Wilkie Easily Sails Through Senate Confirmation, But Picks Up A Few Rare ‘No’ Votes In Contentious Election Year
Robert Wilkie will take up the Department of Veterans Affairs reins at a time when turmoil and controversy are the norm for the troubled agency. While the vote was mostly drama-free, many of the Democrats who opposed it either are running a reelection campaign or are potential contenders for 2020.
The New York Times:
Senate Confirms Robert Wilkie As Veterans Affairs Secretary
The United States Senate on Monday overwhelmingly voted to approve President Trump’s latest pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, confirming Robert Wilkie as the next secretary 86 to 9. Mr. Wilkie, 55, will lead the second-largest department in the federal government, overseeing about 360,000 employees and the vast veterans health care system. He is taking over a department in turmoil. Veterans Affairs, which has struggled for years to provide timely and efficient care, has been without permanent leadership since the previous secretary, David J. Shulkin, was fired in March. The department is also dealing with thousands of job vacancies and staff turnover at the highest levels. (Mervosh, 7/23)
The Associated Press:
Senate Confirms Robert Wilkie For Veterans Affairs Secretary
Wilkie is Trump's third pick for the job in 18 months. The longtime public official says he will "shake up complacency" at VA, which has struggled with long waits in providing medical treatment to millions of veterans. In a statement released by the White House, Trump applauded the confirmation vote and said he looked forward to Wilkie's leadership. "I have no doubt that the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to make strides in honoring and protecting the heroic men and women who have served our nation with distinction," he said. (Rogin, 7/23)
The Washington Post:
Senate Confirms Pentagon Official Robert Wilkie To Lead VA
Wilkie’s confirmation had been all but assured since his May nomination to succeed David Shulkin, a hospital executive and holdover from the Obama administration who clashed with the White House and the team of political appointees at VA. Trump had initially chosen White House physician Ronny L. Jackson for the job, but that candidacy imploded in a torrent of misconduct allegations. Wilkie, 55, now head of military personnel at the Defense Department, was welcomed on Capitol Hill as an experienced official who could address the agency’s many challenges. (Rein, 7/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate Confirms Robert Wilkie As Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Wilkie has worked for decades at the Pentagon and in the defense industry, becoming known for his organizational acumen and ability to work within complex bureaucracies, according to those who know him. He takes over the VA as it is implementing a sweeping new law that changes the way the department outsources care in the private sector. The VA is also replacing its elaborate and outdated electronic health-records system. The VA still has gaps in top positions important to implement these changes, and is currently without a permanent leader of the department’s health care arm and a chief information officer. But Mr. O’Rourke said recently that the process is under way to find a head for health care and that a CIO has been identified and is currently being vetted by the White House. (Kesling, 7/23)
CQ HealthBeat:
Senate Confirms Wilkie To Lead VA
Wilkie's first order of business will be to reduce wait times, which often extend beyond 30 days, for veterans seeking medical appointments. Wilkie called the long wait times "unacceptable" during his June confirmation hearing. Wilkie also noted that it will take time to improve the VA, a massive bureaucracy and the largest health care system in the United States.The department has more than 300,000 employees serving more than 9 million veterans at 1,240 facilities. (Kelley, 7/23)
The Hill:
Senate Confirms Trump's VA Pick Despite Opposition From Some Dems
The nine "no" votes make Wilkie the first VA secretary to have senators vote against their nomination since the post was elevated to a Cabinet-level position in 1989. (Carney, 7/23)
And in other veterans health care news —
Arizona Republic:
Lawmaker To Introduce Bill That Would Report Veteran Suicides Statewide
Rep. Jay Lawrence, R-Scottsdale, said Monday he plans to introduce a bill during the next legislative session that would require the state to compile an annual report on veteran suicides and require anyone filling out a death certificate to indicate whether the decedent served in the U.S. Armed Forces. According to an Arizona State University study, veterans die by suicide at a rate of 55 per 100,000 in 2016, while nonveterans did so at a rate of 14 per 100,000. (Mo, 7/23)
