109th Congress

VSO Response to Chairman Buyer on Funding for Veterans' Health Care.  November 1, 2006

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs requesting review and comment on report "Review of Capacity of Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service Vet Centers."  October 18, 2006

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs following up on VA's compliance to improve access to services for persons with limited English proficiency.  September 6, 2006

Letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the VA’s policies and actions concerning the data breach and recommend steps to prevent a recurrence.  June 6, 2006

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs concerning an association between exposure to herbicides and delayed or persistent peripheral neuropathy.  March 30, 2006

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, responding to November 4, 2005, request to  improve access to services for persons with limited English proficiency.  March 21, 2006

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs concerning budget shortfalls in the VA health care system.  February 15, 2006

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs concerning reimbursement for emergency care furnished to veterans in non-VA facilities.  December 15, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in response to the October 13, 2005, letter concerning the review of PTSD claims.  December 12, 2005

Letter from the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs inviting the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to attend the legislative presentations by veteran service organizations.  December 9, 2005

Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs requesting House Democratic Members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be given the opportunity to participate in the legislative presentations of the veterans' service organizations.  November 16, 2005

Letter to Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in reference to the recent decision to discontinue the long-standing annual joint hearings of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees to receive and review the legislative priorities of national veterans' and military service organizations.  November 14, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs requesting appropriate steps be taken to ensure compliance to improving access to services for persons with limited English proficiency.  November 4, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs expressing serious concern with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ decision to initiate review of 72,000 claims of veterans who are currently compensated at the 100% payment rate for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.  October 13, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in reference to efforts to conduct outreach to individuals who may have been exposed to hazardous materials in tests at Fort Detrick and Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland.  October 5, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in response to the September 7 letter in reference to assistance to low-income veterans and survivors affected by Hurricane Katrina.  October 4, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in response to an August 12, 2005, request for the report on military sexual trauma.  September 21, 2005

Letter to The President of the United States requesting him to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to cut through the red tape which is blocking access to housing needed by veterans and others displaced by Hurricane Katrina.  September 12, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs requesting that VA address the suffering of those whose lives have been disrupted by the experience and after effects of Hurricane Katrina by requesting a special outreach to low-income veterans and survivors who may be eligible for pension benefits.  September 7, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, asking VA to provide the Committee with the study on military sexual trauma among the Reserve and National Guard components of our Armed Forces by August 30, 2005.  August 12, 2005

Letter to the Director of Regulations Management of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in reference to the proposed rule for clarification of an unclear communication or disagreement which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to "contact the claimant" (including a representative or fiduciary of the claimant) to request clarification of the claimant's intent.  August 4, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs responding to the June 21, 2005, letter concerning a Veterans Benefits Administration directive imposing a concurring second-signature requirement for certain PTSD benefit decisions.  July 20, 2005

Letter from the Department of the Air Force in response to the June 3, 2005, letter requesting all declassified documentation concerning the dates and location of Ranch Hand activities based in Thailand during the Vietnam area.  June 30, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs signed by Democratic Members of the Committee on Veterans Affairs in reference the VA's review of PTSD claims.  June 21, 2005

Letter to the Under Secretary for Benefits concerning locations of units in Vietnam and Thailand during the Vietnam era.  June 10, 2005 (with attachment)

Letter from the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in response to April 13, 2005 letter in reference to VA's achievement of management efficiencies.  June 7, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Air Force requesting all declassified documentation concerning the dates and location of Ranch Hand activities based in Thailand during the Vietnam area.  June 3, 2005

Letter to the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service recommending they implement procedures to assure veterans rights are protected when the Forest Service engages in competitive sourcing-based reorganizations.  May 27, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in reference to VA payment of emergency care at a non-VA facility until the veteran can be safely transported to a Department of other Federal facility.  May 5, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in reference to notifying veterans identified as being previously exposed to hazardous chemical, biological or radiological environments while on active duty and who have the potential for presumptive or related, service-connected conditions.  April 28, 2005

Letter to the Postmaster General requesting justification of proposed implementation of new personnel repositioning rules that omit consideration of veteran status and may result in adverse administrative actions against RIF-protected veterans.  April 27, 2005 

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs responding to 3/25/05 letter regarding management efficiencies.  April 13, 2005

