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[inaudible] for purpose of the confirmation hearing for the nominee for the next secretary veterans administration. before we introduce the nominee for his remarks, the ranking member and i will make opening remarks and officially introduced our nominee after a nominee's testimony. yesterday in atlanta, georgia, and fabrication and a tragedy took place. the united dates military set himself on fire to severely injured near the state capital.

my home state, my home city, my country, make capital i immediately called him to find out the circumstances of the situation. i'm very proud of the response given to me and almost instantaneously ba in my conversations were doing everything they could to ascertain everything that led up in everything that they had done and could have been done and i'm satisfied the the information i have to date. the response has been thorough and complete. obviously saving of veterans like is the number one: priority which is in the process of being done now and we hope and pray that will happen. the reason i bring it up as this. we've had a situation for my last for years here in the committee wherever headline ever saw was about something that happened five years ago that was rob arbat. we've had so much good stuff happen, myself and the ranking

member that i just thought it was time to say this. we want to make headlines. we want to confront every tragedy when it happens and whatever resource behind it and see to it it never happens again. we also want to uplift those in the va doing so much to make it a better va today than it was in the past jon tester and i will make sure that happen and i'm confident republicans and democrats in this committee will do the same thing. we have a respected, talented nominee you will hear from them just a little bit for secretary. hopefully everything goes smooth in the near future will have a secretary sitting in the president's cabinet and we will begin building forward on the legislation this committee has passed in the last two years to make caregivers possible, accountability possible, better health care for veterans possible. we have done a plethora of things to improve the plight,

surveys and everything we give to veterans in terms of health services. senator tester and i will make sure we put a cherry on top of that sunday and every day is a good day at the va in a better day for veterans of america. introducer ranking member, jon tester. thank you, mr. chair. our thoughts are certainly with the family of the veterans and certainly the folks in georgia and refuse because what happened in georgia is not good news. it's not the kind of news we want to hear about a veteran in our country. we will continue to work together as the chairman said to make the va all i can be. so thank you, mr. chairman. robert, good to see you. good to have you here today. i appreciate your willingness to serve as acting secretary and your willingness to step forward now during what i believe our unprecedented times times at the va.

if confirmed, you will be tasked with ensuring our nation's veterans have access to timely care and services, benefits both housing and education and others that they have earned. they will treat every veteran regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation with dignity and respect they deserve. today this committee is here to determine whether you're the right person for the job. every new administration brings its own priorities and its own people to the table. that transition can often lead to turmoil and confusion and can generate uncertainty inside and outside the agency. from my days, the va has always been above that. the secret mission of serving our veterans and families has always transcended personal political agendas or political affiliation. since i've been in this committee are going to work with nicholson as closely as i worked

with direction psyche and also can take as closely as bob donald. each of them were focused on how best to serve veterans and didn't allow politics to get in the way of progress. recently we've seen via political appointees work actively in public to undermine a secretary and deputy secretary were unanimously confirmed by the senate. as we speak him and the secretary and deputy secretary positions are within the va. while the same political appointees continue to collect paychecks we are seeing nonpartisan senior leaders in subject matter experts leave the va in unprecedented numbers. many are concerned the sound policies and ideas are being increasingly marginalized at the expense of politics. we see reform after reform in a manner inconsistent with congressional intent. political interest groups given a seat at the table. va leadership who have been

confirmed lash out at anyone seeking transparency. the last couple of weeks the va's official media count has attacked news outlet has fake news. the va's official media count is fake news. the acting secretary is improperly claimed the independent inspector general is his subordinate, which couldn't be further from the truth. i hope you agree that this type of behavior undermines the va mission and does a disservice to the millions of veterans who rely upon va services. i hope everyone at the va was watching last week when the senate voted 96 to nothing to reaffirm the independent of the va ig. agencies can't be trusted to police themselves. veterans and taxpayers need to know they are not above the law. robert, i need to know you are the guy who understands the va has larger challenges. we simply cannot afford to get

weighed down. veterans are counting to implement the act in the next year and it is to be done with more transparency than the accountability act. congress will rollout the mission not didn't get it done right. if it doesn't happen, the buck stops with you. congressman and veterans will hold you accountable and i think you understand not. and marty concerned department is as ready for this monumental undertaking of the mission. for example, the va supposed to be contracting community care networks that will help facilitate a veterans access to community care. the states have been pushed back multiple times now. i'm concerned about that and i hope you are too. we'll also be counting on you to assure care inside the va is accessible and of the highest quality. congress provides the va to better carry out the mission in by the leadership of chairman isakson, they provide the tools.

far too often the va fails to properly utilize tools to deliver better outcomes for veterans. this absolutely needs to change and i'll be looking to you has the person ultimately responsible to make this happen. robert, i appreciate her working relationship. as i told you recently, i believe you're a straight shooter and when confirmed -- when confronted with the decision about what is best for veterans committee elected the best of intentions. the question is how will be impacted by the influence of others. talking about political appointees at the va or the white house feared sooner or later you'll come to a crossroads with these folks. that's what happened to david chilton and countless other folks who are no longer with the department. my only advice to you is to take cues from the veterans, the folks sitting in the saudia and do what you think is right, even if political forces threaten your job because i want you to

succeed. i really want you to succeed and i think the veterans across the country, in fact i know the veterans across this country want you to succeed, too. this requires scourge for the future. leading this nation's largest health care system is no small task and it demands the very best. i look forward to our discussion today and once again i went to thank you for your willingness to serve on behalf of this nation's veterans. thank you. >> thank you, senator tester. i'll introduce thom tillis for the purpose of introducing our nominee after which i will administer the oath. senator tillis. thank you, mr. chairman. chairman isakson, ranking member tester comments to which members of the committee, and proud to introduce my friend and colleague, robert wilkie is the nominee for secretary of the va. i've had the honor of working with robert for three years now. sometimes he works for me and many times they work for him.

his combination of knowledge, humor, humility and heart has been dear to all of my stuff in the scores of north carolina constituents. many of them veterans and service members. robert was born in frankfurt, germany and the sign of an army artillery officer, he literally grew up on fort bragg and he led most of his early life on fort bragg or fayetteville in north carolina. he received his ba from wake forest university from his jd from loyola college of law in new orleans. he received his master applause from georgetown university and masters in strategic studies the united states army war college. robert is an intelligence officer in the united states air force reserves today. previously he served in the atlantic intelligence command and join forces intelligence command and also served in the united states navy. he's long been regarded in

washington and been held in high regard in washington, especially on capitol hill where he developed close relationships with members on both sides of the aisle. he's also forged an excellent working relationship with the committee and the committee staff and is universally recognized a team player and mentor. throughout his distinguished career in public service, he's been a trusted advisor to some of the nation's most respected leaders including condoleezza rice, robert gates, donald rumsfeld and secretary mathis. frankly, given his step of experience, i was pleasantly surprised and very proud to have robert accept a position with the newly sworn in freshman senator. is clear to me from the start he was destined to serve the nation at a higher level. last year robert received a call from the ration when he was nominated to be the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. robert demonstrated his

extraordinary skills in just a few short months so as no surprise to me the administration identified him as the perfect fit to become the secretary of the va. when he was appointed to the acting role as va secretary come he quickly worked to improve morale of the va's earnings for members of congress and the va staff. he moved decisively to execute the electronic health record project, which we all know is a critical part of the va transformation and he also successfully push through the mission not to the finish line. robert has all the education and professional experience required to be the secretary of the va. perhaps what makes robert is suited for the job is his lifelong experience as an army brat and the personal experience the son of a gravely wounded soldier and a servicemember himself. he's literally lived the experience so i know robert will bring his birth national

experience and personal insight and an intensity to the role that will serve our veterans well. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator tillis. would you please raise your right hand and confirm your pledge. do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give for the senate committee on veterans affairs would be the true, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god? please be seated and please introduce your lovely wife julie so everyone can get an eye on her. >> thank you, sir. my wife julie is behind me. we have known each other since we were youngsters growing up in fayette well. as you know, mr. chairman, she has a very strong georgia connection. her grandmother -- that's the real smart. that's right.

