[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6366403,"mediaKeyId","2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964","parentId",2159532,"title","Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs outlines programs, budget priorities and outreach plans to House committee","audioSeconds",1881,"startMs",45000,"endMs",1926000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964&start=45&end=1926","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964/thumbnail_45000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6366403/Oregon/Oregon-Department-of-Veterans-Affairs-outlines-programs-budget-priorities-and-outreach-plans-to-House-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366403-ad6da309d0715fdb06cb34be0fc314f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168200&Signature=Heb6rC3BlSXUW8hEplcfTIs5qmLcFp2PDYcc83RkjcJk6LShH7xS4y96~mllAuVsO8T4escVX0uvp~4ZNShyrbAVoZeFJj4B~xyPyAFWKRi15L5Zo1D2Q412bBu0xhX83TDyDARP7~EmW~kDCigrBFrpjcz2whL~kSN6ok9qnLQeFj1JkZ9FDujOHauVBQ64jm-5zUDul9mvmvN97reenrJMhm0SGwNWc9bS0figI3fVLkzWVlZ8XnBhGDM6MuJpoLosMGA3zCNOpUt8IV6upu2OTjxPnCFqSf6vNt3TTY89Lqr5HWA5Cg90lpyLThAlr1pQDHx0RGisWCUv1vI6ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","Dr. Nakia Counsel Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, told the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans on Jan. 28 that ODVA is marking roughly 80 years of service, is expanding outreach and continues to prioritize behavioral health, long‑term care and benefits advocacy.

Daniels gave the committee an overview of ODVA programs and funding sources, including Measure 96 — the 2016 constitutional dedication of 1.5% of lottery proceeds to veterans services — and large federal Veterans Affairs expenditures in Oregon. She said the agency administers multiple grants and programs and described divisions that handle home loans, appeals and advocacy, strategic partnerships, veterans homes and aging veterans services.

The director highlighted several numerical details for the committee: ODVA administers 27 veteran services grants and programs; federal VA expenditures in Oregon in fiscal year 2023 were described as nearly $4,000,000,000, with disability compensation described as just under $2,000,000,000 and health care spending described as more than $1,800,000,000. Daniels said about 96,000 veterans are enrolled in federal VA health care in Oregon and that roughly 6,970 veterans used GI Bill benefits supported by about $128,000,000 in federal education benefits in the most recent fiscal year she cited. She said more than half of Oregon veterans are age 65 or older and that veterans of color, women veterans and LGBTQ+ veterans are growing groups the agency seeks to serve.

Daniels described ODVA’s historic home‑loan program as self‑sufficient, providing low‑interest mortgages and, she said, having issued more than $8,000,000,000 in loans to more than 350,000 Oregonians since inception. She also told the committee ODVA oversees two veterans homes (Dallas and Lebanon) and is working with the Legislature to establish a third in Roseburg.

Committee members asked about specific programs and authority. Daniels confirmed ODVA already has statutory authority to offer refinancing under its home loan program and said the agency is in the rulemaking process to implement a refinance option described in the governor’s recommended budget. She also described expanded outreach staff enabled by Measure 96 funding — including tribal, women’s, LGBTQ+ and corrections‑focused veterans coordinators — and said the agency uses a mix of mail, email, in‑person outreach and a veterans magazine to connect with veterans.

Deputy Director Jamal Fox, Chief Operating Officer Rex Emery and Legislative Director Jay DeFilippo each introduced themselves and described areas of responsibility. Committee members thanked ODVA for work on veterans homes and for outreach in Douglas County and Roseburg, where a future veterans home is planned.

Daniels and staff said behavioral health and suicide prevention remain urgent priorities because of Oregon’s veteran suicide rate; the director framed those services as driving multiple budget and program requests in the governor’s recommended budget. She also listed several legislative concepts ODVA identified for the session, including HB 2341 (data sharing of email addresses), HB 2344 (updates to the World War II Memorial on the Capitol Mall) and HB 2559 (alignment of Oregon’s statutory definition of “veteran” with federal definitions), and repeated that ODVA is developing a home‑loan refinance program by rule.

