Jan. 21 (UPI) — Former Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a former Air Force Reserve chaplain, a veteran of the Iraq War and says he wants to improve veterans’ services.
As President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Collins underwent a confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., introduced Collins to the Senate committee.
“If we were to write up qualifications for VA secretary, Doug Collins’ picture would be right up next to the description,” Cramer told committee members.
Collins affirmed he will uphold veterans’ ability to obtain health care and mental health services outside of the VA system as needed.
“America is the greatest nation on Earth because of the men and women who serve and are willing to step up to protect the freedoms that we hold so dear,” Collins said in his opening remarks. “I’ve witnessed this firsthand.”
Collins said he slept next to burn pits for several months while deployed in Iraq and brought his dog tags and a bracelet gifted to him by another service member to the confirmation hearing.
Both remind him and other veterans and active duty members of the U.S. military that they are part of something bigger, Collins told the committee members during the nearly three-hour hearing.
Collins was deployed to Iraq while he was a member of the Air Force Reserves and visited and comforted injured military personnel while at the Balad Air Base, the New York Times reported.
He said the VA can’t rely on old practices for the modern military and wants to expand access to medical services outside of the VA for veterans, the Military Times reported.
“We don’t do the same things 40 years ago that we do today,” Collins said. “Our newer veterans deserve every access to finding care where they can.”
Collins generally is well-regarded by Republicans and Democrats alike.
Some members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee aired concerns that Trump might overturn a rule established during President Joe Biden’s administration in 2022 and allowing the Veterans Administration to provide abortions for service members whose pregnancies resulted from rape, incest or when their lives might be at risk.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he needs assurances Collins won’t interfere with benefits veterans have earned, especially regarding abortion care and mental health care.
“Rolling back this policy would unnecessarily risk the lives and health of pregnant veterans in states with abortion bans and care restrictions,” Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal described the Veterans Administration as the largest civilian agency in the federal government with more than 450,000 employees comprising 20% of the entire federal workforce.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked Collins if a veteran living in Texas is raped and becomes pregnant should be able to get an abortion through the VA.
Collins said a 1992 law prohibits the VA from performing abortions and said the Trump administration likely will examine if the Biden administration’s 2022 rule in such matters is legal.
“We will be looking at that issue when I get in there to confirm that the VA is actually following the law,” Collins said.
He also will look into the VA processing health care claims for undocumented migrants, which became a controversial matter during President Biden’s last year in office.
“I do not believe any money that’s taken outside the mission of the VA to help the veteran is a worthy cause,” Collins said. “We will not be doing that.”
Collins said his service brings a different perspective than prior Veterans Affairs secretaries, and he is focused on providing timely access and care for veterans.
“The veterans and VA won’t have a stronger fighter for the employees and workforce,” Collins said.
He said he favors enabling veterans to obtain taxpayer-funded medical and mental health services outside of the VA system to ensure they benefit from the best possible care.
“Veterans will always be able to use the health care system,” Collins said. “The issue is how we make it better.”
