All Quotes

That is what I expect from the VA, just a swift, simple, direct, you know, doing the business that people in the VA, I know, at that staff level want to do without having to be filtered through OCLA because that is cumbersome, delays the…

I recognize that thoughtful, thorough, and complete responses take time.

Oversight is a fundamental power provided to Congress and a fundamental obligation of Congress.

I am encouraged by the shift in tone conveyed by your participation in your written testimony.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for having this hearing today.

We do not need an administrative bureaucracy over at OCLA that filters the process, that inhibits the ability of the department and this committee to work collaboratively together.

VA's responses to congressional inquiries should be thoughtful, thorough, and complete.

I feel compelled to draw attention to the June 2013 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found that the one-time BRAC costs for the last BRAC round, the 2005 BRAC round, grew from $21 billion--which was the original DOD…

I cannot tell you how many very high ranking naval officers have told me what a mistake it was to close the Brunswick Naval Air Station in my State because it was the last Active Duty air station in all of the Northeast.

I remember Admiral Mullen when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, giving a speech at the National Defense University in which he warned about the military becoming out of touch with the American people.

I think something that would be really helpful to this subcommittee... if we could say, okay, if we have the full sequester as currently scheduled, here is what we would have to cut back.

The challenge of enabling our residents to age in place is becoming more and more critical.

I was a real skeptic at first. I thought it would make sense to make sure that people agreed to participate in programs to address their substance abuse and mental illness, and other issues. And it turns out the reverse, that it works more…

In other words, if you just automatically renew everybody no matter what their outcomes are, I am concerned that you are going to crowd out these more effective models.

I want to turn to the issue of homeless funding. You and I have had a discussion before on the success of the Housing First model, which I have since become a convert to, having seen the real success in Portland, Maine, of using that…

This is a case for a warrant for sexual abuse of a child.

There are instances where there may be conflicts between HUD guidelines and what is morally right.

It was really appalling.