U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, has announced that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins will testify before the committee regarding proposed changes to the VA health care system. The hearing is scheduled for January 28.
“I look forward to hearing from Secretary Collins this month about his plans to realign the organizational structure of the VA health care system over the next two years,” said Sen. Moran. “This will be an opportunity for members of the committee to hear directly from the Secretary and senior leaders about this restructuring and how it will improve the delivery of care to veteran patients in every state and district across the country.”
On December 15, Secretary Collins introduced an initiative called Restructure for Impact and Sustainability Effort (RISE), which aims to change how the VA healthcare system is organized and governed. The upcoming hearing will give committee members a chance to learn more about RISE’s goals, its expected effects on both VA staff and patient care, as well as how it may influence access and quality for veterans.
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee was established in 1970 to oversee veterans' benefits, health care, and related programs. Its role includes collaborating with federal agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve services such as health care access and benefits for veterans. More information can be found at their official website.
The committee has contributed significantly by improving access to VA health care and helping veterans transition back into civilian life (source). It also operates out of offices within the U.S. Capitol complex (source) and works closely with organizations such as Veterans Service Organizations (source).
Senator Jerry Moran currently serves as chairman, while Richard Blumenthal is ranking member (source). The committee continues its legislative oversight by advancing measures aimed at enhancing health care, benefits, and other services for veterans across all states (source).
