Beto O'Rourke

What do you think about a universal service bill that helps to address the lack of community that you see nationally?

We could get from the servicemembers there in exquisite detail what they had done that day or the day before, what their job was, but if we asked them why they were there they would say, I don't know, you tell me.

I would like you to take a page out of Mr. Iscol's book whose organization provides mental health care for veterans regardless of military discharge and does not wait until they are in crisis.

Thank you for your service, especially in the time where we first got to know you as undersecretary for VHA.

Many of these are preventable deaths.

You were the first secretary that I know of that has made suicide reduction and prevention a top priority.

I want to thank you for bringing everyone together and addressing an important issue that in the going on five years that I have been on the Committee we really have not addressed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to thank you for calling this hearing and bringing together these witnesses, who I am so excited to hear from, and to thank you also for highlighting some concerns that are reflected in communities that…

Let's meet the demand in some of these extraordinary, you know, unique cases.

I do want to stress, because there is very legitimate concern today about availability of timely VA loans and appraisals in rural areas.

When we heard from the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the gentleman from Oregon, his concern about folks waiting nine weeks...

I think what I am trying to get at and I am sorry to interrupt you, but just because I do not have a ton of time, but I want to know how often that is used and what that adds to the wait for someone.

So really I am looking for your responses that you have promised me for the record including the consequences for recruiters not meeting a quota.

I would like to add my thanks to the others for your work on the hiring reform bill that passed last week.

I mean, you know, is that who we are trying to attract here?

I think it is very telling that you don't have an answer for that.

You need an act of Congress?

It is really hard to hire into a poorly performing medical center that doesn't have a coach.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to make sure that we are being accurate with the words that we are using.

I think the bottom line for me, and I would argue for us, as Members of this Committee and Members of the U.S. Congress, is to ensure the highest quality and timeliness in the care and services that we deliver to the veterans who have…

I think the ranking member used the word 'fantasy,' that we are going to be able to pay for and meet all the commitments that we have identified.

I join Mr. Banks, Mr. Jones, and others and the two of you who have called for a new AUMF.

Our ability to conduct oversight on what you have implemented before the next Congress kicks in is gone.

I see the value in official time. I see the value in a hundred percent official time...

I appreciate you, from the VA, underscoring the importance.