The presentation closed with an invitation for committee members to tour the Lebanon and Dallas veterans homes and to meet ODVA staff at a follow‑up visit.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans 01/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dr. Nakia Counsel Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, told the House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans on Jan. 28 that ODVA is marking roughly 80 years of service, is expanding outreach and continues to prioritize behavioral health, long‑term care and benefits advocacy.","taxTitle","Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17514,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366390,"Treasurer and labor representatives debate House Bill 22100 goal to reduce carbon intensity in state's pension portfolio",0,2867000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964&start=2867&end=2867","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964/thumbnail_2867000.jpg","/articles/6366390/Oregon/Treasurer-and-labor-representatives-debate-House-Bill-22100-goal-to-reduce-carbon-intensity-in-states-pension-portfolio","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366390-18ea9b3db2c33449b390773907b708cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168200&Signature=HfsnqBB5m0kSTcPUGi~EQ0V8ye3R8ZCTD-eS5E~d0vSHYogOUrl--14J9eF-9XzgiSJeNOzlvCoMFyUietP6fjFwOAEcJ1QiL2LRiNOwgrMYxL3S-CicDa-koipEs63TBRe2IgM4DU5-GCZ-ABRzakH5~XB3fLtTPxFrujLpqEC7EJzjpylS482yRvtBK~nvO9iFgYZ1o8qWaov8quzLl6zBis2KaWut~466i0GuLlFHPw3rCEMNwinkwDkhDc74GkMTogCmGnn1sz1ba3CkGibeHa9hAxvW5hvqmH0uwh8gaCJljHSupUy0J2-BQhXNqYnna-UEQXzYl0EPgnzcSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans heard testimony on Jan. 28 regarding House Bill 22100, which would direct the Oregon Investment Council and state treasurer to reduce the carbon intensity of the state’s investment portfolio.

Oregon Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner (testifying remotely) said Treasury’s primary duty is to protect the long‑term returns of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund (OPERF) and argued reducing exposure to carbon‑intensive investments is part of fulfilling fiduciary duties. Steiner described OPERF’s exposure to fossil fuel investments as about $3.6 billion — roughly 3.7% of a near‑$94 billion portfolio based on the data she cited — and said the Treasury is developing amendments that would guide a transition to net‑zero emissions in the portfolio by 2050 while retaining flexibility to preserve returns and diversification.

Steiner told the committee the proposed approach would require biennial reporting to the Legislature, incorporate best available science, and state a preference for “climate‑positive” investments that, she said, can offer attractive returns while managing transition and regulatory risks that may make carbon‑intensive holdings more volatile or prone to becoming stranded assets.

Representative Ed Diehl urged a no vote in testimony, arguing that imposing climate goals on public pension investments risks violating fiduciary duty and could reduce returns, citing legal and research concerns. Diehl referenced court rulings and published analyses he said demonstrate conflicts between fiduciary duties and politically motivated investment goals.

Sue Palmiter, co‑lead of the Divest Oregon coalition, said her group had not seen the final amendment language and would not take a position yet, but described the bill and related proposals (including the PAWS Act in the Senate) as complementary and said they support a climate risk lens to protect beneficiaries. Mike Powers of SEIU Local 503 said his union generally supports the concept, calling for robust climate risk analysis while stressing the need to protect retiree benefits.

Committee members discussed legal limits, fiduciary obligations and the role of the Legislature. Several members asked Treasury to continue consultations with labor and stakeholders and to provide amended language; the committee chair said a follow‑up public hearing would be scheduled after amendments are filed.","Oregon Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner testified in support of House Bill 22100, saying a net‑zero by 2050 direction would protect pension beneficiaries by mitigating climate‑related financial risk; legislators and union representatives questioned legal, fiduciary and performance implications",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366396,"Panel hears bill to give ODVA rulemaking authority to manage unclaimed veterans' cremains",726,2261000,2987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964&start=2261&end=2987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964/thumbnail_2261000.jpg","/articles/6366396/Oregon/Panel-hears-bill-to-give-ODVA-rulemaking-authority-to-manage-unclaimed-veterans-cremains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366396-373d115192cc5a58b0f4cfd43be80246/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168200&Signature=HJZ10EgwVdQRXEnBvoN2wZerRSMfjSiHABD~KSh6QWkY7RwLOmOEFcPIW7Yna4zKM4wBUHdiXGCaP4cCwjm1JJBbOeIlFHCtSFHwCBfMQtibJRWNUHU5AAXD~QS6PeAV~PLMZ1HQ4QPv1ly5Sij4OMtLKobAyAcUm52npj1KwEiDTFdOOplDiEwyg5rpth-GAsm7NRk-6m~v6o6kDM~Qx3hL8wzSCCSMeWyFhvwrj1dzfTiwqMxw1rChLL5XVbnE~62AxTAjyi2u6axYX-7FbiErT7muq2dRsumOPqkNldyvgHv-wLjL3KkLgpJ2c4Yedw99g20Or3kcojkwBqSXgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Dacia Graber, sponsor, and Dr. Nakia Counsel Daniels testified at a Jan. 28 public hearing about House Bill 2386, legislation to give the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs explicit authority to adopt rules implementing the unclaimed veteran cremains law enacted earlier as House Bill 2147.

Graber said HB 2147 (the 2023 law commonly called the cremains bill) established a process to allow counties and partners to inter unclaimed remains of eligible veterans and their survivors and that HB 2386 is a technical follow‑up to allow ODVA to finalize administrative rules. Daniels told the committee that while the law is in effect, ODVA discovered during rule drafting — in consultation with the Department of Justice — that the agency lacked specific statutory authority to promulgate rules because the oversight previously belonged to the Organ Mortuary and Cremains Board (OMCB).

