Political Quotes

“I come to the floor this Monday afternoon to speak about the importance of our committee, a committee that the Presiding Officer serves on, and the importance of passing toxic exposure legislation to deliver the right care and the right benefits to the right veterans in the most veteran-friendly way possible--to deliver the right benefits to the right veterans in the most veteran-friendly way possible. Our military men and women are willing to sacrifice much for our country. We must match that level of commitment by crafting thoughtful and effective solutions to make certain we provide the best outcomes, care and treatment, and benefits for those who have served our Nation. In the past 2 years, I have heard testimony from nearly every veteran service organization emphasizing the importance of fixing the process the VA uses to provide healthcare and benefits to toxic-exposed veterans and the need to grow our knowledge to help care for the toxic wounds of war. There have been calls for Congress to act more quickly, and I respect those calls. Our committee hears those calls. We are in lockstep on the challenge here and the need for a solution that is veteran centric. There is bipartisan consensus on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs that a phased approach--delivering healthcare now and reforming the benefits system next, in fact, as we go now--is the most effective pathway forward.…”