OPENING STATEMENT HONORABLE LANE EVANS Hearing on VA Loan Guaranty Program March 16, 2000\
Thank you, Mr. Everett and Ms. Brown for holding this hearing today. The VA Home Loan Guaranty Program remains a pillar of the veterans benefits system authorized by Congress. It needs to be conducted on a sound basis, and in a customer-friendly manner. It is important that Congress review it periodically. I noticed in this morning’s paper that Fannie Mae, the nation's largest provider of mortgage funding, now plans to earmark $2 trillion over the next decade for loans to minorities. This is long overdue. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Andrew M. Cuomo, who is mandated by Congress to set housing goals for Fannie Mae, says Fannie Mae needs to do more for under-served groups. I note this because, in contrast to Fannie Mae, VA has an excellent record of serving minority veterans. Still, VA must not be the last resort of veterans who are shut out elsewhere. I expect to hear more on this important aspect of VA’s services this morning. Just yesterday we learned that VA has received its eagerly-awaited audits from the Inspector General. VA received a clean audit for fiscal years 1998 and 1999. My hope is that VA will use these excellent audits as a benchmark, and that such audits will become a new part of VA’s culture and its performance goal.s I look forward to hearing from VA and from the Inspector General’s Office. The input of our customers, from the non-profit veterans service organizations and military organizations is always helpful in making improvements, and in knowing what VA is doing right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Back to Witness List |