Sherrod Brown

Let us restore the law back the way it was and give us the right to cast our vote without----

Does Sunday voting lower the bar?

The harder-working people of Ohio work 13 hours at the polls, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I was counsel, direct counsel on one of those cases and amicus counsel on the other two.

Can I just add one thing to that? And what do you think the VA could do to establish that bond that apparently you have?

What are the bonuses based on? How do you justify $194 million of the tax dollars to go to pay for bonuses?

Do you think that is appropriate?

$194 million could be used somewhere better?

I will stay all day, Madam Chair. I mean, this is an important issue.

We have had some people slip through the cracks.

But in the interim, you have soldiers that are killing themselves and people who are hurting and need services.

You announced last week that the VA will hire 1,900 additional mental health staff, 1,600 mental health providers and then 300 support staff.

Well, Jack Manning needed care and coverage, and he did not get it. And he killed himself.

If that is the case, let us refer them out and get them care and coverage.

That is why the IG report said that there is a breakdown with you meeting performance standards.

Nick, I want to thank you for your testimony and pointing out where the loopholes are sought and openly shared to hide the fact that the facilities are not meeting their performance metrics.

So I am glad you are holding this hearing. I want to continue to look into mental health services.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is good to be here as the Ranking Member in place of Senator Burr.

$5.9 billion, that is the increase that VA got. And out of that, do you think we could hire some more people to address these very real concerns?

I mean, I understand the delay. I understand that there are problems. I understand that claims go over a year.

We are only doing 2 percent. Only 2 percent of those folks actually are referred out.

Are there instances in which we, the VA, collectively, everybody here, we have let somebody fall through the cracks.

Why is only 2 percent per year of the total unique patient population in mental health sent out for non-VA care?

We have worked hard to protect public health and protect food safety and pharmaceutical and drug safety.

I want these companies to be responsible for their ingredients.