Tim Walz

Thank you, Mr. Wilton. Just two quick ones here for you.

I do think it is admirable that there is going to be a connection to whether these things are followed through with.

Will our veterans be safer if they follow your recommendations?

When my folks at Mayo Clinic tell me that the cardiology at Mayo, Minneapolis, is the best in the world, that is a good thing.

That is how a large private sector would do the same way?

What is the time frame on getting to that single comprehensive tracking system?

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for your continued care of our Nation's veterans and willingness to make sure we do our job of oversight.

I urge VA to implement this system and to develop an automated inventory control system that is compatible with the unique identifiers.

Congress needs to do more to bolster the VA's current efforts to modernize its operations.

We, along with Senator Franken, have introduced bipartisan measures in both the House and Senate that will remove several hurdles to getting claims processed quickly.

The Quicker Benefits Delivery Act provides substantial, innovative, results-oriented measures that work to bolster the VA's current efforts.

We believe there are common sense measures Congress can undertake to bolster the VA's efforts to ensure our veterans are getting the care they need in a more-timely manner.

This is unacceptable, and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, a retired U.S. Army General who has dedicated his life to military service and taking care of our brave warriors, agrees.

All they expect is that, in return for their service, our nation keeps its promises to them.

With the hard-earned experience of two major wars during the last 12 years, Americans have developed a renewed understanding of the need to support our service members in battle and throughout their active-duty service.

Congress needs to do more to bolster VA's current efforts to modernize its operations and promote further improvements.

Our goal, and this is very, simple: uphold the promise we made to our veterans by ending the backlog and getting the benefits they earned.

This piece of legislation, it is very simple. Our measure would simply allow local doctors to conduct disability medical examinations for veterans.

This issue of the claims backlog, it is corrosive, it is wrong. It wears at the soul of this country.

It is a singular honor to serve on this committee, and to testify in front of you is humbling and an honor.

It is important to remember our Veterans, as our nation moves past over a decade of war.

The problem we have, sometimes, though is the city of La Crescent was there also, and they said I happen to know Winona's got a better grant writer, because we're smaller.

He doesn't believe there are three fire departments in America that could respond in an urban area to a Casselton type of incident.

They referred to these as incidents—not accidents. And it kind of changes the point of view on how we're getting after it.

We want to keep our citizens safe and we want to move important products, and we have to figure out strike that balance.