{"id":11686,"date":"2018-07-23T22:08:48","date_gmt":"2018-07-23T22:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/23\/senate-confirms-robert-wilkie-as-next-va-secretary-but-with-opposition\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:24:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:24:34","slug":"senate-confirms-robert-wilkie-as-next-va-secretary-but-with-opposition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/leadership\/2018\/07\/23\/senate-confirms-robert-wilkie-as-next-va-secretary-but-with-opposition\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate confirms Robert Wilkie as next VA secretary, but with opposition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 Senators overwhelmingly approved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/06\/27\/va-secretary-nominee-promises-more-medical-choices-for-vets-but-not-privatization\/\" target=_blank>Robert Wilkie<\/a> as the next Veterans Affairs secretary on Monday, but the move came with political dissent for the first time in the department\u2019s 30-year history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final vote of 86-9 wasn\u2019t enough to seriously jeopardize Wilkie\u2019s chances of taking over as the 10th VA secretary. But it did mark the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/04\/02\/white-house-doctor-could-face-the-most-contentious-va-confirmation-process-ever\/\" target=_blank>first time since the agency became a Cabinet-level department<\/a> that any senator has voted against a nominee for the top VA job \u2014 a post that usually rises above partisan congressional fights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of the opposition came from Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Earlier this month, Sanders said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/07\/10\/for-the-first-time-a-senator-is-opposing-the-va-secretary-nominee\/\" target=\"_blank\">he would not support Wilkie\u2019s nomination<\/a> because of his distrust of President Donald Trump\u2019s policies towards veterans medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrump has been very clear about his desire to move to the privatization of the VA,\u201d Sander said, \u201cand I suspect any of his appointees will try and move the agency in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/07\/23\/here-are-the-biggest-issues-facing-the-new-veterans-affairs-secretary\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/40305932240_b1b68b3ab3_o.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Here are the biggest issues facing the new Veterans Affairs secretary<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Robert Wilkie steps into a department which has seen multiple accomplishments and multiple headaches in recent months.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The threat of outsourcing VA medical responsibilities \u2014 and funding \u2014 has dominated much of the discussion over department policy since Trump took office. One of Wilkie\u2019s biggest responsibilities in the next year will be crafting new community care rules allowing veterans more access to private-sector doctors, a process that is expected to spur even more heated debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie\u2019s past work for former Sens. Jesse Helms and Trent Lott also drew questions at his confirmation hearing, particularly his involvement with controversial issues surrounding the Confederate flag, equality issues, and Trump\u2019s military transgender policies. Wilkie defended much of the work as routine business, but that answer failed to reassure a number of Democratic opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/04\/11\/vets-groups-and-lawmakers-say-theyre-against-it-but-what-does-privatization-of-veterans-affairs-really-mean\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_13102205629.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Vets groups and lawmakers say they\u2019re against it \u2014 but what does \u2018privatization\u2019 of Veterans Affairs really mean?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The term will command much of the debate at the new VA secretary&#039;s confirmation hearing, but different groups have different definitions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont., has also expressed concerns about Trump\u2019s intentions with VA, but took to the Senate floor before the vote to back Wilkie as a responsible nominee to guide the department into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now the VA does not have a confirmed secretary who is focused on the larger mission of serving veterans, implementing the reforms, and improving VA care and benefits,\u201d he said. \u201cInstead, we&#8217;ve had temporary political appointees in charge. They&#8217;re more interested in picking political fights with people who are not their enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI believe we&#8217;ve lost sight of the VA mission. It will be up to Mr. Wilkie to right that ship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republicans in the Senate were even freer with their praise. Committee chairman Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., called the nominee \u201cthe real deal\u201d and an exemplary pick by the president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRobert Wilkie understands the needs of our veteran rural areas,\u201d he said before the vote. \u201cHe understands the needs in large urban cities. He understands the threat of suicide and our need to get mental health accessible and available to our veterans at all times. He also knows that we&#8217;ve given him a quiver of arrows that he can use to root out the bad players and lift the good players.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie\u2019s confirmation ends four months of leadership turmoil at VA, a department that boasts a budget of nearly $200 billion and more than 350,000 employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March, President Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/03\/28\/shulkin-out-trump-fires-va-secretary-after-weeks-of-controversy\/\" target=_blank>fired then-Secretary David Shulkin<\/a> amid infighting at the department, and allegations by Shulkin that political operatives were working to undermine VA health care programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s first pick to replace Shulkin, former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/06\/04\/defense-officials-open-investigation-into-drinking-drug-allegations-against-white-house-doctor\/\" target=\"_blank\">White House physician Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson<\/a>, withdrew his name from consideration in April after allegations emerged about unprofessional behavior and medication mismanagement in his role as the administration\u2019s top doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie, 55, has been serving since last fall as the Defense Department\u2019s under secretary for personnel and readiness. He also served as acting VA secretary for two months following the firing of Shulkin from the lead department job in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He has received generally positive reviews from veterans groups in recent months as a stabilizing force for a department that has seen significant turmoil since the start of 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, American Legion National Commander Denise Rohan praised the move and said her staff is focused on working with the new secretary \u201cto ensure America\u2019s veterans receive the healthcare, education, and other benefits they have earned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie, 55, is an Air Force Reserve colonel who previously spent time in the Navy Reserve. He is the son of an Army artillery commander wounded in the Vietnam War, and has spoken frequently about growing up in a military family dealing with those serious injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He served in the Pentagon under Defense Secretaries Robert Gates and Donald Rumsfeld as an assistant secretary, and previously was special assistant to President George W. Bush for national security affairs. Wilkie is also well known on Capitol Hill, most recently serving as a senior adviser to Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., prior to his recent Pentagon appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new secretary also outlined his top department priorities in that Senate event, promising to offer \u201cworld-class customer service\u201d at VA, expanding veterans access to medical care outside the VA system, reducing disability claims backlogs and reforming human resources systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wilkie is expected to be officially sworn into his new role later this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today&#39;s the day. AMVETS supports confirming Robert Wilkie as the next Secretary of the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptVetAffairs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DeptVetAffairs<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PuDIrFujKe\">https:\/\/t.co\/PuDIrFujKe<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/WhatsNext?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WhatsNext<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hashtag\/HealAmericanVeterans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HealAmericanVeterans<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/llHU5hjK8E\">pic.twitter.com\/llHU5hjK8E<\/a><\/p>&mdash; AMVETS (@AMVETSHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AMVETSHQ\/status\/1021376782010896386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 23, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the first time, several senators voted against the nominee, breaking a streak of non-contentious approvals for the top VA post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":35060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":68,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[104,106,31,15,68,33],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3294],"class_list":["post-11686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acquisition-update","category-daily-brief","category-home","category-management","category-leadership","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"NHX5J4O3IFGVNFXLDTFEKWFPN4","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2018\/07\/23\/senate-confirms-robert-wilkie-as-next-va-secretary-but-with-opposition\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Senate confirms Robert Wilkie as next VA secretary, but with opposition - Federal Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For the first time, several senators voted against the nominee, breaking a streak of non-contentious approvals for the top VA post.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senate confirms Robert Wilkie as next VA secretary, but with opposition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For the first time, several senators voted against the nominee, breaking a streak of non-contentious approvals for the top VA post.\" \/>\n<meta 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