Committee
Jurisdiction
Clause 1 and clauses 2, 3, and 4 of Rule X of
the Rules of the House of Representatives
establishes the jurisdiction and related functions for each standing committee. Precedent
is also used to determine committee jurisdiction.
Clause 1 of Rule X states "all bills,
resolutions, and other matters relating to subjects within the jurisdiction of any
standing committee as listed in this clause shall (in accordance with and subject to
clause 5) be referred to such committees, as follows":
(r) Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
(1) Veterans' measures generally.
(2) Cemeteries of the United States in which veterans of any
war or conflict are or may be buried, whether in the United
States or abroad, except cemeteries administered by the
Secretary of the Interior.
(3) Compensation, vocational rehabilitation, and education
of veterans.
(4) Life insurance issued by the Government on account of
service in the Armed Forces.
(5) Pensions of all the wars of the United States, general
and special.
(6) Readjustment of servicemembers to civil life.
(7) Servicemembers' civil relief.
(8) Veterans' hospitals, medical care, and treatment of
veterans.
For more information, please consult the
Committee's Rules of Procedure for the 109th Congress.
The Committee has oversight responsibility for
the Department of Veterans Affairs. On a regular basis,
the Committee with subcommittees, convenes hearings which examine issues such as: VA
compliance with statutory provisions; VA's effectiveness in providing timely benefits and
quality heath care; Management practices and efficient expenditure of resources. The
Committee's legislative responsibilities cover a wide range of veterans issues. However,
veterans and other interested people may be surprised to learn that the Veterans' Affairs
Committee does not have legislative jurisdiction over the following issues:
Tax status of veterans benefits and contributions to Veterans Service Organizations (Committee on Ways and Means);
Military retiree issues, including COLAs and disability pay (Committee on
Armed Services);
CHAMPUS and Tri-Care (Committee on
Armed Services);
Survivor Benefit Program (Committee on
Armed Services);
Veterans Preference in Federal civil service hiring practice (Committee on Government Reform and Oversight);
Congressional charters for veterans service organizations (Committee on Judiciary);
Immigration issues relating to veterans (Committee
on Judiciary); and
Issues dealing with Prisoners of War (POWs) and service members missing in action (MIAs) (Committee on
Armed Services). |