Once an employee has lodged a complaint as a whistleblower he or she is obviously entitled to certain rights and protections.

This is a really important topic of accountability and transparency at the VA, and I look forward to discussing with you.

The Black Sea region has been a critical area of focus for Vladimir Putin as he pursues his aggressive agenda and revisionist history.

We have the chance to do that now and that is the moment--this is the moment to do it.

The Black Sea region has been a critical area of focus for Vladimir Putin as he pursues his aggressive agenda and revisionist history.

I am kind of jealous that they are going to join the European Union because that is a really strong addition to the team that wants to write the rules and live in an open society based on the rule of law.

I think it makes a lot of sense to have--to recognize how important that is as we are doing the strategy.

the women and men who work at the VA are our most critical assets in delivering care and benefits to veterans

We are there with a coalition. I think we are indispensable to shaping what it does and how it does it.

It is right for us to stand with them.

Georgia, of course, was the first target of Putin's revanchist policies in the region, but sadly not his last.

I have to say and I was very disappointed to see President Erdogan's comments in support of Hamas after the violence in the Middle East.

We have the chance to do that now and that is the moment--this is the moment to do it.

Once an employee has lodged a complaint as a whistleblower he or she is obviously entitled to certain rights and protections.

We are there with a coalition. I think we are indispensable to shaping what it does and how it does it.

Senator Boozman and I joined together to introduce the VA OIG Training Act, which would require new VA employees to be trained about the role of the inspector general.

how can the VA foster a culture of transparency and provide employees with that information on where they go to report wrongdoing?

It is right for us to stand with them.