01.25.17 • Press Release
(U.S. Congress)— Ranking Members of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Representative Tim Walz (D-Minn.) issued the following statement today on President Donald Trump’s executive order to freeze hiring at the VA:
“This executive order will make it harder for veterans to get in the door at the VA and receive the timely benefits to which they are entitled, and that is totally unacceptable. The VA is already struggling to keep the promises our
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01.25.17 • Press Release
Washington, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs announced an interim final rule authorizing the VA to provide in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to veterans with service-connected reproductive injuries and their spouses. The interim final rule authorizes IVF and ART treatments through the end of FY2018 and has the potential to be
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01.25.17 • Press Release
Washington, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the following statement regarding the Department of Veteran’s Affairs announcement of regulations to establish presumptions for eight service connected diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, N.C.:
“This decision is the right call to ensure that veterans who have been affected by the contaminated water supply get the care and compensation they
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01.11.17 • Press Release
Washington, DC - Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Tim Walz (D-MN) released the below statement following President-elect Trump’s nomination of Dr. David J. Shulkin to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
“I congratulate Dr. Shulkin on his nomination. I know him to be a fierce and talented advocate on behalf of veterans. I’m confident he will be a true partner in ensuring the VA upholds our nation’s promise to those who have served and
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01.11.17 • Press Release
Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) released the below statement following Rep. Mark Takano’s announcement supporting Rep. Walz’s bid to become Ranking Member. Walz is poised to become the next Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“I am humbled and grateful for the support I have received. We have work to do to ensure that every veteran has access to the benefits and care they have earned. I look forward to bringing a soldier’s perspective to the 115th
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01.05.17 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Paul Cook (R- Apple Valley) and Rep. Mark Takano (D- California), introduced HR 245, the Veterans’ Education Equity Act. This bipartisan bill fixes a discrepancy in the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) currently determines Post-9/11 GI Bill housing payments for student veterans that prevents some veterans from receiving a fair housing payment.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a hard-earned benefit that pays for student veterans’ higher education tuition and
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12.16.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-Calif.) was joined by six House Democrats in calling on Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Bob McDonald to protect student veterans affected by a decision to revoke recognition from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a popular accreditor of for-profit schools. The Department of Education finalized on Monday its decision to strip ACICS’s authority as a school accreditor based on the
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12.06.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Acting Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statement after the House passed a Veterans omnibus bill, the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 (H.R. 6416), as well as a series of related bills that will improve the care and support of America's veterans.
"Today, Democrats and Republicans demonstrated once again that our responsibility to
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11.22.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano issued the following statement in a response to a video released by President-elect Donald Trump outlining his priorities for the first 100 days of his administration.
"Throughout his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised to make veterans a top priority in his administration. Two months before he even takes office, it appears he is already breaking that promise. Donald Trump's list of priorities for his first 100 days in
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11.16.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement after a report published by The New York Times highlighted the role of the Koch-backed Concerned Veterans for America in guiding President-elect Donald Trump's plan for supporting America's veterans
"There are several outstanding veterans service organizations that could provide valuable input to the incoming Administration about supporting America's veterans. The Concerned Veterans for America
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10.27.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano was joined by Democrats and Republicans in sending letters to the Department of Defense and House Leadership calling for a permanent resolution to the financial burden facing thousands of servicemembers and veterans of the California Nation Guard.
In the letters, the bipartisan coalition commends the Defense Department for suspending efforts to claw back enlistment bonuses from members of the California National Guard but
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10.26.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement on the Department of Defense's decision to freeze collection of California National Guard Bonuses.
"I strongly support this step taken by the Department of Defense to suspend efforts to collect California National Guard enlistment bonuses awarded to servicemembers up to a decade ago. The men and women who stepped up to serve our nation in good faith should not be held accountable for other people's
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10.24.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement regarding the Los Angeles Times story describing efforts to claw back bonuses and benefits improperly paid to members of the California National Guard 10 years ago.
"I am appalled by the California National Guard's effort to claw back bonuses and benefits improperly paid to service members 10 years ago. Those who served in the California National Guard bear no responsibility for the mistakes and
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10.11.16 • Press Release
San Diego, Calif. - Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano delivered a keynote address at the National Association of Veterans Program Administrators' annual conference. Below is a copy of those remarks, as prepared for delivery.
Thank you for that introduction and thank you for this invitation. I felt it was so important to be with you this morning. Let me start by telling you why.
I was a public school teacher for nearly 25 years in the Rialto Unified School District. It's about
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10.04.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement after the Inspector General released its report, "Review of Alleged Consult Mismanagement at the Phoenix VA Health Care System," which details disturbing problems in the scheduling and administration of referrals for care.
"The Inspector General's report on problems at the Phoenix VA reveals inexcusable failures in scheduling and management of specialty care appointments that consistently undermine
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09.29.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement after President Obama signed into law the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2016 and the West Los Angeles Leasing Act of 2016.
"In signing these two pieces of legislation into law, President Obama has ensured that the programs and services veterans rely on every day will continue without interruption, and that the long struggle over the West Los Angeles VA campus is finally
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09.28.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano joined Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Keith Ellison to introduce a House resolution pledging to maintain a robust Veterans Health Administration and oppose the privatization of veterans' health care.
"The Veterans Health Administration represents our commitment to provide quality health care to America's veterans, and that commitment cannot be outsourced to the for-profit health care system,"
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09.27.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House passed three pieces of bipartisan legislation designed to provide veterans with access to quality health care at the VA and in the community. The bills set stronger standards for the Veterans Crisis Line, ensure veterans can access emergency care, and allow the VA to share health information with a veteran's non-VA doctor to ease the coordination of care.
"The care we provide to our nations' veterans is above partisanship and politics. I applaud both
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09.23.16 • Press Release
Washington, D.C. - Today, Acting Ranking Member Mark Takano released the following statement in response to the Department of Education's decision to terminate the federal recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), an accreditor of for-profit colleges.
"The Department of Education is justified in revoking recognition of ACICS as an accreditor of for-profit schools. For too long, ACICS gave its seal of approval to schools that were not worthy of
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09.23.16 • Press Release
WASHINGTON - Today, Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Takano and members of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs wrote to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, asking the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation into whether former VA construction chief Glenn Haggstrom and other VA officials may have committed perjury in their statements to Congress regarding cost overruns at the Denver VA medical center.
Following their letter, Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Takano made the below
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