Aloha, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, and I thank all of our witnesses today for what I think will be some very, very important testimony.

I think we are going to be challenged in the future as to how we take more of the VA facilities and have that tight relationship with an academic institution.

if the VA is to continue to deliver top-notch health care to veterans, then it needs to be able to attract and retain qualified medical professionals.

As I said in my opening statement, I'm very supportive of this initiative of public/private----

The Centennial Challenge Fund will help the National Park Service achieve that mandate of all 391 units.

Senate bill 1253 outlines a new and creative way to fund Federal projects.

I think you begin to lose people on the Hill, you begin to define things in a way that potentially it could have some effects outside of the world we're talking about here.

It's great to be a part of a Subcommittee that really treasures our national treasure, and that's our parks.

Does this demand--and I agree with all of you that I think we've only touched the philanthropic potential of parks--but, given the scope of this challenge, does it almost demand us to go back and look at the programs we have in effect…

Had I been present I would have, albeit reluctantly, voted in favor of the bill.

Title III, however, addresses the true emergency needs of many in this country, and in North Carolina particularly.

The assistance provided in this emergency appropriations bill will be critical in helping my fellow North Carolinians return to at least a semblance of the lives they led before last September's devastating floods.