Additional Coverage:
Former Georgia Representative Doug Collins was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. The vote was a bipartisan 77-23, one of the widest margins for a Trump administration cabinet nominee.
Collins served in the Air Force Reserve as a chaplain and represented Georgia in Congress from 2013 to 2021. He gained prominence defending then-President Trump during the 2019 impeachment inquiry.
His confirmation by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee also enjoyed broad bipartisan support, with only Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) voting against him.
Collins takes the helm of an agency facing significant challenges. These include budget shortfalls, improper payments to executives, and veteran complaints about lengthy wait times for medical care. This will be his first time leading an organization as large and complex as the VA, with its 400,000 employees and 1,300 healthcare facilities.
Acknowledging the difficulties ahead, Collins stated, “I do not come into this with rose-colored glasses.” He emphasized his commitment to improving veterans’ access to care, saying that veterans needing to contact congressional offices for assistance is “a mark of failure.”
Addressing concerns about potential budget cuts and hiring freezes under the previous administration, Collins pledged to prioritize veterans’ care. “I’m gonna take care of the veterans,” he affirmed. “That means that we’re not gonna balance budgets on the back of veterans benefits.”
Collins expressed agreement with the previous administration’s focus on expanding veterans’ healthcare choices, including the use of private care options. He believes a robust VA system can coexist with community care options.
During his confirmation hearings, Collins repeatedly reassured Democrats he would not privatize the VA, even offering a “pinky swear” at the urging of Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC).