John Boozman

I just want to very briefly thank you all for being here, for your service, and also for a very, very good discussion on such an important topic.

In my district and I think in every Member's district, in fact I think every elected official right now, every day that they get up they need to think how can I create jobs, how can I protect pension plans, and things like that.

Knowing that things seldom go 100 percent as planned, I guess I would feel more comfortable if VA came to us with problems.

I believe this is our fourth oversight hearing on VA's progress toward implementing the new chapter 33 GI Bill.

Well, thank you very much. And, again, we do appreciate your hard work in implementing this. I know it has been a great challenge.

I applaud Secretary Shinseki's initiative and look forward to VA instituting a highly structured, disciplined approach to project management.

I believe VA has serious challenges in meeting the long-term strategy.

I guess I would feel more comfortable if VA came to us with problems.

I believe this is our fifth oversight hearing on VA's progress toward implementing the new Chapter 33 GI Bill.

The question before us today is will VA start paying in August and I believe that they will.

That any American is homeless is a tragedy, but that any veteran is homeless is doubly so and unacceptable.

VA now estimates about 130,000 veterans are homeless on any night.

Personally, because about 45 percent of homeless veterans have mental illness, I have introduced legislation to alleviate the onerous burdens currently placed on veterans trying to gain well deserved disability benefits, particularly for…

It is important that we continue to reevaluate existing programs and look into innovative ways to provide our veterans with expanded workforce benefits, education benefits, and employment protections which the bills before us seek to…

If there is a money issue, then you need to tell us there is a money issue and then go from there.

VA is unable to support the enactment at this time because funding for such an increase in these benefits is not included in the administration's fiscal year 2010 budget.

I introduced H.R. 1168, which authorizes $100 million per year to provide a living stipend and moving assistance to veterans.

We all know about the current unemployment situation.

I think that the Members of Congress have really come up with many suggestions in the form of these bills that we have to work with, that I think really offer the possibility of making veterans' lives a little bit easier.

Are you opposed to the bill because it would likely benefit older veterans who have few other opportunities to getting marketable skills?

As a result of the delegation asking, that was delayed until I think in June.

We are talking about the integrity of the structure; making sure that it doesn't burst like it did.

I think those are things that we just have to look at or just things that I think we can help you with.

We have got overcapacity on our inland waterways and, yet, you have to do these little things so that you can have more capacity.

I think sometimes some of these things sound a little self-serving, and yet you get so caught up in these projects.