Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Lamborn, distinguished members of the subcommittee:

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on behalf of H.R. 3008, the Rural Veterans Services Outreach and Training Act. 

A few years ago, I was made aware of a problem that directly affects millions of individuals who have defended our country.  Due to budget cuts in many areas—including my home state of Oregon—county veterans service officers are not being funded at adequate levels. 

County veterans service officers provide veterans with advice and casework service about their VA benefits.  There is a singular need for these services in our rural communities.  There are approximately 3 million veterans living in rural areas in the United States.  A 2004 report published in the American Journal of Public Health indicates that veterans in rural areas are in poorer health than their urban and suburban counterparts.  Without access to casework services, these veterans go without all the benefits they need, deserve, and have earned.

Some may argue that veterans in rural areas can simply drive to the nearest VA Regional Office.  But for many veterans and their caregivers, this is impractical.  According to the National Rural Health Association, the average distance a rural veteran must travel to get care is 63 miles.  For someone who has endured the trauma of a battlefield injury and begun the long, arduous process of rehabilitation, this is often, simply, too much to ask. 

Without access to a county veterans service officer, veterans must rely solely on customer service representatives over the telephone or Internet in order to access their VA services.  But anyone who has ever encountered an automated phone system knows how frustrating and discouraging this can be.  Veterans who have suffered physical, emotional, or psychological injuries should not be forced to navigate the VA bureaucracy alone because they do not live near a VA Regional Office. 

Our veterans deserve better, have earned better, and will get better under this bill.  County veterans service officers provide rural communities with more than just their expertise.  I believe our veterans are served best by their fellow community members.  Community members understand a veteran's needs as they relate to his or her community, job, and family.  Armed with this information, county veterans service officers can best advocate for the veterans they serve.

With this in mind, I introduced the Rural Veterans Services Outreach and Training Act, which seeks to improve outreach and assistance to veterans and their families residing in rural areas. 

This bill establishes a competitive grant program at the Department of Veterans Affairs to help eligible states hire and train county veterans service officers for their rural communities.

The Rural Veterans Outreach and Training Act targets grant money to the communities that need it most.  This legislation requires that grants will be used only to supplement non-federal funding sources, not supplant them.

We have an obligation to ensure that veterans—wherever they reside—have access to the services they have earned and deserve.  Our men and women in uniform give so much in service to our country, and I believe we should act accordingly to ensure they have access to local assistance to find the help they need.

Again, I appreciate the subcommittee's consideration of the Rural Veterans Services Outreach and Training Act.  On behalf of a grateful nation and veterans everywhere, I look forward to working with you on this important legislation.