in 2006 and 2017. she is with me and nothing that i have achieved would have been possible without her. mr. chairman, senator tester and distinguished members of the committee on veterans affairs, this is the third time i have appeared in the confirmation chair. i mentioned how long i've known my wife and one of the apps hacks of our relationship in those early years is that our high school was about three blocks away from the fayette co. veterans hospital. every day on our way to and from high school, we would see a sign outside the veterans hospital but is that the price of freedom is visible here. so i am humbled today not only by the confidence placed in me by the president of the united states and the support of our veterans service organizations, but to be introduced by senator

tillis. having grown up in the military world come he exemplifies what all of us from that world strive to be commanded his servant leader. as the senator said, i've been privileged to experience military life from many angles. as the son of a gravely wounded, soldier, as an officer, senior leader in the pentagon including leading the reform of the defense health agency and for eight weeks at the acting secretary of the department of veterans affairs. my modest military service was inspired by my ancestors. i walk the field of shiloh with my great-grandfather. as a young captain of field artillery, he witnessed thousands perish in a matter of minutes in the battle of 1918. in the short time that i was privileged to know him, he impressed upon me the cost paid by ordinary americans caught up

in the incommunicable experience of war. mr. chairman, senator tillis noted, my own life changed when my father returned from his second combat tour in vietnam. i was seven when we received the word he had been terribly wounded. he came home after year in army hospitals. he weighed less than half of what he did when he left. i watched the agonizing recovery from that experience was on my mind when i was asked to come to the aid. as i did secretary of veterans affairs i visited five va hospitals in eight weeks, met with the combined leadership were three major va component, benefits, health and cemeteries and visited our claims processing center in baltimore as well as the maryland veterans treatment court. it was clear to me that the veterans population is changing faster than we realized. for the first time in 40 years, half of our veterans are now under the age of 65.

of america's 20 million veterans, 10% are now women. the new generation is computer savvy and demands 21st century service. service that is quite, diverse and close to home. for the va to thrive as an integrated health care network, must be agile and adaptive. more importantly i mentioned to senator sanders in our meeting last week. i experienced what can and will never be duplicated in the private sector and that is the communal aspect of the va. what does that mean? it means on our veterans walk into any va facility they converse with men and women who speak unique language of military service. so what are the priorities? first, and improve the culture. offer world-class customer service. second, improve access to care through implementation of the mission not in transformative

i.t. modernization such as electronic health record. reduce the backlog of claims and payments and finally, business transformation including performer for human resource system. mr. chairman, and when an american veteran comes to va, it is not to him to employ a team of lawyers to get va to say yes. it is that to va to get the veteran to yasmin matus customer service. many of the issues i encounter is acting secretary were not with the quality of medical care, but getting veterans through the door to reach that care. those problems are both administrative and bureaucratic. alexander hamilton said the true test of a good government is its aptitude and tendency to produce a good administration. that is where va must go. the new electronic health record system is the first death to modernize va.

it modernizes her appointment system. it is also the template to get us started on the road to automate disability claims and particularly to our providers and will america and who administer emergency care. more important, interoperability of the new electronic health record system will connect to va to the dod, private doctors in private pharmacies to create a continuum of care and organize health care around veterans need. this is also opportunity to turn the corner and be an industry leader in opioid abuse, intervention and suicide prevention. this is transformation, to standardize policies and procedures across the integrated service networks. it's also essential if we are to move past the mid-1990s compartmentalized model and give power to the professionals closest were veterans. this means reforming human resources to give those same people more leeway to manage

their budget and recruit, retain and relocate the staff they need to serve veterans. transformation also means entering into more robust partnerships with our state and local communities to address veteran homeless as the particularly plagues our vietnam veterans who also suffer the highest rate of suicide. we are also pledged to help veterans transition to a new life in education and nonmilitary careers. if confirmed, i will leverage bas partnership with labor, small business administration in defense and other agencies to carry out this pledge. mr. chairman, as secretary matta said in his congress pass a $700 billion defense budget, there are no more excuses. you and the ranking member have infused va with the $200 billion budget. you have passed the accountability act to shake up complacent we can pass the mission not to bring

institutional va community care and caregivers closer together. the future now it's up to the department. i would like to take the opportunity to close at the charge from president eisenhower. five months after his inauguration about 40 korean war veteran climbed aboard the presidential yacht williamsburg docked about two miles from where we were sitting. many of those veterans were missing limbs and some were horribly disfigured. when ike arrived at the pier, the secret service rent a planks to separate the president from his troops. see matt, eisenhower yelped salt. i know these men. the agents retreated on the soldiers gathered around. he has to address them at attention and those who could did stand. but he said that there was nothing that the country could do for them to compensate what they had given to america. he also said you never put your uniform away.

you have to get well to remind your countrymen every day that freedom is never free. mr. chairman, that is why the va must succeed. it is to remind americans every day that freedom is not free. mr. chairman, thank you to look forward to your questions. >> robber, congratulations on your nomination and thank you for an outstanding statement. i read it the night before last when they met with yesterday. i thought what a compelling statement of us and how appropriate it was for the challenges we face. i want to repeat here what i told you yesterday because there needs to be any equivocation about what we are looking to. you are getting an agency that is hedged problems, an agency that represents promises we've made to those who have served an rest of their lives for our country. an agency in need of help. an agency we're all proud of and want to be more proud of. senator tester and his democratic side of the aisle and

bnr is on the side had done everything we could in the last year and a half from accountability for increases in everything in the world we can do to make the va respond to the question the va has had. he mentioned the $200 million infusion of file. mr. wilkie, there are no excuses anymore. failure is not an option. we know what the problems are. we know what we need to do. we stand ready to be the wind at your back and have your back to see to it our veterans get what they fought for and risk their lives for the american people see us that they had to have given always and will give now to the future. that is my one admonition. whatever my phone number he is god, i'm on duty 24/7 when it comes to the va. if you have problems you call us because we want to fix it before investors way. >> when you say customer service

to a better income at similar customer service to veteran means to you. >> customer service, mr. chairman, means that before the veteran walks into the door of the va, he is already been greeted through scheduler is, medical professionals with americans who are ready to serve him. i noted that in some of the debates this committee have come in greatest problem that you all saw was actually getting the veteran through the door. i have no doubt that the va provides care in america, but i also understand getting to that care is something that the leadership of the veterans affairs department has to focus in on like a laser beam. world-class customer service is the key. that ties into something you and i talked about in your office and it goes to human resource management. the first people are veterans

contact is usually the schedulers. ba has had a hard time keeping the schedules. train them and then they often leave. i do believe it is incumbent on the secretary of the va to have long discussions with the office of personnel management to make sure that the secretary has the ability to adjust pay scales so that people who are there at the very ground-level when the veteran comes to work for columns in, treat him respect away and stay in a job and learn what it means to talk to a veteran. >> mr. wilkie, as you know, senator sullivan, senator rounds , senator boozman, senator tester, other members of this committee represents states were veterans or a long distance away from our va facilities. sometimes a full-day strike in some cases. montana as big as the days.

