Political Quotes

“I am very happy to open the Special Order this evening with my colleague and friend, Congressman Dan Benishek of Michigan. We have some colleagues who are joining us here this evening to continue the discussion we have been enjoying for the last hour of talking about the scourge of veteran suicides and how to stop this scourge. We know that there are brave whistleblowers around this country who have told us and the Nation about the problems at the VA. If it weren't for brave whistleblowers, we may not have learned about the tragedies at my VA, the Phoenix VA, and we could have lost even more lives than we have lost already. In order for the VA to change, it has to put its veterans first and change the culture. We believe that VA employees must continue to speak up and speak out. Brandon Coleman, a Marine Corps veteran, has seen firsthand the important role the VA can play in helping veterans. A decade ago he received help from a dedicated VA counselor, who helped him overcome substance abuse issues and get his life back on track. Wanting to help his fellow veterans, Brandon began working as an addiction counselor with the Phoenix VA in 2009. In January of this year, Brandon approached his supervisor after, over the course of a single week, five suicidal veterans walked out of the Phoenix VA hospital without getting the help they needed from the emergency room.…”