Good morning National Commander Rehbein, Auxiliary National President Stoy, and fellow Legionnaires. 

On the morning of this day in this month, our nation remembers the moment when freedom itself was attacked seven years ago.

The events of September 11, 2001 will forever be seared into the minds and hearts of the American people.  Similar to today, many of us here were attending the annual Joint Hearing to receive the Legislative Presentation of The American Legion.

As we began to gather here in the Cannon Building, we were aware of the disturbing news out of Manhattan; the few available details of the planes hitting the World Trade Center left little doubt that it was once again the target of a terrorist attack.  Little did we know, the Pentagon was soon to be hit, and the Capitol Building right across the street was also a target.

Had it not been for the heroic actions of some passengers aboard United Flight 93, our recollection of that day might have included the sound of a plane crashing into the Capitol Dome. 

The smoke rising from the Pentagon was visible from my office.  Words cannot express what it was like to see such a symbol of American strength under siege.  Words also cannot express the subsequent horror felt by all Americans when the World Trade Center towers collapsed, and thousands of our fellow citizens and the citizens of a number of other countries were murdered.

Thanks to the bravery of the men and women of our Armed Forces, our nation has not suffered another major attack, and at the same time they protected us, our heroes in uniform toppled two of the world’s most wicked tyrannies and liberated over 50 million people.

Just recently, General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq announced that American combat troops could possibly leave Baghdad by next summer, and the entire country by 2011.   Such a welcome prospect did not seem possible just a short while back when the war was in its darkest days and many here in our own country and even in Congress declared that we had lost.

But The American Legion knew better.  The American Legion never wavered in its commitment to success in the global war on terrorism.

As Past National Commander Conatser [CON-AT-SER] indicated in the September issue of your magazine, “The American Legion has consistently supported the troops and their mission.”

Commander Conatser, who personally visited our troops and General Petraeus in Iraq last year, said upon his return:

“Our troops are doing their jobs and succeeding.”

“Congress must allow General Petraeus to complete his mission to build a safer, stable Iraq that will not threaten its neighbors or the United States.” 

My friends and fellow veterans, I cannot commend you enough for your stalwart patriotism, leadership, and faith in our great country.  The American Legion took the long view and recognized that victory was possible.

The American Legion never lost faith in our military or its leaders, and once again this great organization has proven itself to be a tremendous national asset that stands by its principles.  To echo the words of General Douglas McArthur at your 1951 convention…, "The American Legion has been invincibly faithful to God and to country." 

When, by the grace of God, our troops return home victorious, and I predict they will, American Legionnaires can take a great deal of pride and satisfaction in knowing that, in the darkest hours of this war, their organization was a beacon of inspiration for America’s citizens and our troops.  Our nation will be eternally grateful.  

It is my pleasure today to welcome and thank your newly elected national commander, David K. Rehbein of Ames, Iowa, for his years of service, both in uniform and as leader of this 2.7 million-member organization of wartime veterans.  I also want to welcome and congratulate Desi Stoy on her recent selection as Auxiliary National President.

I would also like to recognize the Hoosiers in the room today: Would those of you from Indiana please stand and be recognized?

K.W. Ohl from Layfayette;

Steve Short from Indianapolis;

Allen Titus from Martinsville;

Thank you and I want to welcome all of you to our Nation's Capital.

American Legion members speak from experience and with conviction on behalf of our veterans and their families.  Building on last year’s success in raising a half-million dollars for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, you will raise nearly three quarters of a million this year to fund the education of children who have lost a parent in our nation’s service.

The Legion’s Operation Landstuhl also continues to raise and donate thousands of dollars to buy comfort items for troops recovering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. 

Another program, Heroes to Hometowns, works as part of the government’s seamless transition effort to coordinate with the community to ensure the returning heroes and their families have the resources needed for a successful transition.

It’s been a great year for the Legion.  I commend Past Commander Conatser for the accomplishments of the organization during his tenure. 

