The administration has intentionally left us--that is, this committee--they have intentionally left us in the dark.

There was no ransom payment, and this bill is an unfortunate attempt to play, in my opinion, politics with an issue.

My good friend, Senator Blumenthal, as I understand it, has introduced a version of his veterans appeal bill sometime today.

we have got to get everybody that has got an interest in getting this done getting their heads together

I will be glad to work with the Ranking Member, with the Secretary, with Denis McDonough, with all our veteran service organizations.

We are ready anytime, any place, anywhere, if somebody thinks we are taking away something to hurt a veteran.

let's make sure we do not leave behind the 445,000 that are waiting

I want to thank Secretary McDonald and Dr. Shulkin--who must have paid off most of our witnesses.

It is going to end up benefiting the people we are all here to serve, and that is the veterans of the United States of America.

I want to commend the Chairman and the Commissioner present and the other members on the work that you did.

I want to thank you and Dr. Shulkin not just for your input today but for your leadership over the last 2 years.

That was a terrific question and I appreciate the answer. It gives us our homework to do before that August date next year.

I think it contemplated putting together a network--the VA being a part of a total network with the private sector as well.

This is not a setup, but I would like to hear your answer: is it not true that in the Veterans First bill which this Committee passed out unanimously--that by the provisions in there for provider agreements, we are expanding the…

If we can find 80 percent agreement, let's make a deal. Do not lose it over the 20 percent where we do not.

I deeply appreciate, on behalf of all of us at VVA, the sound leadership from this Committee, of both you and Senator Blumenthal.

we have to make sure the people who have already been left behind in the appeals process get an answer to the question they ask, which is the same one you do: when?

we should not do anything to reform the appeals process in the future until we tell these people how in the world we are going to give them an answer from the past.