The policies that this Federal Government has pursued have not exactly been at the top of, say, my priority list.

is it fair to say that major Government programs cannot be considered sustainable if they are growing faster than nominal GDP indefinitely?

The Association supports the 'Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act' (S. 695), sponsored by Sen. Patrick Toomey (Penn.) that requires the VA to report to Congress on issues relating to the interring of veterans' unclaimed remains.

MOAA supports S. 695.

Isn't Congress right to be concerned that recent mission creep at these international organizations is resulting in regulatory decisions that do not have the input of their elected representatives?

I am very hopeful that we will, in this Congress, be able to repeal the medical device tax.

It is more than time that Congress took up this legislation, passed a bill on a bipartisan basis, delivered it to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and, if necessary, was prepared to override a presidential veto.

Yet, here we have an excise tax that stifles the development of new products that improve the quality of life for Americans.

My strong preference would be to have a full and permanent and complete repeal of the medical device tax.

I applaud the Senate Finance Committee for hosting a hearing on the impact of the Medical Device Tax on patients, innovation and jobs.

the medical device industry is a huge economic contributor, not just in my state of Pennsylvania, but across the country.

Senator Stabenow raised, I think, a completely valid and important technical question about how this tax interacts with other taxes.

I want to thank the members of the Committee who are here and the witnesses.

I want to mention how grateful I am for her leadership on healthcare issues in general.

Congress must act this year to repeal this egregious tax which is stifling innovation not only in Minnesota's Medical Alley but across the entire industry nationwide.

I want to thank Chairman Hatch for his cooperation in this effort.

I think that was a big part of the rationale, this notion that you were going to get a big windfall.

Not only do patients end up paying more, their options are more limited, and they have to wait longer for new devices.

I want to thank our witnesses for being very patient.

I want to thank Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner, who have expressed support for the repeal.

I want to move from this hearing, Mr. Chairman--and I would mention the ranking member also because this is a bipartisan effort.

my strong preference would be to have a full and permanent and complete repeal of the medical device tax

We thank the 14 Members of Congress and both Senators from the Pennsylvania delegation for co-sponsoring legislation that would repeal this tax and put job growth back on track in Pennsylvania.

I want to thank you, Senator Stabenow, for your cooperation in joining us in this hearing. I am going to put you down as someone who is in favor of the Affordable Care Act, if I could.

I am concerned about the impact that is has on innovation in the medical device industry.