Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today released the following statement after voting to confirm Dr. David Shulkin as the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs:
“The Department of Veterans Affairs needs a leader who is committed to providing the very best for our veterans and their families. Our veterans rely on the VA for much needed support and care, but backlogs and long wait times have prevented them from getting immediate access to critical and lifesaving services. Dr. Shulkin has already made efforts to address these issues during his tenure as the Department’s top health official and I am confident he will continue to find solutions that will ensure our veterans receive the care they earned and deserve. I voted in favor of Dr. Shulkin’s nomination because I know he will help us keep the promises we have made to our veterans, and he has voiced opposition to any efforts to privatize the Department. I look forward to working with Dr. Shulkin so we can continue to make improvements to the VA system and hold the Department accountable.”