Washington, DC – The House Veterans' Affairs Committee has voted to reappoint Congressman John Hall (D-NY19) as Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.  Hall was appointed as Chairman of the Subcommittee in 2007, a rare opportunity for a freshman representative.

 

"The ability to work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee to make sure disabled veterans get the benefits they have earned is truly my greatest honor in Congress," stated Hall. "I want to continue serving as the voice of Hudson Valley veterans in Congress and ensure that our government lives up to its sacred contract with veterans."

 

As Chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee last term, Congressman Hall wrote and passed into law groundbreaking legislation to overhaul the Veterans Administration's (VA) disability claims bureaucracy.

Hall laid out his goals for this term's Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee:

 

"My number one priority is to reduce the backlog of 800,000 disability claims languishing at the VA," said Hall. "Overseeing the implementation of my reform bill is going to play a big role in cutting through the VA's red tape to get veterans their benefits faster and easier. As part of this, we must recognize PTSD and other mental injuries as war wounds and give veterans the appropriate treatment and care for these disabling injuries without forcing them to jump through unnecessary hoops."

 

In addition to chairing the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, Hall was also appointed as a member of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation. Congressman Hall will also continue serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

 

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