<DOC>
[109 Senate Hearings]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID: f:29718.wais]
S. Hrg. 109-637
NOMINATIONS OF THOMAS E. HARVEY TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS;
AND PATRICK W. DUNNE TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY AND PLANNING,
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
JULY 27, 2006
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/
senate
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
29-718 WASHINGTON : 2007
_____________________________________________________________________________
For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; (202) 512ÿ091800
Fax: (202) 512ÿ092250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402ÿ090001
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Larry E. Craig, Idaho, Chairman
Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Daniel K. Akaka, Hawaii, Ranking
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas Member
Lindsey O. Graham, South Carolina John D. Rockefeller IV, West
Richard Burr, North Carolina Virginia
John Ensign, Nevada James M. Jeffords, (I) Vermont
John Thune, South Dakota Patty Murray, Washington
Johnny Isakson, Georgia Barack Obama, Illinois
Ken Salazar, Colorado
Lupe Wissel, Majority Staff Director
Bill Brew, Minority Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
----------
JULY 27, 2006
SENATORS
Page
Craig, Hon. Larry E., Chairman, U.S. Senator from Idaho.......... 1
Akaka, Hon. Daniel K., Ranking Member, U.S. Senator from Hawaii.. 3
Murray, Hon. Patty, U.S. Senator from Washington................. 3
Hutchison, Hon. Kay Bailey, U.S. Senator from Texas.............. 4
WITNESSES
Harvey, Thomas E., nominee to be Assistant Secretary for
Congressional and Legislative Affairs, Department of Veterans
Affairs........................................................ 5
Prepared statement........................................... 7
Questionnaire................................................ 8
Dunne, Rear Admiral Patrick W., (Ret.), U.S. Navy, nominee to be
Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, Department of
Veterans Affairs............................................... 14
Prepared Statement........................................... 14
Questionnaire................................................ 16
APPENDIX
Goodman, Allan E., President and CEO, Institute of International
Education, prepared statement.................................. 29
Gorman, David W., Executive Director, Disabled American Veterans,
prepared statement............................................. 29
NOMINATIONS OF THOMAS E. HARVEY TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR
CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS;
AND PATRICK W. DUNNE TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY AND PLANNING,
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
----------
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2006
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room
SR-418, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Larry E. Craig,
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Craig, Hutchison, Akaka and Murray.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. LARRY E. CRAIG, CHAIRMAN, U.S.
SENATOR FROM IDAHO
Chairman Craig. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The
Committee on Veterans' Affairs is convening this morning to
consider two nominations for important positions at the
Department of Veterans Affairs. Thomas Harvey has been
nominated by President Bush to serve as Assistant Secretary for
Congressional and Legislative Affairs. Retired Admiral Patrick
Dunne has been nominated by the President to serve as Assistant
Secretary for Policy and Planning. Both of these gentlemen come
before the Committee with vast experience in Government and
strong leadership credentials.
Mr. Harvey has spent nearly four decades serving his
country in various areas of Government, as well as performing
equally valuable work in the private sector. He served his
Nation honorably in the U.S. Army, spending almost 3 years in
Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He earned a Silver
Star, a Bronze Star, and was awarded the Purple Heart for
injuries sustained during enemy battle. Mr. Harvey may look
very familiar to a few of you on the Committee, that is because
some of his leadership skills were acquired right here in this
room where he served two separate stints as the Committee's
Staff Director and Chief Counsel under Chairman Alan Simpson.
That must have been a very interesting duty.
Mr. Harvey. Very.
Senator Craig. We know Alan Simpson, the former Senator
from Wyoming. One of our colleagues, Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison of Texas, will be here to recognize Tom, so I will
leave any additional comments on the rest of his impressive bio
to Senator Hutchison when she arrives.
Tom is also joined today by some of his family members.
However, I won't steal his thunder and I say to both of you
that when it is your time for testimony, I encourage you to
recognize your families and introduce them to the Committee.
Also before us today is Retired Rear Admiral Patrick Dunne,
who comes to the Committee nominated to serve as Assistant
Secretary for Policy and Planning. As many of you know, that
office has been the focal point of much of the discussion
surrounding the theft of the laptop computer and hard drive
from a VA employee's home. The office Admiral Dunne has been
chosen to lead has been vacant for nearly 3 years. I think this
man is the right person to put back together and lead this area
at the current time.
Admiral Dunne, up to this point, has spent most of his
adult life serving to advance the cause of freedom to the U.S.
Navy. He is a 1972 graduate of the Naval Academy of Annapolis
and he received his Master's Degree in Mathematics from Navy's
Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. I think it goes
without saying that a man that rises to the rank of Rear
Admiral in the U.S. Navy has already demonstrated his
leadership skills time and again.
The Admiral's list of assignments and duties for over a 30-
year career in the Navy is long and distinguished, but I want
to point out just one. I was so pleased that the Admiral was
able to spend about 6 months of quality time during the winter
of 1973 and 1974 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. For those of you who
have not had that opportunity, Idaho Falls, while in a high
desert environment and a flat landscape, is a mile high and the
sweep of Canadian-type weather flows down across Montana and on
to the high desert plains of Idaho and takes the temperatures
well below zero in Idaho Falls.
So many of you who have not had that experience must
recognize though that Idaho Falls is the home of the Nation's
preeminent nuclear facility, the Idaho National Laboratory, and
the Admiral spent time at the nuclear training unit. If I had
to guess, I would say that memories of his winter in Idaho
Falls served as an impetus to assure his last assignment in
Monterey, California. I will put the beauty of Idaho up against
any place on the planet, including Monterey, but I concede that
the weather in Monterey is probably a good deal more pleasant.
