John McCain

While there has been significant progress in improving veterans' health care, we have a long way to go to change the status quo plaguing the VA.

This national disgrace served as the catalyst for the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act that created the Veterans Choice Program.

Thank you Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz for the opportunity to appear before this committee to discuss the Veterans Choice Program.

My dear friends, the world is in turmoil, and I believe that we will be sending our young men and women into harm's way.

If we let the program lapse, hundreds of thousands of veterans will lose their ability to visit a community provider.

We have a long way to go to change the status quo plaguing the VA.

It is not acceptable, it needs to be stopped, and I want to thank every Member of this Committee for their dedication to our veterans.

I would also like to comment on my strong support for Dr. Shulkin as the head of the VA.

I applaud Dr. Roe and his folks for making this happen.

I think we ought to know what the president's statement is as to what evidence he has that would lead to his conclusion that his predecessor violated the law.

I think that the president of the United States should provide any evidence that he might have that would corroborate a charge of this seriousness.

Thank you very much for your service to our country.

What are the impediments? ... What is keeping us from--the last administration and then the administration before that were all good people.

Every event is being handled on a case-by-case basis. Is that appropriate or sustainable?

Would you say the threat is worsening, the same----

Anything that we can do to build and improve that trust will pay dividends.

We're really going to have to wrestle with that issue.

We should also respect the fundamental right of Americans to privacy.

Given what happened last year, it seems clear that we need cyber deterrence, not just defense but deterrence as well.

I think most senators would agree that is completely unacceptable in the United States.

But doesn't this go back to what won the Cold War? Peace through strength.

It seems to me that there seem to be four different islands here.

Well, I thank you, but this is really--you raise several fundamental questions that have to be resolved by the Congress and the American people.

I wouldn't call it an armed attack, but I would call it an attack that has more severe effects than possibly shutting down an electrical grid.

If you destroy the election system of a democracy, if you destroy it, then you have basically dealt an incredible blow to that country which is probably far more severe than shutting down an electrical grid.