Senate Veterans Affairs

IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff on the Costs of War

Chairman Murray, Ranking Member Burr, and Members of the Committee, on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s over 200,000 Member Veterans and supporters, thank you for inviting us to testify on the long-term costs of war for our new generation of vets.

Veterans’ Employment: Improving the Transition from the Battlefield to the Workforce

Madam Chairwoman, ranking member, and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to share my experiences today as a combat veteran struggling to find employment in this difficult economy.

Legislative Priorities for 2011

Madam Chairwoman, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Members, and members of both committees, thank you for inviting Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to present our legislative priorities for 2011.

Tax and Fiscal Policy: Effects on the Military and Veterans

Improvements to the Post-9/11 GI Bill

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the committee: on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s nearly two hundred thousand members and supporters, thank you for allowing us to testify at this critical hearing on “Improvements to the Post-9/11 GI Bill.” My name is Tim Embree. I am from St. Louis, MO and I served two tours in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps Reserves. As a new veteran eligible for the historic Post-9/11 GI Bill, I am personally grateful to you for holding this hearing. As a representative of IAVA, I also extend the gratitude of tens of thousands of our members who can now afford to attend school, and become the “Next Greatest Generation,” thanks to the new benefit.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: Transforming Federal Hiring

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the committee, on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s one hundred and eighty thousand members and supporters, thank you for inviting IAVA to testify today. My name is Tim Embree. I am from St. Louis, MO and I served two tours in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps Reserves.

Pending Legislation Impacting the VA Claims Backlog, GI Bill and Veterans' Unemployment

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the committee, on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s one hundred and eighty thousand members and supporters, thank you for inviting me to testify at this hearing to share our members’ views of on these important issues. 

Implementation of the New Post-9/11 GI Bill Looking Back and Moving Forward

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the committee, as a member of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the Troops and Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and on behalf of the quarter of a million student veterans who have taken advantage of the new GI Bill this year it is an honor to be able to address you today. I want to especially thank Senator Webb, Chairman Akaka and the other members of this committee whose hard work and commitment to veterans secured the largest increase in veterans’ education benefits since WWII.  Your investment in us will help make us the next greatest generation.

Presentation of IAVA's 2010 Legislative Priorities

Mr. Chairmen, Ranking Members, and members of both committees, thank you for inviting Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to present our legislative priorities for 2010. We especially appreciate the opportunity to bat clean-up, closing off the 18 different legislative presentations in just two weeks time.

VA/DoD Cooperation and Coordination on Educational Assistance

Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, on behalf of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), thank you for this opportunity to address the issue of VA/DoD Cooperation and Coordination on Educational Assistance.