Bernie Sanders

I do not want to see an impediment from the way the CBO deals with this issue limit our ability to expand CBOCs.

This Committee intends to be aggressive in bringing forth legislation.

Thank you very much. My time has expired.

Are there any health care systems in this country which are doing a better job than the VA that we can learn from?

Clearly, if this Committee is to do its job well, it is important that we hear not just from representatives of the VA but from people on the ground who will be impacted by legislation that this Committee considers.

Is there any reason, in your judgment, why we should not expand the program to Vietnam-era veterans, their families, as well as those veterans from other eras?

I wish to announce that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs will meet on Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 10 a.m., to conduct a hearing entitled ``Pending Health Care Legislation.'' For further information regarding this meeting, please contact…

I would say the Senator makes a very good point. And I often point out to my Republican friends that I think you are looking at yourself and me as some of the major deficit hawks. Our friends today who want to cut Social Security in the…

I would say that most estimates suggest that. If you look at both Iraq and Afghanistan, it may be three times that number.

It would be much larger than it is right now because more people would be paying into it.

I look forward to working with you and Senator Murkowski on addressing it.

I think when history looks back at this particular moment, our kids and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren are going to ask us where we were.

Why were we not moving aggressively to prevent the problems that exist today and that we know only are going to get worse in the future?

Drought is one of the manifestations that we are seeing in terms of climate change.

I would like to thank the Committee for the opportunity to testify here today and encourage you to examine our State programs and services for best practices.

We know that the best solutions are not all coming out of DC, that they are at the local level where we are seeing great solutions.

I think you have heard from all of the members the importance of working effectively with State, local government, and non-profits.

You would agree with me that your job is to make sure that every veteran in America... know what those benefits are.

I believe the improvements to TAP have made positive contributions to it.

If people know what they are eligible for and are not in all kinds of different levels, it might be easier for the average veteran to say, 'yes, I can walk in the door,' rather than having been rejected and never coming back again even…

VA standards and eligibility requirements often change.

Historically, the VA has not done a particularly good job in outreach.

I think we can also say in fairness to the VA in the last few years we have seen a significant turnaround.

I do not think it is too much for this Committee to get testimony on time so staff and Members have an opportunity to adequately understand its contents.

It does not mean anything to the veteran if that veteran does not know about it.