I do not want to get into the NRC results with the Veterans Administration.

Therefore, I would like you to send me a copy of it when you do.

I believe that Congress, the Navy, and the Marine Corps need to work together to develop an action plan to take care of the victims that were exposed to this contaminated water.

I would like to begin by thanking you for holding this important hearing and for giving me the courtesy of allowing me to make a brief statement concerning an issue that is so important to me and many of my constituents.

Providing health care to veterans and their families would be one step toward meeting our moral obligation to those who have put more at risk.

As you know, I have introduced legislation that would explicitly authorize the VA to care for veterans and family members that show illnesses that might be the result of their time at Camp Lejeune.

This Committee has struggled to try to make seamless the handoff of active duty troops to our Veterans Administration.

Why was NRC not asked to review a broader set of risks?

What actions would you like to see Congress, the Department of Defense, and/or Veterans Affairs do with regard to the exposures you are faced with and others have been faced with at Camp Lejeune?

I want to thank you for calling what I think is an extremely important hearing.

I would only point this out that--I think this is at the root of part of the misunderstanding, was it or wasn't it?

Isn't that essential to the performance of your job, the delivery of health care to individuals?

I think even though you are in a very specialized area, I would think that you would be consulted on a decision like that.

The 140,000-plus name registry has been provided to the VA?

Earlier this year, in the Defense Authorization Bill, I offered an amendment to study the issue of burn pits.

We do not do anything proactive from a standpoint of the VA to reach out to those individuals?

Why would we rather wait to see if I pass legislation versus initiate the authority of the Secretary to create through that general authority the coverage for individuals that we fear might have a condition which is the result of having…

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony regarding S.1767--the Blue Ridge Parkway and Town of Blowing Rock Land Exchange Act of 2009.