Latest news with #SenateVeterans'AffairsCommittee
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump picks senior VA advisor to serve as top department watchdog
President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated senior Veterans Affairs advisor Cheryl Mason to serve as the top VA watchdog, a move that drew criticism from congressional Democrats because of her ties to the administration. Mason was one of four inspector general nominations submitted by the White House this week. All of those posts — and about a dozen more — have been vacant since late January, when Trump dismissed the independent investigators from their roles without explanation. Mike Missal, who had served in the VA Inspector General role since April 2016, has joined seven other former officials in a lawsuit challenging those firings. That case is still unresolved. Mason was part of the Board of Veterans Appeals from 2017 to 2022, becoming the first woman ever to serve as chair of the judicial panel. The board provides a second chance for veterans seeking disability benefits to challenge Department of Veterans Affairs decisions. She is the wife and daughter of military veterans and has been a public advocate for military spouse employment opportunities in the past. VA, DOD oversight questioned after Trump inspector general firings Earlier this year, Trump appointed Mason as a senior advisor to the VA secretary. Her shift from administration insider to department watchdog elicited concerns about her ability to serve as an independent voice on department operations and decisions. 'A Trump political acolyte like Cheryl Mason is exactly the wrong choice to be the VA Inspector General, a role requiring nonpartisan, independent oversight,' Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement responding to Tuesday's nomination. 'Veterans deserve an inspector general who will conduct investigations free of interference and collusion from [VA Secretary Doug] Collins and the Trump administration. Otherwise, we will be putting veterans at even greater risk of corruption and abuse of power.' Critics noted that Mason has been involved in department efforts to trim the size of the VA workforce, which has prompted objections from Democratic lawmakers and veterans advocates. Hours before the nomination, in testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Collins hinted that Trump would be moving soon to fill the vacant watchdog post. 'From our perspective, we welcome the oversight to make sure that we're meeting the metrics that we need to do to take care of veterans,' he said. Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said filling the post is 'a high priority' for the panel. No timeline has been announced for a confirmation hearing for Mason.
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
A year and half out, these are the most vulnerable senators of the 2026 cycle
National A year and half out, these are the most vulnerable senators of the 2026 cycle Thom Tillis, R-N.C., left, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., attend a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in Russell building on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. They are among the most vulnerable senators up for reelection next year, either in a primary or general election. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via ZUMA Press/TNS) TNS WASHINGTON - Our initial list of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents for the 2026 cycle is shorter than usual after three Democratic incumbents from competitive states announced that they wouldn't seek reelection next year. A year and a half out from Election Day, just three senators are running for another term in states rated as "Battlegrounds" by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales. Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff, North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis and Maine Republican Susan Collins are all gearing up for tough races and awaiting announcements on who will step up to challenge them. For now, this trio makes up the most vulnerable members in the chamber, although there's plenty of time for more incumbents to get on the list as the midterm election cycle develops. Candidate recruitment throughout the rest of the year could also shake up the list. Democrats surely sighed with relief Monday, when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced he wouldn't run for Senate, taking Republicans' top would-be recruit in the state off the board. Ossoff, however, remains highly vulnerable in the Peach State, which voted for Donald Trump by 2 points last year. He's already drawn attacks from Republicans after signaling support for impeaching Trump at a town hall last month. Still, the incumbent's campaign war chest is among the largest of senators on the ballot next year, a sign of the battle to come. Just behind Ossoff is Tillis, who represents a state that last elected a Democratic senator in 2008. All eyes are on whether former Gov. Roy Cooper enters the Democratic primary, which already includes former Rep. Wiley Nickel. Collins, no stranger to tough races, lands at No. 3. She's so far drawn a Democratic challenger in Jordan Wood, a former House chief of staff, but others could yet enter the race. Term-limited Gov. Janet Mills has said she doesn't currently plan to run for office next year, though the Democrat could change her mind. Races for open seats in Michigan, where Democrat