May 24, 2006
Contact Jeff Schrade for Sen. Craig - 202-224-9093
Contact Jen Burita for Sen. Collins - 202-224-2523

(Washington, DC) A hearing on the loss of 26.5 million records of veterans and some spouses has been expanded ? it will now be a joint review conducted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the U.S. Senate on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Larry Craig (R-Idaho) will share the gavel with Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Susan Collins (R-Maine).

The hearing will be webcast live, and archived for viewing later, at http://veterans.senate.gov. The hearing may also be audiocast ? during the hearing only ? on C-SPAN's hearings website, located at http://www.capitolhearings.org.

REPORTERS ? Call the Senate Press Gallery to reserve seating
? 224-0241 -

Title: VA Data Privacy Breach: Twenty-Six Million People Deserve Answers

When

• The Honorable R. James Nicholson - Secretary of Veterans Affairs  The Secretary is expected to describe in detail the timeline of events and what steps federal officials have taken to notify Congress and the public.

Accompanied by

The Honorable Tim S. McClain - General Counsel   As General Counsel, he serves as the chief legal adviser to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the department's senior leaders, and manages the Office of General Counsel, which is comprised of nearly 400 attorneys assigned throughout the United States.

• The Honorable George J. Opfer - Inspector General ? He directs a nationwide staff of auditors, investigators, inspectors and support personnel who independently review VA activities and personnel, and prevent and detect criminal activity, waste, abuse and fraud.

Additional witnesses may be announced later today.

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