Admiral Dunne is also joined by some of his family and
again Admiral, I encourage you to introduce them to the
Committee during your time of testimony.
Before I turn to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who
has additional comments and the introduction of Tom Harvey, let
me turn to our Ranking Member, Danny Akaka, for any additional
comments he would like to make.
Senator Akaka.
STATEMENT OF HON. DANIEL K. AKAKA, RANKING MEMBER, U.S. SENATOR
FROM HAWAII
Senator Akaka. Mr. Chairman, it is always a pleasure to
work with you. Today, the Committee meets to tender the
nominations for two important positions. I am pleased to
welcome the two nominees and pleased to see their families here
as well as their friends. These two positions are integral to
the VA's mission and must be filled with qualified, competent
and motivated individuals. I am confident the Committee will
give thoughtful consideration to these nominations.
Retired Navy Admiral Patrick Dunne has been nominated to be
the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning. Admiral Dunne,
I look forward to seeing how you plan to rectify the
dysfunction affecting the Office of Policy and Planning as
highlighted by the recent IG report on the data loss issue.
Firm leadership is critical to restoring the integrity and
intended function of this office.
Mr. Thomas Harvey has been nominated to be the Assistant
Secretary for Congressional Legislative Affairs. Tom has a long
and successful career in the veterans' arena both here and with
the Committee and at the VA. Most recently, he has been serving
as acting Assistant Secretary. For those on the Committee who
have not worked with Tom in the past, his most recent tenure in
the VA has given insights into how he works with Congress. I am
confident that Tom's expertise and experience will prove
invaluable to his success. Tom, as the conveyor of information
to Congress, the Committee, along with our colleagues in
Congress, must be able to depend on you and your staff to work
with us to address questions and concerns.
Assuming your confirmations, which I do, I urge you both to
work to build and maintain relationships with Committee Members
and staff so that both the VA and the Committee can better
serve the veterans of this great Nation. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Senator Craig. Thank you, Senator Akaka.
Senator Murray of Washington has joined us. Senator Murray,
do you have any opening comments?
STATEMENT OF HON. PATTY MURRAY, U.S. SENATOR
FROM WASHINGTON
Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and
Senator Akaka, for holding this hearing and I want to join you
in welcoming Admiral Dunne and Mr. Harvey to the Committee.
Admiral Dunne, I hope that we hear from you today about
what steps you are going to take to reinvigorate the VA with
the leadership that I think it needs to properly budget for the
care and services that our veterans need and deserve and really
have earned. The position that you are seeking has a great
responsibility to our veterans and we need leadership that is
going to take initiative to improve access to health care and
benefits to ensure that our servicemembers from Iraq and
Afghanistan who are returning home get the services that they
need.
I appreciate the time we had to meet, and I have some
concerns, and I do want to hear from you today about your basic
knowledge and understanding of this agency and the real inner
workings of the VA. I hope that I hear from you, that you will
get up to speed quickly, and that you will not be just a rubber
stamp for the Administration policies, but will be a real
advocate for the veterans and make sure that they are the ones
that are at the top of the agenda on the decisions that are
being made. I look forward to your testimony and the questions
today.
Mr. Harvey, thank you, too for taking the time to meet with
me. Clearly, having good relationships with the Members of
Congress to work on critical challenges is really important and
I look forward to hearing from you on how we can build those
relationships and better serve all of our veterans.
Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Americans look forward
to working with you.
Thank you.
Senator Craig. Thank you very much. Before I swear in both
of our nominees, let me turn to the Honorable Kay Bailey
Hutchison of Texas, for additional introductory comments in
relation to Tom Harvey. Kay, welcome to the Committee. Tom
knows this, but Admiral, Kay is also a Member of this Committee
so she is serving a dual purpose.
STATEMENT OF HON. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS
Senator Hutchison. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I
thank you for having this hearing for both of our nominees. It
is very important that we have both of them official, hopefully
before we recess. I do believe we are planning an expedited
vote on them because they both hold such important positions to
improve the VA as they meet transition operations.
I am very pleased to be able to introduce my friend, Tom
Harvey, for the position that has been mentioned. This is for
Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs.
I cannot think of anyone more qualified for this position than
Tom Harvey, not only because of his experience previous to his
appointment, but because of the way he has handled many very
tough issues during his interim time in the position. As was
probably mentioned before I came, he is accompanied by his
wife, Cathie Black, who is also a friend of mine and one of the
most accomplished women in America, and his son, Duffy Harvey.
They also have a daughter, Allison, who chose camp instead of
listening to her father speak again. I cannot imagine why she
would do that. But they are a wonderful family and I have known
them for a long time.
I think it is so much fun when a person who served as Chief
Counsel of this Committee comes back as a nominee to be
Assistant Secretary. That gives everyone there on the back row
the clue that there is something wonderful in your future. He
was the Chief Counsel and Staff Director from 1981 to 1983, and
then again, from 1995 to 1996. He has an in-depth knowledge of
the Congressional process as it relates to veterans. He has
committed his life's work to serving veterans and his
reputation and credentials are impeccable.
After leaving the Committee staff, he was appointed to
serve on the Commission for Servicemembers and Veterans
Transition Assistance that was established by Congress, and
that is where he came to know and work with the former
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi. The
Commission's work was thorough and comprehensive and, in large
part, I think that was because the Committee Members were
people, like Tom, who really understood veteran issues. Over
the last several years, he has been acting Assistant Secretary
and was before that the senior advisor to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs.
