Transcripts For CSPAN2 Effects Of Climate Change On Wildlife And Agriculture 20140818

Is that something that you want to speculate on . I think at already speculated. I will note that there is into the record and analysis. Looking at future power costs and actually anticipates their reaction. That is maybe for another hearing or another debate and discussion. Lets turn to our second panel if they could come forward. [inaudible conversations] welcome. It is great to have you all. Happy to introduce our second panel of witnesses. A Diverse Group including three individuals who will talk about how Climate Changes impacting their area of expertise and to minority witnesses who will present their perceptions on as Climate Change skeptics. I will go ahead and introduce everyone now. Then we will proceed with the testimony. Our first witnesses jamals which i am particularly delighted to have you here from oregon. Jim serves as the executive director of lake county resources initiative, an organization dedicated to improving Forest Management and National Forests expanding the barack communities. He has been a leader in forestry and clean energy in oregon. , as well as working to make and attract more biomass geothermal, hydra, us dollar, and energy. Our second witness is played both. A fourth generation we farmer and serves at the state Association Executive director of up, and association. And welcome. I third witness is denim . Commercial fishermen. It does business on on both coasts. Imam he also earned his ph. D. In forestry. He served as director for that Southern Forest Nursery Management cooperative. And a final witnesses said joined ssc a professor of charter fee. The former director for the center of Climatic Research at the university of delaware. Welcome everyone. The show is yours. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Fellow members. A privilege to be here and an honor. As said, my name is jim walls. Concentrating on federal forest lands and renewable energies. We are 70 land down. It is bigger than some eastern states. The past three decades we have suffered high unemployment, poverty rates and policies on nine National Forests. When discussing Climate Change, i can separate actions have passed Forest Management and impact of Climate Change. There will have the same effects. That is, as we take it to a moving that it amounted so it is back to the natural stand. That is also the strategy we need to use for Climate Change. Theyre intertwined. I would like to point out that over the past decade when has that meant in our forest . Well, in ten years the first fire was the tool box fire. We lost 100,000 acres. And then in 2012 we had a fire that burned 93,000 acres. And less than a decade we have now lost 24 percent of the free Fremont National forest. If we keep this rate up because fires are getting more intense because of the climate or warmer Climate Change. If we keep this up we will loose in three decades our entire forest, and i think that is a real and severe threat. It is not only a threat to our industry in timbre but a threat to our agricultural industry, too. We average ten to 20 percent moisture during the winter. Summers are hot and dry normally without that snowpack we do not have agriculture, irrigation water. All you have to do is look to our neighbors Klamath Basin and what will happen there. Even then, lake county we will see reduced irrigation rates because of the drought. Drops that we have never seen before. So i think, you know, the Climate Change, longterm, short term, all of that, i personally say it is here. The risk is way too high just to ignore. He might be right that it is not happening. I hope we dont go there. By using Renewable Energy i feel that we could offset that. We have developed a plan. All the ones that we have done an Economic Analysis and Feasibility Study on we will offset 93 percent of the fossil fuel emissions in one decade out of lake county and we will do it economically. So as we go forward with this debate i would hope that we look at the things like that that make economic sense. Can renewals compete with hydro, no. Kendis compete with other forms, cost is cheap, reducing all the time. Wind is there. As we invest in these more and more of them will become competitive. And it is a way to turn our jobs around. I asked you to, one thing, change the definition. The Renewable Energy. Not considered Renewable Energy source. That reduces our investment. To Companies Looking and looking in lake county. Hopefully one of us will make it. How Biomass Energy production company. Pleased to change that. Senate bill 536. Get that passed so we can change that definition. Does not make sense to me. The other thing i would like to say is when need to increase the scale of giving treatment. I mentioned, my full testimony about worse neighbors and for service. It is not because we dont know what to do but he now were getting down. We need to increase that three to 4,000 acres of land that is overstocked caught 20,000 acres per year. Whitney to get to 100,000 acres. Not just small. So we dont want to skip any environmental rules are do anything like that. We want to do it economically sound. We cannot get ahead of this or achieve our goals some if we do not doom needs to be done. As these fires did more intense and hot air we need to look at that. Senate bill 1875, i hope you endorse that bill and we get it through. It is far cheaper to treat the forest land than it is to suppress fire. And they are increasing. Another thing that Climate Change has done is keeps this note from