Former Chair Of House Veterans’ Committee Rises To Top Of Short List For VA Nominee
A senior administration official confirmed President Donald Trump’s interest in former Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) but said a decision is not expected before next week. Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is also being considered for the role. Meanwhile, the leadership turmoil exacerbates ongoing staffing and morale issues at the agency.
The Washington Post:
Former Congressman Jeff Miller Emerges As A Leading Contender For Trump’s VA
Former congressman Jeff Miller, who chaired the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs before retiring from Congress last year, is considered a leading candidate to become President Trump’s next nominee for VA secretary, according to people familiar with the matter. The Florida Republican, who spent 16 years in Congress and now works in Washington as a lobbyist, met Wednesday with officials in the White House vetting office. Miller told people close to the White House that he expects to meet with Trump in coming days. (Wax-Thibodeaux and Wagner, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
White House Meets With VA Candidates After Jackson Withdraws
White House officials are also considering acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie for a permanent role. Wilkie, a former Pentagon undersecretary for personnel and readiness, is well-regarded within the administration, including among White House chief of staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations, said none of the potential candidates to lead the VA have meetings scheduled with Trump. (Thomas and Miller, 5/3)
The Washington Post:
‘Who Wants To Work There Now?’ Trump’s Ronny Jackson Fiasco May Be The Least Of VA’s Worries
Dozens of senior staff members have left the Department of Veterans Affairs since January, an exodus that predates President Trump’s firing of VA Secretary David Shulkin in March and appears to have accelerated in the chaotic weeks since. The departures — some resigned voluntarily, others say they were forced out — mark the latest sign of estrangement among VA’s career civil servants, the professional staff recruited by Shulkin, and a cadre of Trump loyalists pushing for changes within a sprawling bureaucracy for which change has never come easily. Trump’s failed nomination of Ronny L. Jackson to lead the agency has only heightened the sense of tension and disarray that took root in the months leading to Shulkin’s removal, according to 17 current and former VA officials and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where the turmoil has caused alarm. (Rein, 5/3)
In other news from the VA —
The Hill:
VA Hospital Cancels Dozens Of Surgeries Due To Insect Infestation: Report
A Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Los Angeles was forced to close operating rooms for 22 days between 2016 and 2018 due to a persistent infestation of insects. A local CBS News investigation found that the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center has installed at least 200 flytraps to deal with an infestation of Phorid flies in operating rooms that has plagued the building since at least November of 2016. (Bowden, 5/2)
