I think it, to me, would be unconscionable for Chuck Grassley to go forward with a vote on Friday before we had a thorough FBI investigation.

the VA is the largest integrated health care system in the country. It has problems.

two-thirds of rural counties in America are depopulating, two-thirds.

Private insurance reimbursement rates are higher than Medicare in your state?

Under the much-maligned Affordable Care Act, we doubled funding for federally qualified community health centers.

the cost of healthcare is very, very high. Of course it's high. We pay almost twice as much per capita for healthcare as any other nation on earth.

unanimously they will tell you no, they want to strengthen the VA.

But I would hope that at the end of the day, we understand that healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Are we satisfied that we pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for the same damn drugs that are sold around the world for a fraction of the price that is sold in the United States?

the day will come, and more and more people understand it--that we are the only major country on earth not to guarantee healthcare to every man, woman, and child in Wyoming and Vermont as a right, not a privilege.

many of my colleagues voted to cut $1 trillion in funding over a 10-year period to Medicaid, and $500 billion to Medicare.

we spend on average twice per capita what other countries spend, all of whom cover everyone while enjoying a longer life expectancy and better health outcomes.

I think Senator Roberts a couple of years ago--Senator, correct me if I'm wrong, but you were telling me I think in parts of Kansas there are counties where there are no doctors.

under a one-payer, publicly funded, universal system such as the one embodied in Senator Sanders' Medicare for All Bill simplified billing and administration could be reduced by $500 billion by some estimates.

the most popular health program in America is Medicare. The second most popular program is the VA.

I think there is general agreement that we have a shortage of physicians in the country and in rural America in particular.

I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The clerk will call the roll. The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll. The result was announced--yeas…

I thank the distinguished senior Senator from Alabama. Before I start, I should note that we have votes scheduled for 12 noon, and I may go a little bit over that, so I ask unanimous consent that I be allowed to finish my whole statement…