I do not want my silence to be taken as agreement or assent.

What assurances can you give me that small businesses are able to compete for military contracts?

To me that demonstrates that the program is maturing and reaching a point where there would be benefits to increasing production.

I wonder whether there is more that you can see being done to better relate and transfer information that is important to disability claims, to healthcare in the VA.

the stealthy F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, fifth Generation fighter designed to replace aging AV-8B Harriers, F/A-18 Hornets, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs.

the solution isn't going to be exclusively military, although law enforcement is a part of it.

the chairman of this committee, Senator McCain, and I have successfully worked for the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (SAV), the suicide prevention bill, for our veterans which is promising as a first step, just a…

Are you satisfied that this budget has enough in the way of resources to deal with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury?

I want to thank you both for your very dedicated work, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with both of you.

I find it unacceptable that a veteran loses access to a treatment that is working because of a lack of coordination between DOD and VA.

I do not want to be too harsh, but it is inadequate.

As you well know, these collisions on tracks at rail grade crossings happen actually once every 3 hours, believe it or not, 2,000 every year across the country, causing more than 700 injuries and more than 230 deaths.

I hope that you will take a close look at some of these issues.

this is a team sport. It requires unity of effort, whole of government.

to leave this funding stagnant, in my view, again, is unacceptable.

If you look at the myriad of conditions that can be service-connected, it affects all body systems.

I think there is a sense of urgency in the Committee.

The Choice Act has been shockingly underutilized, as you and I have discussed.

The Clay Hunt SAV Act was a proud achievement of this Committee on a very bipartisan basis.

That delay, in my view, is inexcusable.

your injuries may be stabilizing because you are not recognizing them.

may I suggest respectfully that the research funds be increased for this purpose.

The budget actually requests an amount of funding that would reduce the number of full-time positions, which I think is unacceptable.

As I outlined earlier, Secretary McDonald, the Choice Card Program basically seems to be not working.

What is really necessary now is better data and stronger information.