Julia Brownley

This morning this Subcommittee will delve into issues involving VA's mission to discover knowledge, develop researchers and health care leaders, and create innovations to advance health care for veterans and the Nation.

I am concerned that VA's current research budget is not keeping pace with inflation.

I believe the VA must continue to look at complementary and alternative treatments, such as cannabis, that can help veterans cope with the invisible wounds of war.

I appreciate Congressman Coffman's leadership on this issue.

I am proud of the work being done within this Committee and throughout this congress to preserve and enhance the VA health care.

I am excited to discuss the legislation on today's agenda.

Veterans are often placated with 'cocktails' of prescription drugs, including powerful and addictive opiates.

It is integral that veterans seeking peer-to-peer counseling are afforded an opportunity to speak with a peer that they can relate to.

I just can't tell you, on behalf of all the residents of my community, they are so very, very grateful.

Unfortunately, these fires are the new normal for California.

Do you have any concerns--anybody can speak to it, but do people have concerns about that?

I would urge you to ensure that the lessons learned from the Phoenix crisis, and any relevant subsequent events, are applied in VISNs 1, 5, and 22.

I concur with my colleague Mr. Takano on, you know, the issues that he was raising about so many unfilled positions across the VA.

We have to get back down to some of the foundational issues which is filling these positions and having, you know, sort of state-of-the-art IT systems across the VA.

I think we need to be clear that this is going to be an ongoing program for our veterans who cannot have children because of their service to our country.

I think you said it was a 5 percent increase, but you also said that the increase of women veterans has doubled.

Thank you for accepting I think many requests from our colleagues and our veterans service organizations and veterans nationwide to hold this hearing to discuss the improvement and the potential expansion of the VA Caregiver Program.

I would really like it if you could give us, you know, a firmer timeline.

Honorable Julia Brownley, Member

What is a more fundamental element of veterans' choice than the choice to receive quality care at home from the people they trust the most?

I think everyone in this room can agree that the Caregiver Program has its flaws, but it is not an excuse to abort the mission, to give up on getting it right, or to abandon the veterans whose welfare depends on the Caregiver Program.

The key, though, is that veterans pre or post have the choice. And I think in most instances the veteran will choose in-home care.

I am talking about the issues that need to be addressed, that that is going to cost some money, whether it is IT, whether it is additional training--

I appreciate you making it very clear in your statement that all veterans from every era, pre- and post-9/11, should receive caregiver services, if they need it.

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