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Hearings: Witness List

Subcommittee Considers Bills to Boost VA Programs for Veterans’ Housing, Education, and Compensation Benefits
(April 29, 2004) The Subcommittee on Benefits (Chairman Henry Brown, SC-1) held a legislative hearing to consider ten bills before the Subcommittee, including legislation to expand the Montgomery GI Bill and VA home loan guarantee programs.

The bills on the agenda were: H.R. 348, the Prisoner of War Benefits Act of 2003, H.R. 843, the Injured Veterans Benefits Eligibility Act of 2003, H.R. 1735, H.R. 2206, the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action National Memorial Act, H.R. 2612, the Veterans Adapted Housing Expansion Act of 2003, H.R. 3936, H.R. 4065, the Veterans Housing Affordability Act of 2004, H.R. 4172, H.R. 4173, and a draft bill, the Veterans Education Opportunity Act of 2004.

Testifying at the hearing were five panels of expert witnesses, including the Honorable Kenneth B. Kramer, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Mr. Robert Epley, Veterans Benefits Administration, Mr. William Carr, Department of Defense, and representatives of veterans service organizations.

Audio Coverage of the Hearing

Panel 1

Honorable Kenneth B. Kramer
Chief Judge
United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Panel 2

Honorable Michael Bilirakis
U.S. Representative (R-FL)

Honorable Ken Calvert
U.S. Representative (R-CA)
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Honorable Michael Michaud
U.S. Representative (D-ME)

Honorable Ginny Brown-Waite
U.S. Representative (R-FL)
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Honorable Susan A. Davis
U.S. Representative (D-CA)

Honorable Silvestre Reyes
U.S. Representative (D-TX)
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Panel 3

Mr. Robert Epley
Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Policy and Program Management
Veterans Benefits Administration
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Accompanied by:

Mr. John H. Thompson
Deputy General Counsel
Department of Veterans Affairs

Mr. William Carr
Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy
Department of Defense
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Panel 4

Mr. F. Paul Dallas
National Commander
American Ex-Prisoners of War
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Mr. Richard Jones
National Legislative Director
AMVETS
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Mr. Carl Blake
Associate Legislative Director
Paralyzed Veterans of America
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Panel 5

Mr. John McNeill
Deputy Director, National Veterans Service
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

Mr. Brian E. Lawrence
Assistant National Legislative Director
Disabled American Veterans

Ms. Cathleen Wiblemo
Deputy Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division
The American Legion
(Prepared Testimony | PDF)

California Congressman Ken Calvert testifies before the Subcommittee on his legislation, H.R. H.R. 2206, the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action National Memorial Act.

Chief Judge Kenneth Kramer, seated between two of his colleagues, explains the need for and possible placement sites of a permanent Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

VBA's Robert Epley, (with DOD's William Carr on right) shares the Administration's views on legislation pending before the Subcommittee.

Return to Completed Hearings