U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs RSS 2.0 Feed

Spouse of Severely Wounded Veteran Testifies on VA's Fertility Treatment

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:06:00 GMT

Watch the testimony HERE.

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Wednesday, June 27, 2012, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, chaired a hearing to examine health and benefits legislation pending before the Committee. At the hearing, Tracy Keil, the spouse of a severely wounded OIF veteran discussed her family’s experience with VA’s fertility services. Veterans who have severe reproductive and urinary tract injuries and spinal cord injuries (SCI) often need highly specialized treatments and procedures like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive. However, under current law, IVF is expressly excluded from fertility services that are provided by the VA to veterans or their spouses. This is a significant barrier for veterans with SCI and genital and urinary tract injuries and as a result they have to seek care in the private sector. Senator Murray’s Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvements Act of 2012 , which she introduced last week, would expand fertility treatment and care options for seriously wounded veterans, their spouses, and surrogates. More about the bill HERE.

“Many of these veterans dream of one day starting a family. But with the injuries they’ve sustained on the battlefield that may not be possible without some extra help,” Senator Murray said during her opening statement. “While the Department of Defense and Tricare are now able to provide advanced fertility treatment to injured servicemembers, today VA can only provide limited treatment. VA’s services do not even begin to meet the needs of our most seriously injured veterans or their families. My bill will help make real the dream of starting a family by authorizing VA to provide advanced fertility treatment to severely wounded veterans.”

In addition, Senator Murray discussed her new servicemembers and veterans mental health legislation, the Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012, S. 3340. Vets First and the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) testified regarding their support of the legislation, which would improve oversight and accountability of mental health services in DOD and VA, expand services for family members, and make other improvements. Six other Senators also appeared at the hearing in support of their legislation, including Senators Ayotte, Boxer, Franken, Heller, Wyden, and Portman.

Senator Murray’s opening statement:

“Welcome to today’s hearing to examine health and benefits legislation before this Committee.

“Like our hearing two weeks ago on economic opportunity and transition legislation, today’s agenda is ambitious and reflects important work by the members on both sides of the aisle.

“Briefly I will highlight two bills.

“The Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012 is sweeping legislation that improves how VA provides mental health care. I think it is fitting that we are here considering this legislation on National PTSD Awareness Day.

“Over the past year, this Committee has repeatedly examined the alarming rate of suicide and the mental health crisis in our military and veterans populations.

“We know our servicemembers and veterans have faced unprecedented challenges: multiple deployments; difficulty finding a job here at home; and isolation in their communities.

“Some have faced tough times reintegrating into family life, with loved ones trying to relate but not knowing how.

“These are the challenges our servicemembers and veterans know all too well.

“But even as they turn to us for help, we’re losing the battle. Time and time again, we’ve lost servicemembers and veterans to suicide.

“We are losing more servicemembers to suicide than we are to combat. Every 80 minutes a veteran takes his own life. On average this year, we have lost a servicemember to suicide once every day.

“But while the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have taken important steps towards addressing this crisis, we know more must be done.

“We know that any solution depends upon reducing wait times and improving access to mental health care; ensuring proper diagnosis; and achieving true coordination of care and information between the Departments.

“The Mental Health ACCESS Act would expand eligibility for VA mental health services to family members of veterans.

“It would require VA to offer peer support services at all medical centers and create opportunities to train more veterans to provide peer services.

“This bill will require VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services.

“This Committee has held multiple hearings on VA mental health care, and we heard repeatedly about the incredibly long wait times to get into care.

“It’s often only on the brink of crisis that a veteran seeks care. If they are told “sorry, we are too busy to help you,” we have lost the opportunity to help, and that is not acceptable.

“Without accurate measures, VA does not know the unmet needs. Without a credible staffing model, VA cannot deploy its personnel and resources effectively.

“The other bill I would like to mention today is S. 3313. The Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvement Act of 2012 builds upon previous laws to improve VA services for women veterans and veterans with families.

“My bill will create a child care pilot program for veterans seeking readjustment counseling at Vet Centers; and increase outreach to women veterans.

“We know that as more of our men and women return from Afghanistan, VA will be called upon to provide care for our most severely wounded veterans.

“After suffering life changing injuries on the battlefield, these veterans now face a future forever changed.

“Between 2003 and 2011, we know that more than 600 servicemembers experienced blast injuries that caused trauma to their reproductive or urinary tracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even more have experienced other injuries, such as spinal cord injuries.

“Many of these veterans dream of one day starting a family. But with the injuries they’ve sustained on the battlefield that may not be possible without some extra help.

“While the Department of Defense and Tricare are now able to provide advanced fertility treatment to injured servicemembers, today VA can only provide limited treatment. VA’s services do not even begin to meet the needs of our most seriously injured veterans or their families.

“My bill will help make real the dream of starting a family by authorizing VA to provide advanced fertility treatment to severely wounded veterans.

