Richard Blumenthal

I have introduced a bill with Congressman Larson called the 'Social Security 2100 Act' that would not only keep Social Security strong but actually, in my view, enhance and strengthen it.

I want to join the Chairman in thanking you today, and look forward to continuing this conversation.

I also would like to know whether those prices have changed, how you track those prices, and whether they can--that data can be made available to us.

I want to join the Chairman's comments about zero tolerance; and the record should note that Dr. Clancy was nodding, so I assume that means agreement.

The fact that the VA can negotiate, unlike Medicare, for example...

Let me ask you about some of the drugs that are used in VA facilities--insulin, Narcan, my guess is EpiPens.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman.

Those bad practices deserve a spotlight and accountability.

Giving us an opportunity to hear about some of the best practices, some of the success stories is really to give credit to the thousands of men and women who work in the VA.

The brand of the VA has been tarnished, not because of best practices but because of bad practices.

I appreciate that the Commission really devoted itself to seeking to improve the VA health care system.

What types of actions would the Department of Defense consider to be acts of war in the cyber realm?

What are we doing to protect our critical systems--like the electric grid and transportation networks--from cyberattacks?

I would hope that there would be a move to designate these systems as critical infrastructure.

I think there is not only a powerful argument, it's virtually incontrovertible.

Isn't there a pretty powerful argument that our systems of elections and voting ought to be declared critical infrastructure?

Our local and State security are inseparable from our national security.

The government first and foremost... needs to indicate its desire to lead, its intent to lead, as opposed to observe.

The messages of intolerance and persecution and extremist violence I think can bring us together.

I share those concerns about the power of our private sector, financial and communication companies.

Unfortunately, some of the ideas that we've seen proposed are, frankly, half-baked, harebrained notions that will never come to fruition.

I hope, speaking for Amtrak, as you do now, that you would never go through a community like Old Lyme or any other where there was such strong and well-merited opposition.

It's not just spending, it's an investment, and it moves the economy, creates jobs, as well as improving transportation.

We absolutely intend to comply with the FAST Act and use those dollars for investments there.

I would hope that you would follow, or at least heed and respect, your customers' views.