as you may know in the debate on the mission bill and in the markups, a choice program that works to make the health care services available to the veteran is a key to the argument and debate. you work as hard as you can tell us what you plan to do to see to it the timing and in reality of employment is good and we had the problem we have with veterans not been able to reach the services they deserve and earned. >> yes, sir. this goes to something senator sullivan and senator tester and i talked about. those of us in the 21st century do not understand the scale of the american left. in montana, a normal journey is sometimes taking 600 miles around tips to get to a va facility. choice means getting those veterans and their family caregivers the opportunity to engage with va anytime of the

day, but also that the development to the community care networks, which will provide them access to services that will be close to home so that the burden is not on them to get to va. the problems with choice were also such that because it was so rapidly implemented, particularly in rural america, our providers were not being paid at not only the small-town doctors, but small community hospitals were veterans go to get emergency care. if we do not automate that system and make it part of an integrated community care network, we will have filled veteran, but in particular those veterans who live in our largest state geographically. >> senator tester.

thank you, mr. chairman. thank you for being here, mr. wilkie. when you agree to take this job, whether any conditions attached? >> no, sir. no commissions. >> would have the economy to a fighter and deputies to carry out your vision at the va? >> yes, sir. >> are you empowered to do what you believe is best for veterans even if it has a disagreement with the president? you might guess, sir. i senator tillis noted, and i have been privileged to work for some of the most high-powered people in this town. dr. rice, dr. terry gates, general mattis comment they pay me for their opinion and they give them to them. >> is a mention in my statement, the secretary recently directed the independent inspector general to act as a subordinate. i can go through his direct

quote, but do you think that is appropriate? the inspector general coming from the military life, the inspector general is an integral part of any military organization. i'm not familiar since i left va with all the particulars are talking about, but the ig is a partner, is not subordinate to the secretary. va because of the work this committee has three prongs of what i would call the investigation and enforcement tool. not only the inspector general, that the office of the general counsel as well as the accountability in the global protection office. my vision is that those three offices work symbiotically. va software is everyone in this committee knows, with places like phoenix because the ig office at that time was not as diligent as it should be and it

lost the train on it. >> you do not believe the ig works for you, do you? >> i believe the ig works with me. >> independently. >> yes, that the ig as any ig and it certainly worked with the department is given the silence by the secretary. the secretary feels the dissent name then you to be investigated >> got you. would you commit to not interfere or hinder the independent of the va and be transparent when asked together? >> not only do i commit to that, but interference with the inspector general even though i'm a recovering lawyer -- [inaudible] >> okay, thank you. the program has been a train

wreck. i think that is part of the problem with the choice act. it's not the case at the mission act though. congress has provided va with a full year to implement and get that off the ground. any delays or snags will not even -- i just don't think it's going to be accepted by this committee. the implementation of the rules established and standing at the community care networks i talked about in my opening statement. i'm troubled that these contracts, the words of been delayed. i think they potentially could undermine your ability to establish a robust program that would fall right back into the same pitfalls we have with choice. so the question is, day one when you get on the job as it applies to the mission act, would you going to do to make sure the

program works? >> yes, sir. the last project i began before he had to leave and return to the department of defense was a deep dive on the integration of the three regional community care network contracts. my understanding is that they are on schedule to be signed or implemented at the end of the year. i didn't get much beyond that. but i will pledge to come back here if confirmed and give you a report as soon as i get there as to where that is. because it can be delayed any longer. >> good. you talked about on the problems is getting through the door and i agree, at the va. i had a bunch of interns and they said if you could do one thing with the va, what would it be? i said we don't have enough.yours commander says.

this 200 clinical vacancies in montana. that's unacceptable. what do you intend to do differently? the shortages have to be filled. what are you going to do differently to make sure we get folks on board? >> to things. first of all because of the size and complexity be a approach filling the vacancies that you rightly mentioned will not work. we have to target for va has the greatest need. to me even though i'm not a doctor for primary care physicians come and turn two skills vital in the american west. mental health workers and medical professionals who specialize in women's health. the second part of that would be to finally create and holistic approach to veterans care. i was stunned when i visited the

small business administration and was told i was the first secretary they had seen in a long time. there are a lot of places in the federal government we can go to leverage resources to help veterans particularly in those things we don't often talk about. education, vocational rehabilitation and job training. >> senator rounds. thank you, mr. chairman. mr. wilkie, first of all, thanks for being here. thank you for her service to our country and taking on this challenging job. i'm one of the senators up here who voted against the new mission act and i did it not because there were some good ideas being brought forth in the new proposal, but rather because the same protections found within the previous choice act are no longer there anymore and one of them was the fact that if he went for 30 days without

being able to get in but you could go the doctor of your choice. i guarantee it's now gone. at the same time today, 53% of those veterans initially applying for application for services were going beyond 30 days. those folks no longer have the promise that they can go someplace else. you made it very clear you want to provide world-class customer service. what i would like you to be able to do a share of the veterans out there the number of days that they should expect to have to wait, if any, in order to get in. and how long will it take you to change it for more than 30 days, which is now, to a reasonable number of days under the proposal that includes community care network. >> i will keep mentioning that i'm not a doctor, but i

certainly was responsible for the reform of the defense health agents and toppled the waiting times that are military dependent were facing. we had, as the va did, on military installations are family still making appointments on paper. the threshold question i think is a complicated question is that depends on what the veteran is seeking. but the veteran is seeking a yearly physical, i would not expect va to handle that in two or three days. if the veteran is though, i would expect them to move as rapidly as possible. the 30 days is on next up the ball. it goes back to the reforms that are contained in mission act and the beauty of the electronic health record system is that it

actually gets to that. it has markers put into the system that will alert institutional va as to how rapidly they have to get that veteran into the system. there will be a scale based on what the battery needs. 30 days is unacceptable. again, with the new automation coming, i think we will have for the first time the ability to do a triage as soon as the veteran or his pharmacy or his local doctor puts information into the system. >> let me ask how long you think it will take to implement the system before veterans can expect to have their waiting time less than 30 days. >> that system will take several years. >> for several years in which

veterans right now, in excess of 30 days. >> the changes that i will be advocating in terms of bridges in the appointment system will address those issues as well as better training for those making schedules for veterans. we still have a computer system that does that. it does need to be updated. we will be able to transfer in increments. >> what you're saying is it's going to be a while, but you're focused on it. next, i've got literally dozens of providers in south dakota who provide services to veterans who have never been paid. hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars it would

you commit to us today that those folks that are dealt out dollars have been appropriate avenue to get reimbursed for the services they provided. >> thank you. blasphemy said something in my office about which was very compelling and i just want you -- you bring a huge respect to to be a congressional staffer. senior civilian leader in a deity to a very difficult job right now. i want to thank you once again for the service. we met in my office last week, you brought up a number of challenges he witnessed during her time as an acting secretary. would you expand on your reference to walk in the post and other experiences you had from her time in and around the military and how would you like to bring that to the va? >> yes, sir. thank you. walking the post is an ancient military term that requires the

commander to walk amongst his troops. senator tillis will laugh at me. it dates from shakespeare. it is beaten into our heads from the time we raise our hands. i will tell you and i'm not casting aspersions on anyone. i was amazed walking in the head quarters in some parts had been told i was the first secretary that many of those folks had seen. i mentioned in the first statement that i gave that it had to be a bottom-up organization. anyone who says that the secretary shared and claims he has the answers should not be there. walking the post means talking to the people and to the veteran using va services in the field.