“By authorizing these treatments, we will bring VA services in line with what DOD and Tricare already provide. It’s the right thing to do and it’s what our veterans deserve.

“I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, and thank you all for joining us this morning.”

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Senator Murray Introduces Mental Health Bill, Speaks on Senate Floor

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:06:00 GMT

(Washington, D.C.) – As it becomes increasingly clear that the Pentagon and VA are losing the battle on mental and behavioral health conditions that are confronting so many of our servicemembers and veterans, Senator Murray gave a speech on the Senate floor to introduce her new servicemembers and veterans mental health legislation, the Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012. Her speech also comes as the Pentagon begins a comprehensive military-wide review, which Senator Murray urged Secretary Panetta to conduct on diagnoses for the invisible wounds of war dating back to 2001. The misdiagnosis of behavioral health conditions has been a constant problem for soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, where to date over 100 soldiers and counting have had their correct PTSD diagnosis restored following reevaluation.

The Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012 would require the Department of Defense to create a comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention program; expand eligibility for a variety of Department of Veterans Affairs mental health services to family members; strengthen oversight of DoD Mental Health Care and the Integrated Disability Evaluation System; improve training and education for our health care providers; create more peer-to-peer counseling opportunities; and require VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services. More about Senator Murray’s bill HERE.

Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s speech:

“Servicemembers, veterans, and their families should never have had to wade through an unending bureaucratic process, and because of the outcry from veterans and servicemembers alike the Pentagon now has an extraordinary opportunity to go back and correct the mistakes of the past.”

“We still need to make sure these mistakes are not repeated. We still need to fundamentally change a system that Secretary Panetta admitted to me has ‘huge gaps’ in it. And that is why I am here today.”

“Today I have introduced the Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012. It is a bill that seeks to make improvements to ensure that those who have served have access to consistent, quality behavioral health care. It is a bill that strengthens oversight of military mental health care and improves the Integrated Disability Evaluation System we rely on.”

“The Department of Defense and the VA are losing the battle against the mental and behavioral wounds of these wars. To see that you don’t need to look any further than the tragic fact that already this year over 150 active duty servicemembers have taken their own lives, or the fact that one veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes.”

“This bill will help make a difference, but we need to make changes now. Today, I am asking members of the Senate from both sides of the aisle to join me in this effort. We owe our veterans a medical evaluation system that treats them fairly, that gives them the proper diagnosis, and that provides access to the mental health care they have earned and deserve.”

The full text of Senator Murray’s speech:

“Madam President, last February in my office in Seattle I sat down with an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran named Stephen Davis and his wife Kim.

“Stephen and Kim were there to talk to me about their experiences since he returned home and about the invisible wounds of war that they were struggling with together -- every single day.

“At the meeting, Kim did most of the talking. She told me about the nightmares. She told me about the lack of sleep. She talked about confusion and the anxiety that was now a constant in their lives.

“But it was the way that she summed up her experience since Stephen returned home that struck me hardest.

“She said that her husband still hadn’t returned home.

“She said that the husband she had been married to for nearly two decades – although sitting directly next to her - was still not back from war.

“And you know what, despite the fact that we often refer to these wounds as invisible – you could see it.

“When it came time for Stephen to describe his experiences he shook as he explained how difficult the transition home has been for him, for his wife, and for their family.

“Now Madam President, the Davis family’s story is no different than what thousands of other families have faced.

“But their story does have a tragic and frustrating twist.

“You see, Sergeant Davis knew when he returned home that he had a problem with post traumatic stress – and he was courageous enough to reach out for help.

“He sought care and was diagnosed with PTSD.

“But just a few months later – after a visit to Madigan Army Medical Base in my home state of Washington - he was told something that shocked and appalled him and his wife.

“After a 10 minute meeting and a written questionnaire – Sergeant Davis was told that he was exaggerating his symptoms and that he didn’t have PTSD.

“He was told – in effect – that despite serving in two war zones, despite being involved in three separate IED incidents, and despite his repeated deployments, he was making it all up.

“He was then sent home with a diagnosis for adjustment disorder and told that his disability rating would be lowered and that the benefits that he and his family would receive would ultimately be diminished.

“Now, Madam President, if this sounds like an isolated, shocking incident – here is something that you’ll find more shocking.

“And that’s that Sergeant Davis was one of literally hundreds of patients at this Army hospital that was told the exact same thing.

“Soldiers who had been diagnosed with PTSD – not just once - but several times - had their diagnoses taken away.

“In many instances these soldiers were told that they were embellishing or even outright lying about their symptoms.

“In fact, so many soldiers were being accused of making up their symptoms by doctors at this hospital that I began to get letters and phone calls into my office.

“Soon after documents came to light showing that the doctors diagnosing these soldiers were being encouraged to consider not just the best diagnosis for these patients but also the cost of care.

