Before i call the meeting to order let me apologize fob being a little late i got called on a couple things coming down the hall. Were going to stand at ease thats a military term i learned a long time ago in the air force for just one minute while i talked to my trusted friend the Ranking Member and then well open the meeting. Call this meeting the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee together i apologize for being a little bit late but i wanted to make sure we were on the right track and i didnt mess anything up. I want to welcome secretary shulkin whos had a great start. I dont think anybody started out with a better unanimous vote than he, you cant do any better than unanimous when you get affirmed. I think the vote last week on accountability was extraordinary. And the way we got to the decision working together hand in hand was extraordinary and i commend the Ranking Member on his help in doing the same. Weve got some other things to do today to Start Talking about budget wise and w
We remain in a campaign to defeat isis where u. S. Troops are helping to destroy isis and reclaim mosul and raqqah. Meanwhile threats around the world continue to grow more complex and severe. North korea is closing in on the development of a Nuclear Capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile that can target our homeland and iran continues to destabilize the middle east and seek to drive the United States out of the region. At the same time, weave entered add new era of power competition. Russia and china, despite their many differences, are both modernizing their military it is, developing advanced capabilities to undermine our ability to project power globally. Russia continues to occupy crimea, destabilize ukraine, threaten our nato allies, falls to the murderous regime. And pursue a campaign of active measures to undermine the integrity of western democracies. Thousands of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines deployed in harms way around the globe, those of us charged with the
Before i call the meeting to order let me apologize fob being a little late i got called on a couple things coming down the hall. Were going to stand at ease thats a military term i learned a long time ago in the air force for just one minute while i talked to my trusted friend the Ranking Member and then well open the meeting. Call this meeting the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee together i apologize for being a little bit late but i wanted to make sure we were on the right track and i didnt mess anything up. I want to welcome secretary shulkin whos had a great start. I dont think anybody started out with a better unanimous vote than he, you cant do any better than unanimous when you get affirmed. I think the vote last week on accountability was extraordinary. And the way we got to the decision working together hand in hand was extraordinary and i commend the Ranking Member on his help in doing the same. Weve got some other things to do today to Start Talking about budget wise and w
We remain in a campaign to defeat isis where u. S. Troops are helping to destroy isis and reclaim mosul and raqqah. Meanwhile threats around the world continue to grow more complex and severe. North korea is closing in on the development of a Nuclear Capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile that can target our homeland and iran continues to destabilize the middle east and seek to drive the United States out of the region. At the same time, weave entered add new era of power competition. Russia and china, despite their many differences, are both modernizing their military it is, developing advanced capabilities to undermine our ability to project power globally. Russia continues to occupy crimea, destabilize ukraine, threaten our nato allies, falls to the murderous regime. And pursue a campaign of active measures to undermine the integrity of western democracies. Thousands of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines deployed in harms way around the globe, those of us charged with the