Former Rep. Doug Collins, President Trump’s nominee to go the Division of Veterans Affairs, instructed lawmakers throughout a affirmation listening to Tuesday that he would defend a program launched throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period, which permits veterans to hunt well being providers exterior the division’s system.
Mr. Collins, a Navy veteran, Air Drive Reserve chaplain and fast-talking former pastor, appeared earlier than the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee as the primary potential cupboard official to face hearings from affirmation after Mr. Trump takes workplace. His listening to was delayed for a week resulting from an incomplete background test.
Like a lot of Mr. Trump’s different cupboard picks, together with Pete Hegseth, his nominee to supervise the Protection Division, Mr. Collins displays the brand new president’s priorities for main the company in his second time period , with private loyalty on the coronary heart of each choice. Mr Collins performed a number one position in Mr Trump’s protection during his first impeachment inquiry.
Mr. Collins just isn’t anticipated to face a tricky affirmation combat, partially due to the bipartisan, apolitical nature of a lot of the division’s work that runs a sprawling well being system and advantages veterans’ welfare.
Dr. David Shulkin, the previous VA secretary who was the one holdover from the Obama administration in Mr. Trump’s first-term cupboard earlier than being ousted from his submit, stated in an interview that Mr. Collins ought to in all probability deal with the identical priorities. like his predecessor, Denis McDonough.
“As a result of the problems the VA offers with are systemic and sophisticated, and sadly the identical ones that existed when the final secretary was there,” Dr. Shulkin stated.
Mr. Collins is, in some methods, an uncommon selection. Former VA secretaries have had lengthy navy careers or held management positions throughout the Division of Protection or the Division of Veterans Affairs itself. Within the Home, Mr. Collins didn’t serve on the Veterans Affairs or Armed Providers committees.
As a member of the Air Drive Reserve, Mr. Collins deployed to Iraq, visiting injured service members at Balad Air Drive Base.
Mr. Trump’s expertise combating impeachment inquiries throughout and after his first time period closely influenced how he selected his political allies. Different Home Republicans who defended him through the first impeachment inquiry have been additionally chosen to serve in his cupboard, together with Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York and former Reps. Lee Zeldin of New York and John Ratcliffe of Texas.
“You have been so nice,” Mr. Trump said to Mr. Collins in a packed room of supporters on the White Home after the Senate voted to acquit him.
In 2019, earlier than the acquittal, Mr. Trump pressed Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to nominate Mr. Collins to the Senate seat vacated by Johnny Isakson. Mr. Kemp as a substitute named Kelly Loeffler, a businesswoman. Mr. Collins ran in opposition to Ms. Loeffler and misplaced to her in a particular election for his seat in 2020. Mr. Trump selected Ms. Loeffler final month to steer the Small Enterprise Administration.
Even along with his zeal to guard Mr. Trump throughout his first time period, Mr. Collins developed a repute for working with Democrats, co-author criminal justice reform legislation with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, now the Home’s prime Democrat.
A few of Mr. Collins’s duties on the Division of Veterans Affairs might contain divisive well being care insurance policies. A second Trump administration may search to reverse the pattern a rule from the Biden administration enable the division to offer abortions to veterans when a being pregnant outcomes from rape or incest, or when a pregnant lady’s life is at risk.
However a lot of Mr. Collins’ portfolio will possible contain seemingly intractable issues which have dragged previous secretaries in each Republican and Democratic administrations, together with entry to behavioral well being.
A report published by the department last month confirmed there have been greater than 6,400 suicides amongst veterans in 2022, fewer than 12 of the earlier 14 years, however a slight enhance from the earlier 12 months. The variety of homeless veterans fell to a record low beneath President Joseph R. Biden Jr., however remained above 32,000 between January 2023 and January 2024.
Dr Shulkin stated prime of Mr Collins’ listing could be a budget deficit this precipitated the ministry to decelerate recruitment. This jeopardized his potential to look after the nearly 900,000 veterans launched into the system by legislation signed by Mr. Biden which expanded medical advantages for veterans exposed to toxins from burners waste on navy bases.
“There’s a vital backlog of requests and wishes,” Dr. Shulkin stated.
Like earlier secretaries, Mr. Collins will even need to cope with aging VA facilities with outdated medical tools and document preserving programs. The division supervises approximately 1,200 sites throughout the nation serving practically 9 million veterans.
Mr. Collins was additionally pressed Tuesday for his views on personal medical look after veterans. Throughout Mr. Trump’s first time period, the division began to allow veterans to hunt medical care exterior of conventional VA hospitals, an effort supposed to present sufferers extra flexibility.
However critics stated persevering with to exclude veterans from the VA system may compromise the integrity of its personal well being care.
“There’s this sensibility of ‘the grass is greener on the opposite aspect of the sector,'” stated Joe Plenzler, a retired Marine Corps officer and veterans advocate. “What the info exhibits is that when veterans obtain care on the VA, they’re extra glad with it and obtain larger high quality care.”
If Mr. Collins continued the efforts of the primary Trump administration, Mr. Plenzler stated, it may “flip the VA into an insurance coverage firm.”