>> mr. wilkie, think you're the right man for the job. i think you've got a huge job ahead of you. >> thank you ascender rounds. senator sanders. thank you, mr. chairman. [inaudible] let me reply to tell you what my dilemma is. we discussed this a little bit last week. the veterans organizations and the veterans in the state of vermont are in fact quite proud of the va. they feel that everything being equal once they get into the va will receive high quality cat. there is to the best of my knowledge overwhelming opposition to the privatization of the va from the american legion, vfw, all of the major veteran organizations. we have a statewide veterans meeting of vermont a couple months ago and say and do everything you can to prevent

the privatization of the va. the president last year introduced the budget, which called for a trillion dollars cuts in medicaid over 10 year period. $500 cut in medicaid. congress wanted to and the affordable care act. so we have a sentiment here that is not terribly in favor of public health for government run health care and yet of course the va for all intents and purposes a socialized health care system. and then on top of oligopoly of the former secretary committee of the secretary committee mitchell could do if i thought did a pretty good job when he was fired by the president commercial can indicated he thought it was because he was moving forward on privatization. given that context, let me ask you two questions. number one, do you believe in the privatization of the va?

that's question number one. >> know, senator. >> we vigorously opposed the koch brothers and various organizations for the president of the united states in the effort to privatize the va. >> my commitment to you is i will propose to privatize. >> okay. >> the difficulty of course is the devil is in the details. chairman isakson made the good point, which i agree with them to constantly get negative stories about the va commit to you and i know every single day the va stunned phenomenal work all over this country. and there is no disagreement on this committee that if somebody has to travel 300 miles to get a physical checkup but that's insane when they can get it in their office or in fact if somebody came to services they need, they should really get a local caregiver. on debates about.

the the devil is in the details. what happens if you have a va where people can walk in and cared when someone prefers the number one. on top of that, one of my concerns is the reason i voted against the mission bill is that it puts $5 billion in two the program is your dollars into the va. the completion of funds for the va putting that into the choice program. >> you and i had a great discussion about this in your office. i will also say that there are things the va does and i've mentioned one that goes through the medical items that will never be replicated in the private sector. spinal cord injury, dramatic or

an injury, rehabilitative services, prosthetics, services to the blind. you're not going to find it anywhere. i do believe though, if we believe the veteran is central, we can also make the argument that as long as the va is the central note in his care and i veteran has a day-to-day events with the va and walks through where they can help them with care when he immediately needs to. that reinforces i think the future of the va. >> i apologize to interrupt. let me just ask you a couple questions. will probably preempt senator murray has led the effort on caregivers. would you support the full funding of caregivers for the caregivers program so that every

generation will have a service? >> senator as i said, i'm a dependent of the vietnam era. >> one of the concerns many veteran organizations have is that dental care is a part of health care is not part of the va health care other than service perspective. would you be willing to look with me at expanding health care and dental care are veteran people at a service cannot did. >> senator, dr. office in yesterday talked with the chairman about that issue. if the chairman is desirous, we will explore that with you. i don't know enough about it. but if there hearings down the road, certainly participate. >> senator is correct. i brought it up when we talked

yesterday. the request that she made on the approach, but i will assure you it would be timely. i've got a couple other problems like that. i live up to my promise to do that. the facts merit making the decision we will do it that when we comes. he will have the chance. thank you, mr. chairman. thank you, mr. wilkie. >> senator brand. thank you, mr. chairman. mr. wilkie, thank you for your presence with us today. thank you for your service to our nation. i'm delighted to have you back to the conversation. when i judge whether the va is working for veterans, they do so by what is called casework, which is in veterans speak out

for my stuff to solve problems at the numbers of the action says it suggests to me in order to make certain we and we receive our hope. right now we have 80 open veteran cases with a steady stream of 30 cases each month. you indicate in your statement that when the veteran comes to the va, you want him to employ a team. >> he or she ought not have to employ a team of lawyers to get the va ts. i want to commend you on that and i want to work with you to make certain that you have the best opportunity you can to get the va to a position of yes on behalf of those the department is created to serve. before you jump into a couple questions, i want to highlight a couple of things in

construction, both at leavenworth and wichita va meant centers. various efforts afoot for a long time to create a partnership in the case of leavenworth from a public-private partnership and wichita va. a partnership returning the air force base, mcconnell and the va. i raised those today in her confirmation hearing because i will be back with you. those who have been often on the list for a long time, those partnerships are something we ought to pursue and today to be has failed to do so. i acknowledge and believe you have a monumental task ahead of you. i think in performing in successfully implementing the va mission act, if it is implemented correctly it can be transformative. it can reduce the number of cases my staff and i first do on behalf of veteran.

one of my my complaints and i raised this in the confirmation hearing of one of your predecessors had so often when congress passes legislation, the va implementation my view is contrary to the intent in many cases contrary to the letter of the law that was implemented. what can you tell me about your efforts in regard to implementation of va mission act. how would she make certain that the will of congress is pursued. i've seen in my view pushback from the department of federal affairs and how can you overcome that reticence? >> i support senator sanders and may i take a step back and tell you how i did it at dod. as many of you know who work military issues personnel and readiness have not had any confirmed leadership i think

since the bush administration. in order for me to send a signal to the congress and to those who work in pnr, that the organization was able is moving forward. to implement outstanding instructions for national defense authorization bills going back to ask why time. the va has a problem as you mentioned, but the problem at dod were catastrophic. dod has not implemented the exception of a family member program. it had not implemented the sexual harassment policy that may have quite the bill had not begun the full implementation in the fy 17 bill. a direct to for dod to carry out those programs.

we now have a sexual harassment problem. the programs are moving out and we are looking at a sober first for the first implementation. i don't know the specifics of the outstanding directives from past authorization bills, but it could be the same pledge that i gave senator mccain. >> i don't have much time, but i would say senator tester raise the issues of vacancies, positions unfilled. ..

>> thank you. appreciate you being before us today. before i get into some of the specific issues, i do want to express my concern with reports about your opposition to equal pay for equal work and your record on diversity and are passionate advocacy for the confederate flag. but when asking about it. i will be submitting questions for the record and we do have limited time but i do want to get full and just back on those from you in writing. mr. willkie, as part of the nation act congress expanded eligibility for the caregivers program sender does sanders mentioned veterans of all errors and added critical new services. i work at to include in the bettors appropriation bill almost $861 million for the caregiver program, 355 million of the president's request. so va has the resources it needs to start implementing this expansion so we need the va to commit to making the needed reforms come to enhancing

capacity and strict oversight of these programs operation so it's extremely important, if confirmed i want to know what you make this a top priority for the va to fully implement the new caregivers law as congress intended? >> absolutely, yes, senator. >> we will count on that and we will be watching. two years ago this congress gave vad authority to provide ivs and the vanessa fertility treatment for ill or injured veterans and their spouses. access to this care is important. important. and help veterans realize their dreams of starting a family but access to this care promise to her veterans is still difficult. if confirmed will you ensure additional providers are enrolled into the program and any of the necessary steps taken to make sure our veterans do have easy access to this treatment in the country? >> senator cohen women's health is the frontier, the new frontier for va, absolutely.

the issues that i confronted at dod are similar to the want at va. and and in responsive senator moran question, congress has spoken on the services that you just described and we will move out on those. >> this is really important that this is not veterans who have been injured through no fault of their own. our country is promised to make them whole again. this is something i will follow very closely under your jurisdiction. senator sanders asked about privatization. i appreciate that. i stand where he does and your aunt was important to all of us. so let me ask you, i knew dod has been struggled with the role of the new electronic healthcare record. you are well aware of that. i've heard from providers in my state, from fairchild air force base, to jbl him about their dire concerns about the impact on quality of care.