He is also well known and respected for his expertise with
other Federal agencies. He has been Deputy Administrator of the
Veterans' Administration, and General Counsel and Congressional
liaison at the U.S. Information Agency. He was Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Acquisitions and Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Logistics.
He is also a combat decorated Vietnam veteran. He served
two-and-a-half years in Vietnam as an infantry company
commander and as an advisor with the Vietnamese Airborne
Division. During his tenure of service, Tom earned a Silver
Star and a Purple Heart. He is also a senior parachutist, a
ranger, and a recipient of the combat infantry badge.
Mr. Chairman, I cannot think of anyone more qualified for
this position and I highly recommend him to you. I do also want
to mention that I am not here to introduce Admiral Dunne, but I
certainly am very pleased about his nomination. He is, as
Senator Murray said, a key lynchpin of the Veterans'
Administration to give service to our veterans, and I know that
he will do a fine job as well.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Craig. Kay, thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Now, I will ask both of you to rise with me and to raise your
right hand to be sworn in the customary fashion we do to all
the nominees coming before the Committee.
[Witnesses sworn.]
Senator Craig. Danny has to do dual purpose today so he
will be leaving us. Tom, we will start with you. Please proceed
with your testimony and, as I mentioned earlier, please
introduce any members of your family who is with you for the
Committee and for the record.
STATEMENT OF THOMAS E. HARVEY, NOMINEE TO BE ASSISTANT
SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Mr. Harvey. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and Members
of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear
before you this morning as the President's nominee for the
position of Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs,
Department of Veterans Affairs. I am honored to have been
nominated to that position by the President, and I appreciate
the confidence shown in me by Secretary Jim Nicholson as he
supported that nomination. I know that Senator Hutchison has
other commitments, but what I wanted to mention prior to her
departure was that my daughter Allison, who could not be with
us this morning, is actually a Texan and takes great pride in
that and, if you were to ask her where she is from she would
say Texas.
I was pleased when Secretary Nicholson asked me to return
to the Department to help him out with this transition. Earlier
in my career I had served for 5 years as Chief Counsel and
Staff Director of this Committee under the Chairmanship of
Senator Al Simpson. I believe that I was aware of many of the
valid concerns of Members of Congress with regard to the VA. I
felt that with my background, I could help Secretary Nicholson
and the VA to better respond to those concerns.
During the Reagan Administration, I served as Deputy
Administrator of the Veterans' Administration. I felt that I
knew how those issues and concerns affected the VA and hoped
that I would be able to help the VA to better understand and
respond to Congressional needs.
As a Vietnam combat veteran, serving two-and-a-half years
there as an Army infantry officer, I also felt that I
understood on a deeply personal level, something about this
country's veterans. I volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Many of
my fellow veterans did not have that choice. They were young
and out of school. They were drafted and they served selflessly
and courageously in that conflict because that is what their
country asked of them.
Tom Brokaw spoke of those that served in World War II as
the ``Greatest Generation'' in his book of that name, written
some 50 years after the end of that conflict. I have every
expectation that the Vietnam War will provide just the same
gripping stories so that our own children will better
understand what we experienced, and the same will happen to
those now returning from defending this Nation in the Middle
East today.
Mr. Chairman, should I have the honor of being confirmed
for this position, I hope that I can effectively serve this
Administration, the dedicated professionals I have been blessed
to work with at the VA over the years, and most significantly,
this country's veterans.
I would like, if I may, to introduce a few of the people
who are with me here today, most notably my wife, Cathie Black.
When I told her that Secretary Nicholson had asked me to help
him, she said, ``That's great, dear, but what does this mean?''
It was then that I lied for the first time in our 25 years
of marriage and said, ``Oh, I don't know. Probably 2 or 3 days
a week.'' It has not worked out that way, and I think by now
Cathie has figured out that I was not exactly candid in that.
My son Duffy is also here. Duffy is working as an intern in
the Office of the Senate Majority Leader this summer before
heading off to be a freshman at the University of Notre Dame.
His sister, our daughter Alison, is off at camp. I believe my
sister Marian Harvey is here today, as well.
Also joining me today are several friends, and several are
from the veteran service community who remember we had a
scrapping good time when Senator Simpson was Chairman. And
there are others who are here, or who are, no doubt, listening
to this hearing streaming over their computers, who are my very
fine colleagues at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
There is no finer group of civil servants than those at the
VA. In a way, they are fortunate. They have a readily
comprehensible mission, to administer a defined group of
benefits, health care, various monetary benefits, and a
dignified burial, to a certain group of people who did
something special for this country. They donned the uniform and
risked their lives to protect the freedoms we, as a Nation,
enjoy. I have never worked with a group that so clearly
understands their mission and so fully embraces it.
I recently heard Warren Buffett say that at the age of 75,
he still ``tap dances to work every day.'' Working with you,
Mr. Chairman, and Members of your Committee, supporting a
mission that is so noble, joined by professionals like that, I
can tell you that, should I be confirmed for this position, I
will be tap dancing to work every day.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Harvey follows:]
Prepared Statement of Thomas E. Harvey, Nominee to be Assistant
Secretary for Congressional Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you this morning as
the President's nominee for the position of Assistant Secretary for
Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the Department of Veterans
Affairs. I am honored to be nominated to that position by the
President, and I appreciate the confidence shown in me by Secretary Jim
Nicholson as he has supported that nomination.
