Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. It seems like the drama never ends in Washington, and this time it’s all about Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. A month after House Republicans failed to pass a veterans health bill, lawmakers are meeting behind closed doors to try to get the legislation back on track, but there’s one key person they haven’t invited to the table: Collins himself. I guess you could say he’s not exactly the most popular guy in town right now.
It turns out that 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. According to multiple sources, Collins’ relationship with the Hill is basically nonexistent at this point. One person familiar with the dynamics surrounding Collins said, “His relationship with the Hill directly is garbage at this point.” Another source added, “They don’t trust him anymore.” Wow, that’s harsh.
The episode has underscored 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. It’s no wonder there’s widespread speculation over how much longer he’ll remain in the job. Trump is unlikely to fire Collins, at least for now, amid efforts in the White House to minimize upheaval ahead of November’s midterm elections. But Trump officials have increasingly scrutinized Collins’ performance, including tracking his travel and examining the extent of his involvement in key departmental priorities.
Resurrecting the legislation, called the “Take Care of America’s Veterans Act,” is also considered key to the midterms. The bill would expand benefits for tens of thousands of veterans and passage would be viewed as an important legislative win ahead of the November vote. The VA, in an email to CNN, 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 bill would cut billions of dollars in future disability benefits to some veterans suffering from tinnitus and sleep apnea. The money saved from those cuts would pay for another measure that would allow veterans to receive both their retirement benefits and combat injury-related benefits. Veterans are currently allowed to receive one, but not both, of those benefits. The bill is also aimed at improving access to private sector care, working to cut down wait times for care and providing benefits for the spouses of deceased veterans, even if they re-marry.
Democrats oppose the bill, along with some veterans service organizations, saying they disagree with the idea of taking away some veterans’ benefits to pay for other benefits. Other veterans’ advocacy groups like The American Legion and Concerned Veterans for America are in favor of the bill, pointing to all the ways they say it would expand benefits for many of the roughly 9 million veterans enrolled with the VA as well as their families.
The House adjourned for summer recess not long after the legislation was pulled from the House floor ahead of a scheduled vote. But sources say House Republicans are continuing discussions about the bill – without input from Collins. The VA secretary had initially indicated to Republican congressional leadership that he supported the measure, but then started to subtly work against it, according to two sources familiar with the interactions.
Sources say senior Republicans complained to the White House about how Collins and Don Bergin, the VA’s assistant secretary for congressional and legislative affairs, dealt with the bill – and that those Republicans do not view Collins and Bergin as honest brokers moving forward. After Collins’ handling of the legislation that the president and administration have prioritized, one of the sources said, “They can’t decipher or figure out what’s going on in his mind.” I guess that’s what happens when you’re not exactly sure what your boss wants you to do.
In the end, it seems like Collins is in a bit of a pickle. His relationship with the Hill is strained, and his future in the administration is uncertain. As I finish my coffee, I have to wonder what’s next for this guy. Will he manage to turn things around, or will he become the latest casualty of the Trump administration’s revolving door? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure – it’s going to be an interesting few months. And who knows, maybe Collins will surprise us all and come out on top. But until then, I’ll just be over here, sipping my coffee and enjoying the show.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
