Good afternoon and thank you Chairman Filner and Chairman Akaka.

It’s a pleasure to welcome the Disabled American Veterans to Capitol Hill for its 2008 Mid-Winter Conference.  It is always an honor to be with people who have served America and who have sacrificed so much to protect the liberty of others.

When the DAV was formed during the aftermath of World War I, your founding members dedicated the organization to helping soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who suffered injuries and illnesses while serving our nation.  I cannot think of a more laudable mission, and I hope the DAV will never lose sight of its focus on serving America’s wounded warriors.

Times change, but helping these most honorable citizens is still the right priority.

Commander Reynolds, I want to welcome you and thank you for your service and for your testimony this morning.  You not only served our country in the Army but have continued to serve in the Department of Veterans Affairs.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts on veterans’ issues.

I also want to recognize the DAV Auxiliary and its National Commander, Kathryn Wiley.

Commander Wiley, I thank you, and the entire Auxiliary, for its idealism and faithful service to disabled veterans.  We all know the valuable service and support the auxiliary provides and I am proud that it is here with us today.  I would also like to take a moment to recognize and welcome DAV members and fellow Hoosiers from my home state of Indiana.

Joining us this afternoon from the DAV Department of Indiana are:

• DAV National Board of Directors member Bill Bottom
• State Commander Jim Thurau
• Department Adjutant Mike Whelihan 
• Interim Committee for Legislative Affairs member Joseph Carrol

I am also honored that the DAV National Service Officer Staff from Indianapolis is well represented here this afternoon:

• Supervisor Tony Craig
•  Assistant Supervisor Don Inns and
• NSO Deandre Greer

Gentlemen, I am well aware of the tremendous effort the NSO office puts forth in serving Indiana’s disabled veterans and their families.  Not only do you put in long hours, but you also spend a considerable amount of time on the road each year performing outreach to Indiana’s small towns and rural areas.

I am especially thankful for the work you and all DAV National Service Officers perform in representing veterans in VA the claims process.  DAV has a long tradition of being a strong and effective advocate for their members and for disabled veterans everywhere.

Commander, you and your members have much to be proud of.

I am especially impressed with number of hours DAV members donate in volunteer programs.  DAV volunteer drivers for example, spend thousands of hours driving thousands of miles taking patients to and from medical appointments at VA hospitals.  Your services are invaluable to a number of veterans who would be housebound if not for your efforts.

Volunteers are the heart and soul of what veterans service organizations are all about.

You are to be commended for your selfless actions on behalf of other veterans, and I am honored to have served you during my tenure on this Committee.  Like you, one of my deepest concerns is that America’s service-connected disabled veterans have the benefits and services they require to lead independent, fulfilled lives.

Over the course of the past few years a number of issues have arisen that have created deep concerns as to how effectively we are treating our wounded warriors.  These concerns rose to such a level that two major commissions were formed to take a close look at veterans’ programs. 

The President’s Commission on Care for America’s Wounded Warriors (otherwise known as the Dole/Shalala Commission) and the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission were tasked with evaluating veterans’ programs.

Of course the latter one mentioned, the Veterans Disability Benefits Commission, or as it is more simply known, the Disability Commission, was fortunate to have as one of its esteemed commissioners, a member of the DAV National Legislative Staff.

Both the Dole-Shalala and Disability Commissions identified a number of shortcomings with regard to veterans’ benefits, especially for those going through the arduous transition from the military disability discharge process to the VA system.

I am honored and eager to make certain that the problems identified by these commissions are rectified as swiftly as possible.

I, along with Senate Veterans Committee Ranking Member Richard Burr, introduced legislation that that addresses a number of glaring inequities facing America’s newest generation of disabled veterans.

Our bills are separate but they have few differences. 

My bill, the Noble Warrior Act, H.R. 5509, would automatically entitle medical retirees to a lifelong military retirement pay that is not offset against VA compensation.

I know the DAV has a long-standing resolution to eliminate the ban on concurrent receipt.  Noble Warrior would accomplish that, and it would do so in a manner that is simple and easy to understand.  Servicemembers would receive pay for their time served and rank achieved.

With Noble Warrior, there are no phase-ins, there are no confusing acronyms like CRDP and CRSC, and there are no differing qualifying criteria.  Again, it’s simple, if you are medically retired, you are eligible.

No longer would injured service members have to worry about the disability percentage level assigned by a military physical evaluation board.  Noble Warrior would also entitle those deemed unfit for service to lifetime healthcare coverage under TRICARE.  And it would establish a new transition benefit to keep medical retirees financially sound as they re-enter civilian life.

These are just a few highlights about Noble Warrior.

It is a large bill and there are other provisions that pertain directly to DAV legislative resolutions that I hope I will have time to point out during our question and answer exchange.

Commander Reynolds, given the comparable goals between DAV resolutions and the numerous provisions of Noble Warrior that would establish billions of dollars worth of new benefits for disabled veterans,  I’m somewhat dismayed by recent press coverage from DAV on this bill.

On February 28th in a Media General article by Sean Mussenden, DAV spokesman Dave Autry had nothing but criticism for Noble Warrior.

As I have pointed out, Noble Warrior contains a number of provisions that would irrefutably improve benefits for disabled veterans, and I’m simply left stunned that DAV doesn’t recognize or won’t acknowledge improvements that it would make.  

If you have concerns, let’s discuss them. That’s the legislative process.

But if we do not address the core problems within the system now, we will merely be punting them to future generations of disabled veterans, and that to me, is unacceptable.

These problems were expressly voiced by servicemembers when asked by the two major veterans’ commissions I mentioned earlier.

I juxtapose the DAVs comments on my efforts to address these problems with its recent press release praising Senator Murray’s bill to improve women veterans’ benefits.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a commendable goal, but I don’t remember the same level of excitement from DAV last year when Ginny Brown-Waite and Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin led a bipartisan effort to accomplish the same thing.

There are fundamental issues of concern before us and I am taking a principled stance to make tough decisions now and not allow future disabled veterans to flounder in the bureaucratic mess they currently face.

I can think of no other organization better equipped to ensure these problems are solved than DAV, and I hope you will reconsider your stance and join me, my colleagues from across the aisle, and most importantly, the young men and women lying in the hospital wards across this nation that recognize obvious areas for improvement.

Going forward, my top priorities, as ranking Republican member, remain:

• Caring for veterans who have service-connected disabilities, those with special needs, and the indigent.
• Ensuring a seamless transition from military service to the VA.
• Providing veterans every opportunity to live full and healthy lives.
• Simplifying and modernizing the disability system by passing The Noble Warrior Act.

These are and will continue to be my priorities.

I look forward your testimony Commander Reynolds, and I yield back.