Jon Tester: “So the bottom line is you think we are competitive in our pay scale with the private sector even though we hear stories…”

I think it'd be a mistake, a -- really a mistake for national security and for food security.

There's plenty of examples of it. The Mission Act is a prime example. The fastest growing part of the V.A. budget. Why? Because we privatizing V.A. health care and its costing us more money, not less.

If that was possible it would already be done.

I think we need to take these things seriously. I think the president and I think, more importantly, the military are taking it very, very seriously.