{"id":55462,"date":"2021-06-15T21:08:31","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T21:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/06\/15\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:37:00","slug":"senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2021\/06\/15\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Senator vows to hold up VA leadership nominees until department provides info on toxic exposures bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Tennessee senator is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2021\/06\/09\/anonymous-senator-blocks-confirmation-of-four-top-va-leaders\/\" target=\"_blank\">blocking the confirmation<\/a> of four nominees to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2021\/04\/23\/ncaa-official-nominated-for-va-deputy-secretary-post\/\" target=\"_blank\">Veterans Affairs leadership posts<\/a> over lingering complaints about the department\u2019s lack of response on the cost and scope of pending legislation granting more generous benefits to victims of military toxic exposure cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The move by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., has frustrated Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill and stalled department planning for the near-term. The nominees under hold includes Donald Remy, tapped to be the Deputy VA Secretary, the second-highest position in the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blackburn declined to answer questions on the hold last week, and staff did not return requests for explanation of the move.<\/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\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/06\/09\/anonymous-senator-blocks-confirmation-of-four-top-va-leaders\/\" 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=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-1089360516.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\">Anonymous senator blocks confirmation of four top VA leaders<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The list of stalled officials includes VA Deputy Secretary nominee Donald Remy.<\/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\">On Tuesday, after Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., attempted to advance the nominations, Blackburn objected and criticized the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[My constituents] are distressed by the lack of service that they receive from VA,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is unacceptable. It has become the culture of the VA, and this is something that has to change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough obtained by Military Times, Blackburn said she would not allow a full chamber confirmation vote on nominees because \u201cthe administration needs to fulfill its constitutional duty to provide information to Congress, especially when it includes the potential impact that legislation could have on millions of veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday, she said she would continue the holds through July, the projected date when VA officials said they can provide the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with Remy, the hold is preventing confirmation and swearing in of Matthew Quinn, picked to serve as under secretary for memorial affairs; Maryanne Donaghy, nominated to lead VA\u2019s whistleblower protection office; and Patricia Ross, selected to be assistant secretary for legislative affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The practice of anonymous holds allows any individual senator to indefinitely delay nominees for any reason. Placing holds on nominees for issues related to their background or concerns over their past comments is common in the Senate, as is holding up nominees for unrelated policy question responses or overdue congressional inquiries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Tester criticized Blackburn for the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf Senator Blackburn wants more information on how much legislation costs, maybe the senator shouldn\u2019t hold the nominee tasked with getting that information from VA to Congress,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you want to hold VA accountable today, this is not the way to do it. If you want a VA that can function, then we have to have their staff in place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blackburn\u2019s concerns center on the Comprehensive and Overdue Support for Troops (COST) of War Act, which would lessen the documentation needed to prove the connection between overseas burn pits or other toxic contaminant exposures and veterans\u2019 eligibility for disability benefits payouts later in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA and congressional officials have not offered a cost estimate on the package, but several GOP lawmakers have warned that the benefits could run into the \u201chundreds of billions of dollars\u201d in years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure is one of two major toxic exposure bills under debate in Congress, and was passed unanimously last month by the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. Blackburn is on the committee and voted to advance the measure (and advance the four nominees, at the same meeting) but expressed concerns about the potential cost and scope of the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis bill will require VA to completely reshape the way it processes toxic exposure claims and will establish a presumption of service connection for multiple diseases,\u201d she said at the mark-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDoes VA have the capacity to absorb the provisions in this legislation? Probably not. How long will it take to implement it? These are simple answers to questions the committee has yet to receive from VA.\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\/2021\/04\/23\/ncaa-official-nominated-for-va-deputy-secretary-post\/\" 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=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP16139673575473.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\">NCAA leader nominated for VA deputy secretary post<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Donald Remy, an Army veteran and chief operating officer for the sports league, was picked to serve as the second-highest official in VA.<\/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\">However, Blackburn at the time also agreed to drop her concerns and allow the bill and nominees to move ahead, with the understanding that committee officials were discussing the issues with department leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That decision changed sometime in the last month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, VA press secretary Terrence Hayes said, \u201cit is extremely important and necessary that these leaders arrive at VA as quickly as possible. They serve in critical roles at the department, roles that will only help us in our efforts to deliver the absolute-best health care and access to benefits to veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tester said he will continue to fight to move the nominations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf we don\u2019t want to confirm well qualified nominees, then why don\u2019t we just shut down the VA?\u201d Tester asked. \u201cDoesn\u2019t make a lot of sense to me. And in the process, veterans suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn said she won&#8217;t allow the leadership posts to be filled until the department answers questions about other legislation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":93548,"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":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,62,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-55462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"NDZG4H2NCNHA7KPCY57VUE6JBA","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/2021\/06\/15\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\/","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>Senator vows to hold up VA leadership nominees until department provides info on toxic exposures bill - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Republican Sen. 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Marsha Blackburn said she won&#039;t allow the leadership posts to be filled until the department answers questions about other legislation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2021\/06\/15\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-15T21:08:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T09:37:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/15\\\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/15\\\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Senator vows to hold up VA leadership nominees until department provides info on toxic exposures bill\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2021-06-15T21:08:31+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T09:37:00+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/15\\\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 769,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/2021\\\/06\\\/15\\\/senator-vows-to-hold-up-va-leadership-nominees-until-department-provides-info-on-toxic-exposures-bill\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP21159623115878.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Middle Column\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Pentagon &amp; 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