hitting the ground. We get large amounts of aberration. Our snowpack is reduced. That is the other thing. I do see by implementing and doing common things such as Renewable Energy we can make some great impacts thank you. Thank you very much. Chairman, Ranking Member, thank you for coming today and speak about Climate Change and the challenges facing every culture on the southern plains. If you like the weather and no, wait a minute. What is different is the frequency and strength of the weather we are seeing. Her crazy weather has been put on steroids. The dry we have been suffering through is a perfect example of this and had a drastic impact on climate. We have seen a reduction of over 10 . By the first of this year the inventory in the United States and shrunk. Over 80 percent of these reductions happen in two states, of, and texas. The effects of the drought are not limited the livestock. No, we may be looking at the fourth year in a row where 50 percent of the states cotton will be abandoned. As bad as that is the real story is weak. This years wheat harvest is expected to be the lowest since 1957, estimated the amount of wheat harvested 2014 is 40 of 2013. 30 percent below 2012. This drop in production is not just due to the draft now this is not anything new. What is new is the frequency. The third time in five years the late freeze has impacted the wheat crop. The question is what do we do about it . The secret is in the soil. Improving the health of our soil is the kidnapping of agriculture to a mitigate and adapt to Climate Change. Organic matter former first and best line of defense. Every 1 percent increase in organic matter can triple the soils Water Capacity which equals an additional 25,000 gallons of water available per acre for growing crops. It incorporates cover crops. We can greatly increase the concentration while at the same time reducing the amount of moisture lost to evaporation when the land is exposed to the sun. Better weather. Exacerbated by Climate Change. M increases streamflow. We can erase sorrell erosion. This ballot protect the soil but reduces nonpoint source of pollution. In addition that same increase in organic matter can on average make available up to us 700 whatever additional nutrients. By improving the health of our soil we can help plans more effectively, help increase yields and feet and evergrowing planet and we do all this in no lowering Carbon Dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Note till can sequester roughly half a metric ton of carbon per acre per year. Plans predetermine backside and readout oxygen. That is then stored in the soil in the form of organic matter. You help agriculture adapt to Climate Change was improve Water Quality value improve wildlife habitats, increase yields and at the same time sequester Carbon Dioxide in the soil. This is something we need to do. Usda as the ability to help producers do it. The funding for Technical Assistance continues to shrink. It was determined it was in the Public Interest to keep farm ground that tide is turning back. This same matter they address if they have the necessary resources. What kind of technology is best suited. It will go on realized if theyre not providing resources necessary. They tend to come together. As for the federal government to build small watershed dams. Oklahoma alone has over 2100 structures, most of which are in need of rehabilitation. When this takes place many could be made into reservoirs to help with water shortages and flash floods. With the passage of the farm bill funding was authorized to do this work. And they can only be used to compare existing structures. This is that have to be the case. One purpose is like Water Quality and quantity the see this program as another tool to help our country better adapt to Climate Change. In closing i would reiterate their facing serious challenges. They have a tools to cope. The question is will we take it. Thank you for allowing me to speak and i am happy answer questions. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you very much for their virginity to address the committee. The issue. The next generation. The selfish interest. Our industry has significantly impacted and is a harbinger of the consequences of human use of fossil fuels. And daniel cohen, a secondgeneration of fishing industry. Today we operate the east coast and west coast, facilities in new jersey, maryland, rhode island, massachusetts, and the Pacific Northwest. Focused. And in fisheries research, then made atlantic fish and National Fisheries service and cornell university. About 15 years ago recognizing the wild and make certain he we have sustainable harvests for the future. Tom there would not be enough protein for a growing population. The industry has begun to look more and more toward the ever culture to meet those rising needs. I would use examples today, what has happened to industry backed up with scientific research. I will do that with examples. We can talk more about others. These it examples are coming from three sources rising ocean the city from Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere going into the ocean. And changes in ocean currents which they ascribe to changes in temperature. We serve on the east coast. And the fishery in North Carolina has rebound. The fishery was historic plea from the coast of virginia to new jersey. It landed over 50 percent through the entire country. The number one ingredient in clam chowder which was and is the number one areas in the country. Bottom temperature why is identified after National