Richard Blumenthal

I think we need to focus on an accountability measure that puts the blame and the responses to that fact finding and blame exactly where they should be.

That is exactly the kind of, in my view, wrongdoing that the VA was committing in facilities around the country that we sought to correct.

What more we can and should do right away, not at some distant point in the future, but literally right away.

There is no topic, in my view, that is more important than mental health for our veterans.

I am just more astonished and appalled that the VA has not done better, even after years of records and documentation.

It is against their culture, so to speak.

All the more reason for the VA not to threaten you with cutting off your benefits.

We should make sure when we talk about accountability in this body that we are demanding accountability from the right people.

I have a very quick question for you, Dr. Draper.

Mental health is as absolutely vital as an arm, a leg, any physical part of the body, and it deserves the same kind of world class, first class health care.

Mental health is often overlooked, given less attention than it should be.

The systemic issues here really have to be overcome.

But the patient's preferred date may depend on when she or he is told that there is an opportunity to see someone.

Well, you know, I think a lot of us are expressing frustration with the apparent finding of your report that the VA may have learned nothing from what has happened in the past.

Laurie Harkness has been a tremendous force for good

I have just introduced legislation, with support from a number of my colleagues, to expand that program

Absolutely unacceptable.

Thank you all, and I join your thanks to Senator Collins for having this hearing.

I was alarmed to learn that some companies are, in fact, profiting from scam artists purchasing fraudulent ads.

I do not know how many times I have said, hang up, or if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

It really is important to know, because if you are going to target solutions, if you are going to try to deal with human nature, perhaps the tools that the bad guys use ought to be used more artfully or ingeniously by the good guys to try…

I have been fighting on the issue of automobiles for better disclosure.

Thank you, Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, thank you for having this hearing, which is enormously important to consumer protection.

The latest instance with GM, where 120-plus people were killed by a defective ignition switch, known to the company for years before it was disclosed.

The number that I have given you, 10 percent, pertains to products whether they are fixed or destroyed.