Robert Wilkie has been confirmed as the next secretary to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, becoming the first nominee for the job to face any opposing votes in the Senate.
Wilkie was confirmed by an 86-9 vote. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., voted against Wilkie, saying that he believed the Trump administration would seek to “privatize” the VA, a move he and Democrats oppose.
Sanders was joined in his opposition by eight Democratic senators, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker of New York, Sens. Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein of California, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon. This is the first time in the 30-year history of the post that senators have voted against a president’s nominee.
Wilkie, 55, has vowed to “shake up complacency” at the government’s second-largest agency, whose veterans have faced long wait times for medical care.
He was assistant secretary of defense under the administration of former President George W. Bush and has been Pentagon undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, has called Wilkie “eminently qualified for the position.”
Wilkie was nominated to replace the former secretary, David Shulkin, who was fired by Trump following infighting at the agency and ethics questions.
Trump’s initial pick to lead the VA was White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, who withdrew his nomination following anonymous allegations that he was drinking on the job and too liberally dispensed medications to the president’s staff.
Trump in June signed into law the VA Mission Act, which allows more veterans to see doctors in the private sector when VA medical centers cannot provide appointments within a month, when veterans have to drive more than 40 minutes to access care, or when care is determined inadequate by VA leaders.
[Previous coverage: Trump surprises Robert Wilkie with nomination to be next secretary of Veterans Affairs]
Wilkie will be responsible for overseeing the law’s rollout and carrying out the Trump administration’s intent to fire poorly performing federal employees.
Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote that he was afraid employees of the agency were being fired not because of their performance but because of their views.
Montana’s Tester, charged Wilkie with “making sure this stops,” calling him “the right person for the job” to carry out the Mission Act and to make sure that the agency is adequately staffed.
Wilkie said during his confirmation hearing that he would not seek to privatize the VA, a result Democrats fear because it would divert resources to the private sector. He also said he would be willing to disagree with Trump.
