Hearings to examine a grateful nation, focusing on maximizing veteran's success after service.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
2025-11-05
Source: Congress.gov
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Good afternoon. Committee will come to order. I was looking at my opening statement with the intention of shortening it, but I was discovering the length of time it was taking me to shorten the statement was utilizing up the time that I would have saved. But I'm delighted that you're here. This is a bit of a different hearing than this committee has conducted in recent past, and I'm very interested in what each of our witnesses have to say and what conversations it may generate. The organizations that support veterans are broad, often led by other veterans and their families. We often hear from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the programs and opportunities they provide to serve our nation's veterans. And today the focus is on the non-veteran administration side of how we care for those who care for those that served our nation. Each veteran is a significant asset for our country. hugely important to their families and to their community in which they live and ultimately to the nation. They demonstrated that in their service. And every veteran is unique and different and their needs are different one from another. And so what has arisen over a period of time in our country is often other veterans but certainly other citizens who rise to the occasion to try to make sure that veterans' needs are being met. And I want to thank those who do that every day, individuals in Kansas and organizations in Kansas but across the country who see that needs of those who served are cared for. Today's hearing recognizes that veterans are civic assets and that their success after service is in our national interest. Much of the support available to veterans comes from non-governmental community resources, and today we're discussing how those resources support veteran success and can better integrate with veteran programs such as what the Department of Veterans Affairs provides.
I'll introduce the witnesses after I now turn to the ranking member for his opening statement. Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding this hearing, and thank you to all of our witnesses, an unusually large panel, but we appreciate every one of you. I want to thank particularly Holly Hermes, who is Yale University's liaison for military families and veterans.
This office has enabled two of my sons who have attended Yale Law School to go there. with more aid and service and companionship than they would have otherwise. One Marine Corps veteran served in Afghanistan, the other a Navy SEAL veteran who actually is there right now. I hope he's in class. really honored to serve as ranking member on this committee, along with very distinguished colleagues. And let me come right to the point. We're here because we need to assure veterans that they have the information and services they need when they go from military service to civilian life, often continuing to serve our country. And I know about this transition. because of my two sons and countless others whom I have watched and seen and sought to mentor as they go through this sometimes very, very difficult transition period when they need help from a VSO in filing a disability claim or how best to use their earned education benefits, connect with local employers, or access assistance when they need it most. And unfortunately, this administration has increased the difficulty of our veterans, not only in transitioning, but in living through civilian life after they leave the military. All Americans are struggling with the increased costs of rent, food, electricity and, yes, health care, most especially health care insurance, which is why we as Democrats are standing firm that there has to be an extension of health care insurance tax credits or subsidies past the end of the year. And the administration, rather than curbing costs for the average American worker, including
is prioritizing historic cuts, and I mean unprecedented cuts, in SNAP, Medicaid, and health care coverage. Americans often don't appreciate that veterans use these programs and depend on them. More than 1.2 million veteran households use SNAP. Yet this administration refuses to fully fund the program despite orders from courts that they do so. There's no equivalent service like SNAP through the VA or any other federal program to serve as a safety net, meaning these cuts have devastating impacts on veterans and their families. And at the same time, reductions in access to private health insurance, Medicaid, and funding for community health services, we all know about the clinics that exist in communities with federal support, they will result in veterans relying more on the VA for their health care and benefits. Here's the startling number. Up to 1.75 million veterans and active duty service members households rely on Medicaid. Let me just give you that again. 1.75 million veterans and their households rely on Medicaid. And that's nearly one in 10 veterans under the age of 65. Forty percent of them rely on Medicaid as their sole coverage, often due to ineligibility for Medicare or VA health care.
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