Media contact: Jeff Schrade (202)224-9093

(Washington, DC) U.S. Senator Richard Burr, the top Republican on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, said he is looking forward to Wednesday's hearing which will examine five bills that could benefit veterans:

• S. 38 - Veterans' Mental Health Outreach and Access Act of 2007
• S. 2004 - To establish epilepsy centers of excellence in the Veterans Health Administration
• S. 2142 - Veterans Emergency Care Fairness Act of 2007
• S. 2160 - Veterans Pain Care Act of 2007
• S. 2162 - Mental Health Improvements Act of 2007

The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 24 in room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. It will be broadcast live on the Committee's website and available for viewing later http://veterans.senate.gov. Audio may also be available - during the hearing only - at http://www.capitolhearings.org.

• Honorable Michael J. Kussman, MD, MS, MACP, Under Secretary for Health, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Accompanied by: Walter Hall, Assistant General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs

• Carl Blake, National Legislative Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Joy J. Ilem, Assistant National Legislative Director, Disabled Veterans of America
• Brenda Murdough, MSN, RN-C, Military/Veterans Initiative Coordinator, American Pain Foundation
• Brien J. Smith, MD, Director, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Henry Ford Hospital
• Capt. Constance Walker, USN (Ret.), President, Southern Maryland Chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness

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