{"id":24599,"date":"2018-05-08T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/08\/controversial-white-house-advisor-rejoins-va-reform-debate\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:27:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:27:44","slug":"controversial-white-house-advisor-rejoins-va-reform-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/2018\/05\/08\/controversial-white-house-advisor-rejoins-va-reform-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"Controversial White House adviser rejoins VA reform debate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Former White House adviser Darin Selnick<\/a>, who sparred behind the scenes with former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin<\/a> before the latter\u2019s firing, is returning to work with Concerned Veterans for America to lobby for more department reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selnick, a polarizing figure within the veterans community who nonetheless enjoyed significant stature in President Donald Trump\u2019s administration, will join the group as a senior adviser. He will not do any executive branch lobbying, per rules regarding his previous role, but expects to be an active voice on Capitol Hill and the broader public debate in the months ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That will put him back in the middle of the controversy over how much of veterans\u2019 medical care outside the VA should be covered by taxpayer funds, and whether that amounts to privatization of the department\u2019s mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later today, the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee will vote on the VA MISSION Act<\/a>, which would dramatically rewrite the department\u2019s community care program rules. The measure has the support of most major veterans service organizations and CVA.<\/p>\n\n\n\t