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in response to 2/22/05 letter in reference to management efficiencies.  March 25, 2005

Letter from the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs in reference to VA's intentions to act on the results of the Department of Navy follow-up study on sarcoidosis.  March 14, 2005

Letter from Daniel Cooper, Under Secretary of Benefits for the Department of Veterans Affairs, in reference to information about the testing and use of Agent Orange in various locations.  March 10, 2005

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs requesting proof of savings through management efficiencies for the period FY 2003-FY 2006.  February 22, 2005

 

108th Congress

Letter form Department of the Navy, responding to 11/2/04 letter in reference to the final report of the Navy Occupation Lung Disease Assessment Program.  December 14, 2004

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in reference to the Navy follow-up study on sarcoidosis.  December 3, 2004

Letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in requesting a meeting to discuss the Chicago Sun-Times article reporting that disabled Illinois veterans, on average, receive far lower disability benefits than veterans from most other states.  December 3, 2004

Letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in response to a July 15 letter requesting VA to establish a presumption of herbicide exposure for all veterans who served on Johnston Island in the North Pacific between 1971 and 1977.  November 19, 2004. 

Letter from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff responding to a request for information on Agent Orange or similar herbicides on Okinawa during the Vietnam War.  November 3, 2004

Letter from the VA Under Secretary for Benefits with an enclosed fact sheet concerning the use of Agent Orange in Korea.  November 2, 2004

Letter to the Office of Personnel Management regarding individuals/agencies violating Federal veterans' preference law governing hiring or employment.  October 4, 2004

Letter to the Department of Defense, requesting information from the Department of the Army and the Marine Corps concerning their records of Agent Orange or other herbicide storage on Okinawa.  September 21, 2004

Letter from the Department of the Air Force responding to July 12, 2004, letter to the Secretary of Defense regarding the storage of Agent Orange and similar herbicides at Okinawa.  August 25, 2004

Letter to Honorable Daniel Cooper, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans, in reference to a 1969 Department of the Army report that the 2^nd Battalion, 31st Infantry Army "operated and rotated between Camp Casey and the DMZ under the 2nd and 7th Infantry Divisions" during calendar year 1968.  July 20, 2004

Response of Honorable Lane Evans to the July 6, 2004, letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in reference to the storage of Agent Orange on Johnston Island.  July 15, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, requesting information about when and where Agent Orange and similar herbicides were stored on Okinawa and whether or not there was any usage of herbicides or reports of spillage from drum corrosion or any other event which potentially involved exposure of  servicemembers to these herbicides.  July 12, 2004.

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in reference to the storage of Agent Orange on Johnston Island.  July 6, 2004

Letter from Tim McClain, General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in response to April 7, 2004, letter from Congressman Lane Evans.  The letter refers to whether section 5904 of title 38 permits attorneys to charge veterans for consultation that occurs prior to the filing of a claim for VA benefits.  May 24, 2004.

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi concerning the exposure to Agent Orange of servicemembers who served on Johnston Island during the 1970's.  April 29, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi request a legal opinion concerning the legality of attorneys charging a veteran a fee for legal services concerning the availability of and potential eligibility for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the filing of any application for benefits.  April 7, 2004

Letter to the The President in reference to data and analysis supporting the advantages of competitive sourcing of some federal jobs.  March 31, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Daniel Cooper, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning the military units which were located near the Korean Demilitarized Zone during the time period that herbicides, including Agent Orange, were used there.  March 30, 2004

Letter from the Honorable Daniel Cooper, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning an inquiry about instructions to Regional Offices when exposure to herbicides in the Korean Demilitarized Zone is claimed.  March 4, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Labor, in further reference to overtime pay regulations.  February 10, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Daniel Cooper, Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning service in the Korean Demilitarized Zone during the time period that herbicides, including Agent Orange, were used there is incomplete with respect to certain units.  February 6, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Labor, concerning overtime protection to military veterans who received certain training in the armed forces.  January 30, 2004

Letter to the Honorable Robert Roswell, MD, Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, commenting on the 2002 Capacity Report and the 3rd Annual Report of the VA's Under Secretary for Health's Special Committee on PTSD.  January 15, 2004

Letter to the Chairman and Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Appropriations requesting support for $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2004 medical care funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system included in the Senate passed version of H.R. 3289, which is now in conference.  October 21, 2003

