Testimonies

Testifying before Congress is a vital advocacy tool to inform legislators and shape policy priorities to improve the lives of PVA members, their families, caregivers, and survivors. It gives PVA a chance to elevate real-world experiences — like those of veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Read below for more information on our recent testimonies.

March 4, 2026 - Robert Thomas, National President, testified before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on PVA’s 2026 policy priorities. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

February 4, 2026 – Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “Independent Spirits: Veteran Health and Healing through Adaptive Sports.” The testimony is available here.

February 3, 2026 – the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs held a legislative hearing. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

January 21, 2026 – Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity in a legislative hearing. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

Past Testimonies

2025

December 10, 2025 - Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a legislative hearing. The testimony is available here.

December 10, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health held a hearing titled, “Putting Families First: Strengthening CHAMPVA for Survivors and Dependents.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

December 3, 2025 - Tom Wheaton, National Treasurer, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a legislative hearing. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

November 20, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: “Improving Outcomes for Disabled Veterans: Oversight of VA’s Medical Disability Examination Office (MDEO).” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

October 29, 2025 - Jeremy Villanueva, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “Putting Veterans First: Is the Current VA Disability System Keeping Its Promise?” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

September 17, 2025 - Robert Thomas, National President, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “Strengthening Services for Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

July 15, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: “Right Time, Right Place, Right Treatment with VA Community Care.” Hearing testimony is available here.

June 24, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

June 12, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

May 21, 2025 - Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, in a hearing titled, “Pushing VA Forward: Review of VA’s Adaptive Programs for Disabled Veterans.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

May 14, 2025 - Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 11, 2025 - Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, in a pending legislation hearing. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 11, 2025 - the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: pending legislation. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 11, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 4, 2025 - Robert Thomas, National President, testifies before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on PVA’s 2025 policy priorities. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

February 25, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

January 22, 2025 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “Restoring Focus: Putting Veterans First in Community Care.” Hearing testimony is available here.

2024

December 17, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

December 11, 2024 - Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, in a hearing titled, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

September 25, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “Everyday Heroes: Supporting the Veteran Caregiver Community.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

September 18, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: “Examining VA’s Challenges with Ensuring Quality Contracted Disability Compensation Examinations.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

June 13, 2024 - Robert Thomas, National President, and Carl Blake, Chief Executive Officer, testify before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “A Call to Action: Meeting the Needs of the Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI/D) Veteran Community.” President Thomas’s written testimony is available here and CEO Blake’s written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

May 1, 2024 - Roscoe Butler, Senior Health Policy Advisor, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “Review of the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and 2026 Advance Appropriations Requests for the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

April 11, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

April 10, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

April 10, 2024 - Julie Howell, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at VA.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 21, 2024 - Roscoe Butler, Senior Health Policy Advisor, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health on pending legislation. Written statement is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 6, 2024 - Robert Thomas, National President, testifies before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on PVA’s 2024 policy priorities. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

January 30, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “The One Percent: Supporting America’s Surviving Military Family Community.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

2023

December 17, 2024 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: pending legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

2022

November 8, 2023 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: Pending Legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

September 28, 2023 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: VA's Fiduciary Program: Ensuring Veterans' Benefits are Properly Managed. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

July 27, 2023 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: VA Disability Exams: Are Veterans Receiving Quality Services? Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

July 12, 2023 - the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

June 21, 2023 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: Pending Legislation. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

June 13, 2023 - Roscoe Butler, Senior Health Policy Advisor, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health titled, “Care Coordination: Assessing Veteran Needs and Improving Outcomes.” Written statement is available here. Hearing testimony is available here

June 7, 2023 - Carl Blake, Executive Director, testifies before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in a hearing titled, “An Abiding Commitment to Those Who Served: Examining Veterans’ Access to Long Term Care. Written statement is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

May 17, 2023 - Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, testifies on behalf of the Independent Budget before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on the VA’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2024 and Advance Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2025. Written statement is available here. Hearing testimony is available here

April 26, 2023 - the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony is available here . Hearing testimony is available here.

March 29, 2023 – Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health in a legislative hearing. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 23, 2023 – Heather Ansley, Associate Executive Director of Government Relations, testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in a hearing titled, “Enhancing Consumer Protections and Connectivity in Air Transportation.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 23, 2023 – Lee Page, Senior Associate Advocacy Director, testifies before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation in a hearing titled, “FAA Reauthorization: Navigating the Comprehensive Passenger Experience.” Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

March 1, 2023 – Charles Brown, National President, testifies before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on PVA’s 2023 policy priorities. Written testimony is available here. Hearing testimony is available here.