Fisheries Service Survey determined virginia, rutgers and then it was determined it was due to body temperature changes. Cooler waters, greater responses. Opened in massachusetts and rhode island showing a shift in the population and clams due to a temperature rise. And there for a change in jobs. Move quickly. The Pacific Northwest a large Ocean Acidification. Documenting over a hundred million dollars. Now having to buy for their water the way you do with toms. Ocean certification. The only way they have been able to have successful actress in the last three years because of major problems in the mid 2000s were rediscovered the problem coming from russia and the city. In 2013 in British Columbia there was a major gaffe of 90 percent of all the scallops being raised offshore. Three year classs were killed. My company sustained a 10 million loss. Continually researching right now, scientists believe that the highest level of Ocean Acidification last summer weekend the animals more susceptible to endemic disease. In terms of the fishery you have that evidence in my written testimony, mostly documented by an article being released today by the daily planet documenting work by National Fisheries service documenting temperature great changes in the east coast affecting the migration and distribution. Completely rebuilt because of Good Management practice, but because the distribution of those moving slowly north the traditional white, now being faced off of new york and further north and therefore theyre is a user now statebystate allocation and the recreational and commercial, consequence of changing distribution due to documenting bottom change. I believe it is irrefutable that Climate Change is happening. Similar to what was testified here to adapt. These i just examples that we must say to be agents of change. Thank you. Ill be happy to answer questions. Thank you, mr. Kaelin. It is a privilege to provide you with my views on forests and wild fire. They know that there are many examples on how human activity affects the total number and size of wild fires. Policymakers, active force management and calgary and harvesting jobs, and up contributing to a buildup of tools in the forest. This eventually increases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. To attribute this human cause increased Carbon Dioxide emissions is simply unscientific in todays world accuracy really does not seem to matter new. I am therefore not surprised to see many journalists spreading the idea that Carbon Emissions cause large wild fires. Theyre is a ball nonpoint called serenity prayer. It states god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can and the wisdom to know the difference. Now that i am 65 realize that i cannot change the behavior of the media and i cant change the web. Early in that year i gave up jack to see the media. Well under insured claims about the underlying cause of wildfires some spread like wildfire. The statement that wild fires in 2012, a record 9 million acres cited in numerous articles and found that more than 2,000 websites. As you can see by looking at the graph wild fires in the 30s burned more than four times that rate. We get a positive relationship. Neither of these relationships proves anything about Carbon Dioxide on wildfires since during dry season coming human activity is an overwhelming factor that determines the number and size of wildflowers. In the 48 states, thereve been about 10 extreme megafires. And they occurred during the cool decades. These data suggest extremely large megafires were four times more common before 1940, back when Carbon Dioxide concentrations were less than 310 parts per million. Looks to me like we cannot reasonably say that man made Global Warming causes extremely large wildfires. Seven years ago, this Committee Conducted a hearing about Climate Change and wildfires wasnt even mentioned in that meeting. But hurricanes, droughts, where mentioned a number of times. I am pleased to provide you with my forest reviews because unlike polar vortex, droughts, we can permit practices that will reduce the risk of wildfires. Unfortunately, some of our national Forest Management policies have in my view contributed to increasing the risk of wildfires. I am certain that attempts to legislate a change in the concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere will have no effect on reducing the size of wildfires for the frequency of droughts. In contrast, allowing Forest Management practices to create economically lasting forestry jobs might reduce the fuel loads of damp forest in years when demand for Renewable Resources are high, increasing the numbers of harvesting times might actually have a real impact on reducing wildfires. A thank you for the opportunity to address the subcommittee. Thank you very much, dr. Dr. South. Dr. Legates. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Carbon dioxide is a play of food. The global temperature should rise further reason, the length of the season will be increased the amount of diversity crops enhance. The big problem however is the limiting factor for arboriculture in much of the world as water availability. Wish her the warm world depends on a complicated interaction of changes in precipitation and increases in water demand here globally we have seen drug frequencies have not changed over the past 60 years. The percentage of the United States of moderate or extreme drought has not changed in 112 years come a pattern out of bed at Climate Change Science Program in the ip cc. Regionally, droughts have not become more intense and historical record does not warrant or claim it will negatively impact agriculture. Dire forecast of drought rights for model simulations only as good as their ability to emulate participation. Most models overestimate the frequency of rainfall, but underestimate intensity. Thats what models may appear correct in the aggregate, they dont have the process correct. How can models make accurate estimates of precipitation changes and they cannot simulate correctly the mechanisms that drive precipitation . Evaporated demand is driven by your temperature, but models have overestimated the rise since 1979 by almost one degree fahrenheit. If precipitation air temperature not model properly, how can moister be relied upon to prepare farmers for an uncertain future quite Climate Changes because climate is so his change and drought have happened in the past that are likely to occur again a similar frequencies and intensities here in preparation for the return of the better strategy than trying in vain to medicate router couldnt Carbon Dioxide emission control policies such as those proposed only yesterday. However, ive become increasingly concerned at how the debate is being corrupted. Lets discuss his testimony re not bad, and attack had been made on the scientific process. Editors of two generals have been harassed. When was the with an organized boycott by scientists over a paper to publish. A Senior Editor note to argue scientists from future publication of the journal solid because of their position on Climate Change. Without a hearing or accusation of fraud or plagiarism. I think to report things have become better. They havent. 2009 the process is being subverted. In my case island had been denied publication of an important paper due to the slow conclusion between another scientist and editor. Over the years ive applied for several grants including not in the u. S. Department of agriculture, the latter having nothing to do with Climate Change. It not i received bad reviews. Need a receipt done at all. Program officers refuse to respond by email or telephone. Their behavior appears often used as a blacklisted target researchers unconvinced of anthropogenic Global Warming. Several years ago i had to khaled said delaware received materials related to Climate Change. I store is in my written testimony. University general counsel and for you would review my documents regardless of how or where they were produced. The other members that participated in the ipcc indicated for it did not apply to them. Although the law did not require them to turn over anything, it did not preclude them from doing so. In essence, i will be treated differently simply because the country me that way. So i sat legal counsel. It informs and it cannot hire male lawyer in the college would no longer support me. Is codirector of environment on n. A decade to develop a Student Group from all departmental responsibilities. Legal counsel agreed to treat others equally. He never went through materials for anyone else. I love is targeting might too. Even the Faculty Union supported at the university of virginia told me that foia matters did not fall within their belly with. None of my Research Materials or emails followed the foia law. The actions violate the terms of the federal arbitration. Theres nothing america to which im embarrassed to say this not because they seek sympathy, but because many other cases for which the victims cannot speak out. The socalled war on science is nothing but a diversion. The real moyers raged within the halls of academia and the federal granting agencies. As with the sink was in the soviet union, and subverted for personal gain. The Global Warming playbook of articles, grandson proposals rejected without review or treated more harshly than peers and removed from positions of power and influence. Young scientists learn to toe the party line or party line for the streaming silence lest they lose their career before it begins. I leave you with this popular scientific views under political attack from within academia, the losers independent thinking and policymaking pics on require rational thought to the effect. Thank you. Thank you for other testimony. We will now have five minutes. And i believe the order after fy questions will go to senator sessions and then to senator vitter. Senator wicker has said he will defer to his colleagues. I didnt see you comment. Let me check on the order. Will go back and forth twinkies and hours. Okay, thank you. Thank you. So i wanted to start, mr. Walls come in lake county. Ive been struck when i visit there is a Rural Economy of a rural part of the state of oregon and a lot of emphasis on Renewable Energy and i believe the stated goal of the counties to try to replace virtually all of the fossil fuels arent with renewable sources. Is part of the factor driving a conversation like general observations by folks about the impact of Carbon Dioxide as you are putting it on the forest . In the beginning, which had been about 10 years ago when we started working on this, it came clear afterwards when we started analyzing it and we did a paper on it that we could ask that 93 . My board approved this last week will go public with all of our finding a try and develop a plan to use renewables to offset all the Carbon Emissions. So we crew into that as we learn more and more of the benefits of the economic and if its a Renewable Energy, how it impacts us and we said what is that going to do to Climate Change . What will that do to Carbon Dioxide emissions . What i said in my testimony, what we have in the drawing table today would offset 93 and to get to 100 is not difficult from there. We are well on the road. They can be 100 not so within 10 years. Great, thank you intersecting at the National Climate assessment and summary in a nose Climate Change is exacerbating major factors that lead to wild fire coming heat, drought and dead trees that outweighed other factors in determining the burned area in the western u. S. From 1916 to 2003 and the time frames of which we normally die in cold weather. And then i saw that there is a 2011 report that estimates if you increase the temperature 1. 