10.11.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after House Republicans almost shut the government down and have now forced work in the House to a halt with their Speakership fight:
“Many Americans might look at this chaos and dysfunction we are seeing from House Republicans and say that’s just DC politicians. They may think it might not affect them. But this has very real consequences.
House Republicans played
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09.19.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - In case you missed it: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) has been selected by Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) to receive one of its Legislator of the Year awards, which recognizes outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of wounded, ill, and injured veterans.?
“I am honored to receive this award from the Wounded Warrior Project. In the 117th Congress I had the privilege of serving as Chairman of the House
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09.14.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following remarks, as prepared, at the beginning of the Full Committee’s oversight hearing on the status and implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization Program:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today to discuss this critical project at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
I want to start off by
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09.13.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) introduced the Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition, or EVEST Act (H.R. 5416). By automatically enrolling eligible servicemembers in VA healthcare during their transition out of the military, the EVEST Act will simplify the transition process and take critical steps toward preventing veteran suicide.
“I'm proud to reintroduce this important, commonsense legislation that will simplify the
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08.09.23 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after reports of technical difficulties with Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) PACT Act benefits application website just hours before the deadline to apply for backdated benefits:
“My staff has been briefed by VA about the small number of veterans who received an error message or experienced a system time-out while attempting to submit
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08.09.23 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA— Yesterday, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, visited the VA Loma Linda Health Care System. Together, they met with the local VA leadership team and union leaders, held a veteran roundtable, and conducted two VA employee town halls. They also visited the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Loma Linda, CA; the VA
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08.08.23 • Press Release
RIVERSIDE, CA – Today House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after the announcement that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) have signed a new contract for over 300,000 employees:
“I applaud VA Secretary Denis McDonough, his team, and the dedicated civil-servants at AFGE for coming to an agreement that has been years in the making. Anyone who
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07.28.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and House Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member David Scott (GA-13) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack in support of veterans experiencing food insecurity and their eligibility for food programs.
In the letter the members said, “We thank you for releasing guidance that defines ‘veteran’ for purposes of the SNAP exemption
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07.27.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after voting against the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs government funding bill:
“I fought to ensure the Toxic Exposure Fund (TEF), created by my law, the Honoring our PACT Act, would be fully funded through this year’s appropriations process to ensure toxic-exposed veterans can get the care and benefits they have earned. It is also
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07.26.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC — Today House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the Full Committee Markup of 11 bills, including the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act and the Student Veterans Benefits Restoration Act:
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Several items on today’s markup agenda represent the results of bipartisan compromise and hours of staff negotiation.
I
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07.18.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC — Today House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the Full Committee Legislative Hearing to discuss concerns about the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act (H.R. 705) and how it could affect veterans suicide:
Thank you, Chairman Bost. And thank you to all our witnesses for being here today.
Speaking to H.R. 705, this bill is
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06.16.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano issued the below statement in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant program. The grant program was established in 1948 by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide support to paraplegic veterans returning home from war, in adapting their homes to meet their unique needs.
The Ranking Member said, “As we mark the 75th
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06.15.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - In case you missed it: Yesterday, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following remarks, as prepared, during the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity legislative hearing:
"Today, this subcommittee is considering two bills: Congresswoman Nikema William’s H.R. 491, the Return Home to Housing Act, and Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer's H.R. 3848, the HOME Act of 2023. I’m bothered by the delay in getting here
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06.12.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) and Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) introduced the Autonomy for All Disabled Veterans Act, which will help disabled veterans make accessibility improvements to their homes.
"Making sure our veterans can live comfortably after serving is one of the ways we can show our gratitude for their sacrifices," said Sorensen. "This bill helps veterans who need this critical support transition
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05.31.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) released the following statement after voting to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement:
“This evening I voted for the Bipartisan Budget Agreement. During the lead up to this bill’s negotiation, as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I drew a firm red line around the funding needed to give veterans the care and benefits they have earned. When
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05.25.23 • Press Release
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after joining Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in defense of veterans from a Republican-manufactured default during Leader Jeffries’s Weekly Press Conference.
“House Republicans are attempting to cover up their inability to govern and obfuscate the real task at hand: paying the bills we already
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05.23.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the beginning of the oversight hearing on how the Department of Veterans Affairs used funding provided by Congress during the COVID public health emergency:
Thank you, Chairman Bost.
During the Great Influenza epidemic, more than 100 years ago, it is estimated 50 million people died worldwide due to the lack of pharmaceutical
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05.16.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement after Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee unveiled their Military Construction/VA appropriations bill today:
“After many months of evasion, House Republicans have finally unveiled their plan for our nation’s veterans – and it isn’t nearly good enough. House Republicans have shortchanged the Toxic Exposure Fund. Republicans have
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05.12.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC) Ranking Member Mark Takano spoke at a press conference with U.S. VETS about the expiration of authorities that the Department of Veterans Affairs has been using to support and house homeless veterans. Earlier this week, Ranking Member Takano sounded the alarm about these authorities expiring yesterday.Ranking Member Takano's remarks as prepared:
Thank you Mr. Lewis and to U.S. Vets for hosting us
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05.09.23 • Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (CA-39) is sounding the alarm that authorities that have been helping homeless veterans for the last two years will expire on Thursday, May 11th. These authorities, created during the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency, have helped thousands of veterans get housed and access services.
“Ending homelessness and food insecurity have been top priorities for the House Veterans’
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