(February 10, 2005) In order to further improve the lines of communication and to respond to the concerns between the National VA Council and you our members, I have established a National VA Council Briefing. This NVAC Briefing will bring you the latest news and developments within DVA and provide you with the current status of issues this Council is currently addressing. I believe that this NVAC Briefing will greatly enhance the way in which we communicate and the way in which we share new information, keeping you better informed. Alma L. Lee National VA Council, President ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In This Briefing: VA funding in new Appropriations Committee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Jerry Lewis ( R-CA) announced today 2/9 a major change in the organization of the house Appropriations Committee. This full committee writes the VA funding bill and writes the annual funding bill which contains the government wide pay raise. The subcommittees covering VA and the pay raise are changing. According to the House Appropriations Committee press release, "the proposal reorganizes the current 13 subcommittees down to 10. The proposal will need to be ratified by the full membership of the Appropriations Committee at the reorganization meeting tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The House and Senate could still modify the plan and those modifications could be accommodated in a manager's amendment in full committee."

Under the proposal the funding for the District of Columbia; Legislative; and Veterans, Housing and Independent Agencies will merged into other subcommittees.

The House Appropriations Committee will reorganize into 10 subcommittees. The Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee will be chaired by U.S. Rep. James Walsh (R-NY).

The Transportation, Treasury and Housing Subcommittee will be chaired by U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). This subcommittee will be key to securing the annual pay raise for federal employees.

As we find out the names of the committee members on these two key subcommittees we will let you know.