I wish to thank my fellow Senator from Louisiana, Mr. Cassidy--Dr. Cassidy--for his really creative ideas--the World's Greatest Healthcare Plan and the way he frames it, in terms of his years of practice and the sincerity with which I know…

Thank you for hosting a facility that has been an incredible participant in this initiative.

I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, also for the fine job you do and allowing all of us to participate.

Let me deny the person who I know is addicted. Let me try to help that person.

I was thrilled when you said a moment ago that Veterans First passed unanimously out of this Committee.

We will not stop or rest until we have good people in all the right leadership positions.

Well, we want to work with you any way we can, Doctor--all of you all--to solve that.

It is my understanding that both Martinsburg and Clarksburg, in my State of West Virginia, our VA medical centers, will be sites where the Journey to Open Access in Primary Care Practice will be implemented in the future.

You and I both know how critical access to primary care is in the preventing long-term and more serious illnesses and conditions from developing from that.

We are trying to pass legislation not only in the VA but across the board that basically they cannot do that, to rate hospitals or rate the quality----

Leadership stability and getting the best people and the right people in leadership positions is absolutely essential.

I think you acknowledged that in your report.

I hope we get the chance to vote for that conference committee.

if a firm is not confident that it can find the workers that it needs... all the good positive tax climate, infrastructure... are not going to matter.

If you are going to use these tax extenders--they call them tax extenders--they are credits.

I am more concerned today than I have ever been in the State of West Virginia when we have under 50 percent of the people that are eligible to be working as adults working and performing.

I would hope that we could use the opportunity with a change in Administration, regardless of which direction it goes, to step in and settle the Clean Power Plan litigation.

More than ever, it is critical that we go the extra mile to examine the opportunities for jobs creation.