[inaudible conversations] good morning, everyone and welcome back as we return from Holiday Season to continue our work and Economic Opportunity subcommittee. Without objection the chair is authorized to callec for recesst any time. Todays hearing is entitled redoing the availability of resources to address veteran hunger. Im hopeful we can shed some light on a very important issue for veterans around the country. This hearing will examine department of Veterans Affairs and department of Agriculture Programs identify Food Insecurity among nearly 20 million veterans and provide nutrition assistance for those in need. Specifically, today through aly focus on how veterans access nutrition resourceson come out recent policy changes have impacted the availability of resources, and how congress can more effectively support public and nonpublic agencies that seek to end veteran hunger, so critically important. This continues the subcommittees efforts to get economic factors that contribute to
Health care costs. And much like that partisan lawsuit, President Trumps partisan budget exposes the truth behind that spin. Despite the promise to the contrary, this budget would slash 500 billion from medicare and medicaid. In fact, on seemingly every page of this, it takes huge steps backward on our nations most urgent challenges, proposing a small step forward with hiv pans but takesnsmissions, an enormously backwards with medicaid, which covers more than 2 5 of patients with hiv care, not to mention slashing investments in combating hiv overseas. These medicaid cuts would take us in the wrong direction when it comes to addressing mental and Behavioral Health challenges, like the ongoing Drug Overdose crisis or the increasing suicide rate by making it harder for people to get the care they need. In some states that have expanded medicaid, the Program Covers four out of five people receiving treatment for opioid addictions. To make matters worse for Behavioral Health, the budget eli
Agencies as well. This is our first hearing on the president s fiscal year 2021 budget request. However, i want to start with a matter of urgency. The coronavirus, covert 19, cases are growing as is alarm, this is both domestically and internationally. The u. S. Government has responded to the covert 19 outbreak with aggressive measures, significant travel restrictions, mandatory 14day quarantine for individuals returning to the u. S. From province. Mr. Secretary, i support your declaration of a Public Health emergency, we are dealing with the likelihood of a global pandemic, interesting to note yesterday from the cdc that commented that with regard to the United States its not a question of if but a question of when we will face the issue seriously here. That said, i have serious concerns about the administrations responsiveness with respect to funding, i understand senators of both parties expressed a similar concern to you at their hearing yesterday. I have repeatedly asked for info
Insecurity among nearly 20 million veterans and provide nutrition assistance to those in need. Specifically todays hearing will focus on how veterans access to nutritional resources and how recent policy changes impact of thimpacted the availaf resources and how congress can more effectively support public and nonpublic agencies that seek to end veteran hunger, so critically important. This continues the subcommittees efforts to the economic factors that contribute to the veteran suicide our subcommittee works and a bipartisan way to strengthen education and job Training Programs for veterans can get a good job but unfortunately that isnt always the outcome the joblessness result wil. When that occurs, nutrition resources should and must be made readily available. However, the committee is concerned about decisions are being made regarding the resources without really considering the impact on veterans. At ththe subcommittee and congrs a whole need to know how the usda consider the eff
Work in the Economic Opportunity subcommittee. Without objection the chair is authorized to calle for recess at any time. Todays hearing is entitled redoing the availability of resources to address veteran hunger. Im hopeful we can shed some light on a very important issue for veterans around the country. This hearing will examine department of Veterans Affairs and department of Agriculture Programs identify Food Insecurity among nearly 20 million veterans and provide nutrition assistance for those in need. Specifically, today through aly focus on how veterans access nutrition resources come out recent policy changes have impacted the availability of resources, and how congress can more effectively support public and nonpublic agencies that seek to end veteran hunger, so critically important. This continues the subcommittees efforts to get economic factors that contribute to veteran suicide which we note include homelessness and hunger. Our subcommittee works in a bipartisan way to str