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Hearing to Consider Pending Legislation

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

April 29, 2026 (recording here)

HEARING INFORMATION

Witnesses & Written Testimony (linked) (Panel One):

• Margarita Devlin, MA, CRC: Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

• Mark A. Koeniger, MD: Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

• David J. Barrans: Deputy Vice Chairman and the Clerk of the Board, Board of Veterans’ Appeals, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Witnesses & Written Testimony (linked) (Panel Two):

• Brian Dempsey: Government Affairs Director, Wounded Warrior Project

• Joseph R. Chenelly: National Executive Director, AMVETS

• Jennifer Goodale: Director of Government Relations for Veterans and Retired Affairs, Military Officers Association of America

TOP-LINES TO SHOW YOU ARE IN THE KNOW

1. There was broad agreement that expanding access to mental health care, especially newer therapies like psychedelics, is critical, but the VA is still moving cautiously on implementation.

2. Lawmakers and witnesses kept coming back to how hard it is for veterans to actually navigate their benefits, not just qualify for them.

3. Women veterans’ care, particularly specialty and maternity services, came up repeatedly as an area where access is still falling short.

4. There is growing bipartisan momentum to rethink the GI Bill so that it works just as well for trades and apprenticeships as it does for college.

5. Several members pressed the VA on transparency and planning, showing continued concern about how decisions are made and communicated.

PARTY LINE PERSPECTIVES (THOUGH THIS ONE WAS FAIRLY BIPARTISAN)

OPENING STATEMENT FROM THE COMMITTEE

• Chairman Jerry Moran began the hearing slightly early, considering the 25 bipartisan pieces of legislation on the agenda. The bills focused on improving access to health care and benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. The Chairman expressed his belief that supporting veterans was a shared, nonpartisan mission and mentioned his bills addressing dignity for disabled veterans, a national veterans strategy, and VA workforce optimization. He thanked the witnesses, the department, and veterans service organizations (VSOs) for their collaboration and contributions.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS (PANEL ONE)

• Ms. Margarita Devlin highlighted the VA’s efforts under the Veterans First strategy to improve access to care and reduce the disability claims backlog. She noted that the VA processed over 3 million claims in 2025 and maintained a high quality rating while continuing similar progress in the current fiscal year. She described support for certain legislative proposals that would provide long-term stability for programs, including funding for the Lovell Federal Health Care Center and services for homeless veterans. She also outlined concerns with several other bills, citing redundancy, implementation challenges, or potential limitations on veterans’ access to care, and indicated that the VA would continue working with Congress as the proposals advanced.

• Chairman Moran asked about staffing shortages at the Leavenworth facility and whether staffing decisions at the VA should align with veteran demand rather than be arbitrary. Dr. Mark Koeniger replied that the staffing issue had been temporary, explaining that some beds were closed to maintain patient safety and that the VA was actively hiring to restore capacity. He agreed that staffing decisions should reflect demand but said he would need to follow up on how performance measures would demonstrate improved access and quality of care.

• Sen. Maggie Hassan questioned whether the VA would publicly release a feasibility study and action plan regarding a full-service VA hospital in New Hampshire. Dr. Koeniger said he was not involved in the specifics, but Sen. Hassan pressed for transparency and requested a follow-up response.

• Sen. Hassan also asked whether the VA would work with her on implementing legislation to streamline appointment scheduling and improve access. Dr. Koeniger affirmed that the VA would collaborate.

• Sen. Hassan further asked about working together on legislation to improve access to care for women veterans. Dr. Koeniger expressed his support and the department’s willingness to work on the issue.

• Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal brought up appeals reform legislation aimed at preventing a new backlog and improving efficiency. Mr. David Barrans responded that the VA supported some provisions but had concerns with others, and he suggested alternative approaches, including relaxing strict docket order requirements to improve efficiency.

• The Ranking Member also asked whether the VA should improve transparency and outreach regarding presumptive conditions and the PACT Act. Ms. Devlin agreed on the importance of transparency while describing current efforts such as Federal Register notices and outreach initiatives, though Ranking Member Blumenthal maintained that more should be done.

• Sen. Kevin Cramer questioned the VA’s opposition to legislation supporting outdoor rehabilitation programs for veterans and asked for clarification on the rationale. Dr. Koeniger stated that he was unsure who directed the opposition, but underlined that the VA recognized the therapeutic value of such programs and wanted to ensure measurable outcomes and appropriate parameters. Sen. Cramer challenged the VA’s reasoning and expressed frustration. Dr. Koeniger reiterated the VA’s willingness to work with Congress to refine the bill’s language.

• Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked how the VA was implementing Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to monitor maternal health outcomes and improve care for women veterans. Dr. Koeniger explained that the VA had begun tracking severe maternal morbidity data by demographic factors and had implemented a dashboard to monitor mental health screenings and facility performance.

• Sen. Duckworth then asked whether the VA would continue supporting maternity care coordination and work with her on related legislation. Dr. Koeniger affirmed that the VA would support veteran care needs and collaborate on the bill.

• Sen. Marsha Blackburn inquired about ways in which her Veterans Bill of Rights Act could improve veterans’ understanding of their benefits. Ms. Devlin explained that the VA had concerns about adding a full training module during the limited Transition Assistance Program (TAP) time and suggested providing the information through guides or online resources instead.

• Sen. Blackburn also asked about improving access to specialty care for women veterans. Dr. Koeniger restated that expanding direct access to services was a VA priority and mentioned ongoing efforts to improve access.

