Senate confirms Trump's VA pick despite opposition from some Dems

By Jordain Carney - 07/23/18 06:39 PM EDT
 
Senate confirms Trump's VA pick despite opposition from some Dems
© Greg Nash

The Senate easily cleared President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump says 'Failing New York Times' should be held 'fully accountable' over Russia report Trump says 'Failing New York Times' should be held 'fully accountable' over Russia report Trump tweets ICE will begin removing 'millions' of undocumented migrants MORE's nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Monday. 

Senators voted 86-9 on Robert Wilkie's nomination to be the VA secretary. 
 
Democratic Sens. Cory BookerCory Anthony Booker2020 Democrats look to cut into Biden's lead with black voters 2020 Democrats look to cut into Biden's lead with black voters Overnight Health Care: Democrats attack after Trump revives talk of ObamaCare replacement | Cruz, Ocasio-Cortez efforts on birth control face major obstacles | CVS investing M to fight teen e-cig use MORE (N.J.), Dianne FeinsteinDianne Emiel FeinsteinHillicon Valley: GOP senator wants one agency to run tech probes | Huawei expects to lose B in sales from US ban | Self-driving car bill faces tough road ahead | Elon Musk tweets that he 'deleted' his Twitter account Hillicon Valley: GOP senator wants one agency to run tech probes | Huawei expects to lose B in sales from US ban | Self-driving car bill faces tough road ahead | Elon Musk tweets that he 'deleted' his Twitter account New push to regulate self-driving cars faces tough road MORE (Calif.), Kirsten GillibrandKirsten Elizabeth GillibrandOvernight Health Care: Democrats attack after Trump revives talk of ObamaCare replacement | Cruz, Ocasio-Cortez efforts on birth control face major obstacles | CVS investing M to fight teen e-cig use Overnight Health Care: Democrats attack after Trump revives talk of ObamaCare replacement | Cruz, Ocasio-Cortez efforts on birth control face major obstacles | CVS investing M to fight teen e-cig use Trump's 2020 campaign strategy is to be above the law MORE (N.Y.), Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisTrump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' Trump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' 2020 Democrats look to cut into Biden's lead with black voters MORE (Calif.), Ed MarkeyEdward (Ed) John MarkeyHillicon Valley: GOP senator wants one agency to run tech probes | Huawei expects to lose B in sales from US ban | Self-driving car bill faces tough road ahead | Elon Musk tweets that he 'deleted' his Twitter account Hillicon Valley: GOP senator wants one agency to run tech probes | Huawei expects to lose B in sales from US ban | Self-driving car bill faces tough road ahead | Elon Musk tweets that he 'deleted' his Twitter account Overnight Defense: US to send 1K more troops to Mideast amid Iran tensions | Iran threatens to break limit on uranium production in 10 days | US accuses Iran of 'nuclear blackmail' | Details on key defense bill amendments MORE (Mass.), Jeff MerkleyJeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyDemocratic White House hopefuls push to expand health care in US territories Democratic White House hopefuls push to expand health care in US territories Hillicon Valley: Assange hit with 17 more charges | Facebook removes record 2.2B fake profiles | Senate passes anti-robocall bill | Senators offer bill to help companies remove Huawei equipment MORE (Ore.), Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenTrump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' Trump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' 2020 Democrats look to cut into Biden's lead with black voters MORE (Mass.), Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenOn The Money: Pelosi says no debt ceiling hike until deal on spending caps | McConnell pressures White House to strike budget deal | Warren bill would wipe out billions in student debt | Senate passes IRS reform bill On The Money: Pelosi says no debt ceiling hike until deal on spending caps | McConnell pressures White House to strike budget deal | Warren bill would wipe out billions in student debt | Senate passes IRS reform bill Senate passes bipartisan IRS modernization bill MORE (Ore.) and independent Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersTrump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' Trump hits polling on Fox News: 'Something weird going on at Fox' 2020 Democrats look to cut into Biden's lead with black voters MORE (Vt.) voted against the nomination. 
 
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.
 
Trump applauded the vote on Twitter:Wilkie's confirmation gives the VA its first Senate-confirmed secretary since Trump fired David ShulkinDavid Jonathon ShulkinTrump sent policy pitch from Mar-a-Lago member to VA secretary: report Is a presidential appointment worth the risk? It’s time to end the scare tactics and get to work for our veterans MORE in March amid months of controversy over allegations of misusing taxpayer funds. 
 
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“I am confident that Robert Wilkie is the right leader because he has the expertise, the judgement and the character to take on the challenges that lie ahead and will bring stability and leadership to the VA. I look forward to working with him to help transform the VA into a department worthy of our veterans," Sen. Johnny IsaksonJohn (Johnny) Hardy IsaksonSenators revive effort to create McCain human rights commission Senators revive effort to create McCain human rights commission Senate passes disaster aid bill after deal with Trump MORE (R-Ga.) said after the vote. 

 
Trump announced Shulkin's firing in a tweet on March 28 and tapped White House physician Ronny Jackson to be his successor.
 
But Jackson withdrew his nomination in April amid a firestorm of accusations of professional misconduct that publicly surfaced days before his confirmation hearing, including allegations that he provided a “large supply” of opioid painkillers to a White House military staffer. Jackson called the allegations "false and fabricated." 

By comparison, Wilkie's nomination was relatively drama-free.

Questions were temporarily raised about his nomination when The Washington Post reported that Wilkie has worked throughout his career for polarizing lawmakers and officials, whose controversial views he has defended.
 
 
Wilkie was subsequently approved by the Veterans' Affairs Committee in a near-unanimous vote. 
 
Wilkie previously ran military personnel policy at the Pentagon for the Trump administration before serving as acting VA secretary. He stepped down as acting VA secretary after being nominated for secretary.
 
The VA has been under the congressional microscope since a 2014 scandal that found department clinics across the country were manipulating data to downplay how long a veteran had been waiting for a health-care appointment.
 
 
As Trump's new VA secretary, Wilkie will find himself at the center of a fight over privatization that spun out of the 2014 scandal. 
 
Wilkie told the Veterans' Affairs Committee during his hearing that he would push back on privatization even if it ran counter to the White House's stance. 
 
"My commitment to you is I will oppose efforts to privatize," Wilkie said, adding that while the VA should be "central" to veterans' health care there was room for balance with private providers. 
 
Shulkin's ouster in March reignited speculation that the White House wanted to expand veterans' access to private-sector health-care providers. Shulkin also blamed his firing on forces within the administration who he said are pushing hard for greater privatization.
 
—Updated at 9:39 p.m.
Tags Kirsten Gillibrand Dianne Feinstein Elizabeth Warren Johnny Isakson Bernie Sanders David Shulkin Eric Shinseki Kamala Harris Donald Trump Jeff Merkley Cory Booker Jon Tester Ron Wyden Ed Markey