Letter from the Acting Secretary of the Army, R.L. Brownlee, responding to concerns about the historical use of herbicides in Panama.  October 10, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Tom Ridge, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, regarding the Department's planned conversion of full-time TSA airport security screeners to part-time positions.  September 29, 2003

Letter to Ms. Jo Anne Barnhardt, Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, request information related to the hiring practices, procedures and results of the Social Security Administration in filling Administrative Law Judge positions within the agency during fiscal years 2001, 2002, and 2003.  September 29, 2003

Letter to Honorable Duncan Hunter, Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, opposing any effort to change the nature of the VA service-connected compensation program as part of the Department of Defense Authorization bill.  (same letter sent to Honorable Ike Skelton, Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee on Armed Services)  September 25, 2003

Letter from the Department of Defense, responding to May 7, 2003, letter from Lane Evans concerning the use and storage of Vietnam-era herbicides, including the contaminant dioxin on Guam.  September 23, 2003

Letter from Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in response to September 8, 2003, letter from Honorable Lane Evans and 120 Democratic Members in reference to securing additional funding for VA health care.  September 17, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Christopher Smith, Chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, urging opposition to any attempts to bypass the Committee's jurisdiction so that legislation to alter the VA service-connected compensation program could be included in the Defense Authorization bill or any other legislation which has not been subjected to hearings by the Committee.  September 12, 2003

Letter to Speaker Dennis Hastert and Democratic Leader Pelosi requesting additional funding for veterans health care.  September 8, 2003

Letter to Everett Alvarez, Chairman of the Capital Assets Realignment for Enhanced Services Commission, jointly signed by the Chairman and Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee on Veterans Affairs in reference to concerns about the CARES process.  September 3, 2003

Subject document of FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) lawsuit filed by Lane Evans. received August 29, 2003

Letter to The President of the United States urging agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Health and Human Services on the cost of reimbursement to VA for equitable cost sharing of the indirect costs of NIH-sponsored research conducted in VA facilities.  August 22, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, concerning the extend of Agent Orange use, testing and exposure by the military be made public.  August 11, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, responding to a July 24, 2003 letter from Secretary Principi concerning the FY2002 report on A-76 program for competitive sourcing. August 5, 2003.

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning the National CARES (Capitol Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services) Draft Plan.  August 5, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of Office of Personnel Management, responding to a March 18, 2003 letter from the Honorable Lane Evans to President George W. Bush concerning outsourcing of federal jobs.  August 4, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning the FY2002 report on the A-76 program for competitive sourcing.  July 24, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Bill Young and Honorable David Obey, Chairman and Ranking Democratic Member of the Committee on Appropriations expressing strong opposition to an amendment requested by the Administration that would authorize VA to spend $50 million to study outsourcing positions in the Veterans' Health Administration (VHA).  Joint letter from the Honorable Lane Evans and the Honorable Henry Waxman.  July 16, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning the General Counsel opinion stating that VA may use the revolving supply fund to fund competitive sourcing activity.  July 8, 2003

Letter from Mr. Thomas Miller, Executive Director of the Blinded Veterans Association, supporting H.R. 2318, Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2003.  July 8, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Interim response to May 27, 2003, letter regarding cost comparisons and decisions involving performance of work that is currently or was previously performed by VA employees.  July 2, 2003

Letter from Mr. Robert Wallace, Executive Director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, offering strong support for H.R. 2318, the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act.  June 23, 2003

Report to Mr. Evans from the National Consumer Law Center on Veterans' Disability Benefit Buy-Out Schemes.  June 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, responding to concerns about the award of a contract of Ocwen Financial Corporation for VBA Property Management Services.  May 19, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in reference to the Freedom of Information Act request from Honorable Lane Evans.  May 18, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Mitchell Daniels, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in reference to Honorable Lane Evans' interest in current competitive sourcing efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs.  May 14, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, requesting DoD provide information concerning the use and storage of Vietnam era herbicides, including the contaminant dioxin in Guam.  May 7, 2003

Letter from William Campbell, Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning the outsourcing of work currently performed by VA employees.  May 2, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, responding to a letter from Lane Evans requesting an update on the status of veterans hiring audit.  April 18, 2003

