Press Releases

Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), the incoming Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, released the following statements about the nomination of Denis McDonough to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

“I have seen firsthand the challenges the VA Secretary faces and how vital real world experience can be when it comes to ensuring veterans, caregivers, and their families are taken care of,” said Ranking Member Roe. “VA needs a leader who understands the unique needs of transitioning servicemembers and veterans and will be ready on day one to get to work on their behalf. Being a veteran is certainly helpful in that regard. Mr. McDonough has deep experience in national security, foreign policy, and politics. While I do not doubt the sincerity of his respect and appreciation for our nation’s veterans, his connection to the veteran community and understanding of the numerous issues facing those who serve is unclear to me at this point. I will be rooting for whoever the next VA Secretary is and hope that they are up to the task.”

“The most important qualification for VA Secretary is having a heart for veterans, not a mind for politics,” said incoming Ranking Member Bost. “VA is a massive bureaucracy that provides compensation, education, health care, and burial benefits for millions of veterans and military families. I am puzzled by the nomination of Mr. McDonough to such an important position given his apparent lack of experience on those fronts or personal experience in uniform. I look forward to getting to know more about him and, should he assume the position, working closely with him to make sure that VA puts veterans first.”