I want to commend the VA for its efforts to address the claims backlog.

I would like to thank the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor and my colleague and fellow educator, Mr. Takano, for yielding to me. I rise today in support of H.R. 357, the GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2013. As professor…

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As I listen to you, it seems that a theme which is emerging is kind of a lack of coordination.

We have got to have the infrastructure in place there to welcome them, speed them along, serve them effectively, efficiently, and in a friendly manner.

I agree with you, I don't want to sit next to you talking on your cell phone, so I appreciate that.

This is a race for relevancy and a race for vibrancy.

Why are we not looking at being able to marry them and being able to be a little bit more proactive in that area?

We hope that the VA can maintain this momentum and we are optimistic.

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for holding this important hearing.

With fewer than 7 legislative days left in the year, the window to address the staggering list of unfinished business before the House is rapidly closing: no farm bill, no long- term budget, no tax reform, no ENDA, no comprehensive…

We just don't want to make it more difficult for our veterans to be able to track where their claim is or understand what's happening with it and when it's happening without scattering it around or making it more complicated.

I ask you to relay this message to the workforce - keep up the good work.

Would it not help veterans that as you rate some of the easier aspects of these cases... veterans get paid for those as you rate them instead of waiting until the end?

Our numbers indeed show that the VA is on track to reach the secretary's goal by 2015.

It is important that the VA look within the current system across all 56 VA regional offices to determine what are best practices for assigning that complicated work.

We want to end this decades long backlog and we are moving in that direction.

It is important that we are working towards solutions that will improve the processes of providing veterans the benefits they have earned.

We hope that the VA can maintain their momentum and end the decades old backlog.

And will there be safeguards in place so that you do not just pay a veteran off for a few things and think he will go away, as opposed to really completing the entire claim?

I believe that the VBA can work with VBMS to broker work from one station to another to ensure that the best employees are working on the most challenging cases.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding a hearing on this very important topic.

I believe complexities should be measured not just by the number of conditions but rather by the complexity of evaluating and paying for the medical conditions that are under consideration.