The hearing we had on September 11, gave the Subcommittee a brief insight into the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) current status on the outsourcing for the G.I. Bill implementation.  Unfortunately, it left us with more unanswered questions than answers.  The primary purpose of last week’s hearing was to give VA an opportunity to brief Congress about how they intend to implement Public Law 110-252.  We wanted to know the primary plan, VA’s contingency plan and how the contractor fit into VA’s vision.

In that hearing we received testimony from the VA that the original time frame to develop and implement a new IT system was 2013.  Implementation of this IT system four years ahead of schedule as mandated by Public Law 110-252, increases my apprehension towards VA’s capabilities to successfully implement the new G.I. Bill.  This is a major concern and we will continue to observe VA’s progress every step of the way.

My main concern is over the VA’s lack of information on the implementation plan as required by Public Law 110-252 and a contingency plan should the contractor fail.  Rather than providing us with peace of mind over the implementation process, the VA was unable to discuss their implementation plan and their own fail safe plan.  According to the VA, they should have a complete contingency plan 30 to 45 days after awarding a contract.  My colleagues and I have serious doubts that VA is planning for the worst case scenario.  The Subcommittee and all stakeholders seek assurance from the VA that no matter what is done, VA will be able to process veterans educational benefits on August 1, 2009.

Today we hope to learn more about the VA’s plan to implement Public Law 110-252, the Subcommittee needs to have a clear understanding of the VA’s primary plan, and the private contractor’s vision for meeting the VA goal.

Finally, I am glad to know that we have a witness the Department of Defense (DoD) today.  Having a DoD witness will also allow us to address any concerns or issues that might arise from this important partnership.  We all now that VA and DoD will be working together to execute Chapter 33 benefits, DoD plays an important role in this partnership by sharing important data elements and confidential information.  We all want to ensure that this is done successfully, not just for the VA but for those veterans who have earned this benefit.