History

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

The Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives was authorized by enactment of Public Law 601, 79th Congress, which was entitled "Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946." Section 121(a) of this Act provides: "there shall be elected by the House at the commencement of each Congress the following standing committees": (Nineteen Committees are listed and No. 18 quotes: "Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to consist of 27 Members.") This Act has since been amended so that there are now 22 Standing Committees in the House of Representatives. The number of Members (Representatives) authorized to serve on each Committee has been changed from time to time. There are currently 29 members of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

The Committee on Veterans' Affairs is the authorizing Committee for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Committee recommends legislation expanding, curtailing, or fine-tuning existing laws relating to veterans' benefits. The Committee also has oversight responsibility, which means monitoring and evaluating the operations of the DVA. If the Committee finds the that DVA is not administering laws as Congress intended, then it is "corrected" through the a hearing process and legislation. We are the voice of Congress in dealings with the DVA.

Legislation Within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

  1. Veterans' measures generally.
  2. Pensions of all the wars of the U.S., general and special.
  3. Life insurance issued by the government on account of service in the Armed Forces.
  4. Compensation, vocational rehabilitation, and education of veterans.
  5. Veterans' hospitals, medical care, and treatment of veterans.
  6. Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief.
  7. Readjustment of servicemen to civilian life.
  8. National Cemeteries

The Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) was established March 15, 1989, with Cabinet rank, succeeding the Veterans Administration and assuming responsibility for providing federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. Leaded by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, DVA is the second largest of the 14 Cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs of health care assistance services and national cemeteries.

Care for veterans and dependents spans centuries. The last dependent of a Revolutionary War veteran died in 1911, the War of 1812's last dependent died 44 years ago, the Spanish American War's, in 1962. There are widows and children of Civil War and Indian War veterans who still draw DVA benefits. Some 2,190 children and widows of Spanish-American War veterans are receiving DVA compensation or pension benefits.

Chronological history of the Department of Veterans Affairs

1930
The Veterans Administration was created by Executive Order S.398, signed by President Herbert Hoover on July 21, 1930. At that time, there were 54 hospitals, 4.7 million living veterans, and 31,600 employees.
1933
The Board of Veterans Appeals was established.
1944
On June 22, President Roosevelt signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. (Public Law 346, was passed unanimously by the 78th Congress). This law offered home loan and education benefits to veterans.
1946
The Department of Medicine & Surgery was established, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration, renamed the Veterans Health Administration in 1991.
1953
The Department of Veterans Benefits was established, succeeded in 1989 by the Veterans Benefit Administration.
1973
The National Cemetery System [except for Arlington National Cemetery] was transferred to the VA.
1988
Legislation to elevate VA to Cabinet status was signed by President Reagan.
1989
March 15. VA became the 14th Department in the President's Cabinet.