Will our veterans be safer if they follow your recommendations?

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.