“These revelations have led to a series of internal investigations that are still under way today.

“But even more importantly, they have led to these soldiers being reevaluated and to date hundreds of soldiers – including Sergeant Davis - have had their proper PTSD diagnoses restored.

“Now, Madam President, this too, could be viewed as an isolated incident.

“And in fact, when I first raised concerns that the problems we saw at Madigan could be happening at other bases across the country -- that’s exactly what I was told.

“But I knew better.

“I remembered back to this Salon.com article than ran a few years back.

“In that article a doctor from Fort Carson in Colorado talked about how he was ‘under a lot of pressure to not diagnose PTSD.’

“It also went on to quote a former Army psychologist named David Rudd who said ‘Each diagnosis is an acknowledgment that psychiatric casualties are a huge price tag of this war.

“It is easiest to dismiss these casualties because you can’t see the wounds. If they change the diagnosis they can dismiss you at a substantially decreased rate.’

“I also had my own staff launch an investigation into how the military and the VA were diagnosing mental health conditions at other bases across the country.

“And I was troubled by what they found.

“It became clear there were other cases were doctors accused soldiers of exaggerating symptoms without any documentation of appropriate interview techniques.

“They encountered inadequate VA medical examinations -- especially in relation to Traumatic Brain Injury.

“And they found that many VA rating decisions contained errors, which in some cases impacted the level of benefits the veteran should have received.

“Now, Madam President, to their credit the Army didn’t run and hide as the questions about other bases continued to mount.

“In fact they took two important steps.

“First, in April they issued a new policy for diagnosing PTSD that criticized the methods being used at Madigan and pointed out to health officials throughout their system that it was unlikely that soldiers were faking symptoms.

“Then, in May the Army went further and announced that they would review all mental health diagnoses across the country dating back to 2001.

“This in turn led to Secretary Panetta to announce just last week that all branches of the military would undergo a similar review.

“Now, Madam President, without question, these are historic steps in our efforts to right a decade of inconsistencies in how the invisible wounds of war have been evaluated.

“Servicemembers, veterans, and their families should never have had to wade through an unending bureaucratic process.

“And because of the outcry from veterans and servicemembers alike the Pentagon now has an extraordinary opportunity to go back and correct the mistakes of the past.

“But Madam President …we still need to make sure these mistakes are not repeated.

“We still need to fundamentally change a system that Secretary Panetta admitted to me has ‘huge gaps’ in it.

“And that is why I am here today.

“Madam President, today I have introduced the Mental Health ACCESS Act of 2012.

“It is a bill that seeks to make improvements to ensure that those who have served have access to consistent, quality behavioral health care.

“It is a bill that strengthens oversight of military mental health care

“And improves the Integrated Disability Evaluation System we rely on.

“Now Madam President, as anyone who understands these issues knows well this isn’t any easy task.

“The mental health care, suicide prevention, and counseling programs we provide our service members are spread out through the Department of Defense and VA.

“Too often they are tangled in a web of bureaucracy.

“And frankly too often this makes them difficult to address in legislation.

“So what I did in crafting this bill is I identified critical changes that need to be made at both DoD and VA and set up a checklist of legislative changes needed to do just that.

“Some provisions in this bill will likely be addressed in my Veterans Committee others will need to have to be addressed through Defense bills and work with the Chairs of other committees.

“But all of these provisions are critical and today I wanted to share some of the most important ones.

“Madam President, high atop the list of changes this bill makes is addressing military suicides – which as we all know is an epidemic that now outpaces combat deaths.

“My bill would require the Pentagon to create comprehensive, standardized suicide prevention programs.

“It would also require the Department to better oversee mental health care for servicemembers.

“Second, my bill would expand eligibility for a variety of VA mental health services to family members.

“This will help families - and spouses like Kim - who I spoke about earlier - cope with the stresses of deployments and help strengthen the support network that is critical to servicemembers returning from deployment.

“Third, my bill will improve training and education for our health care providers.

“Often times our servicemembers seek out help from chaplains, medics, and others who may be unprepared to offer counseling. This bill would help prepare them through continuing education programs.

“Fourth, my bill would create more peer to peer counseling opportunities.

“It would do this by requiring VA to offer peer support services at all medical centers and by supporting opportunities to train vets to provide peer services.

“And finally, this bill will require VA to establish accurate and reliable measures for mental health services.

“This will help ensure the VA understands the problem they face so that veterans can get into the care we know they can provide.

“Madam President, all of these are critical steps at a pivotal time.

“Because the truth is -- right now -- the Department of Defense and the VA are losing the battle against the mental and behavioral wounds of these wars.

“To see that you don’t need to look any further than the tragic fact that already this year over 150 active duty servicemembers have taken their own lives.

“Or the fact that one veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes.

