Denis McDonough

President Biden describes our country's most sacred obligation as preparing and equipping the troops we send into harm's way and then caring for them and their families when they return.

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss our progress at the Department.

It's on us now to perform and make sure that we provide the care that women have a right to seek.

The President's prioritized and why you have helped us now for successive years in giving big set-asides for what the Women's Health Program.

We are obviously instituting the President's plan for us to get to Zero Trust architecture.

We are taking this very, very seriously.

We have to do a better job of making sure that vets who sign up for the Burn Pit Registry get an opportunity.

I wish I could have ensured I had the benefit of better data on which to make my recommendations.

We have set a goal this year to get 38,000 veterans, homeless veterans, into permanent housing this calendar year.

We are determined to expand the Caregiver Program to all era of vets.

We will make sure that there is no slip from cup to lips there.

We are, I think, making good progress on a new model for how we establish presumptions.

Our whole strategy is to get a vet into housing first and then make sure that we provide the wrap-around services that help him stay in housing.

What we see in reaction to the recommendations so far, good and bad, is a desire for more access to VA healthcare.

That is why the President's budget anticipates the largest ever investment in gender-specific care for women vets.

We are trying to balance both of those.

I think there is historically--and maybe today of all days especially, as Senator Boozman underscored, is probably a day to recognize that legislated presumptions play an important role.

I think as a group I think we should work through those consistent with the way we have been having those discussions.

the budget request is critical.

the budget ensures we can continue the growth and success of our Caregiver Support Program.

every decision I make will be based on increasing access and improving outcomes for veterans.

This Budget ensures all Veterans, including women Veterans, Veterans of color, and LGBTQ+ Veterans, receive the care and benefits they have earned.

veterans in our care do better than veterans not in our care.

President Biden defined our country's most sacred obligation as preparing and equipping the troops we send into harm's way and then caring for them and their families when they return.

This budget request will ensure VA is moving swiftly and smartly into the future, with much-needed monetary investments in our most successful and vital programs.