VA Testimony before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

2008 (110th Congress, Second Session)

• Marianne Mathewson-Chapman, National Guard and Reserve Coordinator, Veterans Health Administration, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing to discuss the cooperation between the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the National Guard, and the Reserves.
  
  

• Gregory Goodrich, Ph.D., Supervisory Research Psychologist and Coordinator, Optometry Research Fellowship Program, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs' research on vision issues and traumatic brain injury.
  
  
• James Orcutt, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology, Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs' provision of care for veterans needing support for visual impairment and traumatic brain injury.
  
  

• Mahdulika Agarwal, M.D., Chief Officer, Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs' care for seriously wounded veterans after they complete their inpatient care.
  
  

• Robert Howard, Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, to discuss the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Information Technology budget proposal for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  

Return to Top

2007 (110th Congress, First Session)

• Howard Green, Deputy, Operations Management, Veterans Health Information Technology, Office of Enterprise Development, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, to testify on the Sharing of Electronic Medical Information between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  
• Gerald Cross, MD, Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, to report the progress made by the Department of Veterans Affairs to share electronic medical records with the Department of Defense.
  
  

• Ronald Aument, Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits, before a House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the Veterans Benefits Administration's response to the Institute for Defense Analyses' "Analysis of Differences in Disability Compensation in the Department of Veterans Affairs".
  
  

• Robert Henke, Assistant Secretary for Management, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to testify on the Department of Veterans Affairs' acquisition system.
  
  

• Gordon Mansfield, Deputy Secretary, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the performance award process for Senior Executives serving within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  

• Gerald Cross, MD, Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss sharing electronic medical records between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the significant progress the Department of Veterans Affairs has made toward the development of a secure, interoperable and bidirectional electronic health data sharing with the Defense Department.
  
  

• Sidney Steinberg, MD, Chief of Staff of the W.G.Hefner Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the quality of health care provided to veterans at the Medical Center.
  
  
• William Feeley, Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the many positive steps the Department of Veterans Affairs utilizes to monitor the healthcare of our veterans and returning warriors.
  
  

• Edward Huycke, MD, Chief Department of Defense Coordination Officer, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, to discuss the progress the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have made in improving the delivery of health care and benefits to our nation's veterans.
  
  
• Michael Kussman, MD, Acting Under Secretary for Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, to comment on the Veterans Health Administration's efforts to ensure a seamless transition process for our injured service men and women, and our ongoing efforts to continuously improve this process.
  
  
• William Feeley, Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Operations and Management, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, to discuss ongoing efforts in the Veterans Health Administration to improve the quality of care we provide to veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
  
  
• Ira Katz, MD, PhD, Deputy Chief Patient Care Services Officer for Mental Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the ongoing steps that the Department of Veterans Affairs is taking in order to meet the mental health care needs of our Nation's returning veterans.
  
  
• Shane McNamee, MD, Medical Director of the Richmond Polytrauma program, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, to discuss the transition of our Wounded Heroes through the Veterans Health Administration.
  
  
• Steven Scott, MD, Medical Director of the Tampa Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss our experience as it relates to the "Service Members Seamless Transition into Civilian Life - our Hero's Return."
  
  

• Robert Howard, Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss changes underway in the area of Information Technology.
  
  
• Gordon Mansfield, Deputy Secretary, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the changes underway in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Information Protection program.
  
  
• James Bagian, MD, Chief Patient Safety Officer, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the issues of IT security, patient safety, culture and their relationships.
  
  

Return to Top

2006 (109th Congress, Second Session)

• Gordon Mansfield, Deputy Secretary, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the President's Fiscal Year 2007 information technology (IT) budget proposal for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  

Return to Top

2005 (109th Congress, First Session)

• Lawrence Dayton, MD, Chief Consultant for Public Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, to discuss the activities taken by the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system related to seasonal and pandemic influenza preparedness.
  
  

• John Brown, Director, Seamless Transition Office, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) toward effecting a seamless transition for separating service members from the Department of Defense to VA.
  
  
• Lynda S. Petty, Veterans Benefits Administration Officer-In-Charge for Veterans Benefits, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding her role in providing Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom patients with timely, accurate information about benefits for veterans.
  
  
• Brenda Faas, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/Department of Defense Liaison for Health Care, Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding VA's Seamless Transition Program.
  
