Press Releases

Bill aims to spur reform of VA claims process for veteran sexual-assault victims   Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 671, the Ruth Moore Act, by a voice vote.  Introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), the Ruth Moore Act aims to spur reform of the evidentiary standards for survivors of military sexual trauma (MST) who file claims for mental health conditions… Read more »

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller made the following statement regarding today’s veterans-related mental health announcements from the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs:  “What our veterans need now is more action, not more talk. Meeting hiring benchmarks and holding summits should not be held up as progress unless they lead… Read more »

Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) introduced legislation that would establish an independent task force or commission to analyze VA’s disability benefits claims processing system. The task force would be charged with examining the root causes of VA’s backlog and providing solutions for ending it by 2015. After decades of… Read more »

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two bipartisan veterans bills: H.R. 570, the American Heroes COLA Act and H.R. 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2013. Introduced by Rep. Jon Runyan (NJ-03), The American Heroes COLA Act would make the annual increase to veterans’ disability compensation rates and other benefits permanent by tying the increase… Read more »

Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) will introduce an amendment to the GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2013 that would put a five year moratorium on performance bonuses for Department of Veterans Affairs senior executives. The amendment comes in response to a rash of recent media reports documenting how numerous VA senior executives have received sizeable performance bonuses despite… Read more »

Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) and American Legion National Commander James Koutz made the following statements in response to Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 4 Director Michael Moreland’s $62,895 bonus in the wake of patient deaths at a hospital he oversees. “When it comes to executive bonuses, apparently there is no limit to VA’s tone deafness. At the same… Read more »

Today, the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) awarded its House Staffer of the Year Award to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Staff Director Mike Brinck. VVA recognized Brinck, along with two other Capitol Hill staff members for their “untiring efforts on behalf of America’s veterans and their families.” “As a Vietnam… Read more »

Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) made the following statement regarding the new Department of Veterans Affairs initiative to expedite compensation claims decisions for veterans who have waited one year or longer. “While this new approach sounds promising, we will be monitoring it closely to make sure it’s good policy rather than just good PR. Driving our skepticism is the… Read more »

Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs sent a bipartisan letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Chuck Hagel urging him to follow through on a February 2013 plan to improve disability benefits claims processing for transitioning service members and veterans. The mutually agreed upon plan that the DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) struck calls for the DoD… Read more »

Today, Chairman Jeff Miller (FL-01) hosted the first HVAC Veterans Service Organization Roundtable of the 113th Congress. The event brought together representatives from nearly 30 Veterans Service Organizations, HVAC members and congressional leaders for an off-the-record discussion regarding perennial veterans-related challenges such as VA’s benefits claims backlog and mental… Read more »