"I have said this time and time again: veterans' benefits and services are a cost of war and must be understood and funded as such."
"The Veterans' Health Care Budget Reform Act would ensure that the goals of the partnership--sufficient, timely and predictable funding--are met."
"Chairman Akaka, we were pleased that in September of last year you introduced legislation--S. 3527, the 'Veterans' Health Care Budget Reform Act'--that would reform the VA budget process by providing ..."
"Chairman Akaka, we were pleased that during the 110th Congress you introduced legislation, the Veterans' Health Care Budget Reform Act, S. 3527, that would reform the VA budget process by providing ad..."
"By moving to advance appropriations, veterans' health care programs would accrue all three of these benefits."
"we have had some discussion in this committee about the importance of thinking about our transportation in an intermodal way."
"I hope that this will add to the discussion about having a national program, which I very much support."
"I am delighted to be here to say aloha to Mary Schapiro and, of course, to your lovely family."
"Without question, you have my support. But I thank you so much for what you have done already."
"I feel that the men and women of the Pacific Command have maintained a remarkable level of stability."
"I believe our greatest challenge as we move to the future has to do with those unseen wounds, so to speak, the wounds of stress, the wounds of injury, traumatic to the brain."
"Since 2002, 61 former detainees have committed or are suspected to have committed attacks after being released from the detention camp."
"I agree with Admiral Roughead, and appreciate his leadership in pursuing diversity throughout the Navy."
"if you look at the Navy in its entirety, it's a representative mix of America's society. But if you look at the leadership, it tends to be very white male."
"If confirmed, each of you will face, without question, enormous challenges in DOD."
"We cannot overstate the importance of our work."
"If I am confirmed, what I would like to do is to make sure that the Congress and DOD see the relationship as not adversarial, but as working together toward a common goal."
"I am asking this as chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I have been working on what I am calling a seamless transition."