you sign the contract to move forward on procuring the same system. we cannot see the same problems that dod has experienced. i want to know what you will do to oversee the rollout and what specific steps you going to take to make sure quality and access to care is not diminished. >> senator, one of the reasons i got a lot of criticism for not showing up in the at a meeting with signing off on healthcare record. i i wanted to see that it could work. i had the best minds from the west coast and experts from other parts of the country take a look at it and convinced me it could work. i do want to say though that the report that we saw at dod on images, i believe mhs, networking two years ago, i'm glad it didn't work because what that was was, i'm the head, let

me give you an example. i'm the head of the secretaries close combat task force. my job is to make sure that our weapons are tested, our systems are tested before we put them in the hands of any of our soldiers. soldiers. the testing of that system was designed to show us where it wasn't working before we fully implemented. that is due diligence. in business it's a due diligence. in government. i believe that many of those problems that they were experiencing have been remedied because they found the kinks when they started that beta testing several years ago. i will not commit to putting any program online until it is properly tested. >> since becoming interim va secretary, what are you doing to higher qualified leaders and what individuals so they can

manage the implementation of this? >> in the short term i found experts in complex dod systems that come aboard. it stopped when i let the va and went back to dod. i will have to pick it up when i return, if i return. >> can you get back to that on what steps you will taken? >> yes. >> thank you. and if you have additional questions i will submit for the record. >> let me inject, what the senator has brought up is extremely important. one of my adventures in life or misadventures in life was being selected by a government takeover of department of education, why to k preparation, keep up with student information system, , the criticism, financs and everything else. i was not a good expert but it run a pretty large company so new i had to go hire people who are able to do it and after about a week i found out we ared problems are owned agency

cooperating with professional how to build to do what we did, turn around and find everybody, canceled the contracts, got people ingenuity are doing and got it finished in six months and past y2k. i'm going to expect you type of a -- what happens is the back its contingent and all of a sudden you have a crisis, lack of cooperation so the first thing way to do is that everybody at the ground level in va cooperate with everything that's record of them to input into the system to make it work to begin with. i'm sorry in rocket this is important. senator boozman. >> thank you, mr. chairman and thank you, mr. wilkie, for being here as well as your wife. we appreciate her. when you take on a task like this these are certainly family affairs and we appreciate both of you all. you've got a very to back rent and i will serve well in the job are asking you to do. you have as a military child,

military officers and civilian civil servant. you understand many of the complexities associated with serving our nation and have experienced firsthand the importance of taking care of our nation's of veterans. we have been able to get together yet and look forward to doing that. on the other hand, i've enjoyed working with you in the capacity of chairing milcon va on several occasions, but i do support your nomination and will enthusiastically vote for you because of those, the experience i've had with you. one thing i'd like to visit with you, i think it's very, very important, , we had a tragedy in arkansas. the fayetteville va medical center greatly impacted a number of families and a very, very negative way. former pathologist was found to be impaired, westermann did. all his cases are under review, by a third party. i'm pleased to hear that the initial response is being met

with positive reports from veterans. the call center handling patients, inquiries and all that is working well. we appreciate the concerted effort of the team on the ground. i think it really was a model as how he responded so we appreciate that very much. i see dr. clancy here. she has been personally involved in very, very good job. i guess the thing that that i would like to follow-up with, i'd like to know if i have your personal commitment that you keep a close eye on the situatn as it continues to unfold to ensure timely notifications continue to remain a priority, veterans receive timely follow-up care should they need or request it and the independent reviews are handled expeditiously while maintaining the integrity of the review process. >> yes, sir. senator boozman, i will follow up by referring back to

something senator tester said. the response in arkansas on the tail and was outstanding because you saw the coming together of the u.s. attorney, the leadership of the va, state of arkansas. the problem obviously was terrible by the time it reached that. where senator tester was talking about a vigorous inspector general, that's one of those areas that without a robust inspector general we are going to have problems finding. so it ties into what the ranking member was -- >> i appreciate that, and really my follow-up was, i would like to commitment we review the policies and procedures within the va to enact the necessary changes to prevent such a tragedy as a result of this type of misconduct from occurring

again in the future. we appreciate that very, very much. the other thing is, senator murray asked about the i.t. system and things, and i'd like, i think we all share the questions that she had and appreciate the response that you had concerning that. i guess what i would like to know is how you believe the program is progressing now? it hasn't been very long but the progress now, and do you anticipate any additional delays or challenges during the implementation phase? >> i don't anticipate any additional delays now, but i do want to say that it can happen overnight. it is a four-year implementation system for the caregiver network. veterans injured before may 7,

1975, their problems will be fully online i believe by 2019 -- their programs. two years later, those will come after the end of the vietnam war will be fully online. i will do my best to accelerate that, but but i read a lot in e papers about this program happening overnight. this is a radical change in terms of the mission act for va. it is still taking the department of defense a while to get tri-care right. it's much, much better than it was four years ago but this is one of those programs that we will implement and i will give it my full attention. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator boozman. senator hirono. >> thank you, mr. chairman. welcome, mr. wilkie, and thank you for the time you spent

talking with me. >> thank you, senator. >> i ask every nominee who comes before any of my committee to answer the following two questions. one, since you become a legal adult have you ever made unwanted requests or sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature? >> no. >> have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct? >> never. >> i wanted to ask about you ss dengue projects in hawaii. we did discuss this briefly in our beating and, of course, as a nihilistic veterans in a white face unique challenges accessing the a character oftentimes veterans need to fly from the island that they live on to honolulu if care is not available in their home island. it's what i consistently fought for construction of canada-based care options for hawaii veterans living on the neighbor islands including the new va clinic plan for maui, hawaii and hawaii island.

there are a total of seven outstanding va clinic projects at various levels in the procurement process that my office has been monitoring including the future patient health access, which i worked to authorize in the 2014 choice act. can you commit to continue to provide my office updates from the a on the status of these projects and ensure they are completed and a timely manner. >> was yes, senator, , and a vey well aware of the unique challenges both white and alaska face, and if confirmed, i will take you up on your invitation to concede those. >> thank you very much. as a secretary of defense personal and readiness you implement a new sexual harassment policy early in your tenure and i commend you for that. a few much to go to the board came out with a troubling survey of federal employees that found that va has the most report incidences of sexual harassment of any federal agency.

so i assume that's us is a high-protein for you and that i'll be in touch with just what your plans are to address this is problem at the va. >> yes, senator, and i will start by comparing what was done by my office at department of what has been done at the. >> we will stay in touch with you on your progress. senator murray referred to a recent article in the "washington post" and she will submit some questions for the record, but i just what ask you when you were working for then senate majority leader lott you marked up a draft resolution may to highlight the pay gap and call for equal pay for women for equal work. some of the reported that it could be considered rather offensive and condescending, particularly a provision that you put into this resolution that quote called on congress to require young women to finish high school as a condition of receiving welfare end quote. those are your edits to this

proposed resolution. why did you put those, make that in addition to the resolution? >> thank you for bringing that up. i had to put on my memory cap to go back and redo that. i was the floor manager for the majority leader. senator lott instructions were that he saw every piece of legislation that came through. i was an expert in that field. i took it to him. he and the staff made changes. some of the changes that i remember making that did not get put into the "washington post" story that senator lott is the leader wanted to recognize american women who chose to stay at home. and also that -- >> excuse me. i'm sorry. did you put in that edit?

