There is no question it is a serious issue.

the risk statistically might be low, as you describe it, the potential consequences are extremely catastrophic.

Obviously, I think if you can give the farmers something else to grow and actually bring in a little bit of money it would help them in the short term and long term.

I was very impressed with Senator Burr's comment that there is discussion going on between the Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Resources Service Administration, Bureau of Primary Care, and the Indian Health Service to…

I do think that sustained robust assistance for Pakistan's going to be very important for us to help maintain stability in that country.

In Afghanistan, I think most of us know that it's probably the largest world producer of opium.

I think part of looking at the internal stability is ensuring the population has an advancing economic capacity and an advancing political representation in the state.

From what I understand, President Karzai's term ends May 21 and the constitution calls for an election 30 to 60 days before May 21.

Where we have used non-VA contractors, which we currently do, part of the contracts, as I understand it, is a requirement that those records be supplied to the VA and electronically supplied.

I am convinced we must tackle this problem, and I am eager to hear what the witnesses from VA are doing to solve it.

We must find new ways to serve our rural veterans.

I would just point out to the Chairman I cheated myself on the first round, so I may go over.

If we want the ideal, most efficient, highest quality of the delivery of care utilizing telemedicine, then we have got some barriers to overcome.

Last year's legislation that was enacted directed the VA to establish a pilot program for collaboration with non-VA providers to deliver health care services to veterans specifically in rural areas.

It is more of a privileging issue that you are talking about.

So they would do home telehealth from that rural clinic.

We want to make certain that those are seamless, that those are positive, that they are coordinated, they are not in conflict.

This is a county that doesn't have a hospital or a health center. This is a poor, rural county that is being picked on by the Navy.