Letter from Ms. Angela Styles, Administrator of Federal Procurement Policy, responding to Honorable Lane Evans' letter of February 10, 2003, concerning the impact of competitive sourcing initiative on federal positions currently held by veterans, including service-disabled veterans.  April 7, 2003

Letter from the Under Secretary of Defense regarding U.S. atmospheric nuclear testing on Johnston Island.  March 27, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, regarding veterans' exposure to herbicides during their military service in locations other than Vietnam.  March 25, 2003

Letter to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, concerning outsourcing of federal jobs.  March 18, 2003

Letter to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, expressing concern about the results achieved by the Bush Administration regarding federal procurements with service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.  March 13, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Mitch E. Daniels, Jr., Director of the Office of Management and Budget, requesting justification of competitive outsourcing of 52,000 Department of Veterans Affairs employee jobs yielding as much as $3 billion in savings over a five-year period.  March 6, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, responding to concerns regarding the criteria being used by the Board of Veterans' Appeals to decide whether a case should be advanced on the Board's docket due to "serious illness."  March 5, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, opposing VA's decision to outsource VA's nationwide Property Management activity to Ocwen.  February 28, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, concerning several accidents on Johnston Island during the time it was being used to dispose of hazardous materials from military activities.  February 20, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Hector V. Barreto, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, requesting an investigation of several complaints from service-connected disabled veterans who own businesses in or near the Forest Service Region #5 service area.  The veterans allege they have been discriminated against by federal contracting officers serving the U.S. Forest Service in that area.  February 20, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, in reference to the fact that a request for a 60-day progress report on OPM's findings with the select agencies has not been received.  Also requested OPM provide information on other enforcement actions by OPM regarding willful deviations from merit system rules as they apply to veterans.  February 11, 2003

Letter to Ms. Angela Styles, Administrator of Office of Federal Procurement Policy, concerning the Bush Administration's initiative to "contract-out" certain governmental services, thus, terminating many federal positions.  February 10, 2003

Letter to the Honorable David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the U.S., concerning the vendee loan program.  February 7, 2003

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, regarding Congressman Evans' concerns that persons who receive a smallpox vaccination during inactive duty training will be denied compensation for disability that may result from such vaccination.  January 28, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, requesting current information concerning the dates and locations where the Department of Defense has determined that Agent Orange and similar herbicides were used, tested, or stored.  January 27, 2003

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, requesting to be advised of the actions taken to alert VA adjudication personnel to the potential exposure of veterans filing claims for disabilities associated with herbicide exposure who served in Korea, Fort Drum, and other locations where the Department of Defense has acknowledged use, testing, or storage of herbicides.  January 27, 2003

Memorandum from the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Vendee Loan Program Termination.  January 23, 2003

107th Congress

Letter to the Editor of the The Washington Post in reference to a published article "Families Gird for Call to War; Just Back, Reservists Worry What 2nd Tour Will Mean on Home Front".  December 19, 2002

Letter to the Honorable George W. Bush, the President of the United States, requesting the Administration take action as soon as possible to provide all servicemembers who are disabled following smallpox vaccination with recourse to appropriate compensation and health care in the event of an adverse reaction to the inoculation.  December 17, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Labor, in reference to the DOL knowingly permitting the US Forest Service to operate an unauthorized alternative personnel management system for downsizing its workforce that is in director conflict with veterans' statutory employment rights.  December 12, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in reference to OPM's commitment to veterans' employment issues.  December 6, 2002 

Letter to President George Bush urging him to fulfill the commitment he made to veterans during ceremonies held for Veterans Day yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.  November 12, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, expressing concern that possible additional exposure may have occurred in the process of decontaminating ships involved in atomic and possibly other testing.  November 6, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, encouraging the VA to provide special speech therapy to veterans with Parkinson's Disease at the Parkinson's Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers.  October 24, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of the Department of Labor, requesting a written description, including goals and milestone dates, of the current plans of the Department to provide transition assistance services overseas.  October 15, 2002

Letter from Dr. John Graham, Administrator of the Office of Management and Budget, to Mr. Tim McClain, General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs. October 8, 2002

Letter to the Editor of The Washington Post in reference to two published articles in reference to the men and women who service our country through Reserve and National Guard duty.  September 30, 2002

