I would again note that Senator Shelby and I have been working very hard on this appropriations bill, but so have a whole lot of other Senators, my colleague from Kansas being one of them. Both Republicans and Democrats want to bring the…

I appreciate the comments of the Senator preceding me, and I thank him very much. He has worked very hard in the Appropriations Committee. Senator Shelby and I have worked very hard to get a bipartisan bill. I would hope that we could have…

Senator Shelby and I and Senator Moran have worked on this. We have no objection. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The amendments will be considered en bloc. Amendments Nos. 3406; 3428; 3436; 3437; 3438; 3447…

I have no objection. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No. 3585, as Modified

I appreciate that very much, and I think the time is long overdue, as Rick just mentioned, for us to pass that.

All right. Let me just jump in and ask anybody, are you aware of veterans who have serious dental needs?

All of this discussion, picking up on Senator Manchin's point, tells us why we need universal health care.

What do we know about people who use VA? They are older, they are sicker, and they have multiple and complex interactions of physical conditions.

Untreated oral health conditions can lead to tooth loss, pain and infection, and contribute to an increased risk for serious medical conditions such as diabetes and poor birth outcomes.

FRA supports the draft legislation sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) to authorize a pilot program for expanded dental services for certain veterans;

They literally drew a line on a map across the mouth of the river. I mean, you do not have to be an ocean hydrologist to know how stupid that is.

the time is long overdue for the VA to acknowledge what most Americans acknowledge: dental care is health care.

What we are proposing is nothing terribly radical. It is a pilot project to see what kind of need is out there.

Too many of our veterans are not getting the dental care they need.

the idea that we are compensating people appropriately for exposure to Agent Orange and the diabetes it causes, but not dealing with dental care does not make any sense to me at all.

It is way past time for the VA to do this pilot study.

Maybe our position should be if you are a veteran and you served in the United States military and you become ill, you are entitled to VA health care. End of discussion.

Whether or not you have dental care, which is absolutely necessary to good health, should not depend on where you live.