I think Brunswick or Portland is halfway between Madawaska and New York City. People don't realize how tall Maine is.

However, there is a problem with some of the processes. I mean they're labor intense.

For the record, I totally agree with that statement.

Well, it seems to me that's an area that we should be talking about in Washington.

I mean that can't work for very long.

This is a field hearing of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Always a bad place to be.

I like the idea. In other words, additional federal funds not generally but targeted toward workforce retention?

And my problem with the regulation is it's the best being the enemy of the good because if the result is closed nursing homes and fewer beds, we haven't gained anything.

Fifteen percent is the gap?

Certainly that's important. You have what amounts to a nursing home at Togus.

TAP is the Transition Assistance Program?

The truth is, the work just begins when the bill passes.

It seems to me to start with your testimony, as I mentioned, the problem that you had with the VA wasn't with the programs or the adequacy, it was the time, and I'm delighted my office could help, but it shouldn't take that step to get…

Could you define expansion? Are we talking 20, 30 percent, 40 percent? I mean----

Well, I thought Mike made an important point because we're all talking about hiring people but, Mike, you made the point about stability and retention.

I think that's something we have to figure out how to waive or something.

I want to publicly thank the chair and co-chair of the committee, Jon Tester of Montana and Jerry Moran of Kansas.