Annie Kuster

if there is anything that we can do in our capacity in congress and I know that, you know, including passing a bill to give you the authority to literally fire employees, because I think that is the only thing that is going to bring this…

every veteran deserves that care.

I have a hard time addressing the funding request before we get into how the VA is going to fix this underlying systemic issue of integrity.

I was impressed to find an article in the Boston Globe... about data driven scheduling predicts patient no-shows.

I think for many of us sitting here today the pain is to recognize your commitment to give meaning to your sons' lives.

This is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage as amended. Madam Speaker, I commend Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member…

I am opposed in its current form. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit. The Clerk read as follows: Ms. Kuster moves to recommit the bill H.R. 4413 to the Committee on Agriculture with instructions to report…

I demand a recorded vote. A recorded vote was ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 5- minute vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by a 5-minute vote on passage of the bill, if ordered. The vote…

How do we ensure access to high-quality care at a cost that the taxpayers can afford for every veteran?

If it is less expensive within the VA, then let's expand your capacity. If it is less expensive outside the VA, then let's use private facilities.

Our challenge is that this whole process feels like a Rubik's cube.

how do we ensure access to high-quality care at a cost that the taxpayers can afford for every veteran?

Might I suggest that we have a built-in process, and I am a new Member of Congress and new to the Agriculture Committee but one of the things that I have been so impressed by is the network of organizations and people all across this…

I agree with the opening comments, that the farmers in my district do care a great deal about the environment and about the land including mitigating runoff from streams and wetlands and ensuring that their animals have access to clean…

I would highly recommend this approach.

We are talking about significant dollars here and we are talking about a fundamental promise that we have made to our veterans. We want to get this right.

I think that is extremely important.

I have a question for Mr. Matkovsky. In light of these audit findings and the reports that we have been receiving from OIG and GAO, why did the veterans medical centers not use the authority that they had to use non-VA care to send…

Well, I think that was my biggest concern and maybe Mr. Williamson, you can comment on your report, but it appeared to me that you didn't have effective data and you weren't able to use it in a timely or even rational way to determine…

I am from New Hampshire where we are beginning to get into the process of private care in the community.

One of my concerns is there was reference to the return of medical documentation to the VA.

there is no other state that has been shortchanged more about VA facilities than New Hampshire

It does seem that the VHA has lost its focus on the primary mission of safe, quality care for our veterans.

I used to think that a hundred miles was a long way until I met my colleague, Beto O'Rourke, who told me that his veterans travel ten hours to get to any type of facility.

This year, we celebrate the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the brave Americans of our Armed Forces who served our country with great courage and patriotism. Today I stand before you to honor their heroic sacrifice. As a fighter pilot in…