mr. schoenehart, first let me say that i'm very happy to say that the va is finally acknowledging there's a problem. when the department is saying there's near perfect compliance, but every other indication is there are major problems, i think it is an incredible failure of leadership that no one was looking into this, in fact when you sit at that table before this committee, we expect you to take seriously the issues that are raised here. it should not take multiple hearings and surveys and letters and ultimately an ig investigation to get you to act. i also would like to

mr. schoenehart, first let me say that i'm very happy to say that the va is finally acknowledging there's a problem. when the department is saying there's near perfect compliance, but every other indication is there are major problems, i think it is an incredible failure of leadership that no one was looking into this, in fact when you sit at that table before this committee, we expect you to take seriously the issues that are raised here. it should not take multiple hearings and surveys and letters and ultimately an ig investigation to get you to act. i also would like to suggest that if the reality on the ground could be so far off from what central office thought was happening, as it relates to mental health, then you better look at other areas of care for similar disconnects. what we have heard from the ig is very, very troubling. for months now we have been questioning whether shall office had a full understanding of the situation out in the field and i believe the ig report has very clearly shown you do not. so i want to start by asking you today, after hearing from this committee,