JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES SECOND SESSION 150490 DECEMBER 9, 10, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, and 22, 1932 VOL. 1 INDEXED (Pursuant to Title VII, Public Law 212, UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS JOHN MCDUFFIE, Chairman, Representative from Alabama ARTHUR R. ROBINSON, Senator from Indiana SMITH W. BROOKHART, Senator from Iowa HENRY D. HATFIELD, Senator from West Virginia WALTER F. GEORGE, Senator from Georgia JACOB L. MILLIGAN, Representative from Missouri JOHN W. BOEHNE, JR., Representative from Indiana BURNETT M. CHIPERFIELD, Representative from Illinois II 9-22-41 MEC Title VII, Public Law 212, approved June 30, 1932, 11.30 a. m., reads as follows: "SEC. 701. There is hereby created a joint congressional committee which shall be composed of five Members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, and five Members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Such committee shall conduct a thorough investigation of the operation of the laws and regulations relating to the relief of veterans of all wars and persons receiving benefits on account of service of such veterans and report a national policy with respect to such veterans and their dependents, and shall also report and recommend such economies as will lessen the cost to the United States Government of the Veterans' Administration. The committee shall report to the Senate and the House of Representatives not later than the 1st of January, 1933, the results of its investigation, together with such recommendations for legislation as it deems advisable. "The committee is authorized to sit and act, whether or not the Senate or House of Representatives is in session, at such times and places as it may deem advisable, and to call upon various departments of the Government for such information and for such clerical assistance as may be necessary, using the services of employees on the Goverment' pay roll, and also to call upon and use the clerks of the Committee on World War Veterans' Legislation, the Committee on Pensions, and the Committee on Invalid Pensions, of the House of Representatives; and the clerk of the Committee on Pensions of the Senate." 1 So in the original. III VETERANS' AFFAIRS JOINT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Friday, December 9, 1932. The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., pursuant to adjournment on yesterday, in the minority conference room of the Senate, John McDuffie, chairman, Representative from Alabama, presiding. Present: David I. Walsh, vice chairman, Senator from Massachusetts; Arthur R. Robinson, Senator from Indiana; Henry D. Hatfield, Senator from West Virginia; Jacob L. Milligan, Representative from Missouri; John W. Boehne, jr., Representative from Indiana; John Taber, Representative from New York; Burnett M. Chiperfield, Representative from Illinois. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. Senator Walsh will be delayed a few minutes at least, and I think we might just as well start the proceedings. Mr. CHIPERFIELD. Yes; I think we might just as well get started. The CHAIRMAN. Gentlemen, you are doubtless familiar with section 701, Public Law 212, Seventy-second Congress, known as the economy act, of course, incorporated into the legislative appropriation act at the last session of Congress. With your permission I will read for the purpose of the record Title VII, section 701. This act, of course, you understand, is not sponsored by anyone of this committee. It is an expression of the majority of both Houses of Congress believing that some investigation should be made into veterans' affairs or the legislation of the Congress affecting the veterans of all wars. Indeed, many of the organizations, I am informed, representing veterans, suggested this investigation, and Congress proceeded to set up this joint committee. The act reads and I shall only read that part which is probably more pertinent than the rest of it: Such committee shall conduct a thorough investigation of the operation of the laws and regulations relating to the relief of veterans of all wars and persons receiving benefits on account of service of such veterans and report a national policy with respect to such veterans and their dependents, and shall also report and recommend such economies as will lessen the cost to the United States Government of the Veterans' Administration. The committee shall report to the Senate and the House of Representatives not later than the 1st of January, 1933, the results of its investigation, together with such recom mendations for legislation as it deems advisable. The committee is authorized to sit and act, whether or not the Senate or House of Representatives is in session, at such times and places as it may deem advisable, and to call upon various departments of the Government for such information and for such clerical assistance as may be necessary, using the services of employees on the Government pay roll, and also to call upon and use the clerks of the Committee on World War Veterans' Legislation, the Committee on Pensions, and the Committee on Invalid Pensions, of the House of Representatives; and the clerk of the Committee on Pensions of the Senate. 1 |