Cathy McMorris Rodgers Quotes

There was a huge, tremendous amount of disabled veterans and the Veteran's Administration just wasn't geared up for it. I know for a fact that it's getting better and better.

America’s veterans deserve a strong VA, not an outsourcing voucher.

We need to address the systemic structural issues within the VA - the misallocation of resources, the interminably long waiting lists, the bureaucratic inefficiencies - to ensure that our American heroes are properly protected the second they return home from war.

Caring for our nation's veterans must be our top priority as we work to create a more efficient and effective healthcare system at the VA.

When active duty ends, we have an obligation to uphold our own pledge: a pledge to ensure that every veteran receives the care and benefits they deserve.

Kids coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan deserve to come back to 21st century medical care.

To honor our national promise to our veterans, we must continue to improve services for our men and women in uniform today and provide long overdue benefits for the veterans and military retirees who have already served.

No veteran should have to wait for claims. If there's anybody impatient here, I am that individual.

This gulf war syndrome thing is truly unfortunate, and I've met some of the vets who have this. These are my guys, and I feel terrible about it.

The most basic obligation we have to our veterans is that we keep the promises that were made to them. That is what makes the recent failures of the Veterans Administration so shameful.

By boosting oversight and accountability, we can empower the VA in its core mission of helping the men and women who have served our country.

While we can never truly repay the debt we owe our heroes, the least we should do for our brave veterans is to ensure that the government takes a proactive approach to delivering the services and benefits they have earned, so they can access the care they need and so richly deserve.

I am super proud of being an American, but we fail our veterans every day.

Our government has made a number of promises to the men and women who served in our nation's armed forces. Sadly, these promises of health care, education and other benefits have existed more in rhetoric than in reality.

As a former veteran, I understand the needs of veterans, and have been clear - we will work together, stand together with the Administration, but we will also question their policies when they shortchange veterans and military retirees.

The Veterans Administration is a scandal. It's corrupt, and what's going on is a disgrace. And, believe me, if I win, if I become president, that will end. The veterans will be treated properly.

Caring for our veterans is the duty of a grateful nation. Unfortunately, the Bush administration and congressional Republicans have not lived up to this duty.

Even under the best of circumstances, the road back from war is difficult.

Congress has made great strides in addressing the disparities in care, recognition, and benefits that our women veterans receive, but there is more work to be done.

I think the government must recognise that the wounds of conflict are even more grievous on the mind than the body, and indeed may even serve to fuel further conflict. Where conflict cannot be avoided, provision of adequate psychosocial services to prevent the adverse mental health consequences should take priority.

If our goal is to provide health care to our veterans, why does it need to be in the bricks and mortar of bureaucracy of the VA? Why can't you give them an insurance card and let them go to a health care provider of their choice?

On the local, state and federal level, government is working alongside veteran's organizations and other stakeholders to provide services such as medical assistance, employment resources, and housing support to veterans and their dependents and survivors. But there are still gaps in services that must be rectified.

We need to move past blame and make sure we are delivering care to our veterans.

One thing that bothers me is the way that people use veterans and troops almost as a shield. They say that's the reason they stand and that veterans deserve to be honored and respected during the anthem. But where is that outrage in taking better care of veterans?

It's simple - veterans have received some of the best training available and want to contribute after they return to civilian life. The emergency medical training they get during their military service is in dire need.