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“The committee will come to order. We meet today to consider and mark-up H.r 1538, the Wounded Warriors Assistance Act of 2007.
“The terrible living conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center raised the nation’s awareness of the need to provide a decent standard of living for wounded and injured service members and to improve the administrative systems that support them. While the committee made improvements in the past, there is more that can and should be done.
“This bipartisan legislation is our first step to address the problems brought to light at Walter Reed. I am pleased that our Committee has moved expeditiously to make the changes we can adopt fairly quickly, such as improving training and reducing caseloads for case managers, so service members can get the help they need. It would also improve the transition for service members when they leave the Armed Forces and enter the Department of Veterans Affairs system.
“I want to thank Duncan Hunter, the Ranking Member, for his partnership in creating this bill and Chairman Filner of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for working so smoothly with us to bring a good product quickly to the House. In particular, however, I want to recognize the Chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, Vic Snyder, and his Ranking Member, John McHugh, for their active and substantial participation in the development of this bill. Their expertise and understanding of the complex military personnel and medical systems has allowed the committee to bring forth a bill that will have an immediate positive impact on service members and their families.
“As the Armed Services Committee continues its work on the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization bill, we will have the opportunity to examine more comprehensive reforms to ensure that our forces receive the high quality care our nation has an obligation to provide.
“I know we have a number of amendments today, most of which are acceptable to both sides. I thank the members in advance for their cooperation and their good ideas. But before I address the amendment process and the particular amendments before us, let me turn to my friend and Ranking Member, Duncan Hunter, for any remarks he would like to make.”
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