Johnny Isakson

For the benefit of the Members, one of the burdens of chairmanship is from time to time you are asked to make commitments on the floor of the Senate that you wish you had waited to make.

I think it is very important that this Committee focus on benefits to our women.

What we like about the draft legislation is that it makes sure that the non-FAR-based option is still available so that we can continue in partnership with the VA to provide veterans quality health care close to their homes.

I committed to Senator Hoeven that we would not object to a UC (unanimous consent) on provider agreements in terms of nursing home facilities.

The Committee on Senate Veterans Affairs will come to order. Welcome everybody.

I speak specifically from my experience leading Medicalodges and also from my fellow extended care providers across the country when I tell you that FAR-based agreements are simply not workable for many extended care providers.

A streamlined approach that still protects veterans, taxpayers, and preserves oversight is desperately needed.

Most universities in the country are 25 percent or less--State universities.

That's the Wayne Clough Scholarship Program.

Georgia State University has developed a program called Panther Grants, where they track 24,000 students at Georgia State University.

We're at a break point. We're at a point where we may kind of invert because of the rising cost of higher education and because of the rising debt of students.

The point I want to make is that you can't compare apples and oranges.

We need to start educating students on what it's going to take them to pay the debt that they owe.

I want to thank Mr. Koskinen for taking the time to invite me to the Chamblee headquarters of IRS in Georgia and giving me a tour.

If I paid my tax to the Federal Government on a retail purchase and it was collected by the retailer, who does that for the States anyway, it would eliminate any of this self-identifying information, and the tax would end up being…

I just want to put things in perspective, that this is an important hearing, but that information is a lot more private, a lot more personally identifying, and a lot more dangerous for the average American citizen than whatever the NSA…

Let us look at those laboratories of democracy and see if there are other things... and find out what is working and do more of that.

I would submit to you Congress needs the same type of imposed self-restraint to begin to handle the money of the people of the United States of America in a more responsive manner.

Senator Isakson will tell us about his proposal to require a biennial budget and all biennial appropriations bills to be adopted in non-election years.

If we were hired rather than elected, we would have all been fired for the way in which we handle the money of the people of this country.

In the committee on the AGOA Act, we put in an amendment to ensure an in-cycle and out-of-cycle review of South African trade practices vis-a-vis poultry and other issues important to the United States. We would have offered an amendment…

I would prefer to propound the question first. Mr. Leader, as I understand it, the Africa bill and the trade enforcement bill will be in tandem together and not subject to amendment, and then we will go to TPA and TAA, which will be open…

While I do not rise with the intention of objecting, may I propound a question to the majority leader?

That's an admirable goal, but I think it's worth noting that 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are already enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans that receive capitated payments.

I think, in terms of medical errors, in terms of efficiency, and in terms of quality of care, care coordination is the future of health care reimbursement, in my judgment.