We have a sacred obligation to ensure those who have fought for this Nation receive the highest quality of services from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But if you find that it is safe, are we going to say the same thing about e-cigarettes 10 years from now?

Let us not say we are not going to let technology play part of the process of taking more Americans off of using combustible tobacco products.

It has not been fully completed.

Unreliable wait time measurements has resulted in a discrepancy between the positive wait time performance VA has reported and veterans' actual experience.

I think, if VA had asked hard questions regarding these statistics, we would not be here today discussing recent allegations surrounding many VA facilities.

CVS eliminated their cigarettes. CVS still sells patches, Nicorette gum, probably all of the pharmaceutical products--Chantix and others--that aid in eliminating or reducing the rate of smoking.

The Secretary of VA direct the Under Secretary of Health to take actions to improve the reliability of wait time measures.

It is my understanding that on June 21, 2013, VA received a report from the Office of Medical Inspector regarding chronic understaffing issues at the Jackson VA medical center.

The issue before the Committee today is the state of the VA health care system, which we have a sacred obligation to ensure that those who have fought for this Nation receive the highest quality of services from the Department of Veterans…

There was a December 23, 2013, report by the Office of the Medical Inspector regarding the Cheyenne Medical Center and Fort Collins Clinic that found that several medical support assistants reported that, 'medical center's Business Office…

It seems that every day there are new allegations regarding inappropriate scheduling practices ranging from 'zeroing out' patient wait times.