>> i don't, i do remember. i was not, i passed it off to step. >> do you think it is good idea then to acquire young women to finish high school before they can receive welfare? >> i i would not make that a requirement. again, i was just the floor manager. i was not an in any of those. >> to you believe women including veteran chef to finish high school to receive government benefits? >> that would never enter my mind. >> thank you. the article also noted some of the positions adjutant because you worked for some very conservative people such as of course in addition to senator lott, senator helms and they had some views that would now be deemed very offensive. considering that there are some concerns being raised about your own attitudes toward the kinds of views that your previous bosses held, would you welcome

the scrutiny that you will probably face based on your past positions to make sure that you are treating women and minorities fairly and with respect as the head of the va, should you be confirmed? >> senator, i will say and i sit respectfully, i welcome the scrutiny of my entire record. the "washington post" seemed to stop at my record about 25 years ago. if i been with the "washington post" implied, i don't believe i would have been able to work for condeleezza rice or bob gates or jim mattis. and i think i've had 11 -- nine, full field background investigations by the fbi and i will tell you the first question to ask anyone to talk to is this person someone who discriminates against anyone on the basis of race, sexual orientation or creed? and they just finished an investigation? all the way back to my 18th

year, so i'm very, i will stand on my record. >> thank you for that reassurance. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator hirono. senator sullivan. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. wilkie, thank you for volunteering to serve again. i think that was a very powerful opening statement, one of the best opening statements i've heard of any cabinet nominee, and i want to thank you for that. i fully intend to support your nomination, and hopefully most of my colleagues were all my colleagues will as well. i appreciate you and the children already talking about rural issues. as i said before the ours rule america, extreme rural america and then there is alaska. it's not just the size. i don't like doing this to the ranking member, but he mention montana.

i think we're close to five times the size of montana, but it's also the expanse if you look come as a talker in a beating, if you looked at the expanse of alaskans superimpose over the lower 48 southeast communities like ketchikan in my state would be intent of the northern florida area. northern to reduce the my state like barrel would be the northern part of north dakota and the aleutian island chain would extend out to san francisco. so my state is actually a continental wide place, and yet we do not have a full-service va hospital, the state of alaska. and yet we have the highest number of veterans per capital, and incredibly patriotic population that includes the alaska native population, almost 20% of my constituents who served at some of the highest ranks in the military of any ethnic group in the country,

despite, you know, let's they succumbed during world war ii, korea, vietnam, the was a lot of discrimination going on to this group. when a very good discussion and i appreciated that. most of it was about these challenging issues as it relates to alaska, and so the first thing i'd like from you is to get a commitment to come with me to alaska soon in your tenure to meet with my veterans, see some of these challenges, cds patriotic americans firsthand. i think, dr. shulkin did that with me for almost gosh, six days at a think it really had an impact on him on some of our challenges. can i get that commitment from you? >> i i would be honored to come. >> great, thank you. one of the ways the va extends its reach into parts of my state is through partnerships with alaska native health organizations, what are called tribal sharing agreements with

the va. one of the main aspects of the mission act that focus on extreme rural states like ours and some of the other states is these tribal sharing agreements were actually mandated in the mission act. so can i get your commitment that you will initiate consultation with the alaska native health board and other tribal health organizations upon your confirmation on redo negotiations for the va tribal sharing agreements to nail this down, working on a five-year extension to the current contract but that contract is expiring next year and the clock is ticking so it's a very high property issue for me and my constituents. can i get your commitment on this? >> yes. >> the other issue we talked about was how you suggested, and i couldn't agree more, that when it comes to understand the needs of local veterans in different

states, oftentimes the local va really knows best. do you agree with that still? [inaudible] >> and get your commitment upon confirmation that you come to alaska and consult with our local va leadership? i think again one of the things that we see here is where challenges at the headquarters, no doubt but a lot of times the va local leadership is working quite well. can i get your commitment on that as of? >> yes, senator. >> i asked dr. shulkin district i had put out, questions that you like to ask you when dr. shulkin was up for his confirmation, and we will submit a number of for the record, one of the questions was from a guy by the name of bob tom's, nickname is cajun bob. he lives in alaska.

he's very well known in my state, beloved, but he's more well-known in washington. people probably don't know his name but if you been going down constitution avenue for the last six months and seen that giant portrait of a marine and the tet offensive, at the news museum, it's huge. got a marine, he is counterattacking, he's a staff sergeant or again and the tet offensive, way city battle. his candies are shredded. that's cajun bob. he received six purple hearts in the marine corps, silverstar in the battle of way city. that battle has depicted i think it is still up there in the news museum. you should go take a look. and his question to me, a real here among us, we have so many we are proud of, was the concern we hear from so many veterans that there's been stories of senior leadership at the va not

being held accountable for some actions they take into i think we try to address this with accountability act but the veterans themselves feel sometimes are stuck in a system that works against them, not for the period he had a very basic question when dr. shulkin was up for his confirmation. i'm just going to repeat it. forgive the language conveys a bit of a salty marine but a hero. the question was, will you be able to take ass and take names for the veterans, for the veterans, above anybody else if you are confirmed to be the secretary, and how would you get? >> being an air force reserve officer we don't use language like that -- [laughing] but it takes away from other things. but yes, sir. i was very proud, and you can tell cajun bob this, when i was sworn in the pentagon, it was

referenced that i been born in khaki diapers. and to think my attitudes towards that and leadership flow from having been in that world my entire life. >> thank you. i look forward to confirmation. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator sullivan. senator manchin. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you, mr. wilkie, for your service and continued desire to serve as you can tell we're all proud of the veterans interstates there we want to make sure you don't move everything to alaska. >> we still have hospital. >> senator tillis isn't going to let me move everything. >> that's right. anyway, this morning there were 93 jobs posted on the federal jobs posting for west virginia. we have full-time primary care physicians needed in petersburg, psychiatrist at martinsburg, social work program coordinator at clarksburg, registered nurses and i.t. specialist at several other facilities.

we will submit everything for you. i just know we brought this to your predecessors before, and what plan do you have recruiting, spatial in rural areas whether it be in alaska or west virginia or rural north carolina or nevada, all of our states, montana, georgia, what is your plan to basically get more people involved in helping us in the va with their expertise? >> yes, senator i'm going to go back to an experience i had with senator tillis, when the ribbon was cut at the new va center in my hometown. one thing that the directors asked senator tillis was that one size job process does not fit va. fayetteville, north carolina, has very different needs from west los angeles that obvious different needs from west virginia. my pledge, and i think i mentioned in my opening

statement because i believe it, is to allow those medical directors and those medical directors the ability to move their funds to address the kinds of critical needs if they have the funds available and we will work with him to make sure that they do, to address the immediate medical needs in those areas. i i have to do a deep dive on te whole usa jobs process. i can tell you secretary mattis is thinking deeply about it in terms of the va and the relationship with other elements. >> let me move on because my time is limited. the opioid epidemic that we have not only just in our states but in our military, how do you propose to have input on mesa for not getting our veterans hooked when they're deployed, and the treatment, alternative

treatment since when they come back? if we can stop them from getting caught him if and how we will treat them in a non-opiate weight when they come back. >> i have responsibility for one end right now. >> we are asking for input because you are seeing the end result. sometimes on the front end if we can prevent that from happening. >> yes, , sir. and i think this is a case, senator sanders mentioned it, where va has taken the lead. va has come up with what appears on his face this simple way of addressing this and bringing down opioid addiction. that is with alternative therapies. the use of advil, tylenol and aspirin in place of tylenol three or other opioids. the other thing that va has done is emphasized rehabilitative care, motion care. dod is just getting on the cusp

of that. so yes, i think dod is moving in the direction that va has moved in, and it's absolutely vital that we stop it there. >> my fellow collation will be, since 1998 the va budget has quadrupled from $42.38 billion, to $188.65 billion. a lot of these factors can be pointed to the vietnam factors can be pointed to the vietnam veterans are getting older, the fact combat medicine improved and he is dealing with work optics injuries and illnesses than ever before, cost of healthcare in the united states has become more expensive and we've expanded. i say that come with expanded with good intentions, a lot of benefits. people are going to ask are we making sure we're getting our best service and best care for our veterans with the boxer spinnaker what steps to plan to take to ensure both the high

quality services are available for our veterans and families but also look after the american taxpayers to make sure that were spending their money wisely given the care that is needed. >> i'll start by saying there are not any more excuses because the infusion of money that this committee has given. i do believe though that we do have to make sure that the world-class health services, priority health services are fully funded. i was asked a question, two questions by two members of this committee to the point that does va's expansion in the community care mean that world-class services like spinal cord, traumatic brain are going to diminish? no. we go where the need is greatest. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator manchin. senator heller. >> mr. chairman, thank you. to the ranking member also thank you for this meeting and mr.

