Dick Durbin: “I don't ask the Senator to yield the floor, but I would, through the Chair, address the Senator from Vermont. First, I…”

“I don't ask the Senator to yield the floor, but I would, through the Chair, address the Senator from Vermont. First, I thank the Senator for his bipartisan effort with Senator John McCain which led to an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on the floor of the Senate to address what we consider to be a crisis in the Veterans' Administration. Press reports have suggested in the most extreme situation that some veterans' lives were being compromised because of the failure of providing timely care to these veterans. It resulted in an investigation of VA facilities all across the United States. It resulted in the resignation of the Secretary of the Veterans' Administration and promises for dramatic reform, but I have to say to the Senator from Vermont what he has accomplished with Senator McCain is tangible. I would like to ask him two or three questions about the current state of affairs. How long ago was it that we passed on the floor of the Senate this bipartisan measure? Secondly, did this measure involve emergency spending to deal with the emergency in the Veterans' Administration? Third, did the House version of their VA reform include the resources the Senator from Vermont mentioned, the new doctors, the new nurses, the new facilities to accommodate this wave of veterans. Those are the three questions that I think are critical.…”