Political Quotes

“I appreciate the hard work Senator Ayotte has put into her bill and her willingness to work across the aisle with the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Senator Blumenthal, and Senator Brown. Since I objected to her unanimous consent request and she objected to my counteroffer, I would like to take a few moments to outline my concerns about her bill and explain why I offered a complete substitute amendment that reflects those concerns and an amendment to change the title. At the outset, I want to make it clear that I do not condone malfeasance by any Federal executive or employee. The well-documented problems at the Veterans Administration, VA, are particularly troubling because they harmed the men and women who have defended our Nation--and their families. That is unacceptable. There is an old proverb, ``You can fix the blame or you can fix the problem.'' Actually, VA Secretary Robert McDonald, his leadership team, and the VA rank-and-file are doing both. To that end, I would encourage my colleagues to read the December 9, 2015, testimony of Sloan D. Gibson, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.…”