This is a bipartisan effort with more than 25 cosponsors.

Our bill would at long last recognize the link between occupational hazards faced by military firefighters and the development of these devastating diseases.

I believe it is ridiculous that under the current law, when a veteran misses their VA disability compensation and pension (C&P) exam without providing good cause or rescheduling, VA automatically denies the veteran's claims.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the committee in support of my bipartisan Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act.

Thanks Chairman Bost for what he is trying to achieve with this legislation.

The bill would require the VA Board of Veterans Appeals to notify veterans of the evidence the Board did not consider when making a decision on a veteran's claim.

Does your university offer soil courses and if so, are there any trends regarding student interest and enrollment in these courses?

Does your university offer soil courses and if so, are there any trends regarding student interest and enrollment in these courses?

We urge this Committee to build on all the good brought about by public research as well as grapple many of the challenges outlined above.

I stand here to recognize some of Virginia's many proud veterans and military families. One of my most powerful memories of my late grandfather was when I took him to the World War II Memorial and had the opportunity to stand with him on…

Thank you, Chairman Bost.

Today, I'm reintroducing the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act - for the third time - alongside my colleague Don Bacon.

We have to prepare our workforce for the future of, you know, the next generation of jobs.

The absolute least we can do for them as a nation is make sure that they get the help they need in a timely manner.

Today, I urge my colleagues and the Committee to do the right thing by bringing forward the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act.

I am really proud to say that our Commonwealth, because of investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the American Rescue Plan, Virginia is really within reach of this goal.

But I know that we are on this, like, trajectory towards making the strides that need to be made.

I have been passionate about this issue since I first arrived in Congress in 2019, because I represent communities that have really experienced the divide.

I am proud of the progress that we have made. There is more to do, but we are on our way to connecting 100 percent of Virginia's families, small businesses, farms, and students.

So I would say that coordination needs to happen at a much stronger level, not just at the Federal level, but also down into the state and the local level, and back up to the Federal level, so that we all are working to take whatever that…

Just a few years ago the idea of universal broadband accessibility in Virginia seemed really far off, but now I am really proud to say that our Commonwealth, because of investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the American…

I am running out of time, but I just want to say thank you all for being here.

I am glad to have a great representative of our Commonwealth join us here today.

Thank you for holding today's hearing titled: 'A Review of Title VII: University Perspectives on Research and Extension Programs.'

I am proud to welcome our next witness, Dr. Alan Grant, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.