I was pleased when Secretary Nicholson asked me to return to the
Department of Veterans Affairs to ``help him out'' when he was newly
appointed Secretary. Having served for 5 years as Chief Counsel and
Staff Director of this Committee under the Chairmanship of Senator Al
Simpson, I felt that I was aware of many of the valid concerns Members
of Congress had with regard to the VA. I felt that with that
background, I could help VA better respond to those concerns.
Having served for 3 years as the Deputy Administrator of the
Veterans' Administration, I felt that I knew how those issues and
concerns affected that agency and hoped that I would be able to help
the VA understand and respond to Congressional needs.
As a Vietnam combat veteran, serving two-and-a-half years there as
an Army infantry officer, I also felt that I understood something about
this country's veterans. I volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Many of my
fellow Vietnam veterans did not have that choice. They were young and
out of school. They were drafted, and they served selflessly and
courageously in that conflict--because that is what their country asked
of them. Tom Brokaw spoke of those who served in World War II as the
``Greatest Generation'' in his book of that name written some 50 years
after the end of that conflict. I have every expectation that the
Vietnam War will provide just such fodder to our own children when they
write about us some years hence.
Mr. Chairman, should I have the honor of being confirmed for this
position, I hope that I can effectively serve this Administration, the
dedicated professionals I have been blessed to work with at the VA over
the years, and, most significantly, this country's veterans.
I am accompanied by my wife, Cathie Black, and by my son Duffy
Harvey today. Our daughter, Alison, is away at camp. I am also joined
by a number of friends. And there are others who are here, or no doubt
listening to this hearing streaming over their computers, who are my
very fine colleagues at the Department of Veterans Affairs. There is no
finer group of civil servants than those at the VA. In a way, they are
fortunate. They have a readily comprehensible mission--to administer a
defined group of benefits--health care, various monetary benefits, and
a dignified burial--to a certain group of people who did something
special for this country. They donned the uniform and risked their
lives to protect the freedoms we, as a Nation, enjoy. I have never
worked with a group that so clearly understands their mission and so
fully embraces it.
I recently heard Warren Buffett say that, at the age of 75, he
still ``tap dances to work every day.'' Working with you, Mr. Chairman,
and Members of your Committee--supporting a mission that is so noble--
joined by professionals like that--I can tell you that, should I be
confirmed for this position, I will be tap dancing to work every day.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.001
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.002
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.003
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.004
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.005
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.006
Senator Craig. Alright, Tom, we will hold you to that. I am
quite sure if the Secretary does not cause you to tap dance, we
will. With that, let me turn to Rear Admiral Patrick Dunne,
nominated as Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning,
please proceed.
STATEMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL PATRICK W. DUNNE (RET.), U.S. NAVY,
NOMINEE TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY AND PLANNING,
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Admiral Dunne. Mr. Chairman, Senator Murray, good morning.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am honored
and humbled to have been nominated by President Bush to serve
as Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at the
Department of Veterans Affairs. I am also most grateful to
Secretary Jim Nicholson for his confidence in me.
For the past 33 years, it was my privilege to serve in the
U.S. Navy. During my many tours at sea on submarines and ashore
in many different homeports, I developed a deep respect and
appreciation for the personnel who serve in our Armed Forces
and their families. Time and again, they displayed the Honor,
Courage and Commitment that makes our Armed Forces the greatest
in the world. As time marches on, they too will become
veterans.
So I am inspired by them to tackle the challenges of the
mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs, ``To care for
him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his
orphan.'' If confirmed, I look forward to joining the team of
professionals at the Department of Veterans Affairs to
accomplish this mission. I am confident my experience in the
Navy has given me the skills to lead and contribute
effectively.
I realize I will have much to learn about the Department of
Veterans Affairs and all the issues that are of concern to our
veterans. The Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning is
responsible to provide advice and counsel to the Secretary and
other senior leaders on corporate policy and strategic
planning. If confirmed, I will become thoroughly familiar with
the issues facing the Department and give my very best effort
to work diligently and faithfully advise the Secretary and
Deputy Secretary.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to formally introduce my wife
Diane; daughter Erin and son Patrick; my mother Catherine; my
wife's parents Donald and Eileen Ramroth; and three cousins,
Kevin, John and Tom Dunne. I would like to note that John just
returned from working with the State Department for a year in
Iraq. We are very proud of him. I am very grateful for my
family's constant love and support.
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for your consideration of my
nomination and I would be happy to answer any questions you may
have.
[The prepared statement of Admiral Dunne follows:]
Prepared Statement of Rear Admiral Patrick W. Dunne (Ret.), U.S. Navy,
Nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, Department
of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Chairman, Senator Akaka, and Members of the Committee, good
morning. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am honored
and humbled to be nominated by President Bush to serve as Assistant
Secretary for Policy and Planning at the Department of Veterans
Affairs. I am also most grateful to Secretary Jim Nicholson for his
confidence in me.
For the past 33 years, it was my privilege to serve in the United
States Navy. During my many tours at sea on submarines and ashore in
many different homeports, I developed a deep respect and appreciation
for the personnel who serve in our Armed Forces--and their families.
Time and again they displayed the Honor, Courage and Commitment that
makes our Armed Forces the greatest in the world. As time marches on,
they too will become Veterans.
