Hearing Stresses Need To Improve Situation For Vets. The Army Times (2/26, Kennedy) reports, "After several standing ovations from at least 300 Disabled American Veterans," one "could almost assume everyone was reading from the same page at a joint hearing" of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs "committees Feb. 24. And, at least rhetorically, they were - specifically the page that says," among other things, "eliminate the backlog of 400,000 benefits claims" and "get the Veterans Affairs Department budget done on time. 'The only question is whether our government has the will to live up to our nation's veterans,' said Raymond Dempsey, national commander of Disabled American Veterans." Dempsey, who "praised new VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and President Barack Obama for saying they would like to reform the budget process so that it is...on time every" year, "said VA's benefits delivery system can be reformed only if the...VA employees get better training."
Impact: VA Reputation

Boozman Introduces Six Veterans' Assistance Bills. On its website, KARK-TV Little Rock, AR (2/25) reported, "Arkansas' Third District Congressman is reaching out to our country's newest veterans." On Wednesday, US Rep. John Boozman, the ranking Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, "introduced legislation aimed at expanding assistance to veterans for job training, housing accommodations and education opportunities. Among the six pieces of legislation is a bill named after Pat Tillman," a former pro football player "killed in the line of duty while serving in Afghanistan." The Pat Tillman Veterans' Scholarship Initiative "directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include a list of organizations that provide scholarships to veterans and their survivors on the VA website."
Impact: VA Reputation, Congressional Agenda

Akaka Praised For Introducing Veterans' Emergency Fairness Act. The syndicated "Sgt. Shaft" column, appearing in the Washington Times (2/26, Fales), gives kudos to US Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, "for introducing the Veterans' Emergency Fairness Act of 2009," which "would enable the Department of Veterans Affairs...to reimburse veterans enrolled with VA for the remaining costs of emergency treatment received outside" of the VA's healthcare system "if the veteran has outside insurance that covers just part of the cost. Under current law, VA can reimburse veterans or pay outside hospitals directly only if a veteran has no outside health insurance." The bill would also "allow the secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide retroactive reimbursements back to May 2000, when the VA was first authorized generally to cover the cost of outside emergency care for veterans enrolled with VA for their care."
Impact: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

Subcommittee To Receive Update On New GI Bill. In its "Today at a Glance" column, CQ (2/26) says that during a hearing on Thursday, the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee will "receive an update on strategies used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement the provisions of the new" GI Bill. CQ notes that the hearing is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. in 334 Cannon.

Impact: 9/11 GI Bill