“And while there are a number of factors that contribute to these suicides including repeated deployments, a lack of employment security, isolation in their communities, and difficulty transitioning back to their families.

“Not having access to quality and timely mental health care is vital.

“When our veterans can’t get the care they need they often self medicate.

“When they wait endlessly for a proper diagnoses they often lose hope.

“Last year at this time, I held a hearing on the mental health disability system that this bill seeks to strengthen and heard two stories that illustrate this despair.

“Andrea Sawyer, the wife of Army Sergeant Lloyd Sawyer testified about how her husband - an Iraq veteran - spent years searching for care.

“Together they hit barriers and red tape so often that at one point he held a knife to his throat in front of both her and an Army psychiatrist before being talked out of it.

“Later in the same hearing, Daniel Williams an Iraq combat veteran testified about how his struggle to find care led to him stick a gun in his mouth while his wife begged him to stop -- only to see his gun misfire.

“Madam President these are the stories that define this problem.

“These are the men and women who we must be there for.

“They are those who have served and sacrificed and done everything we have asked of them.

“They have left their families and homes, served multiple times, and protected our nation’s interests at home and abroad.

“Madam President, this bill will help make a difference.

“But we need to make changes now.

“Today, I am asking members of the Senate from both sides of the aisle to join me in this effort.

“We owe our veterans a medical evaluation system that treats them fairly, that gives them the proper diagnosis, and that provides access to the mental health care they have earned and deserve.

“Thank you.”

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Chairman Murray Introduces Bill to Provide Veterans with Genital and Reproductive Wounds with Access to In Vitro Fertilization through the VA

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:06:00 GMT

If forced to turn to the private sector, veterans and their spouses often have to pay tens of thousands in out-of-pocket costs to access IVF services

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced legislation that will end the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ban on providing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) services. Murray’s bill, the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2012, also will begin child care programs at Vet Centers for women seeking counseling, and improve outreach to women veterans.

Army data show that between 2003 and 2011 over 600 servicemembers have suffered reproductive and urinary tract trauma. The reliance on foot patrols in Afghanistan and the prevalence of improvised explosive devices has left servicemembers far more susceptible to these injuries.

“Reproductive injuries are some of the most impactful and serious wounds of these wars,” Senator Murray said today upon introduction of the bill. “VA has an obligation to care for the combat wounded. For those with such catastrophic injuries, that includes access to the fertility care they need. Veterans and their spouses are specifically barred from accessing In Vitro Fertilization services at the VA and often times have to spend tens of thousands of dollars in the private sector to get the advanced reproductive treatments they need to start a family. These veterans deserve far more.”

Veterans who have severe reproductive and urinary tract injuries and spinal cord injuries (SCI) often need highly specialized treatments and procedures like IVF to conceive. However, under current law, IVF is expressly excluded from fertility services that are provided by the VA to veterans or their spouses. This is a significant barrier for veterans with SCI and genital and urinary tract injuries and as a result they have to seek care outside of the VA. The Department of Defense currently provides access to IVF services under the Tricare program and coverage for IVF and other fertility treatments at no charge to severely combat wounded servicemembers. Senator Murray’s bill would provide veterans with the same access.

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Murray, Blumenthal, Nelson Call on Departments of Justice, Treasury to Investigate Charitable Organizations Exploiting Veterans for Own Financial Gain

Wed, 30 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee joined with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) in sending two letters regarding the Veterans Support Organization (VSO), addressing potential violations of federal law and abuse of tax exempt status by the 501(c)(3) organization. The first letter was sent to Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, requesting an audit and, where appropriate, an investigation of the VSO for potential violations of federal law.

In a second letter, sent to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Senator Murray, again joined by Senators Blumenthal and Nelson, expressed concern about the membership criteria used by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee (NAC) to evaluate prospective member organizations and the NAC’s failure to require any standards of conduct for its members. The Senators point out the lack of internal controls for membership on the advisory committee and call for the removal of any organization that fails to conduct itself in a manner befitting the Department’s mission or that exploits its relationship with the Department for its own financial gain.

“Without a meaningful review process or standards of conduct, the Department risks legitimizing organizations engaged in questionable business practices by permitting their membership on the NAC,” the Senators write in the letter to Secretary Shinseki. “For example, the Veterans Support Organization (VSO) has repeatedly touted its membership on the NAC as a way to represent itself as a reputable organization. But throughout the seventeen states in which it operates, VSO has drawn scrutiny from state authorities, veterans service organizations, local news organizations and veterans themselves. VSO’s business practices have been characterized as dishonest, misleading and fraudulent, and in at least one instance, VSO has acknowledged breaking state law.”

The full text of both letters follow:

May 30, 2012

The Honorable Eric H. Holder

Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

The Honorable Timothy F. Geithner
Secretary of the Treasury
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Dear General Holder and Secretary Geithner:

We write to request that the Departments of Justice and Treasury audit and investigate, as appropriate, the Veterans Support Organization (VSO), a registered 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation, for potential violations of federal law.