8 degrees fahrenheit, which is approximately one degree celsius that you would quadruple the amount burned. As a look at the forest issues, if i understand your testimony correctly, you see both the impacts of human management of the forest is a factor, but also the overlay of this climate factors. Exactly. As i mentioned, its impacts our impact dramatically. If you look at the Climate Force to the south of us this year, dave 65 over several snowpacked. Drier conditions and then the beetle kill. Bioko gets into the logical time naturally. It has never been the size it is today and that is because we dont have the Cool Temperatures and a live year after year because of number temperatures and are not being killed. 350,000 acres is abnormal. Nobody has ever seen that. I think throughout the whole west into canada was over 4 million acres, somewhere in that neighborhood. Thank you very much. Turning to the farm inside one of the things you mentioned the changes in the fleet finding. Are you arguing the changes in wheat are impacted by changing temperatures quite yeah, when you look at the situation in the southern plains, clearly the doubt over the last two years has had a huge impact. I think when you look at persist petition, we does a really resilient crop depending when you get the rain and when the rain comes. The challenge is the rain patterns weve been seeing the way things are changing. You put into the effects of the lateseason freezes, drought, clearly we see an impact on the wheat crop from the changes in the climate that we are experiencing right now. I think there are some things we can do to help adapt to that situation. I hope we can do things to move forward as little as far as improving soil help to make forms more resilient to drought, freeze, putting the fence, heavyweight events and thats a challenge with that in front of us for that job. Thank you. In the 45 seconds i have left, i read a recent report about oysters in the chesapeake declining in part because of acidity, but also a secondary impact because oysters filter water in the chesapeake, possibly offsetting offers to clean out the chesapeake day. Is that consistent with what you are seeing quite yours, oysters are specifically great environment because they are filters and they do clean. One of the things in the Chesapeake Bay they try to bring them back is because they need to clean up a up. In the chesapeake, similar to what is happening in the Pacific Northwest as we have rising levels of pco two, the partial pressure in the ocean and therefore rising acidity. In the Pacific Northwest we been able to document it because its mostly contrary base. You can control what is happening and identify. Its harder the loud environment to determine what is happening and whether or not it is taking place. It is not really spawning. Its little baby larvae have a hard time setting up their show. They cant get they cant get the calcium through the snow. In your stomach it your stomach at the calcium you are buffering. Does that answer your question quite thank you. Dont ask a lot more, but my time is expired. After going to get their questions within five minutes. We have a number of folks who want to jump into this. I believe senator sessions, youre next. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Dr. Legates, the timely can intimidate people who present scientific tapers that disagree with the current idea that is in fashion needs to be over. And we need to challenge that. And i am not going to rest easy about it myself. I know the president twice had said around the globe is deciding faster than was predicted, even 10 years ago. He said that twice. Do any of you gentlemen support that . Do you have any thoughts they would back that up . Mr. Hatch doesnt because ive asked them about it. We do not need to tolerate the president of the United States falsely asserting the status of climate in america. We need to allow scientists to present contrary views without being intimidated and by the politically correct crowd. I feel strongly about it and we will keep working on it. U. S. Climate change programs that quote in may of 2000 made a senate seat towards severity and duration of drought over the latter half of the 20th century, a decline and a decrease in the severity and duration of drought. Mr. Poe, texas you could substitute oklahoma for taxpayers. They are starting his day. The whole world is full of strife and texas needs rain. So we had a lot of drought in the 30s, did we not, in oklahoma . More than you have today. If i could answer, it is drier now than it was in the 1930s and the drought in the 19 big news was in oklahoma. The drought of the 1930s is actually the third worst. The one we are right now is worse than the one in the 50s. You think more severe than a 30s quite if they hadnt been for the conservation practices on when that would feel very confident we would experience the challenges we saw in the 1930s as far as wind erosion. That was not