mr. abrams. you note in the written testimony that one manner in which claims are complex because of va error. cases of the sort are appealed and remanded and often more than once, further increasing the complexity of the claim procedurally. number one, can you elaborate on the common types of errors you see causing claims to be more complex due to va error on appeal, and number two, do you think greater focus on appeal and remanded claims assist va in learning from its mistakes in making less errors in the future? >> yes, i can. let me give you an example. suppose a veteran files a claim for ptsd. the veteran alleges that he suffered a stressor when exposed to combat. the veteran's service records show a combat infantry badge, which means the veteran was in combat. however, the va in effort to go fast sets up an examination and fails to tell the medical examiner to accept as true the fact that the veteran was exposed to combat. the va examiner looks at the file, doesn't see any evidence of a str

mr. abrams.you note in your written testimony that one manner in which claims become complex because the va error. cases that disorder often appealed angry man had. often more than once, further increasing the complexity of the claim procedurally. number one, can you elaborate on the common errors which causes claims to be more complex due to va error on appeal? and number two, to think greater focus on appeal and remanded claims would assist va learning from it mistakes and making less of these types of errors in the future? >> yes, i can. let me give you an example. suppose a veteran files a claim for pts d. the veteran alleges that he suffered a stress the next goes to combat. the veteran service records show a combat infantry badge, which means the veteran was in combat. however, to be a comment in an effort to go fast set up an examination and fails to tell the medical examiner to accept as true the fact that the veteran was exposed to combat. the va examiner looks at the file, doesn't see a

mr. abrams. you note in your written testimony that one manner in which claims become complex because the va error. cases that disorder often appealed angry man had. often more than once further increasing the complexity of the claim procedurally. number one, can you elaborate on the common errors which causes claims to be more complex due to va error on appeal? and number two, to think greater focus on appeal and remanded claims would assist va learning from it mistakes and making less of these types of errors in the future? >> yes, i can. let me give you an example. suppose a veteran files a claim for pts d. the veteran alleges that he suffered a stress the next goes to combat. the veteran service records show a combat infantry badge which means the veteran was in combat. however, to be a comment in an effort to go fast set up an examination and fails to tell the medical examiner to accept as true the fact that the veteran was exposed to combat. the va examiner looks at the file, doesn't see an

it is a balancing act, mr. abram, how would you say the united states is doing right now? >> hi, it is a balancing act. it hasn't been a good year, certainly for the president. you know, his false moves on syria were the kind of things, iranians, russian, allies like the saudis and allies, it's disconcerting, it gives them the sense we are not as powerful as we once were. >> we know some of these relationships, international relationships really hinge on the camaraderie between the leaders. how would you assess president obama's relationships with some of these other world leaders right now? >> i think you have to say he doesn't have those relationships. president clinton did. president george w. bush did. they were more gregarious. it doesn't look like the president likes to do this sort of thing, jollying up leaders. he doesn't have the relationship, even in europe with our closest allies, with the israelis. it's a kind of institutional relationship. but the close the intimate friendship that clinton-bush had that are really quite useful to the u.s., he hasn't bothered t

mr. abrams.one is this strong saudi argument that 70% of the population, not a good idea to have them ruled by 30% maybe an equally strong argument they're sending troops to maintain such a minority. bahrainis are 70% and also iraqis, saudis and more than anybody else to bring back 17% of minority rule. by the two counter arguments it can be also made the opposite way to the iranians. minority rule as such, oppressive regimes being equal is not such a bad idea depend on whose minority it is. the other ones i want to pick on what you said which i think is more consequential is the idea is, the saudi problem is more of a shia strong state in iran rather than american problem which is islamic republic that is a non-friendly regime. even if iran were to change this conflict between the iranians and the saudis will remain for a long time. from the perspective of countries who live in the shadow of this conflict that has been destructive whether lebanon, syria, iraq and the list goes on any single cris

mr. ronald abrams for the national veteran legal program and mr. zach hearn, deputy director for claims at the american legion. finally, the third panel we will hear from mr. tom murphy, director compensation service or company name by ms. edna macdonald, director for national regional office. the third panel will host ms. ms. sondra mccauley, deputy assistant inspector general for audit and evaluations with office of inspector general u.s. department of veterans affairs who will be accompanied by mr. brent arronte, director of san diego benefits inspections division. additionally the hearing record will include written statements from disabled american veterans. the tragedy assistance program for survivors than ms. schaffer's wife of the veterans with instructions complete, thank you for being here today. i now yield to the ranking member for her opening statement. >> well, thank you, mr. chairman. and thank you wrote in this important hearing. i also like to thank the witnesses here today for their time and trouble to come and share information w

