Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Secretary Shinseki, I first want to congratulate you on your confirmation.  As you and I have discussed, your reputation as a capable and effective leader has preceded you. 

You have taken on one of the biggest responsibilities in our nation.  With veterans from several generations under your care, you have not only the challenge of ensuring the delivery of the proper healthcare in the right locations, but also the challenge of ensuring the proper delivery of other benefits for veterans and their survivors.  The VA is saddled with a long-standing reputation of a claims backlog that does not seem to greatly improve.  While I do not think there is one single answer to address this issue, I hope that you will tackle this head-on, employing all the tools at your disposal.

It is furthermore imperative that your department work with us here on Capitol Hill to address any and all issues as preemptively as possible, including proposals for addressing the claims backlog.  We stand ready to help you with budgetary authorization, but the more forthcoming VA is about current and potential difficulties, the better we are able to do that. 

Equally important to benefits delivery is healthcare delivery.  For one, I hope that VA takes further steps to recruit and retain healthcare professionals.  Doctors, nurses, and therapists, just to name a few, are the backbone of this delivery.  Our medical education system produces some of the best medical professionals in the world, and I would like to see more of them consider the VA as a fulfilling place to work, not only for their own experience but also for the experience of helping those who have preserved our nation’s freedom.  The other side of healthcare delivery for VA is where the medical facilities are located.  While a full-service VA Medical Center might not be practical in every town, I firmly believe there are still tremendous opportunities to bring a wide array of healthcare services to those that need it the most.  I have recently seen the opening of two VA clinics in my district, both co-located with Department of Defense facilities.  I still think there is room for even further improvement with a relatively small amount of construction that would provide full medical care not only for VA patients but also active duty servicemen and women.  With over 105,000 veterans in my district alone, plus the active duty population, there is a pressing need for this expanded care, and I look forward to working with you on meeting this need. 

As I return to sit on the subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs for the 111th Congress, I also look forward to working with you on ensuring VA fulfills its obligations to veterans and their survivors throughout all of their lives, and their final resting place is incredibly important.  Your oversight of our national cemeteries makes this a reality.  I have been very pleased with the National Cemetery Administration’s work with Barrancas National Cemetery in my district in the past, and know you will continue your efforts to keep it and all our national cemeteries a dignified final resting place. 

Mr. Secretary, I wish you the best as you take on the endeavor of directing the Department of Veterans Affairs.  It is no small task, but this committee stands ready to work with you.  I look forward to your testimony today and seeing your progress in the future. 

I yield back.