Additional comments or statements. Without objection, so ordered. And when we complete the Opening Statements we will turn to our panel of witnesses. We have five distinguished Witnesses Today, three at the federal level, one at the state and one of the local level for our hearing. We will swear those witnesses in and then we will hear their testimony, and then we will proceed with questions. So that will be the order of business that we will follow. So again, welcomecome and i will start with my opening statement. Unfortunately, the United States is experiencing a historic epidemic of Drug Overdose deaths. Today, Drug Overdose, overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. In 2014, i dont have the 2015 figures yet, but in 2014, listen to this, 47,055 deaths caused by Drug Overdose. That means that this hearing lasts for two hours. 10 people will die in the next two hours in the United States from Drug Overdose death. More americans this is a little chart sh
Secretary gibson will travel ton a series of facilities over the weeks to meet with veterans, their families and employees toh identify obstacles to Quality Health care. Ee and secretary gibson has said we must restore americas trust in Va Health Care system. We must restore that one veteran at a time. Our dedicated workforce over a a third of whom are veterans are engaged. Mr. Chairman, thank you to your dedication to and your care fore our nations fete rans. Mr. Griffin, you are recognized for five minutes. Chairman miller, ranking mmi, member michode and members of the committee, thank you for th opportunity to testify tonight e to discuss the results of the office of Inspector Generals work related to delays in care at the Phoenix Health care system. Im im accompanied by miss linda holiday, assistant inspector au general for audits and evaluation. Dion. The issue of manipulation of of wait lists is not now va and v. Since 2005, the oig has issued 18 reports that identified at both
To dispute it. Then he goes on to say this and i agree with this line, talk about all stem graduates now if there were a Talent Shortage where are the market indicators like wage increases . D so mr. Donahue and your friends at the chamber of commerce believe in the free market then why is it down if we have a shortage of workers . Why arent the wages going up . For another businessman that said recently there are 600,000 jobs in manufacturing going unfilled today the immigration bill king go along way to help uses fill these positions. Great scott. I have seen instances where thousands where people apply for just a h few jobs. As does he not have any interest first of all, that got our goals as a policymaker as United States of america is to say you have jobs . We havere to get people ready. K america is on welfare that needs to go to work. Give us such a dance of people here first before you take away the ford workers to take away the limited number of jobs. 2000 through 2013 all net
To increase local contracts to include for primary care and we are removing leadership where w appropriate. We are going to we have suspended all s. E. S. Performancs awards for vha for fy14. Ng we are focusing our hr hiringay efforts on bringing clinical engineering and administrative staff to the field. Secretary gibson will travel ton a series of facilities over the weeks to meet with veterans, their families and employees toh identify obstacles to Quality Health care. Ee and secretary gibson has said we must restore americas trust in Va Health Care system. We must restore that one veteran at a time. Our dedicated workforce over a a third of whom are veterans are engaged. Mr. Chairman, thank you to your dedication to and your care fore our nations fete rans. Mr. Griffin, you are recognized for five minutes. Chairman miller, ranking mmi, member michode and members of the committee, thank you for th opportunity to testify tonight e to discuss the results of the office of Inspector Gen
People. Iraqi the average sunni has no desire to live their life under isi rules. The good news is the average iraqi wants to move forward. Iraqi air force is basically granted, without american air power, it will be hard to turn the tide. You heard the reports the iranians say they want help. Should we encourage them to help , all of all things . We will probably need their help to hold that back. Their goal is to create a sectarian iraq. To have a puppet in baghdad, a shia dominated government where they control the outcome. Our goal is to have an inclusive iraq. Dealing with stalin, we will have to have some dialogue with iranians that say, lets coordinate efforts, but put a red line to the iranians. Do not use the crisis to take territory from the iraqi people. Put them on notice we will not iraq. Them invading into europe perspective from on the iran situation. The headline people blame the new horrors in iraq on the americanled invasion in 2003, but the exact inson why the countr