Letter from the Honorable Kay Cole James, Office of Personnel Management, regarding waivers to Title 5 concerning the Personnel Demonstration Project for the U.S. Department of Agriculture since the initial waivers were published in the Federal Register in 1990.  September 15, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Kay Cole James, Office of Personnel Management, regarding the Freedom of Information Act Request.  September 5, 2002

Letter from the Honorable Kay Cole James, Office of Personnel Management, responding to August 6 letter from Honorable Lane Evans.  September 4, 2002

Letter to the Honorable James Walsh, Chairman of the Subcommittee on VA/HUD and Independent Agencies urging the Subcommittee to include clear and directive language in the Veterans Affairs, HUD, and Independent Agency Appropriations Bill for FY 2003 to assure that the VA Office of the Inspector General will receive the full $69.1 million requested by the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.  August 13,2 002 (similar letter sent to all Members of the Subcommittee)

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, requesting complete responses to April 4 and April 25 letters from Honorable Lane Evans.  August 6, 2002

Letter to the Honorable George W. Bush, The President, urging him to sign a bill making supplemental appropriations for the year ending September 30, 2002, and to designate the $417 million Congress agreed to appropriate for veterans' health care as emergency spending.  July 26, 2002

Letter from the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, partially responding to April 4, 2002, letter from the Honorable Lane Evans requesting OPM's rationale for directing that hiring agencies should issue only one certificate for all qualified candidates for single interdisciplinary position.  July 19, 2002

Letter from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, concerning waiting times for VA health care.  July 12, 2002

Response from the Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to Congressman Evans' May 24 letter concerning the handling of appeals remanded by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.  June 26, 2002

Letter from the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, partially responding to April 25, 2002, letter from the Honorable Lane Evans requesting DVAAP report compliance information and assessment of agency compliance with the spirit of DVAAP.  June 13, 2002

Letter to the Editor of The Washington Post about May 27, 2002, article with showers of accolades on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for processing veterans claims.  The article  was surely welcomed by agency officials, but is unfortunately a disservice to America's veterans who continue to wait for a fair and accurate decision on their claims for benefits.  Unfortunately, The Washington Post's facts, which are easily verifiable on VA's public website, were wrong.  May 30, 2002

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, about concerns that as a result of VA's efforts to meet production quotas for new claims, regional offices may be ignoring their responsibility to provide expedited consideration of these pending remanded claims.  May 24, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, requesting DVAAP report compliance information and assessment of agency compliance with the spirit of DVAAP.  April 25, 2002

Letter to the Honorable Kay Coles James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, requesting OPM’s rationale for directing that hiring agencies should issue only one certificate for all qualified candidates for single interdisciplinary position.  April 4, 2002

Letter from Mitchell Daniels, Jr., Director of the Office of Management and Budget, concerning concurrent payments of Department of Veterans Affairs' disability compensation and military retirement pay.  April 4, 2002

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in reference to maintaining long-term care capacity as required by law.  March 26, 2002

Letter to Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Department of Defense, requesting that DoD immediately commence a review of the prior and revised Khamisiyah plume data to determine if the significant difference in death rates now reported between the old and new cohorts as well as the new cohort and deployed and non-deployed service members can be satisfactorily explained.  February 22, 2002

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, requesting that DoD immediately commence a review of the prior and revised Khamisiyah plume data to determine if the significant difference in death rates now reported between the old and new cohorts as well as the new cohort and deployed and non-deployed service members can be satisfactorily explained.  February 22, 2002

Letter to Honorable Norman Mineta, Secretary of the Department of Transportation, in reference to the hiring preference granted to our veterans competing for security screener positions.  January 14, 2002

Letter to Director, Office of Regulations Management in response to RIN 2900-AK65 - Interim Final Regulations Concerning Benefits to Filipino Veterans Residing in the United States.  January 4, 2002        

Letter to Honorable Mel Martinez, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, in reference to the re-activation of the Interagency Council on the Homeless.  December 21, 2001.

