Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning.

Yesterday, we reached a milestone.  It was eighty years ago - on July 21, 1930 - that President Herbert Hoover first established what we now know as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Since that day, VA has endeavored to fulfill their mission to “care for those who have borne the battle”.  For those who return from battle carrying the very worst wounds of war, including spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), amputation, and blindness the VA has developed specialized services to meet their unique rehabilitative needs.  Providing these types of services to our very highest priority veterans is the backbone of the Department.

Since 1996, Congress has mandated that the VA maintain capacity for these specialized rehabilitative services.  And, in 2004, Congress enacted legislation to provide comprehensive services for severely injured service members suffering with complex injuries resulting from blast injuries.  This came to be called VA’s Polytrauma System of Care.

More than 2.1 million servicemembers have been deployed since October 2001.  As of April 3, one thousand five hundred and fifty two have suffered amputations in Iraq or Afghanistan. Countless others have suffered TBI, SCI, eye trauma, hearing loss, or other severe combat wounds. These young heroes are going to require a lifetime of rehabilitation and highly skilled medical services and support. They risked life and limb in our name and in return it is our responsibility to provide them with the care they require and so dearly deserve.

As the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan persist, the specialized care given in VA Medical, Polytrauma, Spinal Cord Injury, and Blind Rehabilitation Centers continue to take on increased importance.

We must diligently prioritize investment in specialized services, medical research, and recruitment to have all the tools necessary to provide all veterans and especially our most severely wounded veterans with an active and full life characterized by independence, functionality, and achievement.

I’m grateful to all our panelists and audience members for being here this morning and I yield back.