As Chairwoman, it has been my privilege this year to spend time with our honored heroes who have returned from battle bearing the wounds of war and the families who stand by their side through it all.

It seems to me now 4 years after this program started that you would have policy and then you would work through that policy.

It is not my concern with the symbolism to the servicemember. It is my concern that you see you have a viable and a working partnership with the VA.

If we are not meeting their needs, we have a problem here.

This is not something where we have the luxury of time and it is some policy thing.

It is clear to me that the FRCP is failing to meet its mission.

When answers are needed, we cannot take 3 months to respond to a letter.

These programs are not new and the time for considering and recommending has long past.

They can no longer be party to bureaucratic in-fighting and turf battles.

This Subcommittee will continue to be vigilant and will be providing oversight to make sure that this program gets implemented.

Rather than having a single, joint program to advocate on behalf of wounded warriors, we have two separate, overlapping programs.