So I am inspired by them to tackle the challenges of the mission of
the Department of Veterans Affairs--``To care for him who shall have
borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.'' If confirmed, I
look forward to joining the team of professionals at the Department of
Veterans Affairs to accomplish that mission. I am confident my
experience in the Navy has given me the skills to lead and contribute
effectively.
I realize I will have much to learn about the Department of
Veterans Affairs and all the issues that are of concern to our
Veterans. The Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning is
responsible to provide advice and counsel to the Secretary and other
senior leaders on corporate policy and strategic planning. If
confirmed, I will become thoroughly familiar with the issues facing the
Department and give my very best effort to work diligently, and
faithfully advise the Secretary and Deputy Secretary.
With me today are my wife, Diane, my daughter, Erin and son,
Patrick and his wife, Amy; my mother, Catherine, and my wife's parents,
Donald and Eileen Ramroth. I am very grateful for their constant love
and support.
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, for
your consideration of my nomination. I would be happy to answer any
questions you may have.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.007
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.008
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.009
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.010
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.011
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T9718.012
Senator Craig. Well, thank you both very much. Let us turn
to questions. Senator Murray, in her opening comments really
appropriately staged some of the questions and some of the
concerns that we have.
Admiral Dunne, let me start with you. As you are well
aware, the Office of Policy and Planning was the focal point of
much of the investigation into the theft of data from the home
of one of the office's employees. Congress and the American
public have one eye on VA's data system and the people who have
access to that data.
If you are confirmed to the position, do you have any
immediate plans to make changes in the office's functions,
security procedures, or policies to ensure that such a data
breach never happens again? Also, what do you intend to do to
make sure the appropriate communication system is in place
should a situation like this ever arise again?
Admiral Dunne. Mr. Chairman, thank you for that question. I
am aware of the problem and I have read the Inspector General's
report and I plan to work hard at the communications aspect of
it. I believe the team needs to be reinvigorated and provided
with leadership. I have met many of the people and I am
convinced that they are very dedicated and they are anxious to
do the right thing. I am convinced that it is important to step
in and begin executing the Secretary's plan, which he briefed
the Committee on last week, and make that effective as soon as
possible.
I believe there are three areas we need to look at: One, is
technology and taking a look at those parts of technology that
will allow us to safeguard the data. We need to put into place
those policies and procedures which will allow the people to
work effectively with the data that they must work with. And
finally, to have effective training which will allow those
dedicated people to understand the significance of the data
that they are working with.
I liken it to my experience in the Navy working with top
secret material, and the culture needs to be changed so that
everyone that handles the veterans' data, understands that in
my mind, it has the same significance as the top secret
material that I handled in the Department of Defense. It is
essential that the data be available to be used in order to
forecast and be able to enhance the impact of our veterans'
benefits. In order to do that, we have to treat that data
properly and with the right amount of security.
Senator Craig. I appreciate those comments and thoughts and
it appears that you have given this considerable thought. There
has been a lot of criticism of VA in general, and the Office of
Policy and Planning specifically. What has come out of the data
theft is that there is not a culture that used the information
that is constantly passing though its hands as sensitive. VA
employees, especially those in Policy and Planning, are if you
will, desensitized as to the privacy of the information and how
it might be used if it got out in the public domain.
So I ask the question, you have partly answered it, but how
can you create a culture in the Office of Policy and Planning
that is more sensitive to the importance of the information
that passes through on a daily basis? I heard you suggest that
you liken it to the kind of secure information that high-level
government officials operate under. Are there rules and
punishments that would accompany those rules and understandings
of what would result from breaches of that information?
Admiral Dunne. Yes, sir. I believe that there are and will
be effective rules in place for which people will be trained.
They will be held accountable for them, and if necessary,
disciplinary action taken. I believe that the Secretary has
taken effective action initially, by giving the authority to
the Chief Information Officer to act on security incidents and
make the leaders at the VA aware of any breaches of those rules
which occur so that the leaders can take appropriate and timely
actions when these occur.
Senator Craig. Thank you.
Senator Murray.
Senator Murray. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me follow up
on what the Chairman just talked about. I think what we have
heard on this Committee over and over again is the culture
change that is needed, the tremendous need for leadership, and
a new management style. Can you describe for us what your
management style is--what kind of leadership style you have?
Admiral Dunne. Yes, Senator, I can attempt to do that. I
would say it is one that is based on involvement, based on
setting high standards, verifying that those standards are
being executed and holding people accountable for it basically.
Senator Murray. Is it your intent to go in very first day
and establish that leadership?
Admiral Dunne. Absolutely. They will know that I am there
on day one.
Senator Murray. As a result of a lot of things that have
happened from budget issues to loss of that sensitive data,
veterans across the country are questioning, for the first time
ever, the leadership at the VA. How do you reestablish that
trust with them? How do they know that you are going to be in
that office making sure that decisions are made every single
day that say that veterans are first? How will they see that?
Admiral Dunne. Senator, that will be a day by day
improvement. We will get better one day at a time. As we work
with that very important data to develop the analysis which VA
needs, it will become evident as we are able to process that
data and get the right information forecasting and the right
evaluation of our programs so that the veterans will see it in
improved services, improved understanding of their benefits,
improved outreach, and figure out why people are leaving the
vocational rehab program. We will solve those problems when we
are able to effectively use the data by putting the proper
security in place.
So therefore, we focus on serving our veterans because the
culture has been changed, and it is instinctive that we protect
that data. We are not spending time trying to figure out how to
protect the data, we are spending time on figuring out how to
serve our veterans.
