Trump nominee Doug Collins secures tenth cabinet spot.
According to Breitbart, former Georgia Representative Doug Collins received overwhelming Senate confirmation as Veterans Affairs Secretary with a 77-23 vote on Tuesday afternoon.
Collins, who served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and chaired the House Judiciary Committee, gained strong bipartisan support, with all 53 Republicans and 24 Democrats voting in his favor.
The Iraq War veteran and current Air Force Reserve Command chaplain steps into his role as President Trump's tenth confirmed Cabinet member.
President Trump's November nomination highlighted Collins' military service and commitment to supporting active duty service members, veterans, and their families. The former congressman brings firsthand experience as both a veteran and military chaplain to his new position overseeing veterans' affairs.
The department Collins inherits faces significant challenges, including persistent criticism over employee morale and service quality. Recent investigations have uncovered troubling incidents at VA facilities nationwide, including reports of widespread sexual misconduct at a Tennessee veterans' hospital.
Veterans and their families have repeatedly voiced concerns about the agency's effectiveness in delivering essential services. The mounting problems have led to Collins publicly describing the VA as a broken system that negatively impacts veterans.
Trump emphasized Collins' qualifications when announcing the nomination, stating:
Doug is a Veteran himself, who currently serves our Nation as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command, and fought for our Country in the Iraq War. We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.
The comprehensive Senate support signals strong bipartisan confidence in Collins' ability to implement needed reforms. His military background and previous congressional leadership experience position him to understand both the challenges veterans face and the legislative process required for meaningful change.
The new secretary has been vocal about the VA's shortcomings, expressing his perspective in stark terms: "Our veterans pay the price for this broken system."
Doug Collins, former Georgia Representative and Iraq War veteran, secured his position as Veterans Affairs Secretary through strong bipartisan Senate support, marking President Trump's tenth confirmed Cabinet appointment.
The new secretary faces the immediate challenge of reforming a department plagued by reports of misconduct and systemic failures in serving veterans and their families.
His military background and congressional experience will be tested as he works to implement changes in the extensive VA bureaucracy while addressing critical issues affecting the veteran community.
