About the Chairman | About the Committee | Committee News | Committee Hearings | Committee Documents | Committee Legislation | VA Benefits | VA Health Care | Veterans' Links | Democrat's Home Page | Contact the Committee

Remarks of Honorable Lane Evans

Ranking Democratic Member

House Committee on Veterans Affairs

Before the

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing

Strategic Planning of the

Veterans Employment and Training Service

September 27, 2000

Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Brown, I want to thank you for holding this hearing.  Last year this subcommittee held a hearing on the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) strategic planning which left a number of questions unresolved.  

Today at this hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, we are concerned with results.  What “bang for the buck” is America getting from VETS?  I have cautioned repeatedly that the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) requires consultation with Congress.  Meaningful consultation between VETS and Congress on veteran employment and training issues is critically important.  

GPRA envisions a real working relationship.  This year, VETS has begun working in earnest with congressional staff, as well as the General Accounting Office (GAO).  The briefings and - more to the point, the real working meetings - have in my opinion sharpened the strategic planning efforts VETS has made this year.  Mr. Chairman, I think VETS understood our message last year.  Today I hope we will see how much progress has been made. 

Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Brown, today’s hearing will necessarily focus on data.  We will be hearing about the Federal Data Corporation’s Internal Controls and Data Capacity Assessment report, which contained a number of far-reaching recommendations.  We face some questions:

1.     How can VETS move to performing “triage” for those with more barriers to employment?

2.     In a mostly self-service environment, can VETS information sources capture sufficient data to support performance reporting?

3.     Where raw data on individuals is lacking, how strong is VETS data integrity? 

The G.I. Bill of Rights at the end of World War II recognized the importance of having a decent job for veterans returning from service to their Nation.  That goal was later codified in title 38, United States Code, which says in the current version of Chapter 41:  “As long as unemployment and underemployment continue as serious problems among disabled and Vietnam-era veterans, alleviating unemployment and underemployment among such veterans is a national responsibility.”  That vision still deserves the best service. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  I want to thank our witnesses for coming this morning.  As always, I look forward to hearing from all of the witnesses here today.  I respect, as always, the work of the General Accounting Office.  I appreciate your testimony, and I look forward to your presentations.

Back to Witness List