Starting at eight eastern on cspan. Cspan2, providing live coverage of the u. S. Senate floor proceedings and key Public Policy events. And every weekend, booktv. Now for 15 years the only Television Network devoted to nonfiction books and authors. Cspan2, created by the cable tv industry and brought to you as a Public Service by your local cable or satellite provider. Watch us in hd, like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. Iraq war veteran Travis Fugate says he may have gone p blind because his v. A. Center doctor didnt have the right information. Mr. Fugate says the v. A. s failure to fix issues was depressing. Veterans Affairs Department officials also testified at this hearing with members questioning why it was taking so long for the departments records to mirror the defense departments. This is just over two hours. [inaudible conversations] good morning. This hearing will come to order. I want to welcome everybody to todays hearing titled assessing inadequacies in v. A. Dat
Ia knew i would be here last august. I thought last april when i came up to meet everyone, plus, the park service meet me. What would you say i had a year to prepare . About. I if youd ask me a year and a half ago if id be here, i would never imagine such an honor. Its this is sort of a highlight for events beyond this. What diefo you have on tap . I will probably do reenacting still. I yes. S as i do living history where i can, and ive been requested at various places as i know general grant has to talk about the war. To present myself as lee, and thats what i plan on doing. Conti i plan on continuing to th portray general grant because i have no political ambitions at this time. Ultimately, actually, very soon, ill portray general grant president grant as well as general grant. What events . Living history events like this reenactments a lot of educational, professional leadership organizations such what h as that, people want to know how grant did what he did, how president grant di
We must be suspicious of legal classifications based solely on sexual orr orientation. And we must endeavor in all of our efforts to uphold and advance the values that once led our forbearers to declare unequivocally that all are created equal and entitled to equal opportunity. Now, this bed bedrock principles immutable, timeless, and it goes to the very heart of a what this country has always stood for even though the cause of civil rights has shown our understanding of it evolves over time. As i suggest after the administrations decision on doma was announced, americas most treasured ideals were not put into action or given the full force of law in a single instant. On the contrary, our ideals are continually advanced as our Justice Systems and as our union are strengthened. And as social science, human experience, legislation and judicial decisions expand the circle of those who are entitled to the protections and rights enumerated by the constitution. As we gather here in washingto
Mr. Sanders mr. President . The presiding officer the senator from vermont. Mr. Sanders i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. The presiding officer without objection. Morning business is closed. Under the previous order, the senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to s. 1982, which the clerk will now report. The clerk motion to proceed to the consideration of s. 1982, a bill to improve the provision of medical services and benefits to veterans, and for other purposes. The presiding officer the senator from vermont. Mr. Sanders thank you, mr. President. Let me ask unanimous consent that jason dean, my military fellow, be given floor privileges for the remainder of this congress. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Sanders mr. President , let me also thank senator murray, senator durbin, senator blumenthal for their very thoughtful and important remarks regarding the needs of veterans and why it is absolutely imperative that we pass this comprehensive veteran
To thank you and the Ranking Member who is currently not here, but you all in this committee have done such a great job in responding to this crisis. I think showing excellent leadership. We heard from the va directly. Weve heard from the gao, the office of Inspector General, hearing from the private sector. Each of us in our individual capacities are listening directly to the veterans in our community. I ask we have a panel of vet vans and Veterans Service organizations if we are talking about veterancentered care, we need to hear from them. And add to mr. Mcclains excellent suggestion of having a Management Organization identified structural and organizational weaknesses and complement that with the veterans and what they are missing in their care right now. I think one of the issues that has to be included in that review is the issue of accountability. Weve talked about and described our frustrations with the amount of money thats been authorized and appropriated. Virtually lost wit