Washington, D.C. - Today, Chairman Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the hearing schedule for December 4 - December 7.
Please note that all hearings scheduled for this week are postponed.
The following events are open to the press:
The below event is postponed:
WHO: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
WHAT: “Is VA Ready for Full Implementation of Appeals Reform?”
WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 5, 2018
WHERE: 334 Cannon House Office Building and streaming here.
Background: During this hearing, the full committee will examine the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) readiness to fully implement the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017. Specifically, the committee will discuss whether the Secretary is prepared to certify in January 2019 that the Department is ready to carry out the new appeals system and timely address both new and legacy appeals. Alternatively, if the Department is not prepared to carry out the new appeals system, the hearing will discuss the timeline for the Department to confirm that it has the resources, personnel, office space, procedures, and information technology required to carry out the new appeals system.
The below event is postponed:
WHO: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
WHAT: "The Veterans First Program after Kingdomware"
WHEN: 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 5, 2018
WHERE: 334 Cannon House Office Building and streaming here.
Background: During this hearing, the Subcommittee will review the status of the implementation of the Veterans First program since the Supreme Court’s decision in Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States. Major topics will include the extent to which contract awards to Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) have increased; the uniformity of application of the Rule of Two throughout VA; the challenges the VA procurement workforce faces in complying with the Veterans First program and other mandates; the prevalence of improper pass-throughs in performance of such contracts (violations of limitation on subcontracting); and potential additional policy, regulatory, or legislative steps that may be taken to improve the program’s application. The Subcommittee will discuss the Government Accountability Office’s report entitled, “Veterans First Program: VA Needs to Address Implementation Challenges and Strengthen Oversight of Subcontracting Limitations” as well as the independent assessment report of the Veterans First program recently completed by the MITRE Corporation.
Please note that all hearings scheduled for this week are postponed.
WHO: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
WHAT: “Tracking Transformation: VA MISSION Act Implementation.”
WHEN: 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 6, 2018
WHERE: HVC-210 - Capitol Visitors Center, House Side, Second Floor, Room 210 and streaming here.
Background: During this joint oversight hearing, the two committees will discuss the implementation of the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (also known as the VA MISSION Act). The committees will focus on VA’s progress with respect to implementation of title I of the law, which requires VA to institute a consolidated community care program governed by certain access and quality standards by no later than June 6, 2019, to replace the Choice program.