VA Secretary Doug Collins has drawn the ire of the White House and Republicans due to his handling of a veterans health bill. According to sources, Collins and his team at the VA have been excluded from recent meetings on Capitol Hill because some senior congressional Republicans and Trump officials blamed him when the planned House vote was abruptly abandoned in July.

Loss of Trust

Collins’ relationship with the Hill has deteriorated, with one person familiar with the dynamics saying, ‘His relationship with the Hill directly is garbage at this point.’ Another source stated, ‘They don’t trust him anymore.’ The episode highlights how Collins’ standing in the administration has steadily deteriorated over the past several months.

The veterans health bill, called the ‘Take Care of America’s Veterans Act,’ aims to expand benefits for tens of thousands of veterans. However, Democrats and some veterans service organizations oppose the bill, citing concerns over the proposed cuts to disability benefits for some veterans suffering from tinnitus and sleep apnea.

The VA, in an email, denied that Collins worked against the bill’s passage. VA press secretary Quinn Slaven said, ‘The Trump administration, Secretary Collins, and VA broadly support this bill, and while we believe it could benefit from some amendments, it contains many priorities of the administration.’ The White House did not address Collins’ role in GOP efforts to advance the veterans health bill.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.