Senator Murray. What will the signal be that veterans can
see across the country that assures them from day one that you
are their advocate?
Admiral Dunne. The signal from day one--I am not sure that
they can all fit in the room with me day one to see from the
start how I am going to take charge and make sure that we put
the plan into effect. But I will definitely make the effort to
talk to the VSOs, et cetera, and explain to them what I plan to
do. I will be happy to brief anyone on what we are doing and
how we are making progress at any time, Senator.
Senator Murray. I want to know that you understand how much
the world is questioning everything right now, just with the
data theft alone. Looking at information trickling out about
how--the veterans are getting letters saying that their data
may be breached, then they are told that they would have credit
checks for a year, and then they are told that they are not
going to have credit checks for a year. Just from that alone,
not to mention the budget that was not accurate, veterans
waiting in long lines, and really they are beginning to
mistrust the direction at the VA.
So talk to me a little bit about how you see the world out
there and how you can reestablish the trust?
Admiral Dunne. Senator, when my friends and associates
became aware that I had been nominated for this position, what
they spoke to me about was data management. That was their
concern; go in and fix that problem. I am convinced that if we
execute the Secretary's plan, if I go in there and show
leadership and get the culture changing, people understanding
what is required of them, that will spread. People will talk by
word of mouth. It will get around. If you go into the VA right
now, people are aware of the change in culture. It is brought
up at just about every meeting. The emphasis is on it and that
will spread and people will understand that we are serious.
The Secretary talks to us about it all the time.
Senator Murray. Thank you.
Senator Craig. Thank you very much. Let me close with you,
Admiral, and say that there will be another conduit for you to
express to the public your accomplishments in changing the
culture of the VA and that is right here. We are very intent,
as is the House Committee, on working with you and the
Secretary and the VA in general to get this right. The
Veterans' Administration, for a good number of years, has been
constantly warned of the absence of the culture, the absence of
the protocol, the absence of the protections in the way they
handle their information.
As a result of that inherent problem that we have all
worked through in the last several months, you are coming to a
VA at a time, in all fairness, that is going to be watched very
closely. I do not mean to place extra burden upon your
shoulder, but only to remind you that it is there. This
Committee will stay focused and work with you to assure that
this happens, because we believe it is necessary to transform
the culture down there and to the one you are speaking about.
Tom, let me turn to you. Let me stay on this theme, because
I think one of the frustrations that came out of this was
timeliness and notification of all of us as it relates to how
certain things were or were not handled, and that has a touch
of Congressional relations to it. Of course, you have had
tremendous experience here on the Hill and you know how
important it is for the VA and the committees, both on the
House and Senate side, to have a close working relationship,
quick turnaround on information and requests as it relates to
our work with constituents and constituent groups, VSOs, as we
work on behalf of America's veterans.
Talk to me for a few moments and to the Committee about
those relationships and the timeliness of them and the
importance of the contact with staff and with the members of
the appropriate committees.
Mr. Harvey. Mr. Chairman, I very much look forward to
working closely with your staff and the staff of a few various
members on a regular basis just so we have an ongoing dialogue.
I think we have developed that pretty well. I was subjected to
verbal abuse by the Chief Counsel recently and he made it clear
to me that I had overstepped my boundaries in some very
significant way.
Senator Craig. I hope he was not too abusive.
Mr. Harvey. Oh, no, he was not too abusive. But I think
what we have is a relationship where he does not hesitate to
pick up the phone and call me. I said to the Secretary when I
began this job, I said that I hope I will be able to spend
part--at least part of a day every week up here on the Hill
just talking to people because there is a certain amount of
stuff that you find out from just talking to people. If you
find out that something is an irritant, it can be taken care of
before it becomes a crisis. I think I am well on my way to
doing that. I certainly hope so.
I have been working with your staff for the better part of
a year now, but I have known Bill Brew, the Staff Director for
the Minority, since 1981 when I first became Staff Director
here, under then Leader, Senator Alan Cranston. I think we have
that open flow of conversation and I look forward to keeping
that up. It makes my job easier, as well as it makes it easier
for you and for your staff to be responsive to your concerns.
Something else I have, which I am sure you are aware of, is
we have people in the Office of Congressional Liaison. We have
people here on the Hill who try to be responsive, and
immediately responsive to Members and their concerns if
something comes up. They follow up, they let us know down in
the central office, do I need to be responsive in the next 24
hours or do I need to be responsive right away. They seem to do
a pretty good job and that is validated by some of my
conversations with some of the staff of the Members of this
Committee.
Senator Craig. Thank you, Tom.
Senator Murray.
Senator Murray. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Admiral Dunne, we have 1.3 million new names on the veteran
database, can you tell me what your plans are to make sure that
they are cared for?
Admiral Dunne. Yes, Senator, I can. The Office of Policy
and Planning has the responsibility to provide forecasting to
the various administrations within the VA so that they can
prepare for the future. So we need to be able to take the data
that is handled in that office and be able to describe the
demographics of our veterans day in and day out. We need to be
able to update it periodically and have good information, so
that as the Administration, whether it be VHA, VBA, or the
Cemetery Administration, as they forecast what their needs will
be for the future, we can support them with good analytical
data.
Senator Murray. Be specific. Tell me what you plan to do
for traumatic brain injury.
Admiral Dunne. For traumatic brain injury, there would be
the opportunity to conduct a study under the auspices of VHA
that would tell us what medical factors, et cetera, would need
to be evaluated, whether it was a survey or otherwise. They
would collect all the data and have it available for analysis
so they can make a medical evaluation.
