September 29, 2005
Contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) Five people nominated by President Bush for posts within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs were sworn in under oath today and interviewed by members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. 

Among them were: Bill Tuerk, nominated to be the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs; Robert Henke, nominated to be the Assistant Secretary for Management; John Molino, nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Policy, Planning and Preparedness; Lisette Mondello, nominated to the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs; and George Opfer, nominated to be the Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(To see more pictures, click on: September 29 2005 - Confirmation hearing.  To watch the hearing, click on: HEARING ON PENDING NOMINATIONS.)

?These are well qualified people and there appears to be solid bi-partisan support to get these nominees into position as soon as possible.   I hope to be able to have them all confirmed next week, if possible,? said Committee Chairman Larry Craig.

Much of the questioning at the hearing was directed to Robert Henke, who has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary for Management with VA, a position which makes him VA's chief budget officer. 

?Mr. Henke, as we discussed during our recent meeting, you ? if confirmed ? will play a crucial role in ensuring that Congress is provided with timely and accurate information regarding VA's funding requirements, so that we will not again be caught off-guard by a shortfall in VA's budget.  As I have stated previously, I will be requiring VA to provide quarterly updates as to its financial picture and I will expect complete candor from VA in providing those updates,? Craig told the nominee.

Henke assured the committee that under his leadership, the VA will do its best to provide solid information to both the committee and Congress.  He is a former staff member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and currently serves as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for the Department of Defense.

Other nominees echoed the same sentiment to provide the best leadership possible as they spoke about their goals and aspirations for their potential new jobs.

For two of the nominees, the hearing had a special moment as they were introduced to the committee and endorsed for their respective new jobs by their former bosses. 

Bill Tuerk, who currently works for the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and who has been nominated to be the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, was introduced by U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania).  Specter, who formerly served as the chairman of the Veterans' Committee, originally hired Tuerk in 1991.  Lisette Mondello, who once served as the communications director for U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), was also introduced by her former employer. 

#####