a trend across the country. Dr. South, thank you for your statement and the data you submitted with it. You have a charger that indicates rainfall in forest lands in different regions of the country have increased over 100 years ago. Is that the way i read that . Northeast . It indicates other areas have increased also . As a matter of fact, every one of the regions do you indicate all the regions had reductions . No change in the west. There is a slight decrease in the southwest. Well, the droughts are severe now. A 4 increase in the northeast . Minus two times in 100 years. Okay, in the southwest . In the southwest. So overall we are not seen a decline in rainfall that appears to me that the country as a whole. Dr. South, isnt it true that weve had a resurgence of gain in alabama . Thats correct. Isnt it true that many forests are being managed by better than in the past . A very good value term. From a forestry perspective, i would say yes. Land that was once low cropped and broken up every year, marginal lands, highly routable lancer nontimber, are they not . Yes. From an environmental and co2, does not increase the southeast i know about, that is positive would is positive would you not say for co2 in the environment . From a mathematics perspective on the guests. So instead of having land is my time up . Nope. Land, so the way we manage timber would be too planted open field harvested every year for 15 years and grow faster because theyre harvested 18 years, 30 years, 50 years in replanted. I would say thats a renewable resource, would you not . Definitely. Would you oppose the idea that we shouldnt treat words shouldnt treat voip as a renewable resource like we do corn . Would you oppose the idea some are raising that we shouldnt use word for Renewable Energy or other resources . Thank you, mr. Chairman. Backups at this hearing on Climate Change in agriculture. A reminder you can watch this event in its entirety online at cspan. Org. And you know, here are the organizations. European associate the authority, american medical association. No problem with gmo spirit are all of these part of the conspiracy that it suddenly uncovered . In your china is all about . And if that is enough for you, heres a low bunch of other organizations. These are not organizations with some scientific sounding name. These are real medical and protective organizations. In europe, which is very antigmo, australia, all over the world, the epa, which we Pay Attention to when it comes to Global Warming or Something Like that. They say would not pose on not pose unreasonable risks to human health and the environment. And i could come up with dozens of these. The australian and new zealand, Food Safety Group weve identified no safety concerns for any of the foods we have the status. Is this reasonable . Is something extraordinarily a poison here, this is scaremongering. This is nonsense and the organizations are ignoring it. Good afternoon. We apologize for the little bit of delay. We will have additional delays in the moment that had. Mrs. Savoie and i were both on the floor during debate on the appropriations bill. Those will be called for that in the next 15 to 20 minutes. So what i will accomplish is an opportunity to go through Opening Statement and establishment of sarah kolb will be says for sure. Time and come back and finish up questions. This is the Energy Policy Health Care Entitlements are not medicare mismanagement part to come exploring medicare appeals reform. The shares authorized to start the Oversight Committee Commission Statement access to secure to fundamental principles that americans have the right to know the money washington takes a saucepan. Second, americans deserve an efficient, effective government that works for them. The Government Reform Committee is to protect his rights. Our solemn responsibility to hold taxpayers to have the right to know what they get from the government appeared to work tirelessly in partnership with watchdogs to deliver the facts to the American People and bring genuine reform to federal bureaucracy. This is the Mission Oversight Government Reform Committee. This conversation is finished already is the second of a twopart conversation about how things are going. We have different entities that if it came back up. They are wading through the appeals process. Some of them for years in the appeals process. Health care providers, hospitals, individuals that do not have a large cash flow in this i do. The issue today is why does that exist, how do we resolve this, what are the fix is needed legislatively in what can we take care of right now. I would like to yield additional time to mr. Meadows or North Carolina has been very, very involved in the process as well. Thank you, mr. Chairman. And thank you for your leadership on this particular issue when really this comes down on boils down to people. And what we have to do is make sure that as Government Agencies that we do the very best we can to go after waste, fraud and abuse, which the chairman has so eloquently articulated. Yet at the same time to make sure the fairness to everyone is upheld and right now i think that there is great question and not singling you out, ms. Griswold ,com,com ma because ive had some great conversations with folks who did the alj. There seems to be a very compassionate desire to fix the problem. So that is what were looking for here today. My other concern in the concern of the American People is this whole process in terms of when we go after waste fraud and abuse, if we cast such a wide net, we are taking the