Beto O'Rourke

Oh, this is inspiring. This is the border standing up for itself. This is El Paso telling our story. No one can tell it better than we can. Strong, secured community, that's who we are.

But I would submit if the system were working and if it were delivered on time, you would not have had to consume that overtime for this project, and it could have been applied to something else.

Dr. Lawrence, not very encouraging.

I think typically the format for a hearing like this one... is for those of us up here to express our outrage.

I'd love to have some specifics, and I will challenge you to give us a deadline just because you all missed the last deadline.

Something that just came in that I would bring to your attention if you didn't already know about it.

Are you saying that from your side of the problem, you all have done as much as you can, and you're awaiting responses back from the veterans or the educational institution or some other third party?

Over 90 days. Thank you for that.

Okay. We'd love to have that within a week.

General Worley, in the backup that I received, we show a 27 percent increase in pending end products as compared to the previous year on this date.

I'd love to know the number for greater than 30 days, how we're going to help them, how soon we're going to help them.

What we want to know is what the problem is, what the universe of that problem is and how you're going to fix it.

Beto O'Rourke landing in his hometown of El Paso tonight holding his last rally really trying to strike an optimistic tone.

Whether or not they were able to turn all of this attention, all of this energy into votes.

So if you really want to win this, given what's at stake, given what's on the line, given the judgment of the people, of the future, our kids, our grandkids, our conscience, let's make sure that when they look back on us they do so with…

GAO has indicated that there's a risk of the lead ship being delivered late and I agree with that assessment.

I wonder, given all the great suggestions that we got from Mr. Kules talking about three-time eligibility...

Okay, so that is something you need from us--

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I, too, am looking forward to this panel's testimony and to the questions that our colleagues from both sides of the aisle ask to ensure that we are conducting the appropriate oversight of an incredibly…

I just take that as constructive criticism and see if there isn't a way to better educate all VA staff on these issues.

What is the logic behind that cap?

No room for improvement there?

So that one's on us as well for--

I would just urge us to ensure that while we understand the challenges that the VA may face, the challenges that the participating institutions may face, that we keep our focus on the veterans, those who have earned the benefit in…

So just to make it clear as part of the record, if a student is overpaid because of the inability of the VA to implement the solution on time, the veteran will not have to return the overpayment to the VA?