Daniels described the work as important and emotional and said volunteers and county partners had found cremains that ultimately included veterans; she thanked volunteer researchers and said the agency wants to ensure those remains are returned to families or interred with honor. She said the rule authority is necessary to complete the administrative process and to continue interment ceremonies and support county partners.

Committee members pressed the agency for counts and costs. Daniels said she did not have an exhaustive inventory but that volunteers and county outreach had identified dozens and potentially hundreds of unclaimed cremains; she told the committee that estimates could range to “perhaps 100, perhaps more, perhaps 1,000” and offered to provide a baseline briefing and status update if the committee desired. Representative Evans, who said he participated in the original World War II Memorial commission, urged working with DOD and federal VA records to confirm criteria; Representative Lewis asked ODVA to report back periodically and to flag any resistance from mortuaries or other custodians.

Daniels said ODVA's communications team is working with members of the original organizing groups to update memorial information and to collect names that may be missing from the World War II Memorial on the Capitol Mall; she asked the public to contact ODVA if they have names to submit.

No committee vote was taken. The committee closed the public hearing on HB 2386 after testimony and questions and requested that ODVA provide a baseline update to the committee on the current status of unclaimed veterans' remains and any barriers to interment work.","House Bill 2386 would give the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs explicit authority to adopt rules to implement the unclaimed‑cremains law enacted as HB 2147; ODVA and the bill sponsor said a technical statutory gap prevents the agency from promulgating needed administrative rules to honor and inter remains",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366399,"Committee hears testimony on HB 2341 to allow state agencies to share veterans' email addresses with ODVA",482,1879000,2361000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964&start=1879&end=2361","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159532-7c60d834ea1ae3752e5f834edbb6c964/thumbnail_1879000.jpg","/articles/6366399/Oregon/Committee-hears-testimony-on-HB-2341-to-allow-state-agencies-to-share-veterans-email-addresses-with-ODVA","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366399-1af059a674f1efa8fdd8ddb91d080a2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168200&Signature=oKgEZLaIosoph2XoYVnhtuMvZoA~DsffNxShI87P17Lq9Vj2SQyVUx3XLRYGQt931RXzQy3kW9W03-3yzXWUG9B0~J9pgWvwlkZmNKCy5DuzGvmVW3uhta3fr8DZoacUEsAV1XvV6fB0gOT3yH6UHw5lGkrXj08pdIltTaRRanNudSSFOmKoYyapn~PohEvnZbJrE0PxkbvsS9NeLkCy0IukHkIcEIFW2Bm4ebnko3WeIWBA70L7fRefHhy6nUwVgwiagHyhYyOINpLzQ0UE0kYR2t8n6uLTahanEVPwbxrwXyHZL2IniKvL6xax43GxtX1MsKWivBrxI4VDn39IDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans held a public hearing on House Bill 2341 on Jan. 28. LPRO staff summarized the bill as amending existing data‑sharing law to add email addresses to the veteran contact information state agencies must provide to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dr. Nakia Counsel Daniels, ODVA director, testified in support of HB 2341. She said current Oregon Revised Statutes require certain agency directors to share veterans’ names and mailing addresses with ODVA, which limits the agency to U.S. mail for outreach. Daniels said adding email addresses would give ODVA a second, cost‑effective medium to reach veterans and could improve the agency's ability to connect historically underserved groups, including women veterans, veterans of color and LGBTQ+ veterans. She said the departments that currently share name and address information include the Department of Human Services, the Early Learning Division, the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Oregon Health Authority.

Committee members asked several privacy and consent questions. Representative Lewis asked whether veterans could have given contact information to a different agency without expecting it to be shared more broadly; Daniels acknowledged that the statutory change would allow ODVA to receive email addresses from those agencies but said interagency memoranda of understanding and clear communication with veterans could address consent concerns. Daniels said ODVA’s communications team and advocacy coordinators would work to be transparent and that the agency could follow up with veterans who appear in the data to offer benefits assistance.

Daniels also described how the agency currently stores incoming contact information: “We are currently using spreadsheets,” she said, and offered to discuss resources to build a more robust database if the committee desired. She said advocates in ODVA’s appeals and special advocacy division and county veteran service officers use a certified database for some casework, but the email list described in HB 2341 would be a separate data collection used for outreach.

No formal action or vote occurred; the committee closed the public hearing on HB 2341 after questions and testimony and moved to the next bill on the agenda.","House Bill 2341 would add email addresses to the contact information that certain state agencies provide to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs; ODVA testified the change would allow faster, cost‑effective outreach while committee members raised privacy and consent questions","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs outlines programs, budget priorities and outreach plans to House committee

Treasurer and labor representatives debate House Bill 22100 goal to reduce carbon intensity in state's pension portfolio

Panel hears bill to give ODVA rulemaking authority to manage unclaimed veterans' cremains

Committee hears testimony on HB 2341 to allow state agencies to share veterans' email addresses with ODVA