February 25, 2025

Ranking Member Takano's Opening Statement at Joint House & Senate Legislative Presentation of Disabled American Veterans & Multi VSOs

Press Contact

Elain Shubat

WASHINGTON— House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following opening statement at the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs will held a joint hearing entitled, "Legislative Presentation of Disabled American Veterans & Multi VSOs: AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Blinded Veterans Association, Veterans Education Success, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., and Reserve Organization of America". 

“Thank you, Chairman Bost.

Today we continue our annual tradition of jointly welcoming Veteran Service Organizations to testify before Congress about their legislative priorities. I am pleased to welcome our first panel of the National Commander and representatives of Disabled American Veterans and our second panel of representatives from AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Blinded Veterans Association, Veterans Education Success, the Gold Star Wives of America, and the Reserve Organization of America. I’d like to extend a special welcome to DAV’s National Commander, Dan Contreras, who hails from Sherman Oaks, California – we’re practically neighbors. It’s great to see you again. 

And speaking of Californians: are there any Californians in the room this morning?  Welcome!

These hearings are important because they’re a great opportunity for us to hear from the VSOs about issues impacting veterans in their daily lives.  

It was at these hearings in 2022, when the VSOs stood in solidarity, calling on Congress to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act, that finally convinced the holdouts to get on board.   

Without you we would never have passed the largest expansion of veterans’ healthcare and benefits since the Vietnam War. Without you, millions of veterans would still be struggling to access healthcare for the toxic exposures they experienced in their service to our country.  

I will always be grateful to the VSOs for helping us get it done. As I’ve said since it passed, The PACT Act was never meant to be a “one and done”, there’s still so much more work to be done because the “pact” was not only about toxic exposure, it is also about our promise to ensure that veterans have access to their care and benefits, and that we do everything we can to:  

  •  End veteran homelessness and veteran suicide  

  • Address new categories of illness and injury associated with military service, for example blast injury and military traumatic brain injury 

  • Finally achieve Guard and Reserve Parity 

  • Ensure that VA is welcoming to ALL veterans who have earned the right to be there 

  • Ensure that VA’s infrastructure can support its mission 

  • And so much more.  

 Unfortunately, given today’s political climate, I’m not optimistic about our chances. I’m afraid these hearings are occurring in a very different atmosphere this year.  

I have grave concerns about how President Trump’s Executive Orders are being carried out across the federal government, most especially at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I question how purging the workforce, firing the watchdogs, and making VA hostile to certain veterans is helping VA serve veterans better. I think serving veterans is why we are all here. It is certainly why I am here and why I serve on this Committee – because I think there is no higher calling or honor than to serve those who have served.  

Since he was sworn in, I have requested information from Secretary Collins about his implementation of the Executive Orders, and his employment actions against VA employees, none of which he has responded to. This is very troubling.  

It is my hope that I can count on the VSO community to help us hold VA accountable to ALL veterans, and that you will also hold Congress accountable by making sure action is behind our words. That we are being held accountable for carrying out our constitutional oversight responsibilities by asking tough questions, demanding answers, and taking legislative action when it is needed. We cannot waiver in this, because we know that veterans are depending on us. 

 Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.”

 

###