Union Calendar No. 420 111Th Congress, 2D Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Report 111–697
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1 Union Calendar No. 420 111th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Report 111–697 ACTIVITIES REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION Convened January 6, 2009 Adjourned December 23, 2009 SECOND SESSION Convened January 5, 2010 Adjourned January 2, 2011 DECEMBER 30, 2010.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 99–006 WASHINGTON : 2011 VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4012 Sfmt 4012 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS Congress.#13 COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS BOB FILNER, California, Chairman CORRINE BROWN, Florida STEVE BUYER, Indiana VIC SNYDER, Arkansas CLIFF STEARNS, Florida MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine JERRY MORAN, Kansas STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN, South HENRY E. BROWN, JR., South Carolina Dakota JEFF MILLER, Florida HARRY E. MITCHELL, Arizona JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas JOHN J. HALL, New York BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California DEBORAH L. HALVORSON, Illinois DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado THOMAS S.P. PERRIELLO, Virginia GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida HARRY TEAGUE, New Mexico VERN BUCHANAN, Florida CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee JOE DONNELLY, Indiana JERRY MCNERNEY, California ZACHARY T. SPACE, Ohio TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota JOHN H. ADLER, New Jersey ANN KIRKPATRICK, Arizona GLENN C. NYE, Virginia MALCOM A. SHORTER, Staff Director January 2, 2009—Chairman Bob Filner and Ranking Minority Member Steve Buyer were ap- pointed to the Committee. January 9, 2009—Representatives Cliff Stearns of Florida; Jerry Moran of Kansas; Henry E. Brown, Jr. of South Carolina; Jeff Miller of Florida; John Boozman of Arkansas; Michael R. Turner of Ohio; Brian P. Bilbray of California; Gus M. Bilirakis of Florida, Vern Buchanan of Florida, and Steve Scalise of Louisiana were appointed to the Committee. January 13, 2009—Representative Michael R. Turner of Ohio resigned from the Committee. January 20, 2009—Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana resigned from the Committee. January 21, 2009—Representatives Corrine Brown of Florida; Vic Snyder of Arkansas; Mi- chael H. Michaud of Maine; Stephanie Herseth Sandlin of South Dakota; Harry E. Mitchell of Arizona; John J. Hall of New York; Deborah L. Halvorson of Illinois; Thomas S.P. Perriello of Virginia; Harry Teague of New Mexico; Ciro D. Rodriguez of Texas; Joe Donnelly of Indiana; Jerry McNerney of California; Zachary T. Space of Ohio; Timothy J. Walz of Minnesota; John H. Adler of New Jersey; Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona; and Glenn C. Nye of Virginia were ap- pointed to the Committee. January 22, 2009—Representative Doug Lamborn of Colorado was appointed to the Com- mittee to rank after Representative Bilbray. David P. Roe of Tennessee was appointed to the Committee. (II) VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS SUBCOMMITTEES SUBCOMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS JOHN J. HALL, New York, Chairman DEBORAH L. HALVORSON, Illinois DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado JOE DONNELLY, Indiana JEFF MILLER, Florida CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California ANN KIRKPATRICK, Arizona SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN, South Dakota, Chairwoman THOMAS S.P. PERRIELLO, Virginia JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas JOHN H. ADLER, New Jersey JERRY MORAN, Kansas ANN KIRKPATRICK, Arizona GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida HARRY TEAGUE, New Mexico SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine, Chairman CORRINE BROWN, Florida HENRY E. BROWN, JR., South Carolina VIC SNYDER, Arkansas CLIFF STEARNS, Florida HARRY TEAGUE, New Mexico JERRY MORAN, Kansas CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas JOE DONNELLY, Indiana GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida JERRY MCNERNEY, California VERN BUCHANAN, Florida GLENN C. NYE, Virginia DEBORAH L. HALVORSON, Illinois THOMAS S.P. PERRIELLO, Virginia SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS HARRY E. MITCHELL, Arizona, Chairman ZACHARY T. SPACE, Ohio DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota CLIFF STEARNS, Florida JOHN H. ADLER, New Jersey BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California JOHN J. HALL, New York (III) VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS COMMITTEE STAFF MALCOM A. SHORTER, Staff Director KINGSTON E. SMITH, Republican Staff Director and Chief Counsel TONY J. BUCKLES, Chief of Staff DAVID M. TUCKER, Chief Counsel GEOFFREY G. BESTOR, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (5/7/ 07–3/13/09) CAROLYN BLAYDES, Executive Assistant (6/4/09) MICHAEL F. BRINK, Republican Staff Director, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity JEFFREY A. BURDETTE, Legislative Assistant, Subcommittee on Health TODD C. CHAMBERS, Legislative Assistant, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations JONATHAN A. CLARK, Republican Professional Staff Member, Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs and Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Press Secretary DEBORAH S. COLLIER, Republican Legislative Director, Full Committee and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations KRISTAL L. DEKLEER, Communications Director BERNADINE N. DOTSON, Financial Administrator DOLORES A. DUNN, Republican Staff Director, Subcommittee on Health MERL T. ETHINGTON, Legislative Assistant (2/16/10) SHERIE´ D. FERRIGNO, Republican Executive Assistant, Full Committee, Press JACQUELINE GARRICK, Professional Staff Director, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (11/5/07–11/20/09) SAMANTHA E. GONZALEZ, Republican Legislative Assistant (2/16/10) MARTIN L. HERBERT, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (4/6/09) TALIB KARIM, Professional Staff Member and Counsel, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (2/2/10) DIANE K. KIRKLAND, Printing Clerk JUAN LARA, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity BRIAN E. LAWRENCE, Republican Staff Director, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Communications Director JAVIER D. MARTINEZ, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity CAROL S. MURRAY, Office Manager ANDREW A. NOWAK, Staff Assistant (2/1/07–7/23/10) KRISTY A. PARK, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Health KIMBERLY W. ROSS, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs RISA E. SALSBURG, Republican Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Health (6/1/05– 1/15/10) SHARON E. SCHULTZE, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Health (1/3/07–1/11/10) DEBORAH A. SMITH, Legislative Coordinator SHANNON L. TAYLOR, Committee Clerk (2/5/07–7/23/10) CECELIA M. THOMAS, Legislative Assistant, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (6/9/10) ORFA A. TORRES, Legislative Assistant, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity DION S. TRAHAN, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations TIMOTHY M. WELTER, Republican Professional Staff Member CATHLEEN C. WIBLEMO, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Health DANIEL M. WILKINS, Committee Clerk (8/24/10) MEGAN A. WILLIAMS, Executive Assistant, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (3/5/08–5/3/10) ARTHUR K. WU, Republican Deputy Staff Director, Republican Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations JIAN IZA C. ZAPATA, Senior Executive Assistant (V) VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS Washington, DC, December 3, 2010. Hon. LORRAINE MILLER, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Washington, DC. DEAR MS. MILLER: In accordance with clause 1(d) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I submit herewith the report of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs setting forth its activi- ties in reviewing and studying the application, administration, and execution of those laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of our committee. Sincerely, BOB FILNER, Chairman (VII) VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:14 Jan 07, 2011 Jkt 099006 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\HR697.XXX HR697 mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with HEARINGS FOREWORD The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs set an aggressive agenda for the 111th Congress which culminated in the passage of comprehensive legislation to improve health care and expand bene- fits for America’s veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides patient care and benefits for veterans and works to provide a seamless transition for those servicemembers returning home from battle. There are hundreds of thousands of new vet- erans from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and other military operations around the world. The VA also serves veterans from past conflicts, including World War II, Vietnam, Korea, Desert Shield, and Desert Storm.