Program or were gutting the Choice Program is absolutely positively wrong, proven by the data. 6 billion weve overspent 6 billion this year in in Community Care. Community care is absolutely essential. I think the issue is your hepatitis c drug, 1. 5 billion or whatever the number is for hepatitis c is part of the issue, and i dont think any one of us thinks that we should not be providing that drug. In no budget submission that i can recall was it discussed about that, although im hoping that somebody and ms. Brown actually talked about the forecasting that somebody was looking at the approval of that drug and that it was coming on and that if it did come on that it was going to cause a significant issue as it relates to the nonva care item, line item he, of 6 billion, which is gone now, its never been gone before, but all of a is sudden this year its disappeared. And my question was if we didnt have the pot of money that youre looking at now to solve this crisis, how would we solve t
Again, there was still no mention of a Hospital Systemwide shutdown. And finally at the hearing on june 25th itself there was no mention of a Hospital System shutdown coming in august. Mr. Secretary, im disappointed about the slow, painstaking revelation of this crisis by the department thats led by you. I understand their excuses as to why we are in it this position, however, somebody somewhere took their eye off the ball. Just as congress established a cap on spending for the denver project that va busted, Congress Also provided a budget for va for fiscal year 2015 which the president signed into law and it, too, is now busted. In both instances va has Left Congress with very little time to react to a crisis created by vas own management decisions. While we will not penalize veterans for vas management, or transparency failures, the days when va can come to congress and just say cut us a check are gone. Asking for flexibility without supporting information is not enough. Similar to t
The senate was in session on sunday. They did authorize the export import bank. By now, current funding for transportation projects is set to expire by the end of the week without congressional action. You can watch the senate live on cspan2. Coming next, Robert Mcdonald testifies before the house of Veterans Affairs Committee Full top been question and answer with robert gordon. At 7 00, washington journal is live with this mornings headlines. Robert mcdonald warned that a 2. 5 billion budget shortfall may lead to hospital closures and employee furloughs. He testified as to why there was a budget problem and the possible ways to address it. This is just under three hours. Welcome to this hearing and i appreciate your attendance. We are gathered to discuss vas budget execution for this fiscal year. As the own now, the stakes have been raised considerably since the deputy secretaries testimony on june 5. Deputy secretary was asked this question. If congress does not ask on the 2015 budg
Leaders are not allowing lengthy debate. Later this week theyll take up a bill funding defense related programs, also for energy, water, legislative branch, v. A. , military construction. Votes later. Live coverage now here on cspan. The speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The prayer will be offered by our chaplain, father conroy. Chaplain conroy let us pray. Lord our god, thank you for giving us another day. As they are returning to the capitol, please be with the members of this peoples house and all their undertakings today. You know them through and through. You know how they relate with one another and know them as the American People do as the 115th congress of the United States. Lord, help them to know you. As ultimate truth, send your spirit upon them that you might find a dwelling place among them so that all your people can place trust in them as leaders as well as their representatives. May all that is done this day be amen. Ur greater glory the speaker pro tempo
Really need to adopt watch the rest of this event in the cspan Video Library at cspan. Org. Type center for American Progress in the search box. Going to leave and go live to remark some House Veterans Affairs Committee Chair ted poe, some john mccain, james mattis and the mr. Secretary David Shulkin. All living at the American Legion conference here in washington. In deuteronomy it is written, a strong and courageous do not fear or be in dread of them. For it is the lord our god who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. And in romans, what then shall we say to these things . If god is for us, who can be against us . With those passages in mind let us go to the lord in prayer. Almighty god, for whom nothing is too difficult, we call upon you to call our spirit calm focus our attention and energy on the tasks at hand, knowing that what we do is a part of your divine plan. Grant us the courage and faith needed for the assignments we are about to undertake, centered upon wh