Gary Peters is retiring, and New Hampshire, where Democrat Jeanne Shaheen is stepping down, are both likely to be among the most competitive in the country this cycle and will shape the rest of the electoral map. Republicans are also hoping to force a competitive race in Minnesota, where Democrat Tina Smith is retiring. None of the three states are represented on this list, which only looks at vulnerable incumbents. Two Republicans from solidly red states also make the list as they are vulnerable in their primaries. Louisiana's Bill Cassidy, who drew a censure from his state party after voting to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial, will have to win back support from his party as the state shifts to a more traditional primary system this year. And Texas' John Cornyn faces a primary challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a race in which support from Trump could be critical. Both Cassidy and Cornyn could also face additional primary challengers. Republicans' current 53-seat majority and relatively few pickup opportunities make for a challenging 2026 cycle for Democrats. But the party is hopeful that more opportunities will emerge as the political environment for next year's midterms solidifies. Two appointed senators, Ohio's John Husted and Florida's Ashley Moody, will face voters for the first time as Senate incumbents. If former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost reelection last year, were to challenge Husted, that race could become competitive, and issues such as tariffs could play a major role in other states coming on the map. Here are the five incumbents on our initial list of the most vulnerable senators of the 2026 election cycle: As he gets ready for what's likely to be an intense and enormously expensive reelection campaign, Ossoff raised an astounding $11.1 million in the first three months of the year, entering April with a similar amount banked. The first-term Democrat has emerged as the GOP's top target of the cycle, though no high-profile challengers have declared bids so far. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp disappointed many Republicans both at home and in Washington when he said he would not seek the seat, saying it was "not the right decision for me and my family." But there's no shortage of ambitious Republicans who could seek to challenge Ossoff, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Earl L. "Buddy" Carter, Rich McCormick and Mike Collins, state Insurance Commissioner John King and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. For Tillis, who is in his second term, navigating the Trump era has proved challenging: He has faced opposition from both Democrats and members of his own party. The North Carolina GOP censured Tillis in 2023 in part over his votes on gay rights, gun safety and immigration. And he has already drawn a handful of primary challengers, including retired furniture manufacturing executive Andy Nilsson and author Don Brown, who have accused the incumbent of being insufficiently supportive of Trump. On the Democratic side, former Rep. Wiley Nickel is running, but many Democrats are awaiting a decision from former Gov. Roy Cooper. Tillis raised about $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 and ended March with $4 million banked. The only Senate Republican representing a state carried by Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election, Collins is no stranger to difficult races. Collins, the chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, is running for a sixth term and will once again be relying on her personal brand as a moderate in her blue-leaning state. A University of New Hampshire poll last month found 71% of Mainers saying she didn't deserve to be reelected, although some polls showed her underwater ahead of her 2020 reelection too. Collins had $3.2 million in her campaign account at the end of March. Cassidy's 2021 vote to convict Trump on one article of impeachment earns him a spot on this list as he seeks a third Senate term. He's already drawn one primary challenger who's won statewide before, Treasurer John Fleming, and other Republicans could still enter the race. Cassidy has taken steps to underscore his support for Trump, including voting to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary. Louisiana is set to hold a more traditional party primary this cycle, a change from previous years when all candidates competed on a single November ballot, and this could be an additional challenge for the incumbent. Even so, Cassidy is gearing up for a fight: He reported having $7.5 million in his campaign account at the close of the first quarter. Everything's bigger in Texas and that includes Senate races. The intraparty slugfest between Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton promises to be both bitter and costly, and could grow more crowded if Rep. Wesley Hunt joins the race. Paxton is positioning himself as a disruptor and plans to attack Cornyn for negotiating a bipartisan update to the nation's gun laws. Cornyn has signaled that he'll focus on Paxton's legal troubles: The attorney general was impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House in 2023 on misconduct, bribery and corruption charges, and later acquitted following a trial in the GOP-led state Senate. Trump's endorsement could be critical in the race. Cornyn, who has the strength of the Senate GOP establishment behind him, entered April with about $5.6 million on hand, while Paxton launched his candidacy after the filing deadline. On the Democratic side, a pair of former congressmen are weighing bids: Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz last year, and Cruz's 2018 opponent, Beto O'Rourke. ___ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers. This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 9:37 AM.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials launch task force to root out ‘anti-Christian bias' in VA
