February 28, 2023
Ranking Member Takano’s Remarks as prepared:
Thank you Chairman Tester. It’s great being back in an open format. Are there any Californians in the room this morning? If so, WELCOME! It is an honor to join all the members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs to hear directly from the National Commander and representatives of Disabled American Veterans. The opportunity to hear from our VSO partners is incredibly important to me. Partners like DAV represent veterans and their families at all stages of life and service.
Hearing from these partners allows the Committees the opportunity to hear directly about what is most important to your members and how we can be of service to our nation’s veterans.
For example, for years we have heard from members of many VSOs about taking comprehensive action on the effects of toxic exposure.
I was encouraged to see the overwhelming support that DAV and other VSOs provided last Congress to pass my bill, the Honoring Our PACT Act, and get it signed into law. Thank you for the tremendous support you provided throughout the process. Getting the PACT ACT to President Biden’s desk is a testament to the strong advocacy and support from passionate groups like yours.
I’d also like to express my thanks to Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Chairman Bost for their efforts to work with me on passing this law. Our bipartisan bill expands VA healthcare to over 3.5 million veterans living with the effects of toxic exposure. Our bill removes the burden of proof, which, for too long, has prevented toxic-exposed veterans from accessing the care and benefits they need to treat their rare conditions.
In total, the PACT Act establishes a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers.
Blue Water Navy veterans waited more than 40 years for benefits related to Agent Orange exposure because of Congress’s piecemeal solutions. We were not going to let this happen again. Thanks to our efforts last Congress, we kept our promise. Now the hard work begins, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to make sure this transformational law is implemented effectively.
In the last Congress, together we secured several important wins for veterans, including as already mentioned passing the landmark PACT Act, and in addition, passing the Veteran Auto and Education Improvement Act, the Military Sexual Trauma Claims Coordination Act, the REMOTE Act, the THRIVE Act, and the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act. We were also able to wrap up the 117th Congress with packages of veterans legislation including the STRONG Veterans Act and the Cleland-Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act.
I am very proud of these accomplishments, but we need to build on these achievements and continue our fight for better healthcare and benefits in this Congress and beyond.
Reading your testimony, it is clear, your priorities align with my own.
My priorities for this Congress include:
We have big goals, but I know that with your support and insight here today, along with the support of the Biden-Harris Administration, we will be able to achieve these goals and fulfill the sacred promises we made to our nation’s veterans.
I look forward to hearing your testimony today and thank you for your continued advocacy and support for the veteran community. Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.
###
Ranking Member Takano: "We need to build on these achievements and continue our fight for better healthcare and benefits in this Congress and beyond"
Press Contact
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-Calif.) delivered opening remarks at the Disabled American Veterans' legislative presentation before the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs.
Click Ranking Member Takano’s Remarks as prepared:
Thank you Chairman Tester. It’s great being back in an open format. Are there any Californians in the room this morning? If so, WELCOME! It is an honor to join all the members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs to hear directly from the National Commander and representatives of Disabled American Veterans. The opportunity to hear from our VSO partners is incredibly important to me. Partners like DAV represent veterans and their families at all stages of life and service.
Hearing from these partners allows the Committees the opportunity to hear directly about what is most important to your members and how we can be of service to our nation’s veterans.
For example, for years we have heard from members of many VSOs about taking comprehensive action on the effects of toxic exposure.
I was encouraged to see the overwhelming support that DAV and other VSOs provided last Congress to pass my bill, the Honoring Our PACT Act, and get it signed into law. Thank you for the tremendous support you provided throughout the process. Getting the PACT ACT to President Biden’s desk is a testament to the strong advocacy and support from passionate groups like yours.
I’d also like to express my thanks to Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Chairman Bost for their efforts to work with me on passing this law. Our bipartisan bill expands VA healthcare to over 3.5 million veterans living with the effects of toxic exposure. Our bill removes the burden of proof, which, for too long, has prevented toxic-exposed veterans from accessing the care and benefits they need to treat their rare conditions.
In total, the PACT Act establishes a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers.
Blue Water Navy veterans waited more than 40 years for benefits related to Agent Orange exposure because of Congress’s piecemeal solutions. We were not going to let this happen again. Thanks to our efforts last Congress, we kept our promise. Now the hard work begins, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to make sure this transformational law is implemented effectively.
In the last Congress, together we secured several important wins for veterans, including as already mentioned passing the landmark PACT Act, and in addition, passing the Veteran Auto and Education Improvement Act, the Military Sexual Trauma Claims Coordination Act, the REMOTE Act, the THRIVE Act, and the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act. We were also able to wrap up the 117th Congress with packages of veterans legislation including the STRONG Veterans Act and the Cleland-Dole Memorial Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act.
I am very proud of these accomplishments, but we need to build on these achievements and continue our fight for better healthcare and benefits in this Congress and beyond.
Reading your testimony, it is clear, your priorities align with my own.
My priorities for this Congress include:
- Opposing efforts to cut over $31 billion in VA funding, including funding for the 3.5 million newly eligible toxic-exposed veterans;
- Preserving women veterans' freedoms;
- Delivering a VA for all veterans;
- Modernizing VA care for the next generation of veterans;
- Ensuring that no veteran is forgotten;
- Working to end veteran homelessness and food insecurity;
- Ensuring benefits parity for America’s veterans;
- Rejecting efforts to privatize VA;
- Conducting critical oversight and implementation of suicide prevention and toxic exposure bills; and,
- Empowering VA to fulfill its Fourth Mission capabilities.
We have big goals, but I know that with your support and insight here today, along with the support of the Biden-Harris Administration, we will be able to achieve these goals and fulfill the sacred promises we made to our nation’s veterans.
I look forward to hearing your testimony today and thank you for your continued advocacy and support for the veteran community. Thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.
###
Next Article Previous Article