Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing today. As we have a full legislative agenda before us today, I want to take just a moment.

Over the last few months, I have introduced several pieces of legislation, and they share a common theme. The goal of each is to make sure that returning servicemembers get the care they need while continuing to improve care for veterans already in the system.

First is legislation to allow a full five years of VA health coverage to returning servicemembers without bureaucratic hassles and stringent eligibility rules. This can further the "seamless" relationship of military personnel from "active duty" to VA. Today, any active duty servicemember who is discharged or separates from active duty following deployment to the Iraqi theater of combat -- even Reservists or Guard who stand down but remain on reserve duty -- will be immediately eligible for VA health care for a two-year period.

There are good reasons to give returning servicemembers more than just two years. Most notably, it is clear that two years may not be enough time for symptoms related to PTSD to manifest. Even if symptoms present in the two-year time frame, it might be some time before a servicemember decides to seek care. VA opposes this legislation on the grounds that returning veterans could enter the system like other veterans. Looking at the proposals in the President's budget and the decision to cut "middle-income" veterans out of the system in 2003, I am not as confident and do not want to take that chance.

We also have legislation before us to specifically address mental health. I truly believe that VA mental health is in jeopardy due to budget constraints. Increased demand and flatline budget increases over the past few years have literally starved the system. And demand is about to grow: experts have conservatively estimated that up to 20 percent of the men and women who are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will require treatment for a mental health issue.

Congress has already recognized the merits of all specialized programs -- including mental health. As such, we enacted legislation that required VA to retain its ability to provide services at the levels in place in 1996. Unfortunately, VA was not required to adjust this figure for inflation. Quite obviously, using 1996 dollars in 2005 is not working. And as we are on the precipice of burgeoning demand for care, we need to be talking about real dollars -- not 1996 dollars -- to get a true sense of VA's capacity to care for veterans with mental health needs.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you on the days ahead to move the Committee's agenda forward. Today, I look forward to the views of all our witnesses.