I respectfully request that the subcommittee seriously examine leveraging innovative concepts to deliver veterans' health care, both economically and effectively.

Patients must always come first.

I think you would find the committee to be much more attentive to these details at this point.

Thank you, Chairman Bergman, for holding this hearing, and I would like to welcome Ranking Member Walz...

Employees who misuse purchase cards should be held accountable and should be prevented from being a purchase card holder or authorizing official.

Chairman Bergman and Congresswoman Rice's draft legislation to address purchase card abuse is also much-needed legislation that I hope this Committee will send to the floor without delay.

I am proud of the bipartisan oversight and legislative work that we do on this Committee.

This legislation should ensure that VA follows best practices and sticks to a timeline, so that VA facilities and vendors have a predictable, functional medical surgical supply system.

Our job here is to keep the VA on track and Ranking Member Walz's bill will give us the tools and the information to do just that.

I appreciate that. And, again, look forward to working with your team on reviewing that structure.

I do think it is important to restore confidence in our executive officials, and so I hope in the coming days you will be forthcoming with the American people.