Starting at eight eastern on cspan. Cspan2, providing live coverage of the u. S. Senate floor proceedings and key Public Policy events. And every weekend, booktv. Now for 15 years the only Television Network devoted to nonfiction books and authors. Cspan2, created by the cable tv industry and brought to you as a Public Service by your local cable or satellite provider. Watch us in hd, like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. Iraq war veteran Travis Fugate says he may have gone p blind because his v. A. Center doctor didnt have the right information. Mr. Fugate says the v. A. s failure to fix issues was depressing. Veterans Affairs Department officials also testified at this hearing with members questioning why it was taking so long for the departments records to mirror the defense departments. This is just over two hours. [inaudible conversations] good morning. This hearing will come to order. I want to welcome everybody to todays hearing titled assessing inadequacies in v. A. Dat
Most benefit from the program, and says the va welcomes the opportunity to work with this committee to craft appropriate language so those who are not Service Connected can have access to those rehab treatment facilities. One thing ive ran into with several of the members, speaking with them, is the word, the pay for a or the pay go. Well, va travel budget continues to increase every year. And they ask, where are we going to get this 3 million . Well, in 2013, the va collected 2. 931 bill through the medical care collection fund. Theres money they collected. And i sat last night listening to last nights hearing. 1. 1 billion returned two years ago 1, billion last night, and half billion returned just this year. If theres that much money that can be turned back in from the va to congress, well, theres our 3 million to send these nonService Connected veterans to send them to the rehab they dearly deserve. So there is no pay for or pay go. The money is there. It was clearly stated last ni
One compared to 20,000. Notably, in an october 2013 briefing, va staff stated that the one entry was just a test case to insure that the transfer of information would work. So, essentially, va had not entered in any veterans information into the registry which precludes va from meaningfully contributing to very purpose the registry was created, quote to collect the diagnosis, surgical intervention, operative procedures and related treatments. And follow up on each significant eye injury incurred by members of the armed forces while serving on active duty. We will hear from a veteran today who will articulate the importance of va fulfilling its obligation to contribute to the registry. Another major issue we will address today is vas continued failure to bring its Information Systems into full compliance with section 508 of the americans with disabilities act. The two separate section 508 addresses access for people with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities in various types of te