Hearing of the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs - Statement of Rep. Julia Brownley, Hearing on Improvement and Expansion of VA Caregiver Program

Hearing

Mr. Chairman, thank you for accepting my request, and those of my colleagues, our Veteran Service Organizations, and veterans nationwide to hold this hearing to discuss the improvement and potential expansion of the VA's Caregiver Program.

In the early 2000s, our nation saw a wave of young veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, many who were severely wounded.

So, in 2010 Congress passed the Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act and created the Caregiver Program.

In full disclosure, the Caregiver Program has experienced its share of issues.

We have seen some veterans and caregivers be mistakenly dismissed from the program.

We have heard stories of staff misconduct and veteran mistreatment.

I think everyone in this room can agree that the Caregiver Program has its flaws.

However, that is not an excuse to abort the mission - to give up on getting it right and abandon the veterans whose welfare depends on the Caregiver Program.

When we take a step back it is easy to see that whether it is a lack of staff, lack of IT, or lack of direction - each of these issues ties back, either directly or indirectly, to a lack of resources.

Yet instead of requesting adequate funding in the administration's budget request, the Administration assures us that "this year" is the year that VA will gets it right.

However, veterans have yet to see the Caregiver Program they need.

Late last year, President Trump said, "We will not rest until all of America's great veterans can receive the care they so richly deserve."

However, in a "memo" sent to our Senate colleagues by the White House, the administration explicitly states, "The Administration cannot support a costly expansion of the Caregiver program without further engagement with Congress on fiscal constraints."

Mr. Secretary, I would like to give credit where credit is due - when I learned of the VA's request for information regarding potential improvements to the Caregiver Program, I was pleased VA had engaged veterans and caregivers in this process.

I am concerned however, that the VA may attempt to justify cuts or changes to the Program at the expense of our most vulnerable veterans, rather than working to improve and expand the program.

I ask you to review our concerns in full, which have been submitted as a comment by the Minority side of the Committee.

So today I'm looking forward to taking a close look at this program, what's working and what's not, and having that important discussion.

Ultimately, I am confident that the data will show us that VA and the taxpayers will save money in the long run by expanding the Caregiver Program.

We will do that by spending the money VA already spends on long-term care more wisely.

Most importantly, expanding the caregiver program would allow veterans of all eras to make the choice that works best for their wellbeing, and for their family's wellbeing.

As PVA says so eloquently in their testimony: "What is a more fundamental element of veteran's choice than the choice to receive quality care at home from the people they trust most?"

One such veteran family I'd like to recognize here today is Ms. Kimberly Coble, and her husband Scott, who depend on the Caregiver Program.

After facing inconsistencies and roadblocks with the program, and the difficulty of recognizing mental health trauma, Ms. Coble has come here to offer her perspective.

She has submitted a statement for the record outlining her suggestions for improving the Caregiver Program that I encourage everyone to read, and I thank her for her work.

I would also like to thank each of the almost 300 veterans and caregivers that engaged in the VA's Request for Information with the intent to improve the program.

I look forward to the Secretary's comments as well as the comments of our Veteran Service Organizations.

I am hopeful today's discussion will lead to bipartisan support and expansion of the program so that it may better serve veterans of all eras.

Thank you Mr. Chairman and I yield back.

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