Watch booktv this weekend on cspan2. President biden has picked Denis Mcdonough to head the Veterans Affairs department. He previously served as white house chief of staff during the last four years of the obama presidency. His confirmation hearing he was asked about veterans access to healthcare, modernization efforts in the das responds to covid19. This is just over two hours. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] i i want to call this evening to order. I want to welcome everybody. I appreciate all that are here, all those that are online. The purpose of this hearing is due from the i president s nominate to serve as secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis Mcdonough. Before i talk about him i just want to say i appreciate this committee all the reasons we sat on this committee thats been bipartisan and its been nonpolitical, and we tried to do the best by our veterans whether you are the republican side for the democratic side of the aisle. I particularly appreciate the re
For a bill combining several Clean Energy Initiatives followed by five measures dealing with veterans issues. Live now to the floor of the u. S. House here on cspan. Orde the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father conroy. Chaplain conroy let us pray. Lord god, we give you thanks for giving us another day. The advance of Coronavirus Infections continues to rise in a number of states around our nation, send your spirit of healing and wellbeing among those who suffer and your angels to protect the Many Health Care workers who place their own wellbeing in danger every day. Comfort those today in the Supreme Court who begin the blic mourning of a beloved colleague, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and console those who worked with over so many years. Bless the members of this peoples house who labor today to pass bills to advance the common wheel of our nation. May all that is done this day be for your greater honor and glory, amen. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to section 4a of House Resolut
[no audio] [silence] [no audio] good afternoon, everyon good afternoon everyone. [inaudible] to support millions of veterans every day to hear from those organizations and the support for Suicide Prevention and legislation with commander John Scott Hannon better improvement act. Business legislation before thisbe committee and before the senate and i wanted to give the opportunity to the Veterans Service organizations and others and as you negotiate with the passage in the ability to be sent to the president. September 10 is worldwide Suicide Prevention day in the hearing is our opportunity to impact so Many Americans and urge for swift passage of legislation to provide lifesaving measures for those at a risk. I was notified yesterday of another veteran who died by suicide on v. A. Property. And those placing the veteran at the center of the system focusing on new forms of outreach. To achievein those goals and those not yet identified and organizations not yet with caddying and resear
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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