Senator Murray. Is that not available now?
Admiral Dunne. There is some data available. I would expect
more would be available over time as more of our veterans and
active duty personnel are treated.
Senator Murray. If, for example, you saw that a number of
traumatic brain injured soldiers are living in remote areas,
what would your plan be to deal with it?
Admiral Dunne. That would require a recommendation of
options to VHA and to the Secretary about how they could deal
with that and make sure that our veterans had the opportunity
to have access to the care that they would need.
Senator Murray. Even if that was a costly recommendation,
are you ready to make that?
Admiral Dunne. The recommendation that I would make would
be based on the data that we accumulated and that would be my
duty to the Secretary to tell him what our veterans need.
Senator Murray. How about PTSD?
Admiral Dunne. The same thing with PTSD.
Senator Murray. And if you found that we were not serving
veterans adequately and efficiently, are you prepared to come
to us and tell us that we need to find more resources--to tell
your Administration it needs to find more resources?
Admiral Dunne. I would not be reluctant to voice my concern
for what was needed for our veterans based on the information
that we have.
Senator Murray. Are you aware of the waiting lines that we
have in the medical centers today?
Admiral Dunne. I am aware that there are some waiting
lines. Yes, Senator, I am.
Senator Murray. Have you thought in any way about how we
can shorten these?
Admiral Dunne. Yes, Senator, I have. I believe I can make
the Office of Policy and Planning expertise available to
Admiral Cooper and VBA, to help him with process analysis of
how they are handling the claims, et cetera, and work with him
in order to continue to reduce that time line and make it more
timely, as I know is already his goal.
Senator Murray. How about waiting lines for benefits? Are
you aware of how long they are?
Admiral Dunne. I am aware that it approaches 180 days. I
believe we can take a look at things similar to Web
applications, and for those veterans who are proficient at
using computers, that would speed up the process. For those
veterans who chose to apply in person instead of on the Web,
the line would be shorter, et cetera. It is still the same
volume, but handling it through different processes using
technology, or other elements, in order to make things go as
fast as humanly possible.
Senator Murray. I am sure you are aware of the challenges
with budget requests to Congress over the last year and a half,
how do you plan to make sure that we get a realistic budget
based on real needs and the cost of health care today?
Admiral Dunne. Once again, Senator, it is making our Office
of Policy and Planning's analytical capability available to the
Office of Management as they prepare the budget and help them
with economic forecasting, in which we have experts that will
provide them those economic forecasts and allow them to factor
that into their model as they prepare the budget.
Senator Murray. So you really want to do this?
Admiral Dunne. Yes, Senator, I do. I think it is a very
important mission, and I am very hopeful to be confirmed and
have the opportunity to serve.
Senator Murray. Mr. Harvey, I do not mean to ignore you,
but your skills in dealing with Senator Simpson, I think are
good background for having to deal with many of us, and I
assure you, I will not ignore you once you are in office.
Mr. Harvey. I am sure you will not.
Senator Craig. Gentlemen, I have no further questions other
than several necessary ones that are pro forma questions that
are asked. Before I ask those, I confer with Senator Murray. My
style is different than former Senator Alan Simpson. That means
we are different in how we approach things. But I always liken
Senator Simpson, when he would walk by a sleeping dragon, he
would stick his finger in his eye to determine whether it was
fire breathing or not fire breathing. I have learned over time
that sleeping dragons ought to be allowed to continue to sleep
until such time as they awaken, then you have to deal with
them. He still holds a fascinating reputation here in the U.S.
Senate.
Gentlemen, let me ask you some necessary and pro forma
questions that are important for the record. You can respond to
them individually or jointly.
Do you have any conflicts of interest that you have not
fully disclosed to the Committee or do you know of any other
matters which, if known to the Committee, might affect the
Committee's recommendations to the Senate with respect to your
nominations?
Mr. Harvey. No, Senator, I do not.
Admiral Dunne. No, sir.
Senator Craig. Have you fully and accurately provided
financial and other information requested by the Committee and
do you now affirm that information is complete, accurate, and
provided in a form not designed to evade?
Mr. Harvey. Yes, Senator, I have done that.
Admiral Dunne. Yes, sir.
Senator Craig. Do you agree to supply the Committee such
non-privileged information, materials and documents as may be
requested by the Committee in its oversight and legislative
capacities for as long as you shall serve in the position for
which you now seek confirmation?
Mr. Harvey. Yes, Senator, I do. Let me just parenthetically
mention that just the day before yesterday, in a conversation
with our Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield, he mentioned how
significant a role this process is. He said, ``You know, this
is the U.S. Constitution at work. You have been nominated by
the President and the Senate is now preparing to give its
advice and consent on that.'' He said, ``Think of it as
something that is very serious.'' I do, and it was helpful that
Gordon mentioned that and just sort of refreshed it in our
minds because it is something serious that we do.
Admiral Dunne. Mr. Chairman, I will.
Senator Craig. Do you agree to appear before the Committee
at such times and concerning such matters that the Committee
might request for as long as you serve in the position for
which you are seeking confirmation?
Mr. Harvey. Yes, sir.
Admiral Dunne. Yes, sir.
