08.24.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement to encourage President Biden to consider extending the deadline for U.S. Military to remain in Afghanistan to assist with evacuation efforts as veterans work to help the Afghan allies that helped them. Veterans who deployed to Afghanistan and want to help their Afghan allies attain a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) can find more information here.
"As Chairman of the
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08.19.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement after joining House Committee Chairs for a meeting with President Biden to discuss the Build Back Better agenda.
"Today's meeting made it clear that we are on track to enact once-in-a-generation legislation that will better the lives of our nation's veterans and all Americans. Most VA hospitals are over 50 years old, and it is clear there are places where the
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08.05.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement after VA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) released two concerning reports regarding Military Sexual Trauma (MST). The first report entitled, "Improvements Still Needed in Processing Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Claims" details issues within the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) and the second, "Challenges for Military Sexual Trauma Coordinators and Culture of Safety
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08.02.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) praised VA Secretary Denis McDonough's action to begin processing disability claims for asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis on a presumptive basis based on presumed particulate matter exposures during military service in Southwest Asia and certain other areas in the following statement. "I am pleased to see Secretary McDonough's announcement today that VA will begin processing claims for veterans
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07.28.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C- Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a Full Committee Markup and passed eight bills. This legislation will expand mental healthcare resources for Native veterans, support student veterans, improve the transition from servicemember to civilian, promote economic opportunities, and study racial disparities in VA benefits--all in line with Chairman Takano's priorities. Full text of the legislation can be found here.
"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our
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07.27.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C- Today, the House of Representatives passed two bipartisan bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in line with Chairman Takano's priorities. These bills will help modernize VA medical facilities and ensure opioids can be safely disposed. Rep. Allred, Rep. Miller-Meeks, and Rep. Trone introduced companion legislation in the House.
"If we're going to build back veterans' trust in VA, we have to start making serious investments in the outdated
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07.26.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) praised VA Secretary McDonough's decision to require COVID-19 vaccines for all Title 38 VA providers-- including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants, expanded-function dental auxiliaries, and chiropractors-- in the following statement.
"I firmly support Secretary McDonough's decision to require COVID-19 vaccines for all Title 38 VA providers.
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07.21.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-Ill.), and Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Chairman Frank J. Mrvan (D-Ind.) introduced the VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act after today's Subcommittee hearing. Following two major Inspector General reports detailing significant issues with VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) project, this legislation will force VA to account for all
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07.21.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) praised the settlement agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the labor union representing the largest number of the agency's employees, in the following statement.
"This agreement is a major step toward re-establishing stronger worker rights and protections for all VA employees. I applaud AFGE and VA for finding common
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07.21.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) announced a hearing entitled, "Domestic Violent Extremist Groups and the Recruitment of Veterans." The hearing, based on the Committee's investigation that started last fall, will focus on understanding who domestic violent extremist groups like the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, Proud Boys, and others are, why they target veterans, and how the Committee can help these veterans. The hearing will take
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07.08.21 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Chairman Frank J. Mrvan (D-Ind.) and Full Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statements after the release of two Inspector General reports on VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) Program entitled "Unreliable Information Technology Infrastructure Cost Estimates for the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program" and "Training Deficiencies with
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06.24.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C —Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement after his landmark legislation, H.R. 3967, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 or the Honoring our PACT Act passed in the Full Committee Markup. With 25 original cosponsors—including all HVAC Democrats-- and the support of 9 Veteran Service Organizations, this critical bipartisan
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06.24.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C- Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 239, the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act, introduced by House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health Chairwoman Julia Brownley. This legislation passed through the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs with bipartisan support and passed the House unanimously last Congress, but failed to pass on the House floor last week after the Family Research Council mobilized the Freedom Caucus against the bill.
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06.21.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) announced a Full Committee Markup on his landmark legislation, H.R. 3967, the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 or the Honoring our PACT Act. With 25 original cosponsors-including all HVAC Democrats-- and the support of 9 Veteran Service Organizations, this critical bipartisan legislation will comprehensively address toxic exposure. The Committee will mark up the bill in
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06.19.21 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) issued the following statement applauding the announcement by Denis McDonough, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, that VA will begin the first steps to expand care to include gender confirmation surgery for transgender veterans. Secretary McDonough spoke at the Orlando VAMC to celebrate Pride month and mark the passage of 5 years since the Pulse nightclub shooting. Statement as follows:
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06.17.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C —Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced his monumental Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021 or the Honoring our PACT Act with 25 original cosponsors—including all HVAC Democrats. This critical bipartisan legislation will finally address toxic exposure as a cost of war and is based off 15 proposals from Members on both sides of the aisle. Reps. Elaine Luria
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06.15.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C- Today, the House of Representatives passed all 8 bipartisan bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in line with Chairman Takano's priorities.
"Today, the House took strong bipartisan action to support our veterans by passing legislation that helps create a more welcoming and accessible VA, promotes women's health, and provides more rigorous oversight of both VA and VA's police force," said Chairman Takano. "I'm grateful my colleagues in the
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06.11.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) introduced legislationrequiring an examination of racial disparities concerning veteran benefits. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock previously introduced companion legislation in the Senate in March. This bill calls on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess racial disparities regarding VA disability and other benefits programs based on demographic characteristics and requires the Secretary
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06.10.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C -Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement after Dr. Richard Stone (Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen.) announced he is stepping down as VA Under Secretary for Health.
"Dr. Stone has been an invaluable partner to me and this Committee these past few years. He worked tirelessly to help VA through an unprecedented public health crisis. Although we may have had our policy disagreements, Dr. Stone never allowed those
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06.08.21 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) gave opening remarks at the full Committee hearing entitled, "U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2022." The Committee heard from VA Secretary Denis McDonough, VA officials, and VSO leaders about the Fiscal Year 2022 budget request and how it aligns with VA's initiatives and priorities.
Full video of the Chairman's remarks
Chairman Takano's remarks as
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