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to commend the Department of Veterans Affairs for receiving one of five of Harvard University’s prestigious Innovation in American Government awards for your extensive work in patient safety.  December 20, 2001

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, urging the Department to immediately cease rewarding VBA claims adjudication offices for being highly productive when the quality of the work being performed is poor.  November 5, 2001  

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, emphasizing the need to take corrective action to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provide quality and timely medical care to our nation’s service-connected disabled veterans for their service-connected conditions.  August 24, 2001

Letter to President Bush urging him to ensure care for combat wounded veterans.  August 10, 2001

Letter to President Bush urging full implementation of the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act, P.L. 106-117.  May 16, 2001

Report and Recommendation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Processing Task Force.  May 16, 2001

Letter to Honorable Anthony Principi, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, bringing attention to the Secretary’s discretion to annually review and adjust beneficiary travel rates.  May 8, 2001 

Letter to Chairman Nussle requesting that the budget conference committee include the following:  $3.1 billion for health care; $3 billion for concurrent receipt; $300 million for the impact aid program; and, $775 million for MGIB.  Cosigned by 21 members.  May 1, 2001

Letter to the Honorable Lane Evans from Anthony Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, regarding the VA health care and benefits for veterans who may have been exposed to herbicides while serving at Fort Drum, New York.  March 23, 2001.

Letter to the Honorable Lane Evans from BG T.L. Corwin, USMC, Legislative Assistant to the Commandant, concerning Marines being exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam Era.  March 16, 2001

Letter to the Honorable Lane Evans from the Honorable Joseph Thompson, Under Secretary for Benefits, regarding VA benefits for veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Korea.  March 13, 2001

Letter to The Honorable George W. Bush urging him to restore the purchasing power of education benefits for veterans under the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) program.  February 13, 2001

Letter to Honorable Lane Evans from the Honorable Hershel Gober, Acting Secretary for the VA, regarding plans to issue a regulation creating a presumption of service connection for certain veterans with hepatitis C infection.  January 18, 2001

Previous

Letter to The Honorable William J. Clinton, The President, in reference to proposed regulations to provide for a presumption of service-connection for atomic veterans who are diagnosed with or have died from lung, colon, ovarian, and brain and central nervous system cancer.  December 14, 2000

Letter to Honorable Louis Caldera, Secretary of the Army, requesting information contained in military records, concerning the activities of the 802nd Engineers in disposing of Agent Orange or any other herbicide during the spring of 1978 and in particular the month of April.  December 1, 2000

Letter to Honorable Joseph Thompson, Under Secretary for Benefits, in response to VA's September 29 letter clarifying the Department's position on veterans exposed to herbicides in areas other than the Republic of Vietnam -  Encouraging the Department to promulgate regulations clearly stating VA's position.  November 20, 2000

Letter to Honorable Hershel Gober, Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, on the Department's drafting of a proposed rule to establish a presumption of service connection for certain veterans who test positive for the Hepatitis C virus.  November 2, 2000

Letter from Department of Veterans Affairs, Under Secretary of Benefits, Honorable Joseph Thompson, on the VA benefits for veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Korea. (Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3).  September 29, 2000

Letter to Honorable Hershel Gober, Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, on the Institute of Medicine report linking type 2 diabetes to Agent Orange exposure.  October 11, 2000

Correspondence to/from Department of Veterans Affairs and the Committee on Veterans Affairs in reference to the eligibility for pension for veterans who are farmers.  May 25 and June 27, 2000

Letter to Honorable Togo D. West, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, on the Fair Act.   March 15, 2000

Letter to House Budget Committee submitting VA Committee's views and estimates on the Department of Veterans Affairs budget for FY 2001.  February 25, 2000

Letter to House and Senate Conferees of the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill for FY 00.   October 7, 1999

Response from Honorable John M. Spratt, Jr. to Honorable Lane Evans' March 12, 1999 letter regarding the Democratic alternative to the Budget Resolution.  April 19, 1999

Ranking Democratic Member Lane Evans - Official Correspondence of March 12, 1999 to Honorable John M. Spratt, Jr., Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on the Budget regarding the Democratic alternative to the Budget Resolution.

Ranking Democratic Member Lane Evans, Benefits Subcommittee Chairman Jack Quinn and Ranking Democratic Member Bob Filner and Members of the Subcommittee - Official Correspondence of February 4th to Office of Regulation Management at the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding a proposed rule change to end the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) current practice of withholding and paying attorneys’ fees from beneficiaries’ past due benefits.