  

Return to Top

2004 (108th Congress, Second Session)

• Kenneth Ruyle, Acting Chief Business Officer, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Department's revenue program and the current status of the implementation of the Patient Financial Services System.
  
  

• Michael Kussman, MD, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Department's research into Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.
  
  

• Frances M. Murphy, MD, Deputy Under Secretary for Health Policy Coordination, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) procedures for background checks and credentialing of its health care providers.
  
  

• Robert N. McFarland, Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' information technology program.
  
  

Return to Top

2003 (108th Congress, First Session)

• Frances Murphy, MD, Deputy Under Secretary for Health Policy Coordination, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the progress being made by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to share health information and to develop a veteran-centric, seamless electronic health record.
  
  

• Mary C. Raymer, RN, Nursing Education Program Manager, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the impact of the nursing workforce shortage on the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  
• Sandra K. Janzen, RN, Associate Chief of Staff/Nursing, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the Magnet Nursing Services Recognition Program and how Magnet credentialing may improve recruitment and retention associated with the nursing shortage in Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.
  
  
• Cathy Rick, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the impact of the national nursing shortage on the Veterans Health Administration.
  
  

• Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding pre- and post-deployment health issues, and VA's role in the care of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  
  

• Robert H. Roswell, MD, Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' human research participant protection program.
  
  

• Leo Mackay, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Department's revenue program.
  
  

• Robert H. Roswell, MD, Under Secretary for Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding VA's progress in developing a medical education and training program on the medical responses to the consequences of terrorist activity.
  
  

Return to Top

2002 (107th Congress, Second Session)

• Dr. John A. Gauss, Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the progress the Department has made in strengthening its Information Technology programs.
  
  

• Robert H. Roswell, MD, Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding Department of Veterans Affairs research issues, including the technology transfer program, non-profit research and educational foundations, and human subject protections.
  
  

• Robert Roswell, MD, May 16, 2002 - , Under Secretary of Health, before the Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs regarding non-profit research corporations and educational foundations and the Department of Veterans Affairs Human Studies Protection Program.
  
  

• Dr. John A. Gauss, Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the progress the Department has made in strengthening its Information Technology program.
  
  

Return to Top

2001 (107th Congress, First Session)

• Frances Murphy, MD, MPH, Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding VA's role in educating health care professionals to diagnose and treat casualties of terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, and radiologic agents.
  
  

• Thomas L. Garthwaite, MD, Under Secretary for Health, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the progress, challenges, and future direction of the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration's revenue program.
  
  
• Ms. Karen Sagar, MCCF Director of the Martinsburg VA Medical Center, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the progress, challenges, and future direction of the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration's revenue program.
  
  

• Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, before a the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the quality of care and management issues at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  
  
• Robert H. Sabin, Director Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, before a the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the quality of care and management issues at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  
  
• Linda Belton, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11, before a the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the quality of care and management issues at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  
  
• Michael W. Murphy, Ph.D., Director, VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, before a the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the quality of care and management issues at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  
  
• Jeffrey M. Alger, Director, Indianapolis Regional Office, before a the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the quality of care and management issues at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
  
  

• Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding VA's Information Technology program and specifically VA's integrated systems architecture, VETSNET, our information security posture, and the Veterans Health Administration's Decision Support System.
  
  

Return to Top

2000 (106th Congress, Second Session)

• Thomas L. Garthwaite, MD, Under Secretary for Health. before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research and Development program and, in particular, protection of human subjects of research in the Veterans Health Administration.
  
  

• Robert P. Bubniak, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology. before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' Information Technology programs.
  
  

• James P. Bagian, MD, Director, National Center for Patient Safety. Testimony presented for incorporation into a hearing record of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigation, regarding ongoing activities and initiatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure the provision of consistent, high quality and safe care to patient. [Note: All witnesses were requested to submit testimony for the record, but no oral testimony was presented.]
  
  

• Joan Furey, Director, Center for Women Veterans, before a hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, regarding services in the VA for women veterans.
  
  

• Michael W. Murphy, Ph.D., Director, VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, VISN 11, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System.
  
  
• Alan M. Mellow, MD, PhD, Director, Mental Health Service Line, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Mental Health Service Line in VISN 11 and as it relates to the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System.
  
  
• Linda Belton, Director, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 11, Veterans Health Administration, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding VISN 11 and the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System.
  