Throughout the seventeen states in which it operates, including Connecticut and Florida, VSO has attracted scrutiny from state authorities, reputable veterans service organizations, local news organizations and individual veterans. VSO’s business practices have been characterized as dishonest, misleading, and fraudulent and in at least one instance, VSO has acknowledged breaking state law. Taken together, these actions and allegations raise serious questions as to whether VSO has repeatedly and intentionally misappropriated public donations and abused its tax exempt status in violation of federal law.

At the heart of VSO’s suspect practices is its use of paid solicitors, violation of state solicitation laws and financial irregularities. VSO presents its paid solicitors to the public as veterans, providing them with camouflage-style uniforms and instructing them to keep thirty percent of their collected donations as commission. Through its use of these paid solicitors, VSO has been found in violation of state charitable contribution laws and has faced civil penalties as a result. VSO’s paid solicitors program is its single largest expenditure, with executive and employee compensation following close behind. In 2009 alone, VSO paid its chief executive officer $255,000, or over four percent of its total revenue. That same year, VSO’s spending on its paid solicitor program and executive and employee compensation was over eight times greater than its direct grant awards to other veterans service organizations, government entities, and individual veterans. Clearly, VSO’s disproportionate spending on paid solicitors and its own executives, coupled with its admitted violation of state solicitation laws and general lack of transparency and accountability is cause for serious concern. For your reference, we have enclosed a background paper that details VSO’s questionable conduct in greater detail.

As an increasing number of our servicemembers return home and transition to civilian life, it is especially critical that charity organizations act as good stewards of the American people’s goodwill and generosity towards our veterans. On behalf of our nation’s veterans and those who serve them, we thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to your timely response detailing the steps you have taken auditing or investigating, as appropriate, VSO.

May 30, 2012

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420

Dear Secretary Shinseki:

We write to express our concern about the membership criteria used by the Department’s Voluntary Service National Advisory Committee (NAC) to evaluate prospective member organizations and the NAC’s failure to require any standards of conduct for its members.

It is critical that organizations permitted to affiliate themselves with, or invoke the name of, the Department of Veterans Affairs conduct themselves in a manner befitting the Department’s mission, its reputation and the integrity of its work. Yet today, any organization that meets a minimum level of monetary and material support to VA facilities is eligible for membership on the NAC. No other review is undertaken by the Department to evaluate a potential member organization, nor does the NAC have in place any standards of conduct to which its member organizations must adhere.

This is both troubling and unacceptable. Without a meaningful review process or standards of conduct, the Department risks legitimizing organizations engaged in questionable business practices by permitting their membership on the NAC. For example, the Veterans Support Organization (VSO) has repeatedly touted its membership on the NAC as a way to represent itself as a reputable organization. But throughout the seventeen states in which it operates, VSO has drawn scrutiny from state authorities, veterans service organizations, local news organizations and veterans themselves. VSO’s business practices have been characterized as dishonest, misleading and fraudulent, and in at least one instance, VSO has acknowledged breaking state law.

In response to VSO’s suspect practices, we have written to the Attorney General and to Secretary Geithner, requesting that their departments investigate whether VSO has misappropriated public donations or abused its tax exempt status in violation of federal law. We expressed our concern that charity organizations must act as good stewards of the American people’s generosity towards our veterans. Surely an organization, such as VSO, which has admitted breaking state law, should be ineligible to serve on the NAC or use the Department’s name in furtherance of its own financial interest.

To protect the integrity of the NAC’s work, we ask that you review this situation and take such action as you consider appropriate. It is our hope that you will rescind the membership of VSO and any other organization that fails to reflect the caliber and character of the Department’s mission and work, and institute safeguards to regulate the NAC’s membership accordingly. We look forward to hearing from you regarding your review of this issue. Thank you for all that you do on behalf of our nation’s veterans.

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Notice: Veterans Charitable Organization Ratings

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

As an increasing number of our servicemembers return home and transition to civilian life, it is especially critical that charitable organizations supporting them act as good stewards of the American people’s goodwill and generosity towards our veterans. If you’re considering giving to a charity that supports veterans, please visit www.charitywatch.org or www.charitynavigator.org to learn more about your different giving options. Both sites rate charities using a variety of performance metrics, including financial performance, accountability and transparency

Murray, Collins, Michaud Applaud Veterans Homes Fix in Military Construction Spending Bill

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), members of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, along with U.S. Representative Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health, applauded the inclusion of an amendment in the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill which would modify the way State Veterans’ Homes are reimbursed for nursing home care provided to veterans. The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the bill on Tuesday by a vote of 30-0. The amendment, authored by Senator Murray, would result in more flexibility in determining reimbursement rates by requiring VA and the State Veterans’ Homes to collaborate in setting rates that accurately reflect the level of care provided. Washington and Maine are home to State Veterans’ Homes which require a high level of skilled nursing due to requirements by Medicare and Medicaid. However, currently the VA payments do not cover this level of care.

