Tim Walz

I think all of us where you get it, we are trying to separate adequate resources from effective use of those resources.

I stand with you to get it done.

This is a bipartisan effort, but--and the chairman and I are friends and he knows me well enough, he knows that nobody does passive-aggressiveness like Minnesotans.

If we miss this opportunity or don't cease to rise to the occasion, then shame on all of us.

The core mission of the VA needs to remain intact. We need to strengthen it.

This nation is committed to getting this right.

What we do possibly within the next weeks and months will have decades long implications.

This is one of our greatest opportunities to make lasting improvement.

We all know there should be one record. We all know that DoD and VA should work together.

We should be stewards of every taxpayer dollar and no veteran should receive a claim that doesn't deserve it.

We need to figure out a national veterans' policy. We need to have a national focus on this.

It's incredibly disappointing to hear how you've been handled. It's beyond the pale that some of this would go on.

I am amazed at the lack of anticipating what is going to be asked of you when you come here...

If you are serious about this triage, I would think you would be turning over every stone to find a physician.

I am your staunchest supporter, but I will be your harshest critic when it needs to be.

The starting point for all that we do has to be the veteran; if we are going to improve their health outcomes, we have to get them directly involved in the process.

It does not make sense to have over 150 individual performance pay policies as is currently the case.

This is the only thing that matters, and this is the only reason the VHA should exist.

We owe it to the thousands of professionals at the VA who are doing things right, and, most importantly, we owe it to the veterans in their care to get this problem fixed.

It is clear that the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) current performance review and performance pay systems are part of the problem.

Let me be clear, I am not opposed to these standards, having advocated for them in the past, however I am concerned that imposing them as a qualification for exemption has the potential to lead to significant disincentives for conservation…

I am just wondering if in the process now is not too poisoned or whatever you might say to go forward.

From a sportsman's perspective, Mr. Kovarovics, how do we reach this compromise?

We are all open to new techniques. I have seen our folks work hand in hand with NRCS and we have heard great success stories.

I just had a couple questions for me and for others listening who might not know this.