Good morning, everyone. The committee will come to order. I welcome our witnesses in person and those that are appearing distancely. We look forward to their testimony and getting a better understanding of where the department of Veterans Affairs and the Third Party Administrators are in administering the mission act. Im also very interested in hearing more today about the caregivers implementation, as well. Almost every member of our committee, though not physically present at the moment, some are joining us in person and others will be joining us, almost every member of our committee will be participating and is expected in todays hearing. The focus of todays hearing is the implementation of title 1 under the mission act by the department of Veterans Affairs related to Veterans Community care programs and the program of comprehensive assistance to family caregivers. I scheduled this hearing because of my dissatisfaction with the pace of mission implementation. While va officials were
All programs are available as podcasts. Hi. I have got with me a wonderful author who has written a fantastic book. John, you are a distinguished law scholar and distinguished historian and you have given us a book for the ages at exactly the right time that we needed in the midst of a pandemic. You said that your goal is to do a citizens guide. What did you mean by that . Great question. I wanted to write a book that would be a first draft of the history of law epidemics for the year of covid and beyond. It would speak to an interested reader, not just a specialist in the field. I thought my value added may be to translate to readers that are just fascinated by the blizzard of legal issues that have arisen no. Of course, we never thought about it now. Particularly, what can we learn from them and what will we know when its going to be over. I want to begin, john, if i can, at the end of your book. Then i will pivot back to ask you more about this question. America has two histories. O
Do a citizens guide. What did you mean by that . Guest i wanted to write a book that would be a first draft of the history of the law of epidemics with the year of co covid and beyond but that it would speak to an interested reader and not just a specialist in the field. There are lots of specialists, and i thought my value added mighvalueaddedmight be to trane in the field to readers that are just fascinated we never thought about the past epidemics that we are certainly thinking about them now, particularly what can we learn from them and what do we know when its going to be over. But i want to begin if i can at the end of your book and then pivot back at the end of the interview to ask more about this question. You write america has two histories, one far more appealing in the months and years ahead americans will hold the power between them. Lets hold them and hope they make the right choice. Now im going to be asking more about what that choice is but for now, i just want to know
Law scholar and historian and given us a book for the ages in the midst of a pandemic so you said your goal what do you mean by that quick. Great question i wanted to write a book that would be a first draft of the history for the year of covid and beyond but to speak to the interested reader not just the specialist in the field i got the value added to readers you are fascinated of the legal issues in the last six months that really be on most peoples agenda until now. We never thought about past epidemics but we are now what we can learn from them and what do we know when it will be over so at the end of your book to ask you more about this question america has two histories one is far more appealing in the months and years ahead they will hold the power between them lets hope they make the right choice. I will be asking you more what that choice is at the end of the interview but for now , what is the ugly part of america . The ugly part is the discrimination against racial minoriti
Lets do the right thing and lets do it the right way. With that i will yield the floor. I come to the floor today in opposition to the nomination of judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. I am truly disappointed my republican colleagues have chosen to grandma through this aminee in the middle of pandemic when an election is underway and tens of millions of americans have already cast their ballot. The senate should be focused on a bipartisan relief package to help americans across the country who are struggling to pay the b bills and put food on the table during the pandemic. Instead, the only priority has been to push through a nominee who will alter the balance of the court and affect the lives of generations of americans days before the ballots will be counted to decide the next president of the United States and the makeup of this very body. The stakes in the nomination couldnt be higher. I want to read an excerpt from tuan email i received from a constituent this is from da