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U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 

Oversight Hearing on the Effectiveness and Strategic

 Planning of Veterans Employment and 

Training Service Program

September 27, 2000 

CHAIRMAN TERRY EVERETT

CLOSING STATEMENT

I want to thank all of our witnesses today for giving the

Subcommittee the benefit of their testimony.   

Very little has changed at VETS since this Subcommittee’s hearing last year.  The strategic and performance plans have been improved somewhat in format, but at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a consultant to do the work. This program continues to spend a lot of money to help only a few veterans.  VETS still has no vision and no real plan with substance for the future.  There’s a revolution going on in employment services in the 50 states and VETS is missing in action.   

Last year I recommended giving VETS a time certain to greatly improve its performance and planning, and if no improvement was shown the program should be drastically overhauled.   I have not changed my opinion.  VETS has still not shown sufficient improvement.  The program continues to be in desperate need of a drastic overhaul.   

We have heard today from individuals representing private companies and organizations and governmental institutions.  Each witness offered exciting ideas and new approaches to the common goal of helping this nation’s veterans get good jobs.   

This Committee also offered an alternative to the status quo in the form of bipartisan legislation—HR4765.  The Honorable Anthony Principi, Chairman of the Transition Commission, testified in July 2000, at the Benefits Subcommittee hearing on that legislation, and stated:  

“the bill is nothing short of visionary…a new, nationwide delivery system that I believe will unleash both worldwide and world-class service for servicemembers and veterans…a well-spring of growth and change…a bill that unleashes state and local innovations and energy in service delivery rather than surpressing energy by outdated, process-oriented rules and equal funding for unequal performance.”     

Veterans deserve much better service than this program has been delivering.  The time for change is now. 

This hearing is adjourned.

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