House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

"Thank you Chairman Skelton, Chairman Levin, Senator Warner and Congressman Hunter.

It is a pleasure to be with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committees again.  As the former chairman of the House Military Personnel Subcommittee and the current ranking Member of House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I remain deeply committed to the efforts to take care of our nation’s service men and women and our veterans.

Washington D.C. — House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) today commended President Bush’s decision to nominate Dr. James Peake, Lieutenant General (Retired), United States Army Medical Corps, for Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held a legislative markup today on two bills, followed by an oversight hearing on the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) and the Local Veterans' Employment Representative (LVER) program.

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing today to assess the progress made by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in creating an electronic medical records system that would allow the two agencies to share vital patient-care data.

Washington, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives approved five veteran-related bills, two of which are intended to reduce the incidence of suicide among veterans, and condemn a recent act of vandalism that resulted in damage to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial.

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity held an oversight hearing yesterday on ways to improve the Montgomery G.I. Bill.

Washington, D.C. — The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing today examining long-term costs of medical care and benefits that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will provide to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). 

Washington D.C. — President Bush met today with members of the President’s Commission on Care for ’s Returning Warriors regarding its recently released report on improving benefits and services for servicemembers.

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing today on disparities in disability ratings that are administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Washington D.C. — Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) yesterday commended the work of a congressional commission that recently completed an in-depth study on the benefits and services available to compensate wounded warriors, and their families.

New Windsor, New York — A Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs field hearing held yesterday on the personal costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims backlog illustrated that the bureaucratic morass of VA weighs heavily on disabled veterans and their families. 

Washington, D.C. — The Subcommittee on Health held an oversight hearing today to examine progress made by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in areas such as collaboration, prosthetics, and pain management. 

Washington, D.C. — The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing today examining the funding process for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care program.