“This amendment is a critical step to ensuring Washington State Veterans’ Homes will not lose out on millions of dollars they need to keep operating,” said Senator Murray. “Thankfully we were finally able to move forward to provide this flexibility -- preventing staff layoffs which would have dramatically reduced the number of Washington veterans they serve. I am grateful to Senator Collins and Representative Michaud for their leadership on this issue.”

"By granting the Department of Veterans Affairs increased flexibility in reimbursement rates, our goal is to recognize the high-quality of care State Veterans' Homes provide disabled veterans and ensure they never have to turn away any of our veterans because of inadequate reimbursement from the VA," said Senator Collins. "The men and women cared for by State Veterans' Homes defended our freedom, many of them in combat. We must defend their right to the care they deserve."

“Our severely disabled and elderly veterans deserve access to the best possible care and Congress cannot wait any longer to address the shortfalls our State Veterans’ Homes are facing,” said Representative Michaud. “I am grateful for Sen. Patty Murray’s collaboration and leadership on this issue and I look forward to continuing to work with her to ensure that this issue is resolved before the end of the year.”

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Senator Murray Discusses Progress in Veterans Hiring, Importance of Working with the Private Sector

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

Click Here to View Speech

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on the state of efforts to hire veterans. The speech focused on what steps private businesses are taking that are improving veterans hiring and what challenges veterans still face in the job market. The speech comes after extensive discussions Murray has had with private employers, veterans, and employment experts on what’s working and what isn’t in the effort to hire veterans. Recent labor statistics show that unemployment, particularly among young veterans, remains unacceptably high.

Full text of Senator Murray’s speech:

“Next week Americans will spend time honoring and commemorating the men and women who died fighting for our great country. Memorial Day is a day to reflect on and give thanks for the sacrifices made by those who made the ultimate sacrifice—but it is also a day to look forward and to think about what we all can do to help our veterans who have also sacrificed so much—and who deserve our support when they come home. So, I come to the floor today to discuss an issue that, quite frankly, defies common sense.

“The high rate of unemployment among recently separated veterans is an issue that continues to make the transition home for veterans harder than ever. Despite the fact that our veterans have the leadership ability, discipline, and technical skills to not only find work, but to excel in the workforce of the 21st century. Our veterans continue to struggle.

“Despite the skill, talent and training of our veterans, statistics have continued to paint a grim picture. According to the Department of Labor, young veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 have an unemployment rate that is nearly 20%. That is one in five of our nation’s heroes who can’t find a job to support their family, don’t have an income that provides stability, and don’t have work that provides them with the self-esteem and pride that is so critical to their transition home.

“We know this shouldn’t be the case. We shouldn’t let the skills and training our nation’s veterans have attained go to waste. And that’s why we all joined together to overwhelmingly pass my VOW to Hire Heroes Act here in the Senate late last year. Among many other things, this law provides tax incentives to encourage businesses to hire veterans, makes participation in the Transition Assistance Program mandatory for most separating servicemembers, and expands the education and training we provide transitioning servicemembers.

“Thanks to this legislation we have been able to take a real, concrete step toward putting our veterans to work. The tax credit is working. And VA is set to begin accepting applications for a retraining program that will benefit unemployed veterans ages 35-60 and help get them back to work. This bill is only that, a first step.

“Today, I’d like to talk about the next step. And that step is to build partnerships with private businesses large and small – all across the country – to hire our nation’s heroes.

“Just recently I was in New York where I participated in a lively roundtable discussion hosted by the Robin Hood Foundation. This discussion on veterans’ employment was moderated by Tom Brokaw on the USS Intrepid and brought together people of various backgrounds – including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan – to talk about this important issue. What is very apparent is that there is momentum to build public/private partnerships. What is also apparent is that there is a lot of room for improvement in this area.

“Now, I want to first make it clear that a lot of companies across the country are far ahead of the curve on this. In fact, many private sector companies have already joined our efforts in addressing this critical issue. For example, JC Penney, one of America’s largest retailers, and Joseph Abboud, a men’s clothing company, partnered with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to launch the Welcome Home Joe – Thanks a Million Program. To prepare veterans for job interviews, this program has provided 5,000 veterans with certificates to purchase business attire.

“For the last decade we have expected our brave men and women in uniform to prepare for the battlefield. In the process, they have become accustomed to wearing combat boots and battle dress uniforms. Now they are expected wear a suit and tie for job interviews - something that sometimes seems foreign to them. But thanks to this program, thousands of transitioning veterans can now hang-up their battle dress uniforms and dress for their next challenge.