Veterans Affairs leaders launched a department-wide investigation into allegations of anti-Christian bias on Monday, asking employees to report fellow staffers for any 'informal policies, procedures, or unofficial understandings hostile to Christian views.' The move, which follows a government-wide mandate for investigations into discriminatory practices against Christian beliefs, drew immediate condemnation from Democratic lawmakers for showing favoritism towards a single religion. 'While religious discrimination must be forbidden and fought, this internal VA memo lacks any factual basis or rationale,' said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. 'It raises the specter of dividing the veteran community and favoring some religions over others.' In a department-wide memo distributed Monday, VA Secretary Doug Collins said that a new department task force will 'review all instances of anti-Christian bias' throughout VA operations. That includes 'adverse responses to requests for religious exemption' and 'any observations of mistreatment for not participating in events or activities inconsistent with Christian views.' LGBTQ Pride flags banned at VA facilities under new policy In the past, some employees have claimed discrimination for being required to provide treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals or birth control medication to patients, claiming religious objections. Advocates have countered that veterans should not have their medical options curtailed because of individuals' personal beliefs. Collins memo also asks employees to report 'any mistreatment or reprimand issued in response to displays of Christian imagery or symbols.' In February, Collins ordered that displays of flags not in keeping with VA messaging — including LGBTQ+ Pride flags and other advocacy banners — be removed from department workspaces and common areas. It is not clear if flags with Christian imagery will now be exempted from that policy. In addition to his VA leadership role, Collins serves as an Air Force Reserve Chaplain and is a practicing Southern Baptist. President Donald Trump in February ordered VA and 15 other agencies to establish the anti-Christian-bias task forces to 'end the anti-Christian weaponization of government.' He claimed that past administrations' support for abortion rights and diversity efforts amounted to an attack on Christian beliefs. Democratic lawmakers have disputed that. Blumenthal said that the new task force undermines efforts to ensure all veterans receive care and respect. 'The First Amendment ensures that all religions and faiths are treated equally, with full freedom of worship,' he said. Officials from the advocacy group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State have called Trump's anti-Christian task force 'a Christian nationalist crusade' and accused the administration of using religious freedom misinformation 'to justify bigotry and discrimination.'
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate leaders set May 7 hearing to review VA budget, reform plans
Senate lawmakers will get their long-awaited chance to grill Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins over his department reform plans early next month, leaders of the chamber's veterans policy panel announced Monday. The top VA executive is scheduled to testify before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on May 7 as part of the chamber's preparation for the department's fiscal 2026 request. Similar appearances from other Cabinet officials are expected throughout the month. In a statement, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran said that Collins 'will testify before the committee to lay out the department's plans for improving the VA over the next four years and providing quality and timely care and benefits to our nation's heroes and their families.' 'This will be an opportunity for members of the committee to ask questions about recent and planned changes underway at VA and for our committee to receive an overview of the secretary's goals and priorities three months after his bipartisan confirmation,' he added. Nurses rally outside VA hospitals to highlight staff cuts, vacancies Since that bipartisan confirmation vote in February, several Democratic senators have publicly disavowed their support for Collins and demanded he return to Capitol Hill to answer for rumored and promised changes at VA. Those plans include tens of thousands of potential jobs cuts in coming months, as well as significantly restructuring support contracts across the department. In addition, Collins' announcements that VA will end nearly all support services for transgender veterans and eliminate diversity and inclusion programs across the workforce have drawn anger and ire from Democrats. For his part, Collins has struck back on social media, accusing critics of fear-mongering and maintaining the status quo in the face of mounting problems with the VA bureaucracy. Traditionally, the VA secretary makes appearances before each chamber's appropriations and oversight committees each spring as lawmakers negotiate the annual federal spending plan. Collins was scheduled to appear before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month, but lawmakers postponed that event because of other legislative work.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘There's a war on vets': Dems launch plans to counter Trump's VA moves
