UPDATE: AKAKA SPEAKS OUT ON BURR'S DELAY OF

DUCKWORTH CONFIRMATION -- "I did not hear any

concerns expressed at the hearing that would block

her confirmation ... This is a disappointing setback."

Tammy Duckworth with Sen. Daniel Akaka

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by Larry Scott

On April 1, 2009, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held two confirmation hearings for VA nominees Scott Gould and Tammy Duckworth.  Hearing info here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfapr09/nf040209-1.htm

Then we learned that Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, is blocking Tammy Duckworth's nomination to be the VA's Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.  Story here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/nf09/nfapr09/nf040209-8.htm

Now Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has issued the following statement:

AKAKA STATEMENT ON DELAY IN DUCKWORTH NOMINATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2009

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka issued the following statement tonight after the nomination of L. Tammy Duckworth to be VA Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs was not considered at a business meeting of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee: 

“Tammy Duckworth is a talented and qualified nominee who has already given so much for her country and the veterans she serves.  I did not hear any concerns expressed at the hearing that would block her confirmation and I had hoped to move on her nomination today.  This is a disappointing setback because the GI Bill takes effect in less than four months and Tammy will be responsible for outreach to veterans on when and how to apply, and the next opportunity to confirm her is more than two weeks away.”

The above information came to me by email.

                            click for more information -- a disabled veteran owned business

Sen. Burr wants Duckworth to answer some questions.  What questions?  VA Watchdog dot Org has obtained that information.  Below are Burr's questions to Duckworth and her responses.

Post-hearing questions for L. Tammy Duckworth

Ranking Member Richard Burr

As you know, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs requires all nominees to complete a two-part questionnaire.  From you, we received two versions of Part I of the questionnaire and three versions of Part II.  Certainly, I could understand if mistakes were made in filling out these fairly complicated forms and you needed to submit new forms to correct errors.  But, in response to pre-hearing questions, you made this statement:  “I believe all my submissions have been accurate.” 

Question:  Are you saying that all of the information contained in all three versions of the questionnaire is correct?

Answer:  The information contained in each version of the questionnaire was correct to the best of my knowledge at the time I submitted it.  I submitted more than one version in order to immediately respond to the Committee’s requests for more information.  In addition, the revised questionnaire incorporates information from year-end summaries I only recently received from my financial advisors. 

Question:  If so, I would ask you to explain how that is so, given that the most recent submissions appear to list assets and income streams that were not identified in the original submission and the amounts listed for certain assets, liabilities, and income streams were changed in the later versions? 

Answer:  Initially I completed the questionnaire on my own without any guidance.  Because the committee questionnaire did not include instructions, I based my answers on my understanding of the requested information.  After the Committee requested more information, I clarified my answers according to the Committee’s guidance.  In some instances, I listed the same assets but in different categories.  In other instances, I included more detailed figures based on the Committee’s requests and updated information I received from my financial advisors.  On March 26, 2009, I met with majority and minority Committee staff and explained these issues in detail.   

On Thursday, April 2, 2009, Tammy Duckworth, after supplying the above answers, tried to contact the office of Sen. Burr.  There was no response from the Senator's office.

Sen. Burr continues to hold up the Duckworth nomination, even though he has the answers to the questions he posed.  This is politics at its worst and only serves to harm veterans and delay Ms. Duckworth from performing her important duties at the VA.

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posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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