03.05.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) issued the following statement in response to the Administration’s new Executive Order on the "National Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End Veteran Suicide." Statement from the Chairman below:
“While the Committee fully supports the intent of this executive order we have questions about how the White House plans to implement this initiative at the same time that previous efforts to address veterans
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03.05.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) launched an investigation into the anonymous internet actors impersonating Veterans Service Organizations in an effort to scam servicemembers, their families, and the American public. Statement from the Chairman below:
“Foreign actors that use shadowy practices to disseminate false information, target servicemembers and their families, impersonate VSOs, and deceive the American people shouldn’t be
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02.28.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) delivered opening remarks before the first Full Committee Hearing entitled “VA2030: A Vision for the Future of the VA”. Below is a link to the video of the Chairman’s opening statement and his remarks as prepared:
Watch opening remarks here
Mr. Secretary, thank you for joining us today. I truly appreciate your commitment to your job and to our veterans while you are recovering from foot surgery.
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02.27.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) delivered opening remarks before the Legislative Presentation of the American Legion at the Joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Hearing. Below is a link to the video of the Chairman's opening statement and his remarks as prepared:
Watch opening remarks here
Good Morning, Commander Reistad and welcome everyone to the House and Senate joint hearing to receive the legislative
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02.26.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following letter in response to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ failure to meet the February 22, 2019 deadline and provide documents regarding the Committee’s investigation into the potential undue influence of the Mar-a-Lago “three” on VA:
Chairman Takano opened his letter stating, “I have yet to receive a single document responsive to my request.”
He continued,
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02.26.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) gave opening remarks before the Legislative Presentation of the Disabled American Veterans at the Joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Hearing. Below is a link to the video of the Chairman's opening statement and his remarks as prepared:
Watch opening remarks here
Good Afternoon Chairman Isakson and thank you. Welcome, Commander Nixon. And welcome to every DAV member in the room and
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02.20.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano released the following letter addressed to Secretary Wilkie demanding information on VA travel expenses after reporting indicating that $13,000 was spent on six trips for a “senior advisor” to commute from his home in California to his presumed duty station in the Office of the Secretary in Washington, DC:
“[Under federal law], travel expenses of a federal employee are permitted if the employee is traveling on
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02.13.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano and House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Dr. Phil Roe announced the Members selected to lead the Committee’s subcommittees in the 116th Congress:
“I’m proud that our Committee’s membership better reflects the increasingly diverse veterans population in our country,” said Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA). “Acknowledging the contributions of our nation’s veterans, regardless of race, gender, or sexual
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02.08.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following letter notifying the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs that the Committee is opening an investigation into the influence of the Mar-a-Lago “three” on the Department of Veterans Affairs:
“I am writing to request information about alleged improper influence of Mr. Ike Perlmutter, Dr. Bruce Moskowitz, and Mr. Marc Sherman over policy and personnel decisions of the
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02.08.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) issued the statement below following the passage of the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act, H.R. 840, introduced by Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Chairwoman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee:
“I am proud to support the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act as the first bill our Committee would bring to the House Floor because it addresses a sometimes-overlooked group of veterans—veterans
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02.06.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) testified before the House Rules Committee in support of the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act which would make permanent and expand child care assistance to eligible veterans who are required to travel to VA facilities for care. The bill was originally introduced by Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Chairwoman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee. Below is a link to video of the Chairman’s
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02.04.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) joined bipartisan leadership from the House and Senate authorizing and appropriating committees in sending a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie demanding additional data used to develop the Department’s proposed access standards.
“As the 116th Congress convenes, we write to encourage you and your senior leadership team to work collaboratively with Congress as you implement major, simultaneous changes to
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01.31.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) announced the Vice Chair and Subcommittee assignments for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs during the 116th Congress.
"I look forward to working with newly selected Vice Chair Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Subcommittee Chairs, Representatives Julia Brownley (CA-26), Mike Levin (CA-49), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Elaine Luria (VA-02), and Susie Lee (NV-03), and I welcome their leadership and enthusiasm.
"In this Congress our committee will
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01.30.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) issued the statement below following VA’s announcement of its proposed access standards for community care under the MISSION Act:
“There is no doubt veterans deserve the highest quality of care and have earned the freedom to choose how they manage their health.
“But today’s announcement hastily rolling out new access standards places core VA services and vital research programs at risk by shifting money towards care outside VA without
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01.17.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following statement announcing the Democratic Members who will serve on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Committee during the 116th Congress.
“I am pleased to welcome the new Members who will make up the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and look forward to continuing our work to improve access to care, expand earned benefits, and protect whistleblowers and student veterans. Our Committee’s membership will
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01.11.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following statement after sending a letter to Robert Wilkie, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, urging him to protect VA whistleblowers during the government shutdown:
Chairman Mark Takano wrote, “It has come to my attention that whistleblowers at the Department of Veterans Affairs are unable to receive determinations from the Office of Special Counsel due to the partial
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01.08.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (CA-41) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019:
“The 116th Congress has officially been sworn-in, and thousands of veterans are still waiting for their government to deliver on its promise and grant them the benefits they have earned. The fact that politics got in the way of our duty to care for veterans affected by toxic exposure is a
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01.07.19 • Press Release
Orlando, FL - Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) welcomed U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano to Orlando’s VA Medical Center facilities in Lake Nona. Following a tour of the VAMC campus, Chairman Takano and Rep. Soto received special program briefings from the various departments in the medical Center and met with the center’s administrators and medical professionals.
Stated Chairman Takano: “It was wonderful to visit the Orlando VA Medical Center in Lake Nona and I
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01.04.19 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representative Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after he was elected by his Democratic colleagues to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs:
“This Congress, we have an incredible opportunity to build on this Committee’s work to guarantee veterans access to high-quality, timely care and the benefits they deserve. Today’s veterans population is more diverse than ever before, a testament to the shifting demographic strength of
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12.19.18 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Vice Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA) released the following statement after the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees met in open session to assess the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) implementation of the VA MISSION Act of 2018:
“I applaud Chairmen Roe and Isakson and Ranking Member Tester for holding this bicameral oversight hearing today,” said Vice Ranking Member Mark Takano. “As the first oversight hearing
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