I see this issue of Internet and broadband, the rural electrification issue of this decade.

I think back to 1935, when President Roosevelt looked across the landscape and saw that only 12 percent of the rural households had electricity.

I think that this Internet expansion is so important to our country.

We are seeing this in the Midwest as well.

I agree with the Chairman that it is important that this Committee takes a look at the progress being made in implementing this legislation.

I commend your service and I thank you for helping to educate us today.

It is critical that Congress conducts strict oversight into how this program is developed and implemented to assure that our Nation's servicemembers and veterans are well served.

I look forward to listening to the testimony being presented today, and am encouraged that there will be future discussions and oversight on this matter as well.

These three didn't come here for pity or for handouts or for anything. They simply wanted care that this Nation has the ability to deliver.

I am the biggest supporter of what we do for our veterans, but I would be remiss to say how incredibly disappointed I am.

I do believe at times it is been there as a crutch for a failure to deliver at times.

So this is a funding issue? If we had given more money these guys would have received better care?

Well, I appreciate that, but now I feel even worse for our three veterans sitting here, knowing that we didn't strap the rockets on this one then and get it going.

this is exactly what we are trying to alleviate, and it is absolutely diminishing the care of our warriors

So you can rest assured that this Committee is absolutely committed to putting this in the past

Your only desire is to try and live as independently as you possibly can.

Without more revenues, both at a State level and a local level, we will continue to fall behind.

When I first started talking about this issue, you know, it was only kids with penguin buttons that would come up and talk to me and it has really changed