2021

December 7, 2021 - Shaun Castle, Deputy Executive Director, testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security: The Fierce Urgency of Now--Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

November 17, 2021 - the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs and the Subcommittee on Health: Supporting Survivors: Assessing VA's Military Sexual Trauma Programs. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

November 17, 2021- the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

October 20, 2021- the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

October 20, 2021– the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

October 13, 2021 – the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

July 27, 2021 - Roscoe Butler, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: “Aging in Place: Examining Veterans' Access to Home and Community Based Services.” Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

July 14, 2021 - the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

June 23, 2021 - the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

June 16, 2021 - Roscoe Butler, Associate Legislative Director, on behalf of the Independent Budget testifies before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee: “Review of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget and 2023 Advance Appropriations Requests for the Department of Veterans Affairs." Hearing and written testimony available here.

June 9, 2021 - Independent Budget testifies before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee: "A System to Better Serve America's Veterans: Investing in VA's Infrastructure." Hearing and written testimony available here.

June 8, 2021 - Roscoe Butler, Associate Legislative Director, on behalf of the Independent Budget testifies before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee: “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2022." Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

May 5, 2021 - The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation. Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

May 12, 2021 - The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee: “Supporting Disabled Veterans: The State of Claims Processing During and After COVID-19.” Hearing available here.

May 26, 2021 - House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity: “Veteran Employment Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

May 27, 2021 - Heather Ansley, Associate Executive Director of Government Relations, testifies before the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress “Making the House More Accessible to the Disability Community.” Hearing and written testimony available here.

May 27, 2021 - Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, on behalf of the Independent Budget testifies before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee: “Investing in a Better VA: Examining the Role of Infrastructure in Veterans’ Access to Care and Benefits.” Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

April 28, 2021 - Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Pending Legislation.

April 21, 2021 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: Pending Legislation.

April 15, 2021- House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health: Pending Legislation.

April 14, 2021 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity: Pending Legislation.

March 18, 2021 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Beyond Deborah Sampson: Improving Healthcare for America’s Women Veterans in the 117^th Congress

March 9, 2021 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies: Challenges Facing Veterans in Accessing Fertility Services.

March 4, 2021- David Zurfluh, National President of PVA, testifies before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veteran's Affairs.

February 8, 2021 - the House Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs conducted an oversight hearing entitled, “Honoring Our Promise: Reviewing the Effectiveness of Services for Dependents and Survivors.” Written testimony available here. Hearing available here.

2020

December 8, 2020 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs: Supporting our Veterans Through and After COVID19.

December 2, 2020 - Roscoe Butler, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Assessing the Need to Modernize Veteran Eligibility for Care.

September 30, 2020 - Roscoe Butler, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on behalf of The Independent Budget: MISSION Critical: Assessing Community Care Wait Times. Youtube: Watch Now

September 10, 2020 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Pending Legislation. Youtube: Watch Now

August 28, 2020 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Coordinating Transition Resources.

July 23, 2020 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Pending Legislation.

July 22, 2020 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health, Women Veteran Task Force Hearing: Safety for All: Ending Sexual Harassment in The Department of Veterans Affairs.

July 21, 2020 -House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Hearing: Getting Veterans Back to Work After Covid-19.

July 17, 2020 - Shaun Castle, Deputy Executive Director, testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee about The Impact of Covid-19 on Social Security and Its Beneficiaries. Youtube: Watch Now

July, 16, 2020 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Hearing: Pending Legislation.

July 1, 2020 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, participates in House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health Hearing: Veterans’ Access to Reproductive Healthcare. Youtube: Watch Now

June 11, 2020 - House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Hearing: Assessing VA's Response to The Covid-19 Pandemic: 90 Days Later.

June 3, 2020- House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health: Mission Readiness Hearing: VA’s Preparedness for Natural Disasters During A Pandemic.

May 19, 2020 - Maureen Elias, Associate Legislative Director, participates in Women Veterans Task Force Virtual Roundtable: Resilience and Coping: Mental Health of Women Veterans

March 10, 2020 - House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative Hearing: Pending Legislation.

March 3, 2020- Lee Page, Senior Associate Legislative Director, testifies before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Aviation about access to air travel for people with disabilities.

March 3, 2020 - House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health Hearing: The Silver Tsunami: Is VA Ready?

March 3, 2020- David Zurfluh, National President, testifies before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs. Youtube: Watch Now

February 6, 2020 - Morgan Brown, National Legislative Director, testifies before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on Pending Legislation. Youtube: Watch Now

February 5, 2020- House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations with the Women Veterans Task Force Oversight Hearing: Examining How the Department of Veterans Affairs Supports Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma.