Legislative Hearing on Hr 1750, Hr 1824, Hr
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LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 1750, H.R. 1824, H.R. 1598, H.R. 1315, H.R. 1240, H.R. 675, H.R. 513, H.R. 2259, H.R. 2475, H.R. 1632, H.R. 112, H.R. 2579, AND H.R. 1370 HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION JUNE 21, 2007 Serial No. 110–30 Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 37–468 WASHINGTON : 2008 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:17 May 30, 2008 Jkt 037468 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 E:\HR\OC\A468A.XXX A468A wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with HEARING COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS BOB FILNER, California, Chairman CORRINE BROWN, Florida STEVE BUYER, Indiana, Ranking VIC SNYDER, Arkansas CLIFF STEARNS, Florida MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine JERRY MORAN, Kansas STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN, South RICHARD H. BAKER, Louisiana Dakota HENRY E. BROWN, JR., South Carolina HARRY E. MITCHELL, Arizona JEFF MILLER, Florida JOHN J. HALL, New York JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas PHIL HARE, Illinois GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida MICHAEL F. DOYLE, Pennsylvania MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California JOHN T. SALAZAR, Colorado DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida JOE DONNELLY, Indiana VERN BUCHANAN, Florida JERRY MCNERNEY, California ZACHARY T. SPACE, Ohio TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota Malcom A. Shorter, Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN, South Dakota, Chairwoman JOE DONNELLY, Indiana JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas, Ranking JERRY MCNERNEY, California RICHARD H. BAKER, Louisiana JOHN J. HALL, New York JERRY MORAN, Kansas Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public hearing records of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs are also published in electronic form. The printed hearing record remains the official version. Because electronic submissions are used to prepare both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process of converting between various electronic formats may introduce unintentional errors or omissions. Such occur- rences are inherent in the current publication process and should diminish as the process is further refined. ii VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:17 May 30, 2008 Jkt 037468 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 E:\HR\OC\A468A.XXX A468A wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with HEARING C O N T E N T S June 21, 2007 Page Legislative Hearing on H.R. 1750, H.R. 1824, H.R. 1598, H.R. 1315, H.R. 1240, H.R. 675, H.R. 513, H.R. 2259, H.R. 2475, H.R. 1632, H.R. 112, H.R. 2579, and H.R. 1370 .................................................................................... 1 OPENING STATEMENTS Chairwoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin .............................................................. 1 Prepared statement of Chairwoman Herseth Sandlin .................................. 48 Hon. John Boozman, Ranking Republican Member, prepared statement of ...... 48 Hon. Ginny Brown-Waite ........................................................................................ 17 Hon. Timothy J. Walz .............................................................................................. 18 Prepared statement of Congressman Walz .................................................... 49 WITNESSES U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Keith Pedigo, Director, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans Benefits Administration ........................................................ 34 Prepared statement of Mr. Pedigo .................................................................. 83 American Legion, Ronald F. Chamrin, Assistant Director, Economic Commis- sion ........................................................................................................................ 21 Prepared statement of Mr. Chamrin .............................................................. 71 American Trucking Associations, Inc., Ray Kuntz, Chairman, and Chief Exec- utive Officer, Watkins and Shepard Trucking Company, Helena, MT ............ 27 Prepared statement of Mr. Kuntz ................................................................... 79 Brady, Hon. Robert A., a Representative in Congress from the State of Penn- sylvania ................................................................................................................. 4 Prepared statement of Congressman Brady ................................................... 51 Disabled American Veterans, Brian E. Lawrence, Assistant National Legisla- tive Director .......................................................................................................... 26 Prepared statement of Mr. Lawrence ............................................................. 78 Israel, Hon. Steve, a Representative in Congress from the State of New York ....................................................................................................................... 5 Prepared statement of Congressman Israel ................................................... 51 Jackson-Lee, Hon. Shelia, a Representative in Congress from the State of Texas ..................................................................................................................... 7 Prepared statement of Congresswoman Jackson-Lee .................................... 55 Michaud, Hon. Michael H., a Representative in Congress from the State of Maine ................................................................................................................ 15 Prepared statement of Congressman Michaud .............................................. 70 Reichert, Hon. David G., a Representative in Congress from the State of Washington ........................................................................................................... 16 Prepared statement of Congressman Reichert ............................................... 70 United States Olympic Committee, Charlie Huebner, Chief of U.S. Paralympics .......................................................................................................... 23 Prepared statement of Mr. Huebner ............................................................... 76 Welch, Hon. Peter, a Representative in Congress from the State of Vermont ... 13 Prepared statement of Congressman Welch ................................................... 67 Wynn, Hon. Albert Russell, a Representative in Congress from the State of Maryland .......................................................................................................... 2 Prepared statement of Congressman Wynn ................................................... 49 SUBMISSIONS FOR THE RECORD U.S. Department of Defense, Leslye A. Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy), statement ......................... 87 iii VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:17 May 30, 2008 Jkt 037468 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 E:\HR\OC\A468A.XXX A468A wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with HEARING Page U.S. Department of Labor, Hon. Charles S. Ciccolella, Assistant Secretary, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, statement ................................. 89 Blinded Veterans Association, Thomas Zampieri, Ph.D., Director of Govern- ment Relations, statement .................................................................................. 89 Davis, Hon. Jo Ann, a Representative in Congress from the State of Virginia, statement .............................................................................................................. 91 National Association of Mortgage Brokers, Harry H. Dinham, President, statement .............................................................................................................. 92 Vermont State Office of the Adjutant General, Michael D. Dubie, Major General, The Adjutant General, letter ............................................................... 69 MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD Newspaper Articles and Report: ‘‘Bills in the Napsack: A Law Gets Lost; Creditors Press Troops Despite Relief Act,’’ The New York Times, Late Edition—Final, March 28, 2005, Section A; Column 3, By Diana B. Henriques ............................................ 53 U.S. Government Accountability Office, Testimony of Cynthia A. Bascetta, Director, Healthcare—Veterans’ Health and Benefits Issues, Before the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, entitled: ‘‘VA Healthcare, More Outpatient Rehabilitation Services for Blind Veterans Could Bet- ter Meet Their Needs,’’ GAO–04–996T, July 22, 2004 ............................... 58 Post-Hearing Requests and Follow-up Administration Views on Legislation: Hon. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Eco- nomic Opportunity, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, to Leslye A. Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy), U.S. Department of Defense, letter dated October 23, 2007, requesting Administration views on H.R. 513, H.R. 1598, and H.R. 1750 ................................................................................................................ 94 Hon. Gordon H. Mansfield, Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Vet- erans Affairs, to Hon. Bob Filner, Chairman, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, letter dated October 26, 2007, transmitting Administration’s views and estimates for H.R. 704, H.R. 2259, and H.R. 1824 ..................