Richard Blumenthal

This legislation seeks to ensure that it never happens again.

We have made promises and the Nation needs to keep faith with them.

Veterans are offered decisive legal protection against discrimination when seeking employment or housing.

VVA favors the provisions in this act.

This issue of toxic chemicals is just beginning to be understood.

Proactive screening for such abuse is an initiative that IAVA stands behind.

S. XXXX, introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT), would establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a national center for the diagnosis, treatment, and research of health conditions of the descendants of veterans exposed to toxic…

I have focused on the electronic records challenges and, in fact, have sponsored the Servicemembers Electronic Health Records Act, along with Senator Nelson to address what I see as the unfortunate and unforgivable lag in the development…

I recognize also that it is not wholly within your power.

I cannot accept that at this point in time the goal is achievable but not achieved.

Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing and thank you to each of the witnesses who are here today for service to our veterans.

I am proud to cosponsor and support the Servicemembers Electronic Health Records Act.

No veteran should have to wait months and months or even years to receive a decision from the VA.

Are we providing the care as rapidly as we need to do?

I want to begin by speaking about a U.S. Marine from Connecticut who unfortunately and tragically took his own life yesterday.

It would include veterans as a protected group in the Equal Employment Opportunity Law and the Fair Housing Act.

We are going to go forward with or without the cooperation of the VA and the Administration.

We are introducing legislation which, for the first time, would allow veterans to get dental care other than service-connected.

This bill is really an attempt to have the VA look at each incident of toxic exposure in the military on its own merits.

The job of this Committee and what we were elected to do is to represent the people of this country and, in particular, the veterans of this country.

One of the goals that we are shooting for is to expand VA health care, understanding that the major function of the VA and their highest priority is to take care of those who are service-connected.

In my view--and I think VA does not get enough credit for this--VA is running a very high-quality, cost-effective health care system in this country.

So police officers feel these laws may, in effect, represent a threat to them.

Prosecutors, judges, police officers, and ordinary citizens have been left to guess what behavior is legal and what is criminal.

Does that mean we're at the end of the economic line here? Long Island and New Jersey can make these investments, but we can't make these investments in New York to benefit the Connecticut line? That's a serious question.