Johnny Isakson

It concerns me that we don't have a known commodity in terms of what is our trade policy.

I have been openly in opposition to the trade policy since the President announced it.

Yesterday was a difficult day for me. Before I get to that day, let me recognize the Senator from Oklahoma for a motion.

I agree and it is showing great promise, which we hope we will see one day, just like we are seeing in Evelyn right now.

Short answer to your question is at this point there is not an administration position on what we are going to do on New START.

If you have an attempted dialog with the Russian Federation in the context of a strong national defense establishment, where you have got tremendous $700 billion increase under way, and you are recapitalizing your nuclear arsenal, I think…

If you have an attempted dialog with Russia in the form of reset while you have sequestration under way, you are operating from a position of weakness.

You do not want it to be your opening hand, but you want it to be the ace in your hole.

I think we disagree with our allies on a lot of areas of policy, but on a daily basis we see a lot more commonality between the United States and European allies than we see differences.

I think someone should advocate on the behalf of active duty Purple Heart recipients who would almost certainly receive service-connected disability payments if we were out.

I think they (VA) unfairly punish active duty personnel who choose to remain in uniform instead of accept medical separation or retirement.

We are grateful for the Committee's leadership on this issue and especially appreciate the work of Chairman Isakson.

Thank you for your testimony.

All veterans deserve comprehensive health care.

It is time we as a Nation give veterans like Michael the benefits they deserve.

I know from time to time I irritated some people during the last couple of months by being deliberate.

I said we are going to, but we are going to do it in regular order.

We have just signed what I understand is one of the largest contracts in the history of the Federal government to acquire Cerner.

As Chairman of the Veterans Committee, we have just gone through a process of deciding to make our software interoperable with the Department of Defense.

We have such a powerful force with our agricultural productivity.

I think the more open we can be in meeting with the leadership of countries we are having to deal with one way or another, the more it forces them to be open.

I commend the administration's commitment to zero, zero, zero being the goal, as far as the trade policy is concerned.

I spent all week trying to come up with intuitive, brilliant, incisive questions to ask you, recognizing how intelligent and articulate you are...

But for a few. And that is what worries me a lot about it: if it is a nationally mandated program and a mandatory participation program.

Is it a mandatory participation program?