Political Quotes

“Last month, four well-qualified, noncontroversial nominees were unanimously voted out of the Veterans' Affairs Committee--unanimously voted out of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, which Senator Blackburn sits on. Here is who these people are: Don Remy, a veteran, has been nominated as VA Deputy Secretary--VA Deputy Secretary. That is second in command. If Senator Blackburn wants quick reaction from the VA on toxic exposure, maybe Senator Blackburn shouldn't hold that nominee of the No. 2 position of the Department, a nominee specifically tasked with coordinating VA's work with the Defense Department, which includes issues like--guess what--toxic exposure. But that is all right. We will leave him sitting at home. We will leave the veterans out in the cold. Then there is Patricia Ross, who is nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs. So if Senator Blackburn wants more information from the VA on legislation and how much it costs, maybe the Senator shouldn't hold the nominee tasked with getting that information from the VA to Congress, but she is. Then, there is Maryanne Donaghy, nominated as Assistant Secretary for Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. I want to tell you that whistleblowers regularly come to us with reports of waste, fraud, and abuse. Folks love to condemn the VA--we heard a lot about it a second ago-- when it fails to hold its workforce accountable.…”