Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Mich.), who serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, delivered opening remarks at a legislative hearing focused on expanding economic opportunities for veterans. Barrett was standing in for Chairman Van Orden, who was absent due to a family health issue.
Barrett emphasized the nonpartisan nature of the subcommittee’s work, stating, "As he has said many times, on this subcommittee we operate in a nonpartisan way with the ultimate goal of improving opportunities for those who have served our country." He highlighted that legislative hearings provide an opportunity to learn from agencies and stakeholders about proposed bills.
He expressed concern over receiving testimony from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Labor (DOL) less than 24 hours before the hearing. "This is unacceptable. We value these agencies views and input when crafting legislation to make sure they can be implemented as Congress had intended," Barrett said. He urged that such delays not happen again.
The agenda included twelve legislative proposals addressing improvements in education programs, VA benefits accessibility, and enhancements to VA’s home loan program. Among these was Barrett’s own bill, H.R. 7083, known as the “CRUISE Act.” This legislation would require the VA to centralize all payments for its Adaptive Automobile Equipment (AAE) program in order to reduce bureaucratic delays.
"This would help eliminate the bureaucratic barriers of each individual hospital making payments directly to the AAE dealers from VA Central Office," Barrett explained. The intent is to streamline payment processes so AAE providers receive compensation more quickly.
Barrett cited ongoing payment delays from VA to providers, noting that some invoices have been outstanding for over 1,000 days in certain regions. "This is unacceptable. My bill would get to work at addressing these delays, cutting out the red tape, and ensuring providers get paid for their valuable work – all the while getting disabled veterans the service they deserve," he said.
The CRUISE Act also proposes requiring VA accountability by publishing data on payment processing times exceeding 30 days. Barrett warned that continued delays could lead to fewer provider options for veterans needing adapted vehicles.
Other bills under consideration aim at modernizing workforce initiatives and improving programs such as TAP (Transition Assistance Program), GI Bill benefits, and home loans for veterans.
Barrett acknowledged concerns about some proposals due to policy or cost issues but noted that witness testimony and member questions during the hearing should clarify whether certain bills will move forward: "Just because we have bills on this legislative hearing does not necessarily mean we can advance them through the markup process due to policy or cost concerns."
He concluded by inviting input from members and witnesses: "We look forward to hearing from the Members who have introduced these proposals, as well as our witnesses, on how we can continue to improve these bills and better the lives of our veterans."
