Mike Michaud

I want us to be in the same position, that, when we have a budget, people go back to work, and we are up at full speed, so we are taking care of veterans as quickly as we can.

Veterans should not, and cannot, and will not be disadvantaged by party politics in the future

I don't care which one that we choose, as long as we get on with the reopening of government and that we fully fund VA.

It is time for Congress to do its job.

I know that VA employees do not work solely for a paycheck. They work because they believe in helping veterans.

High workload is not an excuse for the current situation which has gone on since 2009, and which simply must change.

The status quo is not acceptable.

That the Committee feels compelled to hold this hearing today should send a clear signal that the status quo is unacceptable.

I am hopeful that, working together, we can chart a new way forward.

This is not the way we want to do our business. This is not the way we want patients to be treated, and I find it as appalling, I believe, as this Committee does.

The debt we owe your loved ones and all our veterans can never be repaid, and we must do all we can to ensure that they receive the best quality health care that they have earned and rightly deserve.

I lay the responsibility of the patient care directly at the feet of VA and VHA management at every level.

The discussion draft bill to be proposed by Representative Michaud, entitled the 'Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act of 2013,' would establish new planning and budgeting processes.

In The Independent Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 we recommended that Congress debate and consider authorizing advance appropriations for all VA accounts.

Before we budget and appropriate dollars, we must plan and program.

Advance appropriations can provide fiscal stability during uncertain times.

I thank my colleagues who have already supported the bill, and ask those who haven't to join us in truly Putting Veterans' Funding First.

Veterans deserve better from us.

We do want to work towards that goal and we think it's a worthy goal.

It's not a commission. It's--and I am glad that The American Legion is looking at fiscal matters because that is what the whole idea behind this is, is to force VA, Members of Congress, the VSOs, to look forward, to plan ahead, so that we…

In my closing--opening statement, I mentioned change is hard and not everyone will be comfortable with the changes, I know, in the draft legislation, and I think there is also some misconception about it.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be here to testify today.

Why OMB does not want this is just amazing since it is a small portion of VA budget.

It might be worthwhile maybe in September, to haul OMB in here and see how they are coming along with their big vision.

I am kind of a little concerned that you do not want to codify it in statute.