Derrick Van Orden

I strongly recommend that you do that because no one is going to get to--you can only get to functional 365.

I want a list of the commanding officers' names and their command sergeant majors or command master chiefs or command chiefs.

That has got to stop.

This should reside with the Veterans Affairs Committee and with the Veterans Affairs Administration.

Until officers start getting fired for this, it is not going to change.

Then Mr. Baird, as a representative of the Department of Defense, can you explain to me why the service members in the greatest danger of becoming homeless and starving to death are being granted waivers by their commanders?

My number one legislative priority is to prevent veteran suicide.

I am happy to respond to any questions you or the Subcommittee may have.

We just have to, or things do not work.

This has to be integrated into that program.

this concludes my testimony.

If we can, through our work up here with your work out there and with you guys in the back... prevent one veteran from committing suicide and preventing one veteran from winding up sleeping in a bush, then all of this is worth it.

One homeless veteran is too many, and we owe these men and women who sacrifice so much for us more than that.

What you are doing is preventing them from killing themselves and becoming homeless and drug addicts and alcoholics.

especially when we think of veterans being thrown out of lodging to make room for illegal immigrants.

the intent of Congress was to not have these rule changes go through on the waters of the United States, and that was vetoed by the President of the United States.

clearly, the congressional intent is not being followed by the executive branch, and that is a blatant political act, and I think it is inappropriate.

I don't think that she should be able to tell you what to do, and I don't think you should be able to tell her what to do.

if the railroads stop, the country stops.

BNSF railroad told me, in a rather condescending manner, that, don't worry, Congressman, we have been working on these railroads for over 100 years, everything is fine.

I called the BNSF railroad and told them that I was distinctly uncomfortable with the conditions of the track.

we will be introducing some legislation to increase our rail inspectors.

the general public is losing confidence in the railroad.

we have been fighting Yucca Mountain for decades, and it is never over till it is over.

Please get me that information. And then we can have a real honest discussion instead of throwing around talking points.