I represent the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota too, and they are like many of you, and they will say there is different models.

I think our priority here is to make sure all our veterans get the care that they have earned.

It's hard to get people--and I'm going to focus on the contracting and the skill set of the employees--to get them there, to be able to do this, to get it right.

Nothing makes me more boiling mad than when you are saying you know someone did something, and then you see they are put on administrative leave with pay.

These are ethical employees trying to improve the care for veterans, and that is how they need to be referred to and that is how they should be treated.

This is a critically important topic.

Thank you to my colleague, Ms. Pingree, who I have had the honor and pleasure of sharing a meal at her home over this.

I think all of you have hit on this. It is the people we are not reaching.

It is obvious you have elevated this to the highest level.

I think the things that have been spoken by my colleagues talking about veteran health care in a vacuum outside of health care in general is the wrong way to go about this.

We know the private sector can't fix it alone. And certainly the veteran and the families can't fix it alone.