If confirmed, how would you ask your staff to prioritize requests from various Members? Would it depend at all on whether the request is from the majority or minority?

I do have some concerns about whether VA is living up to President Obama's vision of, 'an unprecedented level of openness in government.'

I would ask you, upon your confirmation, would you make a special effort to review the status of that review?

As Ranking Member, I do have some responsibilities to Members on this side of the aisle to actively do oversight.

Would it be your intention to foster a collaborative relationship between the VA and Congress?

Today's veterans expect this of us. They want a VA that is forward looking, innovative, and responsive.

There would be a great inconsistency in us offering preservation or maintenance dollars to some and not all.

There was a tremendous lack of confidence as to whether the Federal Government would do anything other than stand by and watch these historic landmarks disintegrate and deteriorate.

Let me, if I could, recap what the bill does. It creates a 3-year pilot program.

I understand the tremendous tourism benefit that these lighthouses provide in addition to the pride of a community at preservation of a historic structure.

Thank you for convening this hearing before the National Parks Subcommittee.

But, in fact, this new grant program would be inconsistent with what I think the original intent was of the legislation.