“Other companies like, Schneider National, one of America’s largest trucking companies, are realizing that the skills our veterans have gained over the last decade of war are directly applicable to their businesses. Schneider National recognizes that a veteran who has driven a seven-ton truck across Afghanistan’s dangerous and rugged terrain is more than qualified to drive a freight truck across our nation’s roads. And in addition to providing many veterans with new jobs, Schneider National also provides newly separated veterans with on-the-job training through their Military Apprenticeship Program. As part of the program, veteran employees are eligible to earn a monthly educational benefit check from the VA in addition to a paycheck. Schneider National serves as an example of how companies can hire veterans that have proven they can perform the job, but lack proper certifications for civilian employment.

“The US Chamber of Commerce also must be commended for launching its Hiring Our Heroes initiative which has sponsored 150 hiring fairs in 48 states. At one of these recent hiring fairs, General Electric, the employer of 10,000 veterans launched its Veterans Network Transition Assistance Program. As part of this program General Electric has vowed to hire 1,000 additional veterans every year for the next five years and will provide job-seeking veterans with one-on-one mentoring sessions. These sessions help transitioning veterans improve resume writing and interviewing techniques so they can capitalize on the skills they’ve developed during military service.

“This is just a fraction of the work being done at our nations employers. There are many other success stories at big companies like Home Depot, and at small companies like General Plastics in my home state - which has created a pipeline to hire veterans at its aerospace composites factory. All of these companies are not only examples of success stories – they have also created a roadmap for how best to find, hire, and train veterans. And it’s our job to make sure those lessons are being heard. So today I want to lay out a few things that all businesses – large and small – can do to bring our nation’s heroes into their companies.

“First, please help to get the word out to companies to educate their human resources teams about the benefits of hiring veterans and how skills learned in the military translate to the work a company does. I can’t tell you how often I hear from veterans who tell me that the terms they use in interviews and on resumes fail to get through to interviewers.

“Second, please help companies provide job training and resources for transitioning servicemembers. This is something I’ve seen done at large organizations like Amazon and Microsoft but also at smaller companies in conjunction with local colleges. In fact, the most successful of these programs capitalize on skills developed during military service but also utilize on-the-job training.

“Third, let business leaders know how important it is to publicize job openings with Veterans Service Organizations, at local military bases to help connect veterans with jobs, and to work with local One-Stop Career Centers.

“Fourth, develop an internal veterans group within your company to mentor recently discharged veterans,

“And finally, if you can, please reach out to local community colleges and universities to help develop a pipeline of the many, many veterans that are using GI bill benefits to gain employment in your particular area.
If we can spread the message on just a few of these steps, I’m confident that we will be able to continue to build on the success we have had in hiring veterans.

“But there’s one other – even more important step we have to insure that businesses are taking – and it has to do with the difficult issue of the invisible wounds of war some potential employees face.

“I have heard repeatedly from veterans that they do not put their military service on resumes because they fear it stigmatizes them. They fear that those who have not served see them all as damaged, or unstable. We must understand what mental health challenges are, and what they are not. As we seek to employ more veterans, we need future bosses and coworkers to understand that issues like post-traumatic stress or depression are natural responses to some of the most stressful events a person can experience. We need them to understand that these illnesses do not afflict every veteran. And most importantly, we need them to understand that for those who are affected by these illnesses: they can get help, they can get better, and they can get back into their lives.

“We need to let businesses know that if they have a veteran who is facing some challenges, that they should do the right thing and encourage him or her get help. They need to know it is okay to reach out. Help them take advantage of the excellent mental health care that the VA is capable of providing. The veteran will be better, and they will be an even stronger member of your team.

“Those are some steps that our employers can take, but we also need to make sure that our veterans are taking steps to make sure they stand out as candidates. Unfortunately, too often our veterans don’t see how their skills translate from the battle field to the working world. And one of the biggest reasons for this barrier is that often our veterans don’t understand the vernacular of the working world.

“Just a few weeks ago I was at home in Washington state discussing these issues when I met Anne Spurte. Anne is a veteran who helps other local veterans find work through an organization called The Unfinished Mission. Anne told me about how she often heard from veterans who told her they weren’t qualified for the jobs they’d seen online or in the paper. Repeatedly, they told her they didn’t see how their experiences mattered to employers in the area. So one day in front of a whole group of veterans, Anne pulled out this job advertisement from Boeing for a position as a fabrication specialist. And Anne could once again sense that the veterans who read the ad thought they weren’t qualified for the manufacturing job listed in Boeing’s Space Exploration Division. But then Anne concentrated all the veterans in the room’s attention on the competencies and qualifications section listed in the job advertisement.

“And she asked all of them: ‘Did you spend time in the service working together to remove obstacles to help the team accomplish its goals?’ ‘Did you work to fully involve others in team decisions and actions?’ ‘Where you held responsible?’ ‘Did you demonstrate your commitment to the team?’

