Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after voting to confirm Robert L. Wilkie, Jr. as the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs:
“The Department of Veterans Affairs provides veterans with critical and lifesaving services, yet long wait times and medical staff vacancies have prevented our veterans from receiving the care they deserve. I was pleased to hear Mr. Wilkie express his support for transgender service in the military, as well as his commitment to strengthening veterans’ health care at the VA and reducing the backlog of VA disability claims. I look forward to working together to continue to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve. Along with thousands of veterans in the State of Nevada, I welcome his opposition to any efforts to privatize the VA. I will hold Mr. Wilkie true to his word and will oppose any further efforts to privatize our veterans’ care.”