David Shulkin

We want to work with you to get this right.

We have identified four specific changes to the program that we need now that we hope will be considered.

The system was designed, it was too complex and too difficult to maneuver.

I travel around the country. I get letters from all of you and from veterans directly.

The lack of military competency among community providers is quite significant.

I couldn't agree more with him that we have to act now to ensure that our veterans have timely access to the care that they need.

Let me be clear. No one is advocating that we privatize the VA.

I am concerned that veterans nationwide may encounter significant lapses in care if we don't act quickly.

[I] think it's common sense that service dogs help. We hear it every day from veterans. I'm not willing to wait [on congressional authority to implement what I can through my existing authority] because there are people out there today…

Partnerships with Federal and community health care providers may result in better access and broader capabilities and will require a new infrastructure.

I think it is destructive. I think it has hurt our ability to recruit.

We think we are headed in the right direction, and we are committed, and we are not going to rest until we meet everyone who is returning to have their needs met.

I want to get on with this. I think the veterans deserve it.

Ask the veterans what they think of the services that they are getting.

Fire the corrupt, incompetent VA executives who let our veterans down.

I want people to know that working at the VA is a tremendous privilege.

It is a broken process. It will not get better without your help, and we certainly hope that you and your colleagues will pass a modernization act this year.

Veterans are not religions and Democrats and Republicans, they all bleed red.

Unfortunately, it was determined to be unconstitutional, and now the Department of Justice did not choose to go and to defend that.

We do not currently have that right on either side, so I see this as a dual-pronged process.

I expect to be held accountable if you give me that authority and I am not getting the job done.

VA does not believe that the court interpreted the statute correctly.

Every day that we delay, veterans are being put in the middle, and that is really unfair to them.

We shared the common vision that we have to do a lot better for our veterans.

I am a strong advocate for the VA, that the services that are available in VA are not available in the private sector.