• Sen. Angus King mentioned a proposal to require employers to post information on veterans’ benefits and questioned whether the VA could support or encourage the effort. Ms. Devlin responded that while the bill was directed at the Department of Labor (DOL), the VA would have a role in implementation and acknowledged that coordinating accurate, state-specific information would require resources.

• Sen. King also raised concerns about VA workforce planning and vacancy rates. Dr. Koeniger said he would need to follow up with specifics, but would work with his office.

• Sen. Tim Sheehy asked how Congress and the VA could increase participation in apprenticeship and nontraditional career pathways under the GI Bill. Ms. Devlin answered that the VA was working with the DOL to better inform veterans about these opportunities and highlighted that veterans were already well represented in apprenticeships. She also outlined concerns with proposed changes to entitlement usage and noted implementation challenges, including impacts on veterans with disabilities and technology requirements.

• Sen. Ruben Gallego inquired about gaps in the VA’s ability to provide emerging therapies, including psychedelic-assisted treatments for PTSD, and what was needed to expand access. Dr. Koeniger responded that the VA already had experience with some novel therapies and underscored the importance of evidence-based, scientifically sound implementation to ensure safety.

• Sen. Gallego then asked about coordination with researchers and the potential role of a centralized office. Dr. Koeniger stated that the VA was already working in this direction and would collaborate to address gaps without duplicating efforts.

• Sen. King made a final point emphasizing that providing veterans with clear, accessible information about benefits should be straightforward and cited the ease of compiling such information using modern tools like artificial intelligence (AI). He urged the VA to move more quickly on simplifying access to information for veterans.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS (PANEL TWO)

• Mr. Brian Dempsey voiced Wounded Warrior Project’s support for multiple bills, including those addressing homelessness, apprenticeships, spinal cord care, dignity for disabled veterans, and emerging mental health therapies, describing their impact on stability, access, and quality of life. He also endorsed efforts to improve coordination between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the VA and supported the development of a National Veterans Strategy to enhance accountability and long-term outcomes. He stressed the importance of a coordinated, comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of wounded, ill, and injured veterans.

• Mr. Joseph Chenelly testified that AMVETS supported many of the bills under consideration, outlining priorities such as improving access to high-quality care, expanding economic opportunity, strengthening survivor benefits, and advancing a coordinated national veterans strategy. He highlighted the need for a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to better align services and improve outcomes for veterans and their families. He also underscored the importance of addressing homelessness, supporting women veterans, and expanding innovative care approaches, while pointing out the need for careful implementation to avoid unintended barriers.

• Ms. Jennifer Goodale stated that the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) supported several legislative proposals aimed at improving healthcare, benefits, and support systems for veterans, families, and survivors. She spoke on the importance of establishing a National Veterans Strategy to enhance coordination, accountability, and long-term planning across agencies. She also mentioned support for workforce planning reforms, improved access to women’s healthcare, and addressing inequities in benefits such as those affecting veterans with ALS, while discussing fairness and transparency in the claims process. She said these proposals shared a common goal of creating modern, equitable, and effective systems for veterans.

• Ranking Member Blumenthal questioned whether legislation like the Presumptive CLARITY Act was necessary to better inform veterans about benefits and regulatory changes. Ms. Goodale agreed that improved transparency was needed beyond current Federal Register notices. Mr. Chenelly and Mr. Dempsey supported related efforts, particularly emphasizing improved access to mammography services and reducing fragmented care. The witnesses collectively stated that better access and earlier detection would improve outcomes and supported the intent of the legislation.

• Sen. King asked Ms. Goodale to elaborate on the importance of long-term workforce planning at the VA. Ms. Goodale replied that a forward-looking plan would provide stability and predictability for both veterans receiving care and VA employees.

• Sen. King also asked about improving awareness of veterans’ benefits. Both Mr. Chenelly and Mr. Dempsey underlined that the lack of awareness remained a major issue and supported efforts to expand outreach and coordination with state organizations.

• Sen. Elissa Slotkin questioned whether reforms to the GI Bill to better support apprenticeships made sense. Mr. Chenelly and Mr. Dempsey both supported the proposal, citing real-world examples and workforce needs, while Ms. Goodale noted the importance of further understanding underlying barriers such as entitlement usage. The witnesses generally agreed that expanding support for nontraditional career pathways would benefit veterans and address workforce gaps.

• Sen. Bill Cassidy inquired about the role of nonprofit organizations in supporting veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Mr. Dempsey responded that nonprofits played a critical role in providing in-home care and improving quality of life, and he spoke on the importance of expanding programs like the Veteran Directed Care Program. He expressed strong support for legislation that would enable greater participation of such organizations in caregiving efforts.

• Sen. Cassidy then turned to Mr. Chenelly, asking whether proposed appeals reform legislation would address inefficiencies in the current system. Mr. Chenelly replied that the bill had merit and would address key concerns, while cautioning that implementation should avoid unintended delays or barriers. He agreed that the legislation aligned with the goal of improving efficiency while preserving veterans’ ability to fully present their cases.

• Sen. Jim Banks asked what more the VA could do to address veteran homelessness and the importance of permanently authorizing related programs. Mr. Dempsey underscored the need to sustain and expand successful programs, noting that permanent authorization would improve long-term planning and continuity of care.

• Sen. Banks also asked about coordination of services and joint medical facilities, and the witnesses highlighted the importance of integrated, comprehensive approaches and interagency collaboration to improve outcomes for veterans.

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