Tim Walz

We need to exercise our oversight authority, which this Subcommittee has proven up to that task.

I fully support Ranking Member Kuster's call for a hearing or whatever is necessary on the leadership failures in New England, Capital Region, and Desert Pacific Regions.

Congress' job is to write the budgets. Congress' job is to find that out with the input from trusted and folks who have to deliver that.

No one disagrees up here, the Chairman's commitment to fixing Blue Water Navy is second to nobody in this country.

My disagreement is we should not be asking one group of wounded warriors to pay for another.

I want to be absolutely clear. What distinguishes this Committee I think from any other, and it has been noted, is our ability to focus together on the issues that matter.

If you go to war there is a cost that does not end with the last bullet.

I would ask you, Mr. Secretary, we are prepared to ask the Department of Justice to look into that if you think that is appropriate.

Choice is good, I have always supported it.

I am sure they are busy, we have worked on this a lot in Clay Hunt Bill.

It appears that that money is not going to be used for infrastructure and it is going to community care.

A budget reflects the President's priorities.

I submit the enclosed questions for the record.

I think you bring up a very good point and for all of us to understand, there are a multitude of veterans' service organizations for a reason; for specific conflicts, for specific issues, for specific advocacy.

The devil I know is better than the devil I don't know type of thing.

I do want to say thank you. I am very appreciative of the attitude you have taken of seeing us as partners in this collaborative.

I do want to recognize the work of our Subcommittee chair, Mr. Bost, and Ranking Member Ms. Esty, who sponsored the original bill together.

This is a shining example of when we decide to work together, we decide to put all of our resources towards the care of veterans, how things can work.

The Veterans Appeals Improvement Modernization Act that passed this Congress is designed to be the most significant reform affecting VA disability compensation appeals in a generation.

Without a doubt, putting the Army Corps of Engineers in charge was the right response to the problem that confronted us in 2015.

I do not believe there was ever a time in the Government or in the private sector when a 10-year $1 billion hospitals were a workable model, much less a 10-year $2 billion hospital.

While Congress and this Committee specifically have repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to allocate resources, we will never be able to solve the problem if we are not able to get value for the dollars we invest.

Transparency has not always been the operative principle, I think we have heard that over and over today.

And sometimes I think in these kind of projects we forget who we are doing this for and it is for the patients who have served this country.

His frustration is justified and understandable.