Richard Burr

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.

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.

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?

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…

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

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

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.

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

What happens if a provider refuses to comply with the directive you just talked about?

The Intelligence Committee bill allows the Attorney General and the DNI to direct a communications provider to assist the Government with a foreign targeting acquisition. What protections does this bill give to any provider who believes…

There is an amendment already filed, and the amendment is filed to the Intelligence Committee bill, that allows the FISA Court to assess the Government's compliance with the minimization procedures. Why shouldn't we have the court do this?

As my good friend noted, the Intelligence Committee bill gives the FISA Court an important role in foreign targeting. The bill requires that any acquisition be conducted pursuant to the specific targeting and minimization processes and…

We have heard a number of people claim that the foreign targeting authorized under the Intelligence Committee's bill contains inadequate protections for U.S. persons. What specific protections are included for innocent Americans?

We have heard some people claim that the Intelligence Committee's bill will allow dragnet surveillance that will sweep up communications of innocent Americans. Is this accurate?

What happens when the intelligence community does become interested in the communications of a person inside the United States?

I hope my colleagues here understand that the law, as currently written, works. It has served this country well and it has produced choice, it has produced quality, and it has fairly reimbursed all who entered into it. Let's not change it…

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.

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…

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.

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

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

I don't know the calculations that Senator Kennedy went through, but I have never found his charts to be incorrect.

The solution, then, is that you let the Government entity, the direct to the student loan from the Government, be the education source. We have a long history. We don't do that well. As a matter of fact, we don't do it at all. So our…

I suggest to you that what we need to focus on, more than does the loan come from the private sector or from the Federal Government or this or that, is students. This debate is about students. It is about are we going to provide an…