07.30.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C- Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a Full Committee Markup passing all 12 bills on the agenda including legislation to promote equity and inclusivity at VA, update VA's exclusionary motto, extend home loans to National Guard and Reservists, and support veterans who have become unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A full list of bills passed can be found below:
H.R. 5639 - Chuck Osier Burial Benefits Act (Rep. Brindisi)
A.N.S. to H.R.
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07.24.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) announced his support for two new bills that align with the Committee's comprehensive seven pillar approach to prevent veteran suicide. The VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act from Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) will provide much needed oversight of VA Police, mandate body cameras, and require key de-escalation training to help mitigate harm when interacting with veterans in crisis. The Solid
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07.22.20 • Press Release
Washington, D.C.- Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), along with Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statements after they introduced legislation to remove barriers to Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation and survivor benefits for certain active duty servicemembers,
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07.20.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed all three bipartisan bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee has continued its critical oversight and legislative work-the bills passed today showcase that commitment to veterans and their families by improving VA's Specially Adapted Housing assistance to help disabled veterans adapt their homes and extending lease protections for
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07.15.20 • Press Release
Press Contact
Jenni Geurink (Takano)
Samantha Gonzalez (Roe)
Olya Voytovich (Tester)
Angela Lingg (Moran)
Susan Curran (Pappas)
Jen Fox (Kuster)
Carina Armenta (Brownley)
James Hogge (Bergman)
Kelsi Daniell (Ernst)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, following the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report entitled "Sexual Harassment: Inconsistent and Incomplete Policies and Information Hinder VA's Efforts to Protect Employees," House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman
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07.14.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D- Calif.) and Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Chair Elaine Luria (D-VA.) released the following statements regarding the new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposed federal regulation to update and clarify regulatory bars to benefits based on character of discharge (COD). VA's proposed rule comes after almost four years of pushing from Veteran Service Organizations and
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07.09.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - Today, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) announced his support for two new bipartisan bills that align with the Committee's comprehensive seven pillar approach to prevent veteran suicide. The VA Zero Suicide Demonstration Project Act of 2020 from Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Chair Susie Lee (D-Nev.) and Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) and the VA Clinical Training in Evidence-based treatments And Military (TEAM) Culture Act from Rep.
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06.22.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA- Last week, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke with Major General Jeffery Phillips (Ret.), Executive Director of the Reserve Officers Association (ROA), about Reserve and National Guard parity and how Reservists are faring throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as DoD stop movement orders disrupt servicemembers' plans. See the full conversation here.
Watch the full conversation here.
"Thank you for joining us Major
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06.18.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D- Calif.), Women Veterans Task Force and Subcommittee on Health Chair Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), and Representative Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y), who introduced H.R. 3010, the Honoring All Veterans Act, led a letter calling on Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to update VA's exclusionary motto to reflect our country's growing diversity. They were joined by Reps. Lamb (D-Pa.), Sablan (D-M.P.),
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06.17.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - Today, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement regarding the release of the President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) report:
"It is disappointing that the President's PREVENTS report was advanced with limited input from Veteran Services Organizations and the lawmakers charged with implementing veterans policy and working on behalf of our nation's veterans. Tepid
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06.11.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) delivered openingremarks before the first full committee hybrid hearing since the COVID-19 pandemic forced Congress to go virtual entitled, "Assessing VA's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: 90 Days Later." Despite this crisis, the Committee has never stopped working for America's veterans-since the pandemic began, the Committee has passed six bills, sent nine letters, and held four virtual forums
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06.09.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - Last week, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke with Lieutenant General Dana T. Atkins, President of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), about VA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how the restructuring of DoD's medical treatment facilities has impacted MOAA members, as well as how Representative Mike Levin's Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act (H.R. 5870) can help achieve parity for members of the National Guard and
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06.05.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D- Calif.) and Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Chair Susie Lee (D-Nev.) released the following statements regarding GAO's new report entitled, "Electronic Health Records: Ongoing Stakeholder Involvement Needed in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Modernization Effort." This report was prepared at the request of the Committee to examine VA's process as they configure the new Cerner Electronic Health
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06.04.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA-- This week, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke with Jeremy Butler, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), about VA's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as veterans' mental health, toxic exposure, and VA's push to add its exclusionary and outdated motto to all VA cemeteries. See the full conversation with Jeremy Butler here.
View their full conversation here
"As you know, veteran suicide prevention is my
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06.02.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - This week, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke with retired Brigadier General J. Roy Robinson, President of the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), about how National Guard members are serving throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and how Congress can better support them. They also discussed Representative Mike Levin's Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act (H.R. 5870) that would be an important step towards achieving parity
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06.01.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - Last week, House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) spoke with Dr. Josh Sharfstein, Vice Dean of Public Health and Community Engagement at Johns Hopkins University, to discuss their innovative contact tracing training to slow the spread of COVID-19 and how veterans can get involved. This training is especially critical as veteran unemployment climbed to nearly 12 percent last month-veterans are already uniquely skilled to step up in times of crisis
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05.29.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) led a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie requesting additional data on the impact of COVID-19 on minority veterans and veterans of color. Chairman Takano was joined by Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Joaquin Castro, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Judy Chu, and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass in sending the letter. The Members
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05.28.20 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. -Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passed all three bipartisan bills brought to the floor by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee has continued to work virtually to ensure we can provide high quality care and benefits to our nation's veterans. The bills passed today showcase our commitment to veterans and their families by increasing veterans' disability compensation, allocating funds for medical facility
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05.27.20 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) led a letter sent to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie urging VA to fully and fairly implement paid sick leave and telework policies and procedures after hearing that some VA employees had been unfairly denied these key benefits that keep them safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, at least one VA employee denied paid sick leave died after exposure to COVID-19
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05.22.20 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) made the following statement in recognition of Memorial Day 2020.
"As the nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Memorial Day will look a little different this year-but it remains our solemn duty to honor our fallen heroes and mark this moment despite the uncertainty of our time. Throughout this crisis, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, has worked diligently to ensure VA is fully
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