"It is very clear to me that we are making significant progress. It is also clear to me that there are a lot of problems that remain."
"General Hickey, your testimony contains some significant statistics."
"So, what you are telling us is that everything being equal, if you get the budget that you need, you expect to achieve the Secretary's goals?"
"I think all of us have heard from veterans who are deeply concerned about the backlog."
"It is a concern to the Veterans Service Organizations, I know it is a concern to every Member of this Committee."
"The average amount of time it takes to resolve an appeal... is clearly unacceptable."
"Thank you for the opportunity to offer our views on the VA's transformational progress."
"Veterans wishing to apply for pension do not currently have the capability to apply online."
"We need to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, not give tax breaks to the wealthiest people in this country."
"the stress of poverty is a death sentence which results in significantly shorter life expectancy."
"The health of working-class and middle-class, and even upper-class Americans also rises and falls with our socioeconomic status."