Discussion · House of Representatives
Mark Takano Democrat
“I oppose this bill. Republicans claim the government is already planning to cut these disability benefits, but that is not true. This bill cuts veterans' disability benefits by $57 billion to pay for other things, instead of letting medical experts finish their review.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the chairman has said several times that the disability changes this bill makes are coming anyway. That is simply not true. He is counting on a golden egg that the VA has simply not laid yet. The first Trump administration floated changes to conditions like sleep apnea and tinnitus beginning in 2019. Then 4 years ago, when VA sought public comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking, the 2022 changes during the Biden administration, VSOs and many Members of this body spoke loudly and clearly and unanimously in opposition to them, and what he doesn’t mention is that the Biden administration walked away from those proposed rule changes. The VA listened to those voices in 2022, and as a result, the proposed rule has been on a shelf since then. Just a few short weeks ago, VA clarified that it is not planning to take any action on this proposed rule. That was from a VA spokesperson in public. There is nothing inevitable about these rule changes, which are going to bring about the golden egg of savings, the $57 billion that the chairman is counting on in order to pay for this bill. The savings will come from cuts to veterans disability benefits. Their tweet that he is referring to this morning quoting an unnamed source is not the same as rulemaking. This is simply the majority trying to find any excuse possible to cut benefits they view as overly generous, which has long been their goal. That is why Americans for Prosperity has endorsed this bill. The architects of Project 2025 have been desperate to cut benefits for years, and they have been trying to find a way to touch veterans benefits. I am not going to let them do that. They even showed up at the majority’s press conference to cheer on their efforts just a few short days ago, and now they finally have a majority who is willing to bow to their demands to harm veterans. My majority counterparts have picked an interesting time to care about science again. Their remarks today attempt to demonstrate that they are working to align themselves with the best science to update and modernize the disability ratings schedule. Yet, my majority colleagues fail to see the irony in legislating away veteran benefits before VA completes a thorough review of the best science. They are substituting their own judgment for that of VA clinicians and researchers who actually understand the medical evidence related to these disabilities. If this bill is passed, the expertise of VA and the years of work that go into clinical determinations become moot. If you don’t believe me, just listen to what one of VA’s top doctors, former VA Secretary and Under Secretary for Health David Shulkin, stated regarding this bill’s proposed changes to disability ratings: ``Any modernization of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities should be instead conducted through an independent, evidence-based medical review led by the Department of Veterans Affairs, with opportunities for public comment and congressional oversight. Any savings resulting from that process should be reinvested in improving disability evaluations, rehabilitation services, and veterans’ healthcare--not used to finance unrelated provisions of the legislation.’’ If my colleagues are suddenly interested in following that science, they should let the experts continue their work independently without the political pressure that passage of this bill will inevitably create. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), my good friend. She is a former member of this committee who currently serves on the House Committee on Appropriations.”
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the chairman has said several times that the disability changes this bill makes are coming anyway. That is simply not true. He is counting on a golden egg that the VA has simply not laid yet. The first Trump administration floated changes to conditions like sleep apnea and tinnitus beginning in 2019. Then 4 years ago, when VA sought public comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking, the 2022 changes during the Biden administration, VSOs and many Members of this body spoke loudly and clearly and unanimously in opposition to them, and what he doesn’t mention is that the Biden administration walked away from those proposed rule changes. The VA listened to those voices in 2022, and as a result, the proposed rule has been on a shelf since then. Just a few short weeks ago, VA clarified that it is not planning to take any action on this proposed rule. That was from a VA spokesperson in public. There is nothing inevitable about these rule changes, which are going to bring about the golden egg of savings, the $57 billion that the chairman is counting on in order to pay for this bill. The savings will come from cuts to veterans disability benefits. Their tweet that he is referring to this morning quoting an unnamed source is not the same as rulemaking. This is simply the majority trying to find any excuse possible to cut benefits they view as overly generous, which has long been their goal. That is why Americans for Prosperity has endorsed this bill. The architects of Project 2025 have been desperate to cut benefits for years, and they have been trying to find a way to touch veterans benefits. I am not going to let them do that. They even showed up at the majority’s press conference to cheer on their efforts just a few short days ago, and now they finally have a majority who is willing to bow to their demands to harm veterans. My majority counterparts have picked an interesting time to care about science again. Their remarks today attempt to demonstrate that they are working to align themselves with the best science to update and modernize the disability ratings schedule. Yet, my majority colleagues fail to see the irony in legislating away veteran benefits before VA completes a thorough review of the best science. They are substituting their own judgment for that of VA clinicians and researchers who actually understand the medical evidence related to these disabilities. If this bill is passed, the expertise of VA and the years of work that go into clinical determinations become moot. If you don’t believe me, just listen to what one of VA’s top doctors, former VA Secretary and Under Secretary for Health David Shulkin, stated regarding this bill’s proposed changes to disability ratings: ``Any modernization of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities should be instead conducted through an independent, evidence-based medical review led by the Department of Veterans Affairs, with opportunities for public comment and congressional oversight. Any savings resulting from that process should be reinvested in improving disability evaluations, rehabilitation services, and veterans’ healthcare--not used to finance unrelated provisions of the legislation.’’ If my colleagues are suddenly interested in following that science, they should let the experts continue their work independently without the political pressure that passage of this bill will inevitably create. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood), my good friend. She is a former member of this committee who currently serves on the House Committee on Appropriations.