“Around the room every head was nodding as she read verbatim from the Boeing job announcement. Every veteran understood that they had the core skills employers like Boeing were looking for -- they just didn’t realize it.

“What Anne made those veterans come to understand was that their skills were being lost in translation. And what many of them needed to do was to simply articulate their experiences in a way that employers understood.

“So I today I want to reiterate to all of our veterans that no matter what branch you served in, when you served, or how long you served – the skills you learned are valuable – and it’s up to you to make sure that employers see that.

“Our veterans don’t ask for a lot. Often times they come home and don’t even acknowledge their own sacrifices. My own father never talked about his time fighting in World War II. In fact, I never saw his Purple Heart, knew that he had a wallet with shrapnel in it, or a diary that detailed his time in combat -- until after he had died and my family gathered to sort through his belongings.

“But our veterans shouldn’t have to ask. We should know to provide for them.

“When my father’s generation came home from the war – they came home to opportunity. My father came home to a community that supported him. He came home to college - then to a job. A job that gave him pride. A job that helped him start a family. And one that ultimately led to me starting my own. That’s the legacy of opportunity we have to live up to for today’s veterans.

“Together working with the private sector we can ensure the brave men and women who have worn our uniform have that opportunity. We can ensure they get a fair shot from America’s employers and they are not measured by fear or stigma. But by what they can do, what they have done, and what they will do.

“I want to thank those companies that are leading the way to ease our veterans’ transition from military service to the civilian workforce. The Veterans’ Affairs Committee website has a list of some of those companies that are contributing to this effort. I would encourage my colleagues to visit that website and suggest companies that can be added to that list. I look forward to working with you – and many more of our nation’s businesses - on this important next step in bringing our veterans home to opportunity.

“And as we celebrate our fallen heroes on Memorial Day next week, let’s all keep thinking about how we can make sure our veterans are getting everything they need after they have give so much.

“Before I yield the floor, I’d like to take just a moment to acknowledge a young Marine Reservist, and Afghanistan combat veteran—who has been working part-time on my Veterans’ Affairs Committee staff for the last year. Carlos Fuentes is a hard-working, well-liked young man who graduated from American University earlier this month. He has helped the Committee gain a better understanding of what our veterans are facing when looking for work. I want to thank him for his continued service to our Nation. I also want to note that Carlos will be getting married this weekend. And I want to wish him and his bride very happy years to come.

“Thank you. I yield the floor.”

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Murray, Burr Introduce Bill to Ensure Dignified Burials

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member, introduced legislation to help ensure every veteran receives a dignified burial. The Dignified Burial of Veterans Act of 2012 would authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish a casket or urn to a deceased veteran when VA is unable to identify the veteran’s next-of-kin and determines that sufficient resources are not otherwise available to furnish a casket or urn for burial in a national cemetery. This bill would further require that VA report back to Congress on the industry standard for urns and caskets and whether burials at VA’s national cemeteries are meeting that standard. Under current law, VA is not authorized to purchase a casket or urn for veterans who do not have a next-of-kin to provide one, or the resources to be buried in an appropriate manner.

Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Burr, joined by U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced this legislation after a veteran, with no known next-of-kin, was buried in a cardboard container at a VA National Cemetery in Florida. The exposed remains were discovered during a raise and realign project at the cemetery. The veteran’s remains were later placed in a bag and reburied with what was left of the cardboard box.

“When America’s heroes make a commitment to serve their country, we make a promise to care for them,” said Chairman Murray. “That includes helping to provide them with a burial honoring their service. I was deeply disturbed when I heard this news. There is no reason why the remains of a veteran should ever be treated with this lack of dignity. I am pleased we are taking the appropriate steps to right this indescribable wrong.”

“Those who have served our country in uniform deserve our honor, appreciation, and respect, and that responsibility does not end when they pass away,” said Senator Burr. “My heart goes out to those affected by the problems at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. We must ensure that the remains of veterans and servicemembers are treated with dignity and respect and that the families of those who have passed away have no doubts as to the quality of the final resting place of their loved ones.”

“All veterans deserve a dignified final resting place,” said Senator Nelson. “A cardboard box certainly isn’t one. That’s why we’ve got to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

“Those who serve our nation in uniform deserve our respect and support, from the moment they commit to serve through their deaths and even beyond as we honor their legacies,” said Senator Rubio. “Providing dignified burials for veterans is a solemn pledge we must uphold. Cases like this are outrageous and need to be corrected so that no deceased veteran is ever dishonored in this way again.”

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Notice: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 Fact Sheets

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, championed by Senator Murray, expands education and training opportunities for servicemembers and veterans, and provides tax credits for employers who hire veterans. Below are fact sheets about some of the programs that this new law created.

VOW Fact Sheet

Special Employer Incentive Fact Sheet

Notice: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 for Employers