this unnecessary attack.

Mr. Mimms (02:42:46):

I am concerned myself, but I guess I'm lacking in how to fix it.

Mr. Takano (02:42:51):

Thank you, sir. I yield back.

Mr. Bost (02:42:54):

Thank you. Representative Ramirez, you're recognized for three minutes.

Ms. Ramirez (02:42:59):

Thank you, Chairman from my beloved state of Illinois. Appreciate it. And, of course, I appreciate our ranking member from another good state. Not as great as Illinois. Just kidding, just kidding. No, I want to start by just saying thank you to all the veteran service organizations that are joining us today, and certainly every veteran that is here today. And if there are any veterans from Illinois, I want to personally thank you for the ways that you have shown up for every American in this nation and the way that you continue to live a life of public service. Yeah, I think we need a round of applause. Thank you, to all of you.

(02:43:38)
The reality is that here in the Veteran Affairs Committee, we introduce and we move legislation, and hopefully most of that legislation is to make the life of veterans better, but that work couldn't be done without all of you, so thank you for that. I want to especially thank Will Hubbard at the Veteran's Education Success for the work that you have done, for your continued advocacy and partnership and advancing policies that are going to create parity for our student veterans, because the reality is that we don't have that parity just yet.

(02:44:10)
Veterans who have served in uniform and have earned their G.I. Bill benefits should have the same exact protections as any other student that uses federal education funds. And as you mentioned in your testimony, under current law, even when a court or the Secretary of Veteran Affairs determines that a school defrauded a veteran, that veteran ends up losing their G.I. Bill benefits permanently. Non-veteran students, or those that are not studying under the G.I. Bill benefits, they have mechanisms in place to protect and restore their investments, but veterans don't. And when veterans are left out, they're taking advantage at the hands of predatory schools and bad actors.

(02:44:53)
These predatory schools begin targeting them even before they've returned to civilian life, because they know they can get away with it, and it's why, with your support, and the support of so many of you, I was proud to introduce and pass the Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act last Congress with overwhelming support. It's why I'm proud to be reintroducing it this Congress, and hopefully get it through the Senate and signed into law.

(02:45:23)
Mr. Hubbard, in your testimony, you talked a little bit about this bill and the importance of this bill, but can you explain a little bit more why does this inequity exist for those that don't understand the difference in terms of restoration? And in your explanation, would you also talk about the impact it will have once we finally pass this bill into law?

Mr.Hubbard (02:45:46):

Yes. Thank you for not only the question Congresswoman, but also your steadfast support to make this happen. We hear day in and day out from student veterans who have called us to share their stories about unspeakable fraud. As I mentioned in my earlier statement, when a veteran goes to school as a student, they're not anticipating that the school is going to be a scam. They find that out later, and unfortunately, their G.I. Bill benefits are wasted at that point, and given the fact that existing statutory authority does not afford them the chance to go back to school, your bill, we are hoping would make that happen. With that kind of legislation in place, our advocacy on behalf of those student veterans would actually give them a second chance to get back into the economy, something that we strongly support.

Ms. Ramirez (02:46:37):

Thank you, Mr. Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard, so that means that if a veteran has been defrauded. He was about to graduate, the school bankrupt. They weren't able to get their degree, and we know so many veterans that are in that condition. They're not able to go to school because of… They could go back to school, but they'd have to now pay out of pocket, and we know, in many cases, that means it's impossible for them to go to school and afford thousands and thousands of tuition. Our bill will be able to restore benefits and ensure that schools in the future won't be able to scam our student veterans. Is that correct?

Mr.Hubbard (02:47:10):

Yes, and thank you again for your support on that. It's something that we have actively tried to get through and look forward to working with your office on.