wilkie, thank you for taking time with your family that if you're today with you. i appreciate you being here and willing to spend time with us. you were in my office yesterday. we had a great conversation appreciate that time also. but i think today is a different opportunity. yesterday was about you and me. today is about the veterans behind you. the organizations that represent, the veterans back in the state of nevada and the point is to prove you're ready to manage an agency this size that is in my opinion quite a bit of bureaucracy. i told you yesterday with about 300,000 voters in the state of nevada, good many women, patriotic. we'll take the call again regardless to defend answer this country. i'm please we both have come to the same conclusion that they deserve the best quality care and benefits that our nation has to offer. but saying that there's a lot to

be done. we need va doctors as has been mentioned several times. clearly it is a national issue. our caregiver program in las vegas and the nursing facility in reno need improvement. unfortunately the veteran suicide issues remain quite a challenge in nevada. several times as i mentioned the doctors shortages have been raised. but i think nevada has felt the impact especially in urban areas like las vegas and even in our rural areas. let me give you an example. 2016 2016 i was at the ribbon cutting of a va clinic, and with all the pomp and circumstances, and who we are in 2018 and they still have a full-time doctor. 2016 here we are two years later all the pomp and circumstance of that community, he had been waiting years to get this done.

the work by my office, myself, this committee, this congress to get that clinic into that town, and they still don't have two years later they still don't have a full-time doctor. can i get your commitment to work with me to get a full-time doctor into the clinic by the end of your? >> absolutely, i will work with you on that. >> we have problems inside of a rural areas with access to mental health services for our veterans. can you share with me how you plan on bringing more doctors or medical health professionals to these rural areas in nevada? >> i thank you for the time that you took with me. i think we have to take a deeper look at how we bring doctors into va. there have been many things that the federal government has tried

on, in terms of recruiting doctors, and a think va has to look at those. we have to do a better job of recruiting doctors coming out of the military. i'd like to learn about how we can get commitments from doctors to work to the va, and this is my opinion. i have not cleared it with anyone, in exchange for their service with va, do we go down the road where we take care of their medical school loans in exchange for long-term service with va? we do need to make an assessment again as to where we need our doctors, and we do need to also in those underserved areas look at how we incentivize people to go out there. the blessing that i have is i've been learning a lot about these

things from carolyn clancy who is running vha now, and i know she's hard at work trying to address rural need in particular. >> i will follow-up with you. time is running out, but one of the things i want to steal from senator sullivan and his request, and that is that nevada veterans have been in this va system for decades. they know the ins and outs. they know the dues and don'ts. frankly, they know how to fight for their care. can i be allowed to make the same request that i i can get u up to nevada that you can spend some time with our veterans at a roundtable to discuss issues that important to them? >> yes, sir. the honored. >> one more question. this is about agent orange. you from a lot of veterans on this particular topic, especially from our bluewater navy veterans. as to the va doesn't provide the bluewater veterans disability benefits that they deserve it

after being exposed and expressing these harmful effects. i think we can agree that this isn't right. how deployment helping those that are just wasn't the veterans exposed to agent orange? >> well, i'll speak to agent orange first. i'm from the generation that saw the effects of that on those who have come back from vietnam. so that is an experience from adolescence that remains with me. on the bluewater issue, the house has spoken and it is my understanding that the issue will be taken up by the senate and i stand ready to answer any question which code and any added evidence that this committee wants in terms of how we address it. >> mr. wilkie, thank you. mr. chairman, thank you for the time. >> senator brown. >> thank you very m uch, mr. chairman. mr. wilkie, welcome.

i enjoyed very much our conversation and wish you well through this process. i expect you to be confirmed and then, as of the va secretary. yesterday the "washington post" ran a story about your time as a staffer for a very divisive, very racially divisive sensitive. you have been appointed to this job by a very racially divisive president. that being said i would just ask you this. the va secretary needs to serve all veterans regardless of race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. just yes or no questions. will you commit to doing that? >> absolutely. >> thank you. i have worked with two previous secretaries to establish history research national heritage center at -- we commit to implement the existing m.o.a. on this important project? >> i do add a the going to dayton and as you and i said, this is my geek motor i just

finished reading the biography of one of ohio's great presidents, and i learned dayton has been the senate for va care for well over 140 years. >> thank you. thank you for saying that. we've heard reports va cannot account for medical equipment. can you commit to get my office information on the missing equivalent? >> yes, sir. >> i have great concern regarding the position administration of privatizing veterans health care. we've asked did the admission act, , however, va should not siphon fending off from vha to expand community care that we commit to fully fund vha and stop efforts to privatize the day? >> i am opposed to privatization of veterans affairs department, and will continue to make sure that vha is fully funded. >> thank you. propublica and political point the bulk of the approximate 1700 employees fired since the pass of last year accountability

built have been a low level in place with limited offensive, not seeing employees with the greatest advances which is how the va said it would use authority. this gives me great concern for what you commit to me that you will not use the authority to go after whistleblowers or individuals with limited offenses? >> absolutely. >> thank you. i worked on a provision under the admission act to increase the vacancy transparent to get what you commit publicly to post vacancy data? >> yes. >> thank you. i believe the va has an obligation to provide medical care and disability compensation for veterans who have been exposed to toxic chemicals are serving our country. >> yes. >> thank you. will you increase transparency with congress in the departments position on agent orange presumptive conditions on blue water navy veterans for benefits and establish a process to diagnose constrictive bronchiolitis, condition cause by brad pitt exposures at the. >> was yes, sir and i will add

transparency is key with this committee and country, and i know my time with senator tillis, he had me working on the first efforts to raise the issue of burn pits. >> thank you graduate a conversation and appreciated the work that went senator tillis and a cosponsor with bills together i appreciate the work that you did with him in my office. thank the both of you. thank you, mr. chairman. >> senator tillis. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. chairman, i first want to thank you and ranking member tester, because you a couple years ago encouraged and endorsed what became a regular meeting with the leaders of the va to track their progress and i specifically want to thank ranking member tester for always being there at every single meeting over the course of that process with the two

secretaries. mr. wilkie, i hope that we have your commitment to continue that the discussion because i think it was very helpful. >> yes, sir. >> mr. wilkie, i wanted to ask you something. i'm not going to say the name of the newspaper but i'm going to have the person that was boarding the store called me up. i spent probably 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes on the phone with him to talk about you. somehow that insight, and much of your recent work history was not at all reported. mr. chair, without objection i would like to submit an article that actually provides context that was written back in late 2002 that provides context for a statement that was asserted in the "washington post." i think was that a context. >> without objection. >> something else i wanted to ask you, and this may require you, you've got an incredible sense of history and great memory so hopefully you

remember, it was a boat recommendation in the ndaa a couple of years ago and at the time you were my senior advisor. the specific amendment was related to providing same-sex analysis with veterans and social security benefits. do you recall highly recommended that vote? >> yes, sir. i recommended you vote yes. >> how did i end up voting? >> you voted yes. >> thank you for that recommendation. there was also a reference, i know senator murray was going to submit questions for the record but i think it would be helpful here for some members who may not see that, i think you already brought up your role as a floor manager and the question on equal pay but there was another reference to the confederate flag. i don't know exactly a senator hirono framed it, but can you tell me a little bit in the context of the article that's been mentioned here, maybe the broader context around the

confederate flag? >> yes, sir. the article mentioned participation in events. there were three events, two sanctioned by department of the army and department department, and one by the speaker of the house. those events in those days were big events. participation by senate and house members. the last one the only thing i did was introduce a fellow named ron maxilla was the producer of the famous movie hattiesburg, and i think president obama for his support of an event that celebrates america's veterans, both union and confederate. president obama brought, had a wreath delivered to the old guard of the army. the broader issue of the flag to address what the "washington

