Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this hearing today.  This will allow the Secretary to testify in support of his budget request for the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for your decades of service defending the freedom of this nation.  Thank you for your commitment to the veterans who also served this nation.

I am pleased with the budget you have submitted earlier this week. 

Over the last few years, this Congress, and especially Chairman Filner has overseen the largest funding increase in the history of the VA.

That being said, I am pleased with the current increase in funding for health care and other priorities.

I applaud that you plan to bring more Priority 8 veterans back into the fold.  These men and women have, by serving their country, paid their dues and earned their right to health care from the VA.  However, maybe you could speed the timeline up further than just the 99,000 you estimate would additionally use the VA next year.

I am concerned about the increase in the wait times veterans are being subjected to, and I look forward to hearing how you plan on reducing the time our veterans have wait for appointments.

I am pleased that so many contracts are being signed for the new VA Medical Center in Orlando.  The VAMC should be fully funded and I want to hear about it ahead of time if the numbers are not matching up.  We will fix it, if we know.

I believe the words of the first President of the United States, George Washington, are also worth repeating at this time:

``The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country.''