(U.S. Senate) – Chairman Jon Tester led a unanimous vote of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee yesterday in support of Denis R. McDonough, President Joe Biden’s nominee to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA). The nomination now heads to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote by the full chamber.

“Denis McDonough has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to public service and a deep understanding that taking care of our veterans is a cost of war,” said Chairman Tester. “Though there is a great political divide in this nation, veterans across the country and members on both sides of the aisle are united by a very basic expectation: that the next VA Secretary be an individual of honesty, integrity, and vision. As long as McDonough maintains good communication with me and the committee—and remains squarely focused on doing right by our veterans—then I have no doubt that he will be successful in this role.”

Tester led a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing last week to consider McDonough’s nomination. During the hearing, Tester pressed McDonough on the responsibility of leading the nation’s second largest federal agency and challenged him to address a number of issues at the Department. McDonough pledged to prioritize living up to the promises made to all veterans.

“Denis, out of the top jobs in the administration for which you would be well-qualified, why this one?” Tester questioned.

“I’m a fighter and I’m relentless,” replied McDonough. “I’m particularly relentless about things that I have a passion for. Having had the professional experience of the last 20 years since September 11th 2001-and having witnessed up close the tremendous service, excellence, and sacrifice of our military and our veterans-I have great passion for making sure that we treat them as well as they have treated us. So when the president called me to talk about this assignment, I could not have been more excited, more humbled and more committed to seeing it through. And if confirmed, I will apply that fight and that passion to ensure that we do live up to our promises.”

The Senator also challenged McDonough to address the growing claims backlog at the Department, implement critical reforms consistent with Congressional intent, monitor the expansion of the caregiver program and implementation of the new electronic health record (EHR) system, support ongoing COVID-19 vaccine efforts, and live up to the promises to veterans nationwide.