Ms. Ramirez (02:47:18):

Well, I look forward to working with you. I certainly appreciate our chairman, who was a co-lead on the bill, and I know we're going to work really hard to ensure that both the House and Senate pass it. I want to just wrap up in saying again what I said at the beginning. To all of you service organizations, to the veterans that are here today, may we always remember that our responsibility is not partisan politics. Our responsibility is to honor your service. To commit, to ensure that we are increasing benefits for you, not cutting them, and making sure that we do everything in our power to ensure that you're treated with dignity, you're treated with respect, and that you receive the full benefits you have earned and have been promised to you. It's what I'll continue to do in this committee, and I certainly know that a number of my colleagues here will do. So, thank you, and with that, I yield back.

Mr. Bost (02:48:07):

Thank you. Dr. Dexter, you're recognized for three minutes.

Dr. Dexter (02:48:11):

Thank you so much to our leadership, Chairman Moran, Ranking Member Blumenthal, Chairman Bost, and Ranking Member Takano for convening this really important hearing, and thank you to our witnesses for being with us today and for your service to our veterans. Your advocacy on behalf of our nation's veterans is deeply meaningful, and it's an honor to be with you today.

(02:48:33)
As a physician who has cared for veterans in the Denver VA, or previously cared for them for seven years, it is my privilege to be in this position, advocating with you for the healthcare benefits that our veterans have earned and deserve to keep in whole. In reviewing the written testimony for today's hearing, I appreciated that many of you emphasized the importance of investing in care specifically tailored to women veterans. This is certainly reflective of the experience I had as a VA provider. It is what I hear from folks in the women's clinic at the Portland VA, which is in my district, or serves my district. Commander Johnson, do you think it would harm care for female veterans to fire providers, cut programs, and close clinics that specifically serve this population of patients?

Mr. Johnson (02:49:28):

Absolutely. I mean, our veterans, I mean, they… Female veterans are veterans just like the rest of us. They go to combat, they do everything every other veteran does, and they are human beings, and they get sick and they need help just like every other veteran does. And then when you're cutting services, when you're cutting service for the female veterans, you're cutting service for veterans. Absolutely, I agree with that. That would harm us, immensely.

Dr. Dexter (02:49:56):

Thank you. I couldn't agree more, and that is why I'm so concerned about the recent actions from the Trump Administration impacting our VA workforce. Just last week, I had a round table with Portland VA leadership and staff, and I spoke to staff in the women's health program who said to me, and this is a direct quote, "Women say they love our clinic because we have staff that care, but now we have staff that are scared, vomiting, and freaking out," and that's the end of that quote, and these are the people caring for our veterans.

(02:50:28)
Having terrified VA staff absolutely impacts the quality of care that our veterans are receiving. I recently heard from a patient treated at this clinic, who canceled every single one of her forthcoming appointments because she is afraid she could be retaliated against for getting the care she needs. This is a horrifying new reality. So, as women make up a growing share of the veteran population, once again, Commander Johnson, what kind of investments in VA workforce for women veterans care would the veterans you serve like to see, and do you think these are possible if the attacks on the VA workforce continue?

Mr. Johnson (02:51:06):

We haven't had a full discussion on that. I would like to just say that I would speak to my constituents and be able to get back with you at a later date.

Dr. Dexter (02:51:15):

I'd appreciate that. Thank you.

Mr. Johnson (02:51:17):

Because that's a very important question, and it should be answered with a lot of consideration.

Dr. Dexter (02:51:22):

Thank you, Commander Johnson. I yield back, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Bost (02:51:26):

Thank you. Dr. Conaway, you are now recognized for three minutes.

Dr. Conaway (02:51:30):

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

(02:51:33)
I am certainly pleased to be here and to hear from our veteran community. We have a responsibility in this country to make sure those who have served us, and not only the veteran, but the veteran's families, are properly cared for. There are a lot of statements that are made from dioceses such as this and on hustings about how much we owe to our veterans in this country, and that should be met by the appropriate allocations from a budget. To have a VA that's appropriately staffed to do the job that we ask them to do, and particularly as we have expanded access to the VA to different and additional classes of veterans who will need to get service there.

