Jay Rockefeller: “I am pleased that this amendment, which authorizes $10 million for the DOD/VA Cooperative Research Program, has been…”

“I am pleased that this amendment, which authorizes $10 million for the DOD/VA Cooperative Research Program, has been accepted. This program is a valuable, mutually beneficial association between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and funds health-related research specifically designed to benefit both active duty military personnel and veterans. In fact, fostering this collaborative relationship was the original intent of the DOD appropriation, back when this program began in 1987. It has been funded every year since then. The DOD/VA Cooperative Research Program provides an excellent example of interagency cooperation to achieve a common goal. First of all, the VA and DOD jointly designate representatives to oversee the entire process. Before any money is spent, these representatives identify several specific research topics of interest to both agencies. The Departments, working together, then decide the priorities of the research areas and the appropriate funding levels. Research proposals that are received in response to an announcement of the program are reviewed by external experts, to preserve the integrity and credibility of the research. The result is a program which provides a strong, direct link between DOD and VA investigators to pursue high quality research of mutual interest.”