I cannot think of a better person to look after our 25 million-plus veterans than this true American hero.

Every year, more than a million full-time, first-time degree-seeking students start college. Yet fewer than 40 percent of those students pick up their degree in 4 years.

The United States is now the only industrialized Nation in the world where a kid has a lesser chance of graduating from high school than their parents did.

I hope for those that are shocked by the 70 percent graduation rate in high school, that they are even more shocked today to hear that barely 60 percent of our higher education students graduate in 6 years.

The FDA is struggling today due to lack of funding, low morale, and an increasingly expanding mission.

But, I would say this to all three of you, just because things are in statute certain ways, if they don't work, for God's sake, tell us so that we can change them, so that we can facilitate what it is you need in the positions that you…

My answer would be, probably not. It would probably not be involved in research to the degree that they are.

the challenge is that the VA competes for these professionals in a marketplace where they are high in demand and short in supply.

Let me add to something that you said and that is that we might agree that it doesn't happen naturally within the VA and there is a progression that happens naturally in the private health system.

it is imperative that the VA have the tools it needs to attract and to keep quality doctors and nurses.

If I made the statement that I personally don't think that the VA delivery system responds the same way that the private delivery system does to technology, to research and the findings from that research, would you agree with that?

How does the VA change its marketing strategy to market itself to these unbelievable academic institutions?