(02:52:16)
I'm sad to say and sorry to know that our allocations, our budget does not reflect the present and growing demands that are being placed on the VA. My question to Mr. Johnson is, can you elaborate or give insight on the mental health services, the treatment, the care that veterans are currently receiving in your opinion, and others can offer opinion on this as well, and what you think ought to be done to ensure that this care is improved?

Mr. Johnson (02:52:57):

Well, I think the funds are there. It's just that the management of the system itself is not completely conducive of what's going on there, especially with the TBI, the traumatic brain injury. That seems, somehow or another, to be new, and it's not new. I mean, we have veterans dealing with that on a daily basis. Again, we haven't done a complete study on the statistics on how it's working, and for me to give you an educated, complete answer, I would have to get with my constituents and get more statistic-based information, so I can give you my better educated answer.

Dr. Conaway (02:53:41):

Would anyone else care to comment on my question? I would… Miss, yeah?

Ms. Menagh (02:53:47):

I would just like to address a little bit, continue about the TBI. That's something we're very concerned about. Studies, non-military studies have shown that a TBI anytime in your life, even the mildest concussion, doubles the chance of suicide sometimes in your life. There's such a stigma about suicide and mental health, and we would like to see more studies to show the physicality of the influence of the TBI on suicide, and also about the difficulties with the claim process. Thank you.

Dr. Conaway (02:54:19):

Thank you. I would also ask of anyone who cares to answer. I have a great deal of concern that's broadly shared, I believe, about the cuts that have been occurring across the system that are indiscriminate. While there have been some who have been safe from these cuts, there are issues with respect to people who bring food to patients in facilities, people who clean those facilities, people who provide security at those facilities. That needs to be addressed, in my view, as well. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Bost (02:54:56):

Thank you. At this time, I'd like to recognize Ranking Member Takano for any closing remarks he might have.

Mr. Takano (02:55:04):

Well, I want to thank all the veteran service organizations that appear before us today, and thank all of the veterans who've come to Washington to advocate on their behalf. Let me just say that I am awaiting answers from the secretary about the firings of veterans. As you know, the VFW has condemned the indiscriminate dismissals of veterans, veterans who have stellar performance reviews. I fail to see how this advances the mission of the VA, and I have serious concerns about mission-critical employees being dismissed. With that, I yield back.

Mr. Bost (02:55:52):

I thank the Ranking Member for his closing statement, and I do also want to say thank you for every one of you being here, and I want to offer to you the exact same thing that I offered to the previous panel. If you see, at any time, that your services that you specifically deal with for your veterans that you represent are being interfered with as we change, because I think it… It was in Mr. Johnson's testimony that he said there are ineffective programs out there as we need to go wisely through. I could ask which one of the people on the panel are taxpayers, and I would say you'd probably all raise your hand, and that means that we want to make sure that the dollars that we're spending on our veterans are going to provide those services that actually benefit our veterans, not necessarily benefit a bureaucracy.

(02:56:46)
There is a difference. There is a difference.

Speaker X (02:56:48):

There is a difference.

Mr. Bost (02:56:49):

And as chairman of this committee, I have said very openly, time and time again, and will continue to say so. The VA was created for the benefit of the veterans, not the benefit of bureaucracy. As we move forward, you've heard a lot of things, including the fact that veterans are being laid off. Some of those that have worked may be veterans, but most of them are employees. But as we move forward, it is to make sure that the best services are provided. That's why I offered what I just said.

(02:57:19)
If there's any reduction in service, or someone that you know works at the VA that has been improperly released from their employment, please come to me and my office, because we will argue on their behalf, but to make blanket statements based on some reform that has been much needed I think quite often runs in direct rhetoric that we unfortunately use our veterans and our veterans service organizations as pawns, and I don't want to see that.

(02:57:48)
So, with that being said, once again, I want to say thank you to all of you, and that concludes today's joint VSO hearing. And I think it's clear that the committee is collaborating, and its collaboration with the VA have more work to do in service for our veterans and their families. Now, I ask unanimous consent that all members shall have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks, and include any extraneous material. Hearing no objection, so ordered, and the hearing is now adjourned.

(02:58:19)
(silence)