Mike Coffman

We know that pilot demand is increasing in the commercial sector, and the demand to hire qualified military pilots is higher than the available pool of candidates.

The hearing comes to order. I want to welcome everyone to the Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing on the shortage of pilots in the military services.

That entire issue with force management levels and leaving maintenance personnel behind...was a horrible decision, in my view.

I would hope that would be something that our government would look at from your standpoint, from a diplomatic standpoint.

I believe pushed out the Sunni Arabs from the government and created an opening for ISIS to spill across the border from Syria.

Every marine, to include myself, will sign a formal counseling on the tenets of that policy and our expectations that they adhere to that policy.

What I will tell you, what I will say is the Commandant has already been on a trip down to Camp Lejeune to pass a message that was put out in his video message and also in the MARADMIN.

Ranking Member Speier, you are now recognized for 5 minutes.

This hearing is now called to order.

Why don't we simply use that in these provider agreements?

Oh, could you please--let us go forward with more questions, but please limit your responses a little quicker please if you could.

We know that we share the same desire to ensure that our veterans' health care providers have access to the proper implements and equipment.

Please provide written responses to the attached questions for the record regarding the oversight hearing of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations entitled, 'VA Procurement: Identifying Obstacles…

Let me just say, I think Mr. O'Rourke well articulated the need to have metrics instead of these aspirational goals.

Thank you, Ranking Member Kuster.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Mr. Giddens, Congress has given the VA numerous special procurement authorities over the years, none of which seem to make the situation any better. Why isn't maintaining these regulations more of a priority?

We are concerned that implementation of the Next Generation Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (NG-MSPV) program, as it is currently conceived, will result in drastic reductions in medical and surgical product availability within the Veterans…

So if Donald Trump is the president, I'll stand up to him.

We have extremely high standards today. I think, in my having served in the United States Army when there was a draft, that having conscription--having people being forced to serve--compromises the extraordinary, I think, capability of our…

Chairman Coffman, Ranking Member Kuster, and Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes my prepared statement.

It's indefensible, but I would like to say that not all of--there are multiple parties involved.

I love it when the VA always has somebody who's brand-new and who, you know, kind of washes their hands of the problem, but 3 years? I mean, that is unbelievable.

Well, since we didn't get back--since we didn't attempt to get back any of the bonus money that was given during the appointment-wait-time scandal, I'm not all that surprised.

$44,000. And so are you going to try and get that money back? That's the question.