Jerry Moran

I suggested to you that you withdraw your mandate that Choice go away.

I understand that my House colleagues reduced major construction account in their mark by $102 million, which lines up with cutting funding for 2018 for three out of your six major construction cemetery projects.

The challenge in doing so is not a financial one. It is not a budget issue. It is a matter of timing of getting the reports completed.

I take this development very seriously because I think the VA is headed on a different path than what you assured me they were on.

The outcome of not continuing Choice... would very likely mean that the entities Health Net and TriWest... will go away.

The actual practice at the VA is another.

I was fearful that you would disagree with me about Senator Tester and I would have to repeat that he is correct.

Choice was reinstated.

Continue to send veterans with eligibility for the Veterans Choice program.

I now understand that Senator Tester is right.

If there is no action by Congress to fund the Choice program, it will dry up by mid-August.

I have always believed, however, that the department's stewardship of those funds, rather than the dollar amount, is the real issue at hand.

I believe that modernizing the Federal Government's information technology (IT) systems needs to remain a top-priority for all agencies.

We want to make sure that those are not left behind in the process.

I worry about the slowness of Congress, so if you come to us and there is a shortfall in the amount of money, how long will it take for us to respond?

I look forward to working with you and Senator Coons to make sure that broadband is deployed.

While reviewing reported private market rates, did CMS consider the differences between hospital laboratories, physician office laboratories, and independent laboratories?

I think we've focused a lot of attention on preexisting condition, and it seems to me there is a lot of, and rightfully so, a lot of effort being made to make certain that individuals who have preexisting condition continue to have access…

Let's figure out how to make sure that the money we do spend is spent in the best way possible.

I am an opponent to the administration's reductions in NIH spending, and I'll work with my colleagues once again to see if we can't continue the progress that we've made in additional funding for medical research.

This gets me excited.

I'm having trouble putting my hands around what it means in rural America.

If there is no action at all by Congress, then the Choice Program will dry up by mid-August.

The emergency is changing the law to allow you to spend money that you have, although it certainly sounds like it creates a likelihood of fiscal shortfall.

Choice is alive and well.