Tim Walz

I may be somewhat biased, but I am incredibly proud of this Committee and the work you have done.

I support this bill but understand the reservations concerning moving the envelope on what type of service accords veteran status.

This bill is not about financial benefits. It is about what I consider to be a simple oversight that they do not have the legal ability to call themselves veterans of America's Armed Forces.

The men and women of the reserve components take the same oath to serve and protect our country as the active component.

For those who have completed 20 years or more in the reserve component but have not served a qualifying period of Federal active duty, we honor their service with similar benefits given to active duty military retirees.

I am here to speak in support of H.R. 679, Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act.

I think Dr. Roe summed it up right. I don't think any of us have seen the level of services being provided by the VA.

When we figure this out, let us know so we can apply it to this Congress, then we will get things going.

I think it is important that we understand that it is the outcome that matters, effectiveness is what matters, and we have got to look at this.

I see no mention of long-term TBI rehab provisions that came out of the Lejeune Act.

I appreciate it. Thank you all for being here, as always, your services and most importantly, thank you for being there every minute of the day for decades to make sure we get this right and bring this expertise to it.

I am hopeful now that the public understands the need to care for our veterans.

I think the implications are generational and we have never crossed that path and I think we may have to of what are the implications on the children of these exposures.

I think it is important for this Committee, though, to maybe gently remind them they are not the first people to think of it.

This Committee has a long, storied history of bipartisanship. We have proven we can do it.

The Florida Panther's recovery plan is 114 years long. It doesn't mean the ESA is a failure.

90 percent of species are recovering at the rate specified by their Federal recovery plan.

Not being included in this ESA working group puts up unnecessary partisanship where it doesn't need to be.

We need to make sure there are not onerous burdens put on land owners. But we also have to ask the question; do we wish to have biodiversity and protection of species and to what extent?

ESA is not perfect, but I also think when I see some of the language coming up that only one percent of species have been delisted.

I am appreciative of your service. I am appreciative of the Chairman and the Ranking Member for not giving an inch on this issue.

If we are to be successful we must work together to achieve a claims system that lives up to the service and sacrifices of our veterans.

We can't allow these challenges to prevent us from delivering timely care and benefits to our returning servicemembers.

Ending the disability claims backlog is of the utmost importance to veterans and their families.

If we can put a man on the moon, we can certainly ensure that veterans receive the benefits they've earned in a timely fashion.