05.08.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs voted to approve six bills during a full committee markup today. The bills cleared today address a number of issues, including: military sexual assault, VA executive bonuses, training and education programs for veterans, and veterans' Second Amendment rights.
"Today's markup continues our committee's bipartisan approach to serving our nation's veterans," said Ranking Member Mike Michaud (Maine-02). "I look forward to advancing
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04.30.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Representative Mike Michaud (Maine-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, reacted to today's White House announcement that American businesses have hired or trained 290,000 veterans and military spouses over the past two years and have committed to hiring 435,000 more by 2018.
"It's great news that the business community's commitment to hiring veterans and their families has not only been successful, but is being expanded. Too many of our men
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04.25.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Democrats on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee announced a coordinated legislative effort to help the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) in its efforts to address the growing backlog of claims. The 10 bills, which are outlined here, seek to help VA accomplish its goal to eliminate the backlog by 2015.
"We need to address the unacceptably large backlog of claims in order to get veterans the benefits they've earned faster. The VA has set an aggressive goal of
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04.24.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held an oversight hearing on the strategic and policy implications of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on veterans eligible for and engaged with health care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Committee members examined the potential impact of the law and VA's efforts to understand, implement, and meet the ACA's requirements.
"The implementation of the Affordable Care Act will be an historic accomplishment.
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04.16.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - - Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs sent a bipartisan letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Chuck Hagel urging him to follow through on a February 2013 plan to improve disability benefits claims processing for transitioning service members and veterans. The mutually agreed upon plan that the DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) struck calls for the DoD to begin the transfer of complete and certified Service Treatment Records (STRs) to VA
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04.11.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on President Obama's recently released Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) budget request. VA Secretary Shinseki, VA leaders and veteran service organizations all testified at today's full committee hearing. The overall VA budget request for fiscal year 2014 is $152.7 billion.
"Especially during a time of austerity, this request for a VA funding increase represents our nation's ongoing commitment to those who
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04.10.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a hearing on the state of veterans' cemeteries, including upkeep and areas for improvement. Additionally, the hearing examined a Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General's (VAOIG) report from February 7, 2013, entitled "Audit of Internal Gravesite Review of Headstone and Marker Placement," which found that the National Cemetery Administration
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04.10.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity received testimony on a number of bills, including ones related to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, veterans' vocational rehabilitation and retraining, transition assistance, work study, and participation in U.S. Paralympics programs.
"This hearing explored a number of issues important to our veterans, and I'm pleased that our committee continues to operate in such a bipartisan manner," said
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04.09.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Mike Michaud (ME-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, issued the following statement on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcement that it will expedite claims for veterans who have waited a year or longer for compensation decisions:
"The announcement today by Secretary Shinseki and Undersecretary Hickey shows that the VA is serious about reducing the backlog and is willing to put forward new ideas to get it
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03.20.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing examining the efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address the nearly 900,000 pending claims from veterans seeking compensation and pension disability benefits. Of the total inventory of claims, 588,011, or 72 percent, have been pending for more than 125 days.
"I'm as frustrated as anyone that this unacceptably high backlog of claims has persisted. It affects our veterans and their families
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03.14.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) policies on scheduling and measuring patient wait times. The Subcommittee reviewed work conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifying inconsistencies in patient wait times reported by the VA, including unreliable information and varying degrees of policy implementation. The hearing also reviewed VA's metrics
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03.14.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing that looked at the unemployment rate and employment challenges among members of the National Guard and Reserves. Members of the committee also solicited suggestions that witnesses may have for reducing unemployment. Veterans who were on active duty in 2011 had an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent while RC members had a 9.1 unemployment rate.
"The Bureau of Labor
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03.13.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs conducted an oversight hearing on the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) productivity standards. On December 27, 2012, the VA Office of the Inspector General (IG) issued an audit of physician staffing levels for specialty care services, such as cardiology, endocrinology, surgery, psychiatry and others. The IG found that VA does not have an effective staffing methodology to ensure appropriate
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02.27.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing to examine efforts by the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that an Integrated Electronic Health Record (iEHR) becomes a reality for those that served. While there is a long history of the two Departments working toward this goal, in February they announced that they were no longer going to pursue a joint integrated electronic health record. Representative Mike Michaud
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02.26.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) and Ranking Member Mike Michaud (ME-02) of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs introduced H.R. 813, the Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013. The bill would require Congress to fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) discretionary budget a year ahead of schedule, ensuring that all VA services will have timely, predictable funding in an era where continuing resolutions and threats of government shutdowns are all
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02.25.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Mike Michaud (ME-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, issued the following statement on First Lady Michelle Obama's address to the National Governors Association on Administration efforts to assist states in translating military training and experience into credit towards professional licenses.
"I share Mrs. Obama's view that while the war may be ending, delivering on our nation's promise to support those who have served
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02.14.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing on increasing the functionality of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) claims processing for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Veteran student advocate witnesses at the hearing testified that veterans continue to have concerns about delays and the ability to access information about their benefits.
"We have spent $263 million dollars on a system and questions still remain on
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02.13.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing today on the mental health care services provided to veterans. The hearing examined a broad range of issues, including veteran suicide, providing timely access and quality care, and the progress VA has made in a variety of areas concerning mental health.
"The VA's recent move to provide more accurate data on suicide rates among veterans is going to help us address this tragic problem. It's clear, however, that the
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02.12.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - - Today, Representative Mike Michaud (Maine-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, issued the following statement on the President's intention to reduce the number of U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan:
"As the war winds down, more of our men and women will take off the uniform and seek VA services. As such, we must recommit ourselves as a nation to ensuring all who've served and sacrificed receive the support they need here at
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02.06.13 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - The chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs today faulted the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs for backing off plans to create a single computer system to integrate electronic medical records for troops and veterans.
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said: "I am deeply disappointed by the VA and Defense Department decision to back away from a commitment to develop and implement
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