Mike Bost

I want to thank you for your advocacy and I don't think we would be here today if it were not for your efforts.

I think we can all agree that adequate exams, if one was requested, are critical to correctly process these claims.

I want to remind the witnesses that your complete written statement will be entered into the hearing record.

I am looking forward to an honest discussion about the VA's need to do so and how to ensure that they do.

But it should not take legislation to force the VA to act.

I cannot understand that at all.

It should go without saying that we have a duty to take care of the men and women who have been wounded while serving in our military.

P.L. 83-566 gives us the ability to work with those private landowners but at the same time work with those leaders in local communities who also are seeing issues.

June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that leads to memory loss and other challenges in brain and physical function. Ultimately, it is fatal. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's…

So as you went through the process of when you first got your writing, do you feel like the VA handled that correctly or incorrectly at the time?

What do we use through the VA to show either success or failure as we treat post-traumatic stress syndrome patients?

I think that the system has to be set up in a certain way that you have to go through these steps.

Would you agree that USDA could do more to ensure that the Buy American requirements are strengthened?

It should have been in the omnibus bill. And just because you don't represent cotton farmers in Michigan and Vermont, there is no reason for you to have taken them hostage to get something that you knew would never work, and that was a…

The lack of labor force is the number one most pressing issue that they are facing right now, and it is an emergency situation.

If there is anything we can do, I commit to being a serious advocate for American agriculture.

There are no anticipated additional costs for these changes.

One of the beauties of Chairman Bost's opt-in language is that it will allow the VA to adjust as necessary.

I think this is one of the most important pieces of legislation, certainly at the VA that I have dealt with since I have been in the Congress.

If we don't do something, it is going to be 10 years, and that is just not right and we know it.

Today I proudly also recognize the McKendree University women's bowling team for winning the 2017 NCAA Women's Bowling Championship. These young women made history by becoming the first NCAA Division II program to win that championship…

Earlier this week, I had the honor of welcoming to Washington, D.C., more than 50 of our Southern Illinois veterans. The visit was put together by the Honor Flight of Southern Illinois, a nonprofit organization that transports veterans to…

Let me ask this. And you know that I am going to do everything I can for the veterans.

The $10 fee is basically a tax increase because basically it is everybody who fills out a form will then pay a $10 fee.

I want to be paying for them.