Angry over planned cuts at Veterans Affairs facilities and a lack of communication from department leaders about those moves, congressional Democrats are plotting confirmation holds, legislative obstruction and unofficial hearings in an attempt to create public outrage over the administration's changes to veterans programs and benefits. 'There's a war on veterans,' said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., at a Wednesday 'shadow hearing' on Capitol Hill highlighting their complaints about the looming plans. 'President Trump has already fired more veterans than any president in the history of the United States … and they have already told the country that [VA leaders] are going to lay off another 80,000 people at the VA.' Wednesday's event — the first in a series planned by Democrats on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee — featured testimony from veterans who lost their government jobs in the initial waves of dismissals connected to President Donald Trump's efforts to shrink the federal workforce. VA secretary insists massive staff cuts needed to refocus department About one-third of federal employees are veterans. White House officials have not said how many of the dismissed workers are veterans, but outside groups have estimated that more than 5,000 former military members have been caught up in the cost-cutting efforts so far. And critics say that number will only grow. VA Secretary Doug Collins has announced plans to trim his agency's workforce back to 2019 staffing levels, a move that would eliminate more than 80,000 of the department's roughly 480,000 workers. In an interview with Military Times in March, Collins said efforts will be made to consider veterans status in job cuts and contract cancellations, but that the federal government should not serve as an employment program for the country. He also has repeatedly vowed that individuals who work directly in veterans health care or processing veterans benefits will not be impacted, and that veterans will see more support as a result of a more efficient department, not less. But Democrats in the House and Senate have disputed those claims. They call the department reform plans haphazard and cruel, without a clear guideline on how to protect veterans benefits and support services amid plans to create savings in government operations. Much of the anger at Wednesday's event was focused on the Department of Government Oversight and billionaire Elon Musk and their opaque authority in the administration. 'Fear and chaos, that's how this administration is running every agency,' said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. 'VA is a very critical part of the health care that veterans deserve, and they don't know what is happening to VA.' Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Wednesday's hearing is the first step in a series of attempts by his caucus to slow or halt the controversial reforms. The caucus plans similar hearings every few weeks throughout the spring, highlighting potential dangers of the White House's VA plans. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., has announced a hold on all VA nominees until Collins withdraws his plans for significant staff cuts. Blumenthal went further on Wednesday, promising a hold on VA and some Defense Department nominees until more information is released on workforce and contracting changes at the veterans bureaucracy. And the senior Democrat on the veterans committee said lawmakers are looking at procedural moves to slow down floor business in protest of the VA cuts, and their refusal to publicly testify on the proposals. House Democratic leaders are planning similar tactics in coming weeks. 'Obviously, our tools are limited, since we're in the minority,' Blumenthal said. 'But we're going to use every one of them as effectively and promptly as we can. And ultimately, we're going to take this to the veterans themselves, enlist them in this fight.' In response to Wednesday's threats of obstruction from Democrats, VA officials repeated a statement from earlier in the week criticizing the moves. 'Imagine how much better off veterans would be if lawmakers like Sen. Blumenthal cared as much about fixing VA as they do about protecting the department's broken bureaucracy,' said VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz. 'VA health care has been on the Government Accountability Office's high-risk list for more than a decade, and GAO says VA faces 'system-wide challenges in overseeing patient safety and access to care, hiring critical staff and meeting future infrastructure needs.' Under Secretary Collins, VA is working hard to fix these and other issues.' Collins is expected to testify before both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees — and the chambers' respective appropriations panels — later this spring. But those dates have not yet been announced, and Republican leaders of the panels have not publicly pushed for congressional questioning of the VA leader in the near future.
