As we seek to implement these programs, we must ensure that these programs empower servicemembers and do not restrict their economic freedom.

I can tell you firsthand, as you all know, people go off to war, families are left with kids, they are struggling back home, they are vulnerable, and we are not going to allow those people to be taken advantage of.

I wish to pay my respect to an American hero, LCpl Benjamin Tuttle, who sacrificed his life for this country in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Lance Corporal Tuttle graduated from Gentry High School in Gentry, AR, in 2012. His…

on March 29, 2013, the ExxonMobil pipeline ruptured spilling an estimated 147,000 gallons of oil into Mayflower, Arkansas. Victims of this oil spill are rightfully being compensated by ExxonMobil, but the Internal Revenue Service has said…

I think that is very, very important.

I hope we can work together to manage sequestration as best we can for the Department.

reducing the bureaucracy, reducing the roadblocks so that we can get these projects done in a timely fashion.

Thank you and the Ranking Member Cochran for having this really important hearing.

We are concerned, the American public is concerned so it is good to have the discussion.

I hope this Committee will support his nomination.

I am very proud to be here to support Timothy L. Brooks' nomination as United States District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas.

I am particularly pleased and, indeed, rather moved to introduce him to this prestigious Committee now that he has been nominated for a lifetime appointment on the federal bench.

my colleagues and I are often at odds when trying to solve some of our Nation's most pressing and difficult problems. However, one thing we can all agree on is that the men and women who wear our Nation's uniforms are selfless heroes who…

I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The Senator from Arkansas is recognized. ____________________

the infrastructure is terrible throughout the country.

S.695 Veterans Paralympic Act of 2013

These are all important goals and I appreciate everyone here for all of your hard work on behalf of our Nation's veterans.

it makes no sense when you have no correlation to violent crime that these individuals--I understand if we are picking out people who are mentally impaired and we need to get much more aggressive in that regard, not only in this situation…

Extending this program is a common sense step to empower our disabled veterans through sport, and benefits the physical and mental health of our disabled veteran community.

But we should know the answer in the sense that that is why we are doing it.

It makes all the sense in the world, and I hope that we can get that done in the sense that I think it is so important that we move government, you know, into this century.

This legislation would mandate that servicemembers be given the choice to take one of the tracks as part of the mandatory portion of TAP, and will assist them in meeting their specific transition goal.

Is there any correlation with not being able to manage your finances and committing a violent crime?

We are proud to support Senator Boozman's bill.

Thank you for holding this hearing so that we can continue to evaluate proposals to improve the quality and delivery of services to our Nation's veterans, and fight to uphold all of the promises that we have made to them and their families.