mr. abrams to make a few comments and then brian and then we will have a discussion. thanks. >> thank you. thank you all for being here today. i wanted to start by saying that some of the discussion at u.s. saudi relations is over done, the sense of a hopeless crisis in incurable differences. this is an old relationship, roughly 75 years old. ramco was founded in 1944. there's been a lot of ups and downs. whatever the challenges today, think of 19th avenue three. the arab oil embargo, which is an act of an act of war by the saudis in the united states or think of 2001. the relationship has been through crises. and survived them. and another positive point, the relationship is more supple, occurred today than in many years in the past. there have been times when the relationship was king pressman. that's about it. you now have an institutionalized relationship. there is no relationship. there is a cia saudi relationship. there is a treasury ministry of finance relationship. it doesn't just depend on one or two individuals. obviously, the relationship is based to a very

mr. abrams to make a few comments and first. then we will have a discussion. thank you. for being here today. someted to start by saying of the discussion of u.s. saudi relations is over done in the sense of a hopeless crisis that will result in incurable differences. this is an old relationship. 75 years old. there have been a lot of ups and downs. what ever the challenges today, think of 1973. the arab oil embargo. an act of war against the united states. think of 2001. beenelationship has through crises. and survived them. another positive point, the relationship is more supple, years inoday than in the past. there have been times when the relationship was king president. that is about it. you now have an institutionalized relationship. there is a middle middle relationship. there is a cia intel relationship. .bi a treasury, ministry of finance relationship. it doesn't just depend on one or two individuals. obviously the relationship is based to a large degree on oil. even there, one should expand a little. there was a reliance on the cold union,- cold war on the and

mr. abrams to make a few comments and then brian will and then we'll have a discussion.thanks. >> thank you. thank you off for being here today. i wanted to start by saying that some of the discussion of the u.s. saudi relations site inc. is over done, the sense of a hopeless crisis that will result in incurable differences. this is an old relationship. roughly 75 years old. ramco was founded in 1944 and there's been a lot of ups and downs. whatever the challenges today, think of 1973. the arab oil embargo, which is inactive for by the saudis against the united states or think of 2001. so, the relationship has been through crises. and survived them. and another positive point, the relationship is more sub roll, thicker today than in many years in the past. there have been times i think when the relationship whiskey president. that is about it. you now have an institutionalized relation to. if the dhs saudi relationship. there's a treasury ministry of finance relationship. it doesn't depend on one or two individuals. obviously, the relationship is based to a very large ch

mr. abrams to make a few comments and first. then we will have a discussion. thank you. >> thank you for being here today. i wanted to start by saying some of the discussion of u.s. saudi relations is over done in the sense of a hopeless crisis that will result in incurable differences. this is an old relationship. 75 years old. there have been a lot of ups and downs. what ever the challenges today, think of 1973. the arab oil embargo. an act of war against the united states. think of 2001. the relationship has been through crises. and survived them. another positive point, the relationship is more supple, thicker today than in years in the past. there have been times when the relationship was king president. that is about it. you now have an institutionalized relationship. there is a middle middle relationship. there is a cia intel relationship. fbi. a treasury, ministry of finance relationship. it doesn't just depend on one or two individuals. obviously the relationship is based to a large degree on oil. even there, one should expand a little. there was a re

mr. abrams to make a first comments at first, and then brian, and then we'll have a discussion. thanks. >> thank you. thank you all for being here today. i want to start by saying that some of the discussion of u.s./saudi relations, i think, is overdone in the sense of a hopeless crisis that will result in incurable differences. this is an old relationship, roughly 75 years old. aramco was founded in 1944, and there have been a lot of ups and downs. i mean, whatever the challenges today, think of 1973. the arab oil embargo which you could, in a certain sense, call an act of war by the saudis against the united states, or think of 2001. so the relationship has been through crises. um, and survived them. and another positive point, the relationship is more supple, thicker today than in many years in the past. there have been times, i think, when the relationship was king-president. that's about it. you now have an institutionalized relationship. there is a mil-mil relationship. there is a cia-saudi intel relationship. there's a dhs-saudi interior ministry relationship, fbi. there'