And based on Commander Rehbein’s strong record of leadership, as well as the faith and trust placed in him by his fellow Legionnaires, I’m sure the series of successes will continue in the months ahead. 

Commander Rehbein, I have read your testimony and the American Legion’s legislative portfolio for the remainder of this session and the upcoming 111th Congress.  I can tell you that I share many of the same concerns as the Legion, and I am especially pleased that among them is the notion that it is wrong to repeal benefits from one group of veterans in order to pay for a new entitlement for another group of veterans.

Of course, I am referring to H.R. 760 and S. 1315, the latter of which has passed the Senate.  Despite a number of good provisions in S. 1315, the bill would pay for them by overturning a 2006 Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims decision (Hartness v. Nicholson), the result of which would cut nearly $1 billion in Special Monthly pension benefits for some of our most vulnerable veterans. 

Here again the American Legion has stood on principle in its support for veterans, and I appreciate you noting it in your testimony this morning.  I also deeply appreciate your organization’s letter on April 25, 2008, in which you stated:

“The American Legion believes the sacrifice of these heroes warrants relief.  Balancing the books on the backs of the very patriots that protected and defended this nation is unconscionable.  Don’t make a grave mistake in the name of fairness, equality, or even fiscal responsibility. Do what is right!”

I can assure you that letter resonated greatly on the Hill, and caused many members to think twice before committing to such an ill-advised course.

Just weeks ago, on July 31st, the House passed an amendment to H.R. 6599, the Milcon/VA Appropriations bill, that was offered by Congressman Zach Wamp, the Ranking Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs, that prohibits the funds made available in the Appropriations Act from being used to modify the standards applicable to the determination of the entitlement of veterans to special monthly pensions under the Hartness decision.

Unfortunately, this issue is being pressed again in the closing days of the 110th Congress, and I implore you, Commander Rehbein, to once again make clear the Legion’s opposition to this travesty.

I cannot emphasize enough that the veterans affected by overturning the Hartness decision are wartime veterans who are elderly, severely disabled, and have financial means that place them below the poverty level.   Perhaps no other group of veterans relies more on the broad shoulders of the American Legion, and I commend you for standing by them, even while some others have not.

On another important issue, the timeliness and accuracy of VA benefits claims decisions has long been a focus of the Legion and this committee.  You have called for a higher level of accountability for VA claims processors, and a bipartisan provision within a piece of pending legislation would move toward that goal.  The bill to which I refer, H.R. 5892 contains a number of beneficial provisions.

The American Legion also expressed concern regarding the VA’s medical care collections fund, and I introduced the Veterans Revenue Enhancement Act of 2008, which would help VA manage third-party collections from insurance companies, and provide additional fiscal responsibility for the department.    I am pleased that my bill was included as a provision in H.R. 6445, which the House passed in July.

It would establish seven VA Consolidated Patient Accounting Centers (CPACs) modeled after the successful demonstration project in North Carolina.  The project proved to be very successful in enhancing revenue by more than $12.5 million in fiscal year 2007 and $6.5 million so far in fiscal year 2008.  Building on this success would enable VA to secure hundreds of millions of dollars that currently go uncollected from insurance companies.

Every dollar that goes uncollected is one less additional dollar that can be used to enhance care for our veterans. 

Another measure I introduced was included within H.R. 4255, which passed the House in July, would authorize VA to provide assistance to the Paralympic Program of the United States Olympic Committee, and help increase participation by disabled veterans in sports as part of their rehabilitation from injuries. 

Recently, 11 disabled veterans participated as members of the U.S. Paralympic Team in Beijing, and hopefully, this provision will be the beginning of larger participation by disabled veterans in future games.

Commander Rehbein, 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; and

Providing veterans every opportunity to live full and healthy lives.

These are my priorities, and I look forward to discussing specific issues with you and your staff in finer detail following your testimony.

Thank you once again for your testimony Commander, and I yield back.