United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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The standing Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. Jurisdiction includes retiring and disability pensions, life insurance, education (including the G.I. Bill), vocational training, medical care, and home loan guarantees. The committee oversees the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), veterans' hospitals, and veterans' cemeteries, except cemeteries under the Secretary of the Interior.

The committee was created by Section 121(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (Public Law 79-601), which authorized a standing committee of 27 members. The number of members has fluctuated, but as of 2007 (the 110th Congress) it stands at 28, with 26 serving members and 2 vacancies. Bob Filner (D-CA) presides as chair and Steve Buyer (R-IN) is the ranking member.

Contents 1 Subcommittees 1.1 Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs 1.2 Economic Opportunity 1.3 Health 1.4 Oversight and Investigations 2 Past and current chairs 3 Committee Members, 110th Congress 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Subcommittees

There are four subcommittees[1] (NOTE: These leadership positions relate to the 109th Congress, Jan. 3, 2005-Jan. 3, 2007):

[edit] Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs

The Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs is responsible for pensions, burial benefits and compensation, the Board of Veterans' Appeals, the Court of Veterans' Claims, and all U.S. cemeteries where a veteran was laid to rest.

• Chair: John Hall (D-NY)
• Vice chair: TBD
• Ranking member: Doug Lamborn (R-CO)
• Members:Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX), Michael Turner (R-OH), Phil Hare (D-IL), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

[edit] Economic Opportunity

The Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity is responsible for education, vocational training, housing, civil relief, and readjustment to civilian life.

• Chair: Stephanie Herseth (D-SD)
• Vice chair: TBD
• Ranking member: John Boozman (R-AR)
• Other members: Richard Baker (R-LA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), John Hall (D-NY)

[edit] Health

The Subcommittee on Health is responsible for health care, and veterans' hospitals including the network run by the VA.

• Chair: Michael Michaud (D-ME)
• Vice chair: TBD
• Ranking member: Jeff Miller (R-FL)
• Other members: Richard Baker (R-LA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Bob Filner (D-CA), John Salazar (D-CO), Phil Hare (D-IL), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Michael Doyle

(D-PA), Vic Snyder (D-AR), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Henry Brown, (R-SC)

[edit] Oversight and Investigations

Oversight and Investigations is responsible for the VA and other federal agencies, and for reviewing benefits.

• Chair: Harry Mitchell (D-AZ)
• Vice chair: TBD
• Ranking member: Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL)
• Other members: Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Zach Space (D-OH), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Tim Walz (D-MN), Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX).

[edit] Past and current chairs

The chairs of the committee:

• 1947 – 1948: Edith Nourse Rogers (R-MA)
• 1949 – 1952: John Elliott Rankin (D-MS)
• 1953 – 1954: Edith Nourse Rogers (R-MA)
• 1955 – 1972: Olin E. Teague (D-TX)
• 1973 – 1974: William Jennings Bryan Dorn (D-SC)
• 1975 – 1980: Herbert Ray Roberts (D-TX)
• 1981 – 1994: Gillespie V. Montgomery (D-MS)
• 1995 – 2001: Bob Stump (R-AZ)
• 2001 – 2004: Chris Smith (R-NJ)
• 2005 – 2007: Steve Buyer (R-IN)
• 2007- present: Bob Filner (D-CA)

[edit] Committee Members, 110th Congress

Majority	Minority
Bob Filner, Chairman, California Corrine Brown, Florida Vic Snyder (D-AR) Michael Michaud (D-ME) Stephanie Herseth (D-SD) Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) John Hall (D-NY) Phil Hare (D-IL) Michael Doyle (D-PA) Shelley Berkley (D-NV) John T. Salazar (D-CO) Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) Joe Donnelly (D-IN) Jerry McNerney (D-CA) Zack Space (D-OH) Tim Walz (D-MN)	Steve Buyer, Ranking Member, Indiana Cliff Stearns (R-FL) Dan Burton (R-IN) Jerry Moran, Kansas Richard Baker (R-LA) Henry Brown (R-SC) Jeff Miller (R-FL) John Boozman (R-AR) Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) Michael R. Turner (R-OH) Brian Bilbray (R-CA) Doug Lamborn (R-CO) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

[edit] See also

• United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
• United States Department of Veterans Affairs

[edit] External links

• House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  • -- About the committee. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Committee jurisdiction. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- History of the committee. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Members. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Past chairmen of the committee. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Subcommittee on Health. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
  • -- Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. Retrieved April 24, 2006.
  • -- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Retrieved March 1, 2005.
• United States Department of Veterans' Affairs
• House Veterans' Affairs Committee Democratic Webpage

Current United States Congressional committees
House (list)	Agriculture • Appropriations • Armed Services • Budget • Education and Labor • Energy and Commerce • Financial Services • Foreign Affairs • Homeland Security • House Administration • Intelligence (Permanent Select) • Judiciary • Natural Resources • Oversight and Government Reform • Rules • Science and Technology • Small Business • Standards of Official Conduct • Transportation and Infrastructure • Veterans' Affairs • Ways and Means • (Whole)
Senate (list)	Aging (Special) • Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry • Appropriations • Armed Services • Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs • Budget • Commerce, Science and Transportation • Energy and Natural Resources • Ethics (Select) • Environment and Public Works • Finance • Foreign Relations • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions • Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs • Indian Affairs • Intelligence (Select) • Judiciary • Narcotics Control • Rules and Administration • Small Business and Entrepreneurship • Veterans' Affairs
Joint	(Conference) • Economic • Library • Printing • Taxation	Defunct committees