James Lankford

I hope if there's a change in leadership, that rule continues, because it's really critical.

I appreciate you had mentioned earlier about the rule change in the House. I'm proud to say that was actually my rule change that went through on that one as well to try to identify some of the duplicative programs.

The taxpayers' right to know that Dr. Coburn had mentioned earlier, that's my bill here in the House we've talked about this committee has passed.

There is a tremendous difference between the hope of what this would be and the reality of what it actually is on the ground.

We can't both keep our plan and keep our doctors or keep the price and keep our doctors; we have to choose on it.

The problems are very, very real you all are experiencing on the ground.

The Affordable Care Act steps in and says, no, I don't want more competition; I want less competition.

Can we agree on a principle that is economic-wide, I guess, or economy-wide, and that is fair competition is better for the consumer than price controls?

It's really important for us to do the responsible thing here, and I will work hand in glove with you to make it accountable, but also to give them the resources so they can make sure the right people are getting these benefits.

Chairman, let me just say this has been, I think, one of our best hearings, and we can really work together to make the system work better, and that's really our charge to do that.

But to have a child that has a difficult time with articulation or a delay in articulation, that's a completely different issue.

We need to help you get a job, because we're losing you.

If the redetermination process doesn't go well, they carry over into adulthood, all the potential of that kid is sapped away.

We've got to fix that.

Just in time for a new President to scuttle it, but that's a whole different issue.

It seems that there's a standard to get on disability that they can't have any involvement in any vocation in the United States right now.

Social Security Disability serves the most vulnerable in our Nation, and the individuals who are sitting in front of me have committed their life to protecting those individuals and helping in any way we can.

Our issue on it is, there are truly disabled people, that we're about 2-1/2 years away from insolvency in this program, that can be hurt on this if we don't find a way to be able to resolve this issue soon.

I would have no issue trying to provide that to both sides, and we try to be very fair to be able to provide everybody all the data on it.

But there has been a significant change in the last couple of years, and we're grateful for that, just the attention to be paid to it.

I believe it is time to fix the system, and we intend to work with this administration in a bipartisan way to prioritize these solutions today.

We exist to secure two fundamental principles: First, Americans have the right to know the money Washington takes from them is well spent; and second, Americans deserve an efficient, effective government that works for them.

The problem is that you are trying to mitigate on things that you don't know.

It is pretty straightforward. I just got to that page and hit the button, it changed colors and did nothing.

I want to say thank you to you as well for what you are doing, because you have made a conscious choice in that.