decisionmaking away from doctors, health care providers, hospitals, many people could make their decisions who are trained, who put years of training to do that. And we are transferring the decisionmaking capability because of reimbursement to actually appear a crowd. For me, i have a lot more trust in the nurse or the doctor that cares for me than i do somebody that works here into washington d. C. I think polls which show that to be the fact as well. So what im looking for specifically will be difficult i know because you are all part of an agency. But theres this wall of separation is somehow goes out. The American People dont understand. They all see a part of or part of cms and yet you have a wall, cms has a wall. What i need to do with half as much fingerpointing as possible to say this is what will solve it, knowing that i am not asking you to throw anybody under the guise. As the chairman pointed out, we are looking for legislative fix for appropriations at need to be done so that we can help this to quit being a problem and so we cannot bathe bathe the law the way it is written. I thank the chairman and i yield back. Thank you, mr. Meadows. Ive edition additional comments i will submit for the record to protect our time. I ask for unanimous consent a chart giving disposition of outcome weights given to us by the office of medicare. An appeals last night. Id like to read this to the record to be able to share with all individuals here as well. I would not recognize the distinguished Ranking Member, the gentlelady, ms. Speier for his statement. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to thank chief judge griswold for appearing before us today on this important issue. You know, we can all agree medicare providers are entitled to have their claims administered rarely come efficiently and without undue delay so they can focus on their core mission of providing care to our nations seniors. If they are believed incorrectly, they deserve to know sooner or later. Unfortunately, that is not the situation the same providers today. Medicare providers appealing payment decisions made by contractors are waiting on average 387 days to have their claims adjudicated by the office of medicare hearings and appeals. For providers in many new claims, the way can be as long as 28 months. Just to have an appeals side to an alj. The current claims backlog at omahas unacceptable and unsustainable. Omha must make significant changes in how it does business. I look forward to hearing from the chief judge about the initiatives omha is doing to alleviate the backlog. I also want to remind my colleagues that the claims backlog is a problem that congress created. Congress has required cms appropriately to the is lent in the attack and are reducing the amount of waste fraud and abuse in the 600 billion Medicare Program that covers 51 million officiates. This emphasis on Program Integrity is critical to the health of our nations seniors and the protection of our taxpayer dollars. This increased scrutiny has not been coupled with additional funds to address the influx of claims and appeals that have resulted. With the Medicare Prescription Drug act, congress created the medicare administrator contract or is, in the recovery auditor contractors pilot program. In 2010, the rac programmers made permanent and expanded nationwide. All of these contract or his conduct audits of medicare providers. Each of these contracted contract or is have increased the number of claims audited for payment accuracy in recent years. According to a 2013 gao study, the volume of contractor post payment claims reviews increased by 55 between 2011 and 2012. More on its news obviously more appeals. That is notable result of the additional Program Integrity function that we here in congress have asked cms to implement. Yet congress has not provided omha with more funding for more judges to adjudicate claims. So when we wring our hands about the number of days that these providers have to wait, we have to wring our hands and let directly ourselves. Despite the six fold increase in the number of appeals in 2006, the number of alj that omha has remained relatively constant. In 2007, omha received 27,000 received 192,000 rac claims he received no additional funding channel this workload. I joined a number of colleagues on both sides of the house sending a letter to the secretary of hhs citing concerns about the program and expressing the need for reform. But its also important to note that rac has led to exposure of many functional billing part of the dutch as billing for Hospital Readmissions on the same day with the same diagnosis. Durable medical equipment items delivered but never ordered by a physician. Hospital claims coated with elementary patient did not as. Excessive units of medication ordered, especially with the bill does would be harmful for lethal to the patient who received it. We may need to consider reforms to the rac program to reduce his rac out of some providers, but we must ensure we preserve the central Program Integrity function who performed the critically important congressionally mandated function of reducing improper payments in the Medicare Program. Finally, an important part of reducing the burden on fighters is ensuring appeals from adverse rac determination are resolved in a timely manner. Congress must ensure the budget request is fully funded. We have to give drink or the resources commensurate with the workload we asked them to perform. With that i yield back. Members will have seven days to submit additional statements. Mr. Griswold