Senator Craig. Gentlemen, thank you very much for being
with us this morning. We are pleased you brought your families
with you. As was mentioned, we are going to move as
expeditiously as we can. It is critically important that we
fill these positions and get the VA up to speed and, Admiral,
in the capacity that you will move into upon confirmation,
there has been a void of leadership in that position for some
time. At this moment in time, I think the Congress is focused
on the reality of the problem you are now in charge of dealing
with and it is a huge task. At the same time, for the short
term and the long term, it is a critical task.
When the Secretary was before us last week, I charged him
or his successor with the challenge of coming back and being
able to hold up a Business Week magazine article that speaks
about the quality of VA's IT and how it is managed and
controlled as the example the rest of Government ought to
follow, as is the case of medical records today at VA, and how
the rest of both the public and private medical world is
wanting to follow.
If you can meet that challenge, you will have accomplished
a great deal. We know that it will not be done overnight. We
recognize it is a time and place process, but I was just
thinking that if you grew up under the tutelage of Admiral
Rickover, and certainly your experience would suggest to me
that you did, that was all about process and it was all about
discipline. And that is how he built one of the most successful
nuclear navies in the history of the world. That kind of
tutelage prepares you well for this position.
Thank you both very much for being with us and, as I have
said, we will move as expeditiously as we can toward your
confirmation. Thank you. The Committee will stand adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 10:53 a.m. the Committee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
__________
Prepared Statement of Allan E. Goodman,
President and CEO, Institute of International Education
I have the privilege of serving as president of the Nation's oldest
and largest educational exchange organization, the Institute of
International Education (IIE), and the good fortune of having a son-in-
law, Dr. John Dooley, who interned for Senator Frist and now practices
Internal Medicine at the VA Hospital in Washington.
IIE has the honor to administer the Fulbright Program on behalf of
the Department of State and has done so since its inception. The
Institute has also found itself on the front lines of the war against
learning; since 1920, we have been engaged in rescuing scholars. We
have helped over 10,000 to reach safe haven and continue their work for
the benefit of humankind. Many have gone on to win Nobel Prizes. This
year, Senator Patrick Leahy and Lord Browne of Madingley have nominated
the Institute for the Nobel Peace Prize.
For 7 years (1998-2005), Thomas Harvey served as the Institute's
Senior Counselor for Government Affairs. He did so with consistent
excellence and complete dedication to our mission of ``Opening Minds to
the World'' and to the Fulbright Program's goal of fostering mutual
understanding. He is, in my view, an exemplary servant of causes and
needs in the public interest.
The needs of veterans have never been far from Tom's mind. Over the
more than twenty years that I have known him, Tom has taken a special
interest in those who, as a result of being wounded, confront special
and considerable challenges navigating daily life and holding a job. He
has empathy--and a sharp eye for the public and private accommodations
that need to be made to ensure that veterans and their families are
honored and helped in America.
The offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs have always been
in Tom's eye, too. The Institute's Washington, DC offices are three
blocks from VA headquarters. And as I pass the VA building these days
and read what is written above the door, I think about the perfect fit
between what President Abraham Lincoln said the Veterans'
Administration should do--``To care for him who has borne the battle,
and for his widow and his orphan''--and the energy, integrity, and
commitment to that mission, Tom will, if confirmed, bring to his post.
He is just the kind of person to help lead the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Tom Harvey knows what their service--and his--is all about.
______
Prepared Statement of David W. Gorman,
Executive Director, Disabled American Veterans
On June 22, 2006, the President announced his intention to nominate
our friend and Disabled American Veterans (DA Life Member Thomas Harvey
of New York to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs,
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Your Committee has scheduled a
hearing on July 26, 2006, to consider that nomination. We write in full
support of Mr. Harvey's nomination, and urge his early confirmation by
the full Senate.
As a distinguished disabled veteran and a Life Member of our
organization, Mr. Harvey and his qualifications to serve are well known
to the DAV.
He served as an infantry officer in the United States Army from
1966 to his honorable discharge in 1985; during his combat service in
Vietnam, Mr. Harvey was decorated with the Silver Star and Purple Heart
for his valorous actions.
Mr. Harvey currently serves as Acting Assistant Secretary for
Congressional Affairs at VA. Prior his current VA appointment, he
served as Senior Counsel for the Institute of International Education
York. Earlier in his career, Mr. Harvey served as Chief Counsel and
Staff Director for your own Committee under Chairman Alan K. Simpson of
Wyoming. Among his many accomplishments during that tenure was
Congressional passage of the Veterans Eligibility Reform Act of 1996,
Public Law 104-262, one of the most significant acts of Congress
dealing with veteran's health care enacted since World War II. Mr.
Harvey was a lead negotiator on that key legislation that has aided
millions of sick and disabled veterans in living better, healthier
lives.
On examination of his credentials and background, we believe the
Senate will find Mr. Harvey to be immanently qualified for the position
of trust for which has been nominated. As a wounded and combat veteran,
former Senate staff director and counsel, former Deputy Administrator
of Veterans Affairs, and, to his current role at VA, Mr. Harvey has
been an exemplar of fidelity, honesty and integrity. The DAV is proud
to call Thomas Harvey a dear friend, and more importantly, a friend to
America's veterans. The VA Secretary places a great deal of reliance on
Mr. Harvey's advice and counsel, and we believe his influence on VA
policy will only grow over time in his confirmed assignment as
Assistant Secretary.
In summary, Mr. Chairman, DAV wholeheartedly supports Thomas
Harvey's confirmation. We hope your Committee will duly examine his
qualifications and will subsequently report positively and unanimously
his fitness to serve the Nation's veterans as Assistant VA Secretary
for Congressional Affairs.
<all>