Cole Remarks at Budget Hearing for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Thank you, Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, and thank you, Secretary Collins, for being with us today.

We owe our freedoms to our veteran heroes, and that includes the over 285,000 veterans who make Oklahoma their home. The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs remains to fulfill America’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. No one in this room will contest how critically important that is. However, in meeting that duty, I think we can also all agree there are areas where VA is falling short and services can be improved. 

The status quo is not cutting it, and I wish to recognize your initiative to address this. 

I commend your efforts to streamline the Department and make it more effective for those it serves. That said, some of the calls for personnel reductions have raised concerns about impacts to veteran service, especially as demand for care continues to surge. Estimates of up to 15 percent of eligible veterans already lack adequate care, so we must ensure organizational changes do not result in diminished or disrupted care. 

As you move forward to address waste and inefficiencies, I have full confidence that the decisions you make will be implemented in a thoughtful, transparent, and responsible manner. In the end, we all share the same goal of improving healthcare to our veterans.   

Finally, Secretary Collins, I want to thank you for the commitment to the expansion of healthcare clinics in rural areas that are now providing great care to rural veterans. We have over four million veterans living in rural America. To assist with these efforts, I know the VA has partnered with tribal nations, including the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and I applaud these initiatives and partnerships and encourage their continuation to expand healthcare access in these rural areas.

Thank you for being here this morning, Secretary Collins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

With that, I yield back.