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.

Background

The episode underscores how Collins’ standing in the administration has steadily deteriorated over the past several months. A longtime ally of President Donald Trump, Collins has confounded those around him with his lackluster engagement on issues like the veterans health bill.

The 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, saying it would take away some veterans’ benefits to pay for other benefits.

Reactions

Trump officials have increasingly scrutinized Collins’ performance, including tracking his travel and examining the extent of his involvement in key departmental priorities. The VA, in an email, denied that Collins worked against the bill’s passage, stating that the Trump administration and VA broadly support the bill.

The White House did not address Collins’ role in GOP efforts to advance the veterans health bill. However, a White House official downplayed the focus on Collins’ travel, contending that Cabinet officials are encouraged to be on the road to ‘highlight the administration’s accomplishments.’

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.