come you are the sole individual in this hearing today we are grateful you are here. Pursuant to walk many roles, witnesses are sworn in before they testify. If you stand, raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear the testimony were about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . The witness answered in the affirmative. You of course may be stated. For health and Human Services office of medicare hearings and appeals and we are grateful you are here to have this conversation. To allow time for discussion we ask you to money or oral testimony to five minutes. We have not pulled both yet so we are not in a hurry at this point. Were grateful to receive testimony. You may begin. Chairman lankford cannot Ranking Member speier, i want to thank you for the invitation to discuss the close of the office of medicare hearing appeals for the recall omha peer omha administers the nationwide medicare Administrative Law judge Hearing Program and is responsible for conducting the third level of review of medicare appeals. In order to ensure the omhas adjudicators have decisional independent from cms, omha was established as a separate Agency Within the department of health and Human Services. Reports directly to the secretary. Accordingly, we operate under a separate appropriation where both functionally and physically separate from cms. Between fiscal years 11 and 13, but it previously been a gradual upward trend in appeal received levels took an unexpectedly sharp turn and a tree and bricks has an overall 545 increase in our appeals. The rise in the number of appeals resulted both from increases in the number of beneficiaries utilizing covers services and also from the expansion of omhas responsibility to include the adjudication of appeals resulting from new auto workload undertaken by cms, including the nationwide implementation of the recovery audit program. Thereve also been been increases in Medicaid State Agency appeals. Please omhas 2014th on a novel has allowed for the hiring of seven additional teams bringing omhas adjudication to pass 72,000 appeals per year. However, this capacity pales in comparison to the adjudication workload. And fisk or 13 on, omha c. 384,151 appeals than in fiscal year 14 received levels through july 1st or facsimile 509,121 appeals. As a result, omha had over 800,000 appeals pending on july 1st to 2014. Auto alj Team Productivity is doubled for the year nine through 13, omha has been receiving approximately one years worth of appeals every four to six weeks. Driving adjudication time frames to their current high of 387 days. Omha recognizes the need to adjudicate it is of greater efficiency. By the end of the fiscal year, we will release a manual which utilizes best practices to standardize business process. We are using Information Technology to convert our process from paper to electronic , enough for which will culminate in its First Release in the summer of 2015. Weve also developed a template system, which simplifies the work of our staff by providing standardized syllable format for processing. Omha proposed secretary civilians establish a departmental interagency workgroup which is that there are review of the process and develop additional initiatives that both omha and cms are currently implicating. On june 30, omha posted on its website to new options for new appellants. The first allows appellants to have their claims adjudicated using statistical sampling and extrapolation methods. The second option for appellants uses alternative dispute resolution techniques for a facilitated some of the conference. Finally, omha has redirected the senior attorneys to assist in the prioritization of beneficiary appeals. Any beneficiary who believes the case is not receiving prior to consideration at omha may contact us directly at medicare. Appeals hhs. Gov baradar 12 renumber 855 5568475. Although omha is functionally and organizationally fabric, i can provide a general outline of initiatives being undertaken at cms. These include getting global discussions involving similarly situated appellants, requiring that a recovery auditors to provide offer providers and suppliers of thirtyday discussion. Come allowing for recovery out of payment after he qualified independent contractor has determined an overpayment access from issuing a proposed rule for hiring prior authorization for Durable Medical Equipment and requiring prior authorization for two particular Part B Services under cms demonstration authority. Though the department is working to address the backlog in the number of prospective appeals within current resources and authority, the initiatives that discuss today will be insufficient to close the gap chewing workload and resources at omha. Although ill workload the omha have experienced rapid growth, a significant portion of the increase is a consequence to the departments efforts to implement legislation assigned to combat Medicare Fraud and reduce improper payments. The department is committed to crafting solutions which will bring the doctor and the resulting appeal were quoted resulting appeal workload into balance. We look forward to working with this committee and with their stakeholders to develop and implement the solutions. Thank you for your time and can turn. Chair recognizes dr. Gosar. Thank you, mr. Chairman. This is griswold, can you walk us through the bible both of the appeal process . Yes. The first two levels are conducted at cms. They are administered by cms and cmss contractors. The third level is at the office of medicare hearings and appeals and