"Clearly this is a regionally significant issue for southwestern Pennsylvania, and I hope that this Committee and the testimony of these witnesses will help us move forward with a protocol to prevent future outbreaks in my region and across the country if it turns out that this is not an isolated inc..."
"I would hope by the end of this hearing to come to a better understanding of what actually happened."
"This tragic incident resulted in the death of at least one veteran and possibly four more at VA. This is simply unacceptable."
"This tragic series of events makes clear that we need a better set of best practices when dealing with Legionella."
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman."
"It is critical that Pittsburgh VA clarify both for this Committee and the victims' families, some of whom are here, exactly what happened."
"The questions must be answered. When did the VA know that there were unacceptable levels of Legionella bacteria in the water?"
"It is the radar gun that keeps the industry honest. And if it is eliminated, we don't have a program that will keep the industry in check."