Mike Rounds

You are going to need a plan. Would you commit that you will bring back to this Committee a plan for putting this in order?

A significant part of the VA's responsibilities has to do with the delivery of health care.

There has been a discussion already about data integrity and the fact that the Acting Inspector General now has testified that the Inspector General's office cannot trust VA self-reported data showing a reduction of the backlog of…

I think this is like a swamp filled with gators. Every time you try to drain it, you have one more gator biting someplace that you do not like.

I think it is important that we help and then employ our veterans that need it the most.

Helping these men and women find opportunities in which they can use their military skills and training as they transition into a civilian life is something the VA has been working on.

To really help put a model in place, a new operating model to transform the VA from one that takes the best of the private sector and the best of what we do.

I really have a question as to whether or not they ought to be doing the construction, because I did not see where they brought a heck of a lot of expertise to the projects that they are doing.

I think when we spoke with Secretary McDonald and also Deputy Secretary Gibson, we mentioned that we understand that they walked into, literally, a very deep pond with a lot of gators in it.

I would concur with the Chairman and the Ranking Member with regards to the Choice program.

I think when the Chairman and the Ranking Member both indicated at the very first meeting that while we are going to ask some really tough questions, our goal is to see that you succeed.

Earlier today, Chairman Isakson and I sent a letter to the Secretary of the VA with concerns on reimbursement changes to home health care and hospice care providers.

But, based on what we saw just in Denver and the challenges you have got there... maybe it is time that we not only start draining the swamp, but maybe we pull a few of those gators out and move them in a different direction, as well.

But long term, what does the VA bring to the table?

I appreciate the way you have laid out the three specific broad categories in which you saw failings.

We want you to be successful, and we want you to drain the pond.

It would appear that the original estimate was never correct to begin with in terms of what the cost would be.

As with the EPA's IG, the CSB leadership in recent years has been, shall we say, extremely reluctant to cooperate with congressional oversight committees.

When you indicated currently one-third of the VA medical centers do not have a gynecologist on staff and refer women to other VA facilities or community providers.

If you could. I would appreciate that, Mr. Chairman, if they could provide that to the Committee.

The numbers that you are talking about are basically the metrics of the numbers of specific tests and so forth that have been performed as opposed to an analysis of the satisfaction of the individuals that have been involved.

I was pleased to hear that you had some very favorable reports in your opening comments with regard to the performance, or at least the analysis.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to just begin by following up on Ranking Member Blumenthal's comments and thoughts in terms of the number of individuals available for providing care.

The Inspectors General from these Agencies can and should serve as a resource for these reviews and today's hearing serves as a starting point for this oversight plan.