  

• Gary J. Krump, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Materiel Management, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense for the procurement of health care related commodities.
  
  

• John E. Ogden, M.S., Chief Consultant for Pharmacy Benefits Management, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding VA's Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy Program.
  
  

• Harold F. Gracey, Jr., Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' Information Technology programs.
  
  

• Michael Slachta, Assistant Inspector General for Auditing, Department of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding the Office of Inspector General's views on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Guaranty Program.
  
  
• Keith Pedigo, Director, Loan Guaranty Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, regarding VA initiatives to restructure the Loan Guaranty Program.
  
  

Return to Top

1999 (106th Congress, First Session)

• Hershel W. Gober, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee regarding the status of VA's readiness for the Year 2000.
  
  

• Eugene A. Brickhouse, Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration, before a hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, regarding VA's compliance with Public Law 105-114, the Veterans Benefits Act of 1997, which established the Office of Resolution Management (ORM) and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication (OEDCA).
  
  

• Edward A. Powell, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Financial Management and Chief Financial Officer, before a hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, regarding Medical Care Cost Fund (MCCF) overbillings, and internal control weaknesses uncovered at two Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) regional offices.
  
  

• Peter H. Dougherty, Director, Homeless Veterans Programs, accompanied by Dr. Robert Rosenheck, VA Director of the Northeast Program Evaluation Center and Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health at Yale University, Ms. Gay Koerber, Associate Chief Consultant Health Care for Homeless Veterans, and Mr. Roger Casey, Program Manager, Homeless Grant and Per Diem Program, before a hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, regarding the effectiveness of federal grants to community based organizations as a means of addressing the needs of homeless veterans.
  
  

• Roger Rapp, Acting Under Secretary, National Cemetery Administration, before a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation hearing regarding important issues pertaining to the National Cemetery Administration.
  
  

• Hershel W. Gober, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Before a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation hearing regarding the status of VA's readiness for the Year 2000.
  
  

• Smith Jenkins, Jr., Director, VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 22), before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program, also known as the Workers' Compensation Program.
  
  
• Ron E. Cowles, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Human Resources Management, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program, also known as the Workers' Compensation Program.
  
  
• Frederick L. Malphurs, Director, Veterans Integrated Service Network, Albany, New York, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program, also known as the Workers' Compensation Program.
  
  
• Richard J. Griffin, Inspector General, before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program, also known as the Workers' Compensation Program.
  
  

• Eugene A. Brickhouse, Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration. Before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation, regarding the policies and protections afforded to Department of Veterans Affairs employees who "blow the whistle" or who otherwise believe they may be subject to retaliation for disclosures or complaints.
  
  

Return to Top

1998 (105th Congress, Second Session)

• Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH, Under Secretary for Health. Before the US House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations regarding the impact of Year 2000 (Y2K) technology problems in medical devices in the Veterans Health Care System.
  
  

• Kenneth Clark, Chief Network Officer of the Veterans Health Administration. Before the House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, regarding energy management program and energy savings.
  
  

• Togo D. West, Jr., Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding burial eligibility criteria at Arlington National Cemetery.
  
  

Return to Top

1997 (105th Congress, First Session)

• Dean S. Billik, Director, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding mismanagement of the Charleston VA Medical Center.
  
  
• Kenneth Clark, Chief Network Officer (CNO) of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding the new VHA Network organization.
  
  
• Thomas A. Cappello, Director, Pittsburgh Healthcare System. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding the Pittsburgh project.
  
  

• Dennis Duffy, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding the Department's Strategic Plan Fiscal Year 1998-2003.
  
  

• Hershel W. Gober, Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding sexual harassment in the workplace.
  
  

• D. Mark Catlett, Assistant Secretary for Management and Chief Information Officer. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Veterans Affairs Committee regarding the readiness of VA's information systems for the Year 2000.
  
  

• Mr. John H. Baffa, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Security and Law Enforcement. Before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations regarding issues related to safety and security at VA facilities.
  
  

• Hershel W. Gober, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, before the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations concerning VA's policy and practices regarding sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination in the work place.
  
  

Return to Top

1994 (103rd Congress, Second Session)

• Robert M. Kolodner, MD, Director, Medical IRM Office, Veterans Health Administration. Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, regarding VA's Use of Telemedicine in Providing Care to Veterans.
  
  

Return to Top