Sen. Daniel K. Akaka Holds a Hearing On the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget for Veterans Programs

Political Transcript Wire › August 24, 2009

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Sen. Daniel K. Akaka Holds a Hearing On the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget for Veterans Programs

SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS HOLDS A HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 BUDGET FOR VETERANS PROGRAMS

FEBRUARY 13, 2008

SPEAKERS: SEN. DANIEL K. AKAKA, D-HAWAII CHAIRMAN SEN. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, D-W.VA. SEN. PATTY MURRAY, D-WASH. SEN. BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL. SEN. SHERROD BROWN, D-OHIO SEN. JON TESTER, D-MONT. SEN. JIM WEBB, D-VA.

SEN. BERNARD SANDERS, I-VT.

SEN. RICHARD M. BURR, R-N.C. RANKING MEMBER SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, R-PA. SEN. LARRY E. CRAIG, R-IDAHO SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, R-TEXAS SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. SEN. JOHN ENSIGN, R-NEV. SEN. JOHNNY ISAKSON, R-GA.

WITNESSES: SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS JAMES PEAKE

DANIEL L. COOPER, UNDERSECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR BENEFITS

MICHAEL J. KUSSMAN, UNDERSECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR HEALTH

WILLIAM F. TUERK, UNDERSECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

ROBERT J. HENKE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR MANAGEMENT

ROBERT HOWARD, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY

PAUL J. HUTTER, GENERAL COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

CARL BLAKE, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

KERRY BAKER, ASSOCIATE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

RAYMOND C. KELLEY, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, AMVETS

CHRISTOPHER NEEDHAM, SENIOR LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATE, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

PETER S. GAYTAN, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION COMMISSION, AMERICAN LEGION

JOHN ROWAN, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA

[*] AKAKA: Aloha, and welcome to everyone.

Before we begin, I ask for a moment of silence to honor the memory of a long-time member of the veterans' community, Richard Fuller, who died last evening.

Richard began his work on veterans' issues in the late 1970s when he joined the staff of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Later, and for many years after that, Richard was a tireless and tenacious advocate for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Today's hearing is just the sort of event for which he would have prepared testimony or appeared or both. His intelligence and sharp wit were such effective tools in helping policy-makers to truly understand the needs of veterans and our responsibility to them.

Richard will be greatly missed by those who knew and worked with him. So let's have a moment of silence for Richard.

We thank God for Richard and blessings to him and his family.

Again, aloha, and welcome to all. When the president released billions of dollars in contingency funding last month, he put the V.A. on course to make the improvements that we all know are needed.

It was my sincerest hope that the F.Y. '09 budget would build upon that financial commitment. After all, the challenges facing veterans grow more complex as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. Yet in his very last budget submitted to this body, the president is proposing limited funding overall and at the same time some very severe cutbacks to key programs.

The administration is quick to talk that this latest budget, if enacted, would nearly double the budget, in effect, since President Bush took office seven years ago. This statement ignores the fact that it was the work of Congress which has, on average, doubled the president's request each and every year.

While the administration is requesting a straightforward increase for V.A., an even greater level of resources must be dedicated to care for the newest veterans and for their very specific needs. The administration has consistently underestimated the impact that Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom would have on the V.A. care system.

An even more pressing concern is the need for V.A. to do a better job of reaching out to these veterans and bringing them into the fold for care. Preventing suicide and healing invisible wounds, especially for members of the Guard and Reserves, takes a much more aggressive approach than is embodied in this budget.

It is also true that the budget before us targets key areas for significant funding cuts. To cut V.A. research again is incredibly short-sighted. To cut the inspector general's office again, the central gear in oversight efforts, I feel is unwise. And to drastically cut construction at a time when V.A. should be upgrading its infrastructure is reckless and will prove to be quite costly.

On the benefit side of the ledge...

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