post" said, i stop doing many of those things at a time when issue became divisive. i do still believe and i will say it, and i heard on memorial day at this capital at the memorial day concert, i think it was gary sinise who pointed out that 150 years ago the first declaration day, the most ferocious warrior in the union army, a guy named william tecumseh sherman said what this committee is now responsible for, we honor all veterans and we order flowers and reese placed on the greats of both union and confederate soldiers. my last statement of that is i think they have the last word and we celebrate veterans. >> thank you. you mentioned condeleezza rice, gates, rumsfeld and jim mattis

and said if you in fact, at any history of the source of behaviors that this article before you would be working for them. is there any doubt that i believe if you had in that behavior you would ever work for me? >> absolutely no doubt. >> you will do a great job as secretary. i leaned over to mike rounds and set of got to make sure i let him know i enjoyed the hyena because the floggings will begin soon. we need to make sure that we get you in there. you act decisively, and you have a sense of priority and to bring the resources in that will allow you to accelerate some of the transformation initiatives, everyone's as meeting senator tester and i have that over the past few years, also included mr. willkie. slave got a keen insight into what works and what we need to accelerate. i know you're the commitment and you'll bring the intensity that's necessary and been lacking for quite some time.

i look forward to working with you in your new capacity and a wish you very well. >> thank you very much. >> thank you, mr. chair. >> center come with a couple more questions for you. i will have fewer few and so does senator tester. one, i'd like you to tell me, in your position at u.s. undersecretary of the army what major accomplishments as under sector are you proudest of, undersecretary of defense, and how did that expand very for what you're about to take on? >> thank you, sir. first of all, extraocular proud that someone of secretary mattis statute asked me to serve with him. i'm very proud that the office of what is sick of defense of personal readiness is now a place where many people want to work. i mentioned walking the post the transforming transform leadership in the paint anything that has begun to happen. in terms of accomplishments,

employing the exceptional family member program for the 132,000 military families who have children with exceptional needs, autism, mental health issues, cerebral palsy, et cetera. deeding and train the reform of the defense health agencies so that we no longer have three independent health services, army, navy and air force. we now have a defense health administration. and the sexual harassment and assault policy which sends a clear message that the military of the united states has changed, that everyone who signs up for service deserves dignity and protection. and finally to show how pnr has moved the secretary of defense is empowered my office to take charge of what he considered to be his most important project, that is a close combat task force. that is the task force that takes a very deep look into how

we train, equip and fight our front-line forces, our infantry forces were 85-90% of the casualties take place. coming from secretary mattis there is probably no greater assignment than anyone could have, and i'm honored that he gave me the responsibility to help him on that. >> you acknowledge in your testimony earlier, your speech, you had been surprised how may people he told you they had never seen the sector in that part of the building before. >> yes, sir. >> i can tell you one of the first things i did what i was chairman the committee is to visit va here and go on the floor as i found the same thing, they never seen a member of congress either over there. i don't think much changed. of all the problems we have, morale at the va may be the biggest single biggest problem. you and i have talked about the morale change at the cia.

that's going to be your biggest challenges. we heard to back you up and help you with that. anything you can do on the morale issue we're looking for helping you do so you can build the morale of the agency and the esprit de corps. >> thank you, sir. >> last i would like to ask humans can sit with the chairman i can grant, submit for the record a a letter signed by eit minutes of the trend military retired, a former joint chief of staff, former deputy to achieve the staff and six majors like office of the united states military, , all in glowing endorsement of your position as secretary of the veterans administration. i submitted this for the record. >> without objection. >> once again thank you for being here today, mr. wilkie. i'd like, electronic medical records have been talked about a bit, and i would just say that i'm encouraged of the ds purchase, you know what the goal is but but i have concerns abow the va is to mitigate its plan

to congress for this modernization. it's a price tag of $16 billion, and we have a ton of leadership vacancies that will impact this moving forward at least i believe. for example, there's no permanent deputy secretary, no undersecretary health, no deputy under sector, no assistant secretary for all i.t. and no deputy in oit so the question is, who did people on this committee hold accountable for this program other than yourself? >> that's where, that's the be-all and end-all. coming from my world, admiral nimitz was someone who said it he can't point to make charge, nobody is in charge. so that's me. i pledge to the committee that i will move as rapid as i can, if confirmed, to get those people in place. i mentioned dr. clancy as the executive in charge of vha. couldn't have anybody finer

doing that. the process is moving along because of people like her, but i do pledge that i will be talking with you all about filling those jobs. >> so do you have folks in mind right now. >> is i don't have a list. i got to be honest with you come in to eight weeks that's perfectly fine. the chairman and i talked about doing an oversight hearing. it's really tough doing oversight hearing on the va because there is nobody to hold accountable. and you need to have some oversight, quite frankly i think you would appreciate it. there was a situation that happened, probably over a year ago, where folks were told not to respond to requests made by -- it's never been a problem on this committee, never been a problem with previous leadership. i've still got to ask it. if you ask for information by

going to be as transparent as you possibly can to give that information to anybody on this committee or anybody in the senate for that matter? >> absolutely, sir. i was raised in this institution undertake article one seriously. >> okay. when it comes to foia requests, there's a a couple ways to hane it. people can either turn over the information or they can slow roll it. if confirmed, will you require that political employees comply with any freedom of information act in a timely manner? >> i will demand that they comply with the law and with requests. >> okay. hi cut rumba -- blumenthal is coming, so you know. and he ain't waiting much longer the chairman just told me. i'll give you my closing statement right now. you've gotten pretty good at

this. confirmation, i'll have time to been in front of the committee to be confirmed, but you ain't a rookie. unit only answered question but you anticipated questions, as good as anybody i've ever seen. in front of the committee. not that i been all that long. but i would just say that i as of this believe that you are going to be confirmed. i don't know if i would see it will be a public flogging but you will be held accountable. i think that's our job to make sure that things are moving. we are here representing veterans because that's who we take our cues from, too. and so it's going to be really important that we have a strong leader. you've got a lot of challenges in front of you, and i would just say that i think you've got

the tools to do the job. i don't think it's going to be easy and i think there will be rough waters on occasion, but in the end i think if there is good communication between you and the members of this committee, particularly the chairman of myself, i think we can smooth a lot of those rough waters. >> i thank you for your courtesy to me. >> thank you, senator tester. if you could inform senator blumenthal that we will leave, ask the nominee the next white house if senator blumenthal, his questions for the record, would you respond as quickly as possible so he gets those? we would be in the process of moving to a confirmation vote in the not-too-distant future so the quicker you can get those answers the better off if you let them know to did i appreciate it. >> absolutely. >> i want to thank julie for being here. you are like you made a great lady, you know that.

she spends the whole time. she's had your back the whole time. want to think everyone, vsos, so grateful for your being here. to the members of the committee i thank them for the insightful questions and entrance of time they spend it all they've done to help us make this successful. we all have each other's back, we will all work hard to make her the a better than it's ever been before for the new secretary, mr. willkie. we stand adjourned. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

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[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> just offer to our confirmation hearing for robert willkie to be the next secretary of veterans affairs. the senate meeting in just a few minutes. live coverage from the floor of the senate starting shortly.

>> tonight on "the communicators," tina pidgeon, general counsel for alaskan cable provider gci talks about how the company makes broadband possible for small villages across tundra, glaciers and mountains. then incoming president of the alaska collaborative for telemedicine and telehealth on providing health care through telemedicine to remote communities and alaska. watch "the communicators" tonight at eight eastern on c-span2. >> and taking your life to the use senate starting with speeches by leadership and then senators will turn to the nomination of robert willkie to be the next secretary of veterans affairs. a confirmation vote on the nominee scheduled for 5:30 p.m. eastern time.