VA Testimony of Pamela Iovino before Congress on April 1, 2004

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

OPENING STATEMENT
PAMELA M. IOVINO
NOMINEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
BEFORE THE
SENATE VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

April 1, 2004

Good afternoon, Chairman Specter, Senator Graham, and members of the Committee. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for the quick scheduling of this hearing. Also, I wish to express how deeply honor and very appreciative I am to President Bush for this nomination. And I have a deep debt of gratitude to Secretary Anthony Principi and Deputy Secretary Gordon Mansfield for the faith and confidence they have extended in recommending and requesting my nomination. There are not two finer public servants, with whom I could ask to serve. And finally, thank you, Congressman Murphy, for taking time out of a very hectic day to make my introduction and for those very kind words.

I bring to this nomination, 24 years of service to our country-basically, my entire adult professional life. I believe my 23 years of uniformed service, where in addition to the attaining the skills mandated by the authority and responsibility of command, I was afforded the opportunity to expand my skills to include the Congressional and Legislative process, coupled with albeit my short tenure with the VA, makes me prepared for this position. The commitment I felt during my active duty days, to the men and women with whom I served, I carry to the Department of Veterans Affairs and to the veterans of our country that the Department serves. These veterans are the service people of two world wars and Korea the ensured the freedoms that I enjoy simply by being born a citizen of this great country. They are the officers and NCOs of the Vietnam War and post-Vietnam era that helped a completely inexperienced junior officer rise to the rank of captain and achieve command. And finally, they are the veterans of two Gulf wars, and my former peers and shipmates. I am honored to serve them; and I believe I am qualified to serve them.

I understand the authority and role of this Committee and the Congress in providing the legislative authorization, oversight, and funding needed by the Department to serve our veterans. I understand the role of the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs as principle advisor to the Secretary and the facet of that role that assigns responsibility for the coordination of requests from the Congress in the performance of their authorization and oversight functions. If confirmed, I commit to you the entirety of my knowledge, experience, and authority to fulfill the requirements of the position in the service of our Nation’s veterans.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement, and I will answer any questions you may have.