Volume 23: No. 5, May 2009

Five Minutes with Congress, a Year of Advocacy for Veterans

By Heather O’Beirne Kelly

So a psychologist, a thoracic surgeon, and a veteran walk into a…hearing room. Far from being the opening line to a joke, this scene played out on Capitol Hill at the end of April in an annual rite designed to fund the federal science agencies with input from the executive and legislative branches of government as well as outside experts and stakeholders.

On April 23, I presented APA’s oral testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies.  This subcommittee drafts the annual appropriations legislation that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) before presenting it to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration and eventually a vote by the entire House, while the Senate begins work marking up its own version of a funding bill.  The House subcommittee usually takes the President’s new fiscal year budget request as a starting point, incorporates what are called official “Views and Estimates” from colleagues on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and waits to see how much money likely will be available for the subcommittee to direct.  Also in the mix are numerous recommendations from other members of Congress and outside groups, including APA and other scientific societies, universities, and veterans’ service organizations.

Heather Kelly testifying before Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) and Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies.

This process usually kicks off in February with the release of an Administration’s official budget request, but as is typical for new Administrations following an election year, a detailed fiscal year 2010 budget was not available in February this year.  In anticipation of President Obama’s detailed request, both Congress and outside advocacy communities have been developing their own projections for the level of support needed at the VA to care for veterans and invest in the VA research program. 

Although it can be tempting to stereotype the denizens of Capitol Hill as unduly partisan on all issues these days, veterans’ health and wellbeing is one priority area that traditionally brings Democrats and Republicans together.  A commitment to veterans also brings the government relations staff of APA’s four directorates – Science, Practice, Education and Public Interest – together.  Throughout the budget and appropriations process, APA staff who cover the intramural VA research program, veterans’ healthcare, training for VA psychologists, and concerns of special veteran populations look for opportunities to weigh in on these issues with members of Congress and their staff.  We also work with other organizations through coalitions, such as the Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research Coalition, meeting with key Hill offices, sending letters to relevant committees, talking with VA researchers across the country, hosting briefings on Capitol Hill, developing an independent fiscal year 2010 budget request, and writing official testimony for Congress (see the full written text of APA’s testimony).

All of these activities culminated in a powerful opportunity for APA’s Science Directorate to make its case for increasing VA research – in the span of five minutes.  Along with fifteen other groups, APA was invited to testify before the House subcommittee during a special “Public Witness” hearing.  Drawing upon my background both as a clinical psychologist and the daughter and granddaughter of career military officers, I made a case for investing in the VA’s research program and renovating existing VA research facilities.  My colleagues and I will continue pushing for these funding increases throughout the appropriations process in the hopes of getting to a great punch line – a fiscal year 2010 budget for cutting-edge VA intramural research that translates directly into improved care for our nation’s veterans.  We appear to be on our way already – at the official budget rollout on May 7, the Administration proposed $580 million for VA research, representing an increase in funding larger than any of the stakeholder groups and congressional committees had even considered possible.

Heather O’Beirne Kelly, PhD is a Senior Legislative & Federal Affairs Officer in the APA Science Directorate’s Government Relations Office.  She covers psychological science issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and National Science Foundation, and coordinates the APA Executive Branch Science Fellowship program. Follow her advocacy updates on Twitter at http://twitter.com/heatherkellyphd.