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1 Union Calendar No. 493 108th Congress, 2d Session –––––––––– House Report 108–808 ACTIVITIES REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION Convened January 7, 2003 Adjourned December 8, 2003 SECOND SESSION Convened January 20, 2004 Adjourned December 7, 2004 JANUARY 3, 2005—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 97–054 WASHINGTON : 2005 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) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5012 Sfmt 5012 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 congress.#13 COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman MICHAEL BILIRAKIS, Florida LANE EVANS, Illinois TERRY EVERETT, Alabama BOB FILNER, California STEVE BUYER, Indiana LUIS V. GUTIERREZ, Illinois JACK QUINN, New York CORRINE BROWN, Florida CLIFF STEARNS, Florida VIC SNYDER, Arkansas JERRY MORAN, Kansas CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas RICHARD H. BAKER, Louisiana MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine ROB SIMMONS, Connecticut DARLENE HOOLEY, Oregon HENRY E. BROWN, JR., South Carolina TED STRICKLAND, Ohio JEFF MILLER, Florida SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas TOM UDALL, New Mexico JEB BRADLEY, New Hampshire SUSAN A. DAVIS, California BOB BEAUPREZ, Colorado TIM RYAN, Ohio GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida STEPHANIE HERSETH, South Dakota RICK RENZI, Arizona TIM MURPHY, Pennsylvania PATRICK E. RYAN, Chief Counsel and Staff Director ———–——— 1 February 5, 2003—Rep. Michael H. Michaud was appointed to the Committee. 2 February 12, 2003—Rep. Jim Gibbons resigned from the Committee to serve on the Select Committee on Homeland Security. 3 February 13, 2003—Rep. Darlene Hooley, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Rep. Ted Strickland, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Tom Udall, Rep. Susan A. Davis, and Rep. Tim Ryan were appointed to the Committee. 4 February 25, 2003—Rep. Tim Murphy was appointed to the Committee. 5 June 16, 2004—Rep. Silvestre Reyes resigned from the Committee. 6 June 16, 2004—Rep. Stephanie Herseth was appointed to the Committee. (II) VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH ROB SIMMONS, Connecticut, Chairman JERRY MORAN, Kansas CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas RICHARD H. BAKER, Louisiana BOB FILNER, California JEFF MILLER, Florida VIC SNYDER, Arkansas JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas TED STRICKLAND, Ohio JEB BRADLEY, New Hampshire SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada BOB BEAUPREZ, Colorado TIM RYAN, Ohio GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida LUIS V. GUTIERREZ, Illinois RICK RENZI, Arizona CORRINE BROWN, Florida CLIFF STEARNS, Florida DARLENE HOOLEY, Oregon TIM MURPHY, Pennsylvania SUBCOMMITTEE ON BENEFITS HENRY E. BROWN, JR., South Carolina, Chairman JACK QUINN, New York MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine JEFF MILLER, Florida SUSAN A. DAVIS, California JEB BRADLEY, New Hampshire CORRINE BROWN, Florida GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida STEPHANIE HERSETH, South Dakota SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS STEVE BUYER, Indiana, Chairman MICHAEL BILIRAKIS, Florida DARLENE HOOLEY, Oregon TERRY EVERETT, Alabama LANE EVANS, Illinois JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas BOB FILNER, California VACANCY TOM UDALL, New Mexico (III) VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 COMMITTEE STAFF PATRICK E. RYAN, Chief Counsel and Staff Director CHARLES M. DURISHIN, Democratic Staff Director (January 3, 2003–May 17, 2003) JAMES H. HOLLEY, Democratic Staff Director (May 18, 2003) KINGSTON E. SMITH,* Deputy Chief Counsel ARTHUR K. WU, Deputy Staff Director/Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations LEAH M. BOOTH, Democratic Executive Assistant, Subcommittees on Benefits and Health JOHN M. BRADLEY,* Staff Director, Subcommittee on Health GEOFFREY K. COLLVER, Democratic Counsel, Subcommittee on Benefits VERONICA CROWE, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations PETER A. DICKINSON, Communications Director BERNADINE N. DOTSON, Office Manager DOLORES DUNN, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Health SUSAN C. EDGERTON, Democratic Staff Director, Subcommittee on Health KEVIN J. GASH, Democratic Professional Staff Member KATHLEEN S. GREVE, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Health DARRYL W. KEHRER, Staff Director, Subcommittee on Benefits SARAH KELLER-LIKINS, Democratic Executive Assistant, Subcommittee on Health STEVEN R. KIRKLAND, Director of Information Systems SUMMER L. LARSON, Staff Assistant, Legislative RUTH J. MAHNKEN, Democratic Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations MARY ELLEN MC CARTHY, Democratic Staff Director, Subcommittee on Benefits MARY STEVENS MCDERMOTT, Administrative and Financial Assistant/Chief Clerk JONATHAN M. MCKAY, Staff Assistant, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations PAIGE E. MCMANUS, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Benefits JEANNE M. MCNALLY, Legislative Coordinator HOLLY M. PALMER, Staff Assistant, Legislative VIRGINIA E. RICHARDSON, Democratic Executive Assistant, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations DEVON E. SEIBERT, Staff Assistant, Subcommittee on Benefits LEONARD A. SISTEK, JR., Democratic Staff Director, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations TANYA J. SKYPECK, Staff Assistant, Front Office DEBORAH A. SMITH, Democratic Administrative Assistant/Executive Assistant, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations JEREMIAH B. TAN, Printing Clerk STACY H. ZELENSKI, Research Assistant, Subcommittee on Health ———–——— * On November 19, 2004, John M. Bradley was named Staff Director and Kingston E. Smith was named Chief Counsel. (V) VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 LETTER OF SUBMITTAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, Washington, DC, January 3, 2005 Hon. JEFF TRANDAHL, Clerk, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. TRANDAHL: In accordance with Clause 1(d) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I submit herewith the report of the Com- mittee on Veterans’ Affairs setting forth its activities in reviewing and studying the application, administration, and execution of those laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of our committee. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, Chairman (VII) VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42 Jan 03, 2005 Jkt 097054 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\HR808.XXX HR808 FOREWORD The 108th Congress made substantial progress in strengthening and reforming federal programs benefiting veterans and their fami- lies. With the War on Terror being fought every day in Iraq, Af- ghanistan and other locations around the world, the 108th Con- gress continued to fulfill our Nation’s obligations to provide health care services, compensation, and transition benefits to servicemembers, veterans, and their families. In the past two years, veterans health care services became more comprehensive, accessible, and timely. Compensation benefits for disabled veterans were expanded and increased. Civil, legal and job protections for servicemembers and veterans were strengthened. Education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship programs for transitioning veterans were improved. The national cemetery system honoring our veterans was authorized to further expand to meet future needs. Through steady oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there have been measurable reductions in fraud, waste, and mismanagement, as well as record increases in third party collec- tions that go directly back into VA to fund veterans’ health care. Major Committee Legislation—The Veterans Benefits Improve- ment Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–454) strengthens VA education, training and employment programs; enhances VA disability and compensation programs; expands VA’s home loan programs; and strengthens veterans’ and servicemembers’ legal protections. Major provisions of Public Law 108–454, as enacted: • Increase VA’s monthly MGIB educational assistance for ap- prenticeship and on-the-job training programs; • Authorize VA to pay benefits for competency-based apprentice- ships, which are predicated upon the mastery of job skills rather than a set time period for training; • Provide an additional $250 in dependency and indemnity com- pensation (DIC) paid monthly to surviving spouses with one or more children under age 18 for a two-year transition period; • Increase the maximum VA home loan guaranty to 25 percent of the Freddie Mac conforming loan amount for a single-family residence (currently from $240,000 to $333,700) and annually index it to Freddie Mac. The Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–422) strengthens VA’s homeless, long term care, and nursing programs; authorizes new and expanded VA outpatient clinics; and establishes new research and education centers for vet- erans with multi-traumatic combat injuries. Major provisions of Public Law 108–422, as enacted: (IX) VerDate Aug 04 2004 22:42