Press Releases

07.28.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano: “The time for action on these foundational issues is way past due.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) delivered remarks at the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations’ hearing entitled, Progress Made? Ending Sexual Harassment at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.  View Chairman Takano's remarks here.   Chairman Takano’s remarks as prepared:  Thank you, Chairman Pappas. I’d like to associate myself with the statement you gave to begin this hearing. The lack of progress in fully … Read More

07.28.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano: "For years, toxic-exposed veterans have held up their end of the deal. I guess for some Senate Republicans that’s just not enough."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) delivered remarks at a press conference following the failed Senate cloture vote on the PACT Act.   View Chairman Takano's remarks here. Chairman Takano’s remarks as prepared:  Earlier this month, the House of Representatives once again passed my Honoring our PACT Act, and I had hoped that today, the Senate would take the final actions needed to get this bill … Read More

07.27.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano: “I will not sit idly by and allow this program to endanger veterans.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke today at the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization’s hearing on Protecting our Veterans: Patient Safety and Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.    View Chairman Takano's remarks here.   Chairman Takano’s remarks as prepared:  Thank you, Chairman Mrvan, for holding this very important hearing.  Today, the Subcommittee … Read More

07.19.22 • Press Release

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Advances 18 Bills to Support Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a business meeting to welcome new Committee member Rep. Connie Conway (R-Calif.) and authorize the Women Veterans Task Force, and a full committee markup advancing 18 bills to strengthen healthcare and benefits for America’s veterans. These bills will enhance VA's ability to deliver high-quality and timely healthcare and benefits to America's veterans by expanding support for homeless veterans, improving … Read More

07.14.22 • Press Release

Takano, Bost, Tester, Moran Statements on Watchdog Reports on VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), issued the following statements on two reports released today from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealing serious issues with the deployment of VA’s new Electronic Health Record … Read More

07.14.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Honors the Life of Woody Williams, Announces New Committee Effort to Honor the Stories of our Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chairman Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement honoring the life of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Herschel “Woody” Williams, the last remaining World War II Medal of Honor recipient and announcing a new Committee effort to raise awareness and better understand how we memorialize the legacy of veterans’ contributions to our country.  “Woody was awarded this nation’s highest military honor for volunteering as a … Read More

07.13.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano on House Passage of His Honoring our PACT Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) issued the following statement on the passage of S.3373, the vehicle used to carry his Honoring our PACT Act. “During his State of the Union address, President Biden said that he would be ready to sign comprehensive toxic exposure legislation into law if it came across his desk. Today, the House of Representatives has come one step closer to that goal by passing my … Read More

07.13.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano: "We are setting a new standard with the PACT Act."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) delivered remarks on the House floor in support of his Honoring our PACT Act.    Click here to watch Chairman Takano's full remarks. Chairman Takano's remarks as prepared: I stand before this chamber today in support of S.3373, as amended, which is now the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of … Read More

06.23.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Applauds House Passage of His Bipartisan STRONG Veterans Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement following House passage of his bill, the Support The Resiliency of Our Nation’s Great Veterans Act – or STRONG Veterans Act:   "Preventing veteran suicide and strengthening veterans’ mental health and wellbeing remains a top priority not only of VA, but also of this Committee. It is our belief that caring for … Read More

06.22.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano, Mrvan Issue Joint Statement on Troubling Issues with VA’s Electronic Health Record

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (HVAC) Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and HVAC Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Chairman Frank Mrvan issued the statement below following the release of draft OIG findings obtained by the media which reveal serious patient safety risks within the Cerner Millennium Electronic Health Record used across VA.     “Although we are still waiting for the VA’s Office of Inspector General to … Read More

06.16.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano on Senate Passage of PACT Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the statement below following the Senate passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022 which makes revisions to his Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive Toxics Act Of 2021 Or Honoring Our PACT Act, which originated in the House of Representatives as H.R. 3967. "A few months ago the House of Representatives took the historic first step of … Read More

06.02.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Leads Congressional Delegation Over Memorial Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) issued the following statement after leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation over the Memorial Day holiday to honor fallen servicemembers buried abroad, meet with currently serving members of the U.S. Armed Forces to develop informed policies that serve veterans and their families, and show support for regional allies. The bipartisan delegation included Representatives Amua Amata Coleman … Read More

05.30.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano on Memorial Day 2022: “We must always remember those who have given their lives in service to our country, and honor their sacrifice by working to create a more perfect America.”

Chairman Takano's full statement: Hi, I'm Chairman Mark Takano. This Memorial Day, join me in honoring the servicemembers who selflessly served, but sadly never returned home. Throughout our country's history, members of our armed forces have come from all walks of life bound together by a common sense of patriotic duty to defend the country that they love, even when, at times, it did not love them back. Despite the personal struggles many Black, Asian, Hispanic, women, Native, and … Read More

05.24.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano On Senate Release Of Toxic Exposure Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran's (R-Kans.) release of the senate version of Chairman Takano's Honoring Our Promise To Address Comprehensive Toxics Act Of 2021 Or Honoring Our PACT Act. "I am happy to see that Senator Tester and Moran were able to build on the bipartisan momentum made in the U.S. House of Representatives only … Read More

05.18.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Applauds House Passage of 9 More Veterans Bills Ahead of Memorial Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as Memorial Day approaches, and as the country prepares to honor the memories of our fallen servicemembers, the House of Representatives passed 9 bipartisan bills that will support women veterans, strengthen the VA Office of Inspector General, increase access to breast cancer screenings, and improve the claims process for survivors of military sexual trauma (MST). These bills follow yesterday's series of bills and are part of the House … Read More

05.18.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Statement on Senate Agreement To Advance His Historic Toxic Exposure Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran’s (R-Kans.) agreement on advancing Chairman Takano’s Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022.   “For too long, Congress and VA have been slow to act on toxic exposure—but I am … Read More

05.17.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Applauds House Passage of 10 Veterans Bills

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed 10 bipartisan bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. These bills honor the legacies of prominent veterans – including former Senator Daniel Akaka – and improve how student veterans access their earned benefits. The bills would also increase transparency and accountability in the complaint process at VA Medical Centers.   “Today, my colleagues from both … Read More

04.28.22 • Press Release

Chairman Delivers Remarks at Hearing on VA Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C—Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif) delivered opening remarks at the Full Committee Hearing on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2023. This year’s request provides for an 11.3% increase over 2022’s funding and demonstrates this Administration’s firm commitment to our nation’s veterans.      Full video of Chairman Takano’s remarks can be … Read More

04.27.22 • Press Release

Chairman Takano Introduces REMOVE Copays Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif) introducedH.R. 7589, the Reduce and Eliminate Mental Health Outpatient Veteran Copays Act or REMOVE Copays Act. This legislation will remove the financial barrier to VA mental healthcare for enrolled veterans by eliminating all copays for a veteran’s first three outpatient mental health appointments each year. This bill is part of a larger push by the Biden-Harris … Read More

04.06.22 • Press Release

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Advances 17 Bipartisan Bills to Support Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a full Committee Markup and advanced 17 bills with strong bipartisan support. These bills will help ensure VA can meet the needs of women veterans, provide additional training for peer support specialists and help improve VA's communication with survivors of Military Sexual Trauma, expand entrepreneurship opportunities for veterans, assist student veterans, improve training and oversight … Read More

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