I thank each of you for your time today and for taking our questions and your testimony.

I am honored and happy to be here at Ocean County College, in my home district.

I am happy to introduce him to you today and welcome him to Toms River.

I have had the opportunity to work on the complicated issues surrounding the veterans benefit system.

Over 60,000 veterans call the 3rd Congressional District of New Jersey home.

I know having conversations with Secretary Shinseki all the time, accountability is at the top of his list.

I think this is an excellent idea. It's how our process is supposed to work.

I look forward to working with everybody that testified today on trying to get the best piece of legislation to truly take care and honor our fallen and our current veterans that we possibly can.

I appreciate everybody's patience.

H.R. 4114, the Veterans Compensation COLA Act of 2012 provides a cost of living adjustment increase to veterans' disability compensation rates and other benefits.

H.R. 4142 is the American Heroes COLA Act, which is related to the aforementioned COLA act of 2012, except this bill seeks to make permanent the annual increase to veterans' disability compensation rates and other benefits by tying the…