I think getting better will solve the problem and getting more efficient will solve the problem, but I don't think--getting larger may make the problem worse.

Would it be better to take some of that money and not look at building this bigger bureaucracy but to veterans?

One of the problems that VA has, that it did have was loss of trust. ... we work for the veterans.

I do not know whether you can change the VA or not. I do not know whether it can be done or not.

The lenses I will always view the VA through is in the examining room, patient to doctor.

I choose to go to the private sector because I can afford to and there are other needy veterans who cannot.

I think that makes a lot of sense. I think one of the things that will help the VA get better is competition.

And one of the things we did, I think, in the bill is extremely important, is to take the victims, not make them criminals, but make them victims, and so they can turn themselves in and not be prosecuted.

I had no idea it was as large as it was.

We had a huge backlog of claims, that was the problem we had and many of these claims not adjudicated in a way that benefited the veteran.

I think Mr. O'Rourke said have we hired enough people? Is it a problem with resources?

I really find this offensive. And the reason I find it so offensive is because we've heard over the last 6 weeks or so--and our job, as the chairman said, is oversight. We have a constitutional obligation to do this.