San Diego Democratic Congressman Bob Filner heads the House committee that sets the agenda for veterans care. While Veterans Affairs has received over $43 billion this year alone, some critics have called into question Filner's leadership style. Jodi Breisler reports from Capitol Hill.
Bob Filner has chaired the House Veterans Affairs committee for a year and a half. The Democrat has led a sometimes rancorous group that often splits on party lines. When testifying before his own committee, Filner's attempts at humor didn't get a laugh out of his Republican colleague Jeff Miller .
Filner: "That was a joke."
Miller: "I understand."
Filner: "Lighten up, chill out guys. C'mon."
Miller:
"It's not so easy on that side is it?"
Filner:
"Especially with a guy with no sense of humor, no, uh, uh."
Filner says it's more difficult to work with the Bush Administration. Veterans Affairs is the second largest bureaucracy in the government; only Defense is bigger. Filner says getting the VA to change and adapt is frustrating.
Filner: "These young men and women coming home require our attention. The Vietnam vets are well organized to demand attention. And we are going to both help the older ones get the care they need and try to adapt the VA to these younger vets. I mean it's a great challenge."
Filner has been trying to change the system for decades. He spent time in jail as a civil rights freedom rider in the early 60’s. While he taught history at San Diego State, Filner also served on the school board and city council. Indiana Representative Steve Buyer is the ranking Republican on Veterans Affairs. He says that background has made legislating a challenge for Filner.
Buyer: "I never question his sincerity or his heart. He's a public activist, when you know that about him, then you know that sometimes he's quick to fire before he really knows exactly what's going on. So he's had some good lessons learned and I think he's growing in the job."
Buyer and Filner have had testy exchanges while questioning witnesses at their hearings. Imperial Beach Republican Brian Bilbray serves on the committee with them.
Bilbray: "You get what you receive. He was the ranking member opposition before. And he played what Bob does very well. A very cantankerous obstructionist when he wants to be. What's happened is I think Buyer has returned the favor to him."
Bilbray says he's friends with Filner outside of work and that in this election year, partisan bickering is epidemic on Capitol Hill. Filner agrees.
Filner: "Some issues that we had we thought were bipartisan. But my ranking member as we call them has chosen to make it a partisan fight, and so that creates a lot of division and does not help us unite a common front."
But Buyer says it's also an issue of leadership style.
Buyer: "He's finding out that being a Chairman of a committee doesn't mean you're an authoritarian and that 'my way is the highway'. Um, he's tried to rule like that and it's created more problems and headaches."
At the same time veterans groups say Filner has been receptive to their needs. Joe Violante is the Legislative Director for Disabled American Veterans .
Violante: "The Chairman has always been receptive. He's been a strong veterans advocate from his initial days on the committee. We've been able to sit down and talk to him about our issues and our concerns and received his blessing on a number of bills."
Violante says he's optimistic more legislation is going to make it through this year. Committee members of both parties agree. Despite the often partisan atmosphere there is the political will to pass bills for veterans' care, especially related to mental and physical health. This past year saw the largest ever increase in veterans funding.
From Capitol News Connection in Washington, I'm Jodi Breisler for KPBS News.
