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Hearings: Witness List

Oversight Hearing on Department of Veterans Affairs
Life Insurance Program

(Washington, DC) – On Thursday, September 25 at 10:30 AM, the Subcommittee on Benefits (Chairman Henry Brown of South Carolina) conducted an oversight hearing of the Department of Veterans Affairs life insurance program, the seventh largest insurance program in the United States with five million individuals insured for $761 billion. VA provides life insurance benefits to veterans, servicemembers and their families that are not available from the commercial insurance industry due to lost or impaired insurability resulting from military service. Insurance coverage is provided in reasonable amounts at competitive premium rates.

Witnesses presenting testimony included Mr. Thomas Lastowka, Director of VA’s Regional Office and Insurance Center, Col. Virginia Penrod (USAF), Director Compensation, Military Personnel Policy at the Department of Defense, and representatives from the Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, AMVETS, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Panel 1 Mr. Thomas M. Lastowka Director, VA Regional Office and Insurance Center Veterans Benefits Administration (Prepared Testimony \| PDF) *Accompanied by:* Mr. Stephen Wurtz Deputy Assistant Director for Insurance Veterans Benefits Administration Mr. Mike Tarzian Chief, Actuarial Staff Veterans Benefits Administration Colonel Virginia S. Penrod (USAF) Director of Compensation, Military Personnel Policy Department of Defense (Prepared Testimony \| PDF) Panel 2 Mr. Brian Lawrence Assistant National Legislative Director Disabled American Veterans (Prepared Testimony \| PDF) Mr. Donald Mooney Assistant Director for Resource Development The American Legion (Prepared Testimony \| PDF) Mr. Richard Jones National Legislative Director AMVETS (Prepared Testimony \| PDF) Mr. Carl Blake Associate Legislative Director Paralyzed Veterans of America (Prepared Testimony \| PDF)	Chairman Brown, with Ranking Member Michaud, congratulates VA Insurance officials on receiving the Secretary's 2002 Robert W. Carey Quality Award

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	VA witness Thomas Lastowka and DOD witness Col. Virginia Penrod, USAF

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	Rep Bradley (R-NH) questions a witness

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	(L-R) Richard Jones (AMVETS), Donald Mooney (The American Legion), Brian Lawrence (DAV), Carl Blake (PVA)
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