Senate approves VA Secretary

With widespread Democratic support, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs was confirmed by the Senate.

Former Rep. A 77-23 vote went to Doug Collins, a Republican from Georgia who was instrumental in defending Trump during his initial impeachment. The nominee was only opposed by Democrats, and he will now take over an organization that has a history of failing to deliver high-quality healthcare to the millions of veterans it serves.

Collins has committed to implementing legislation signed by former President Joe Biden that expanded access to services for veterans exposed to toxins like Agent Orange and to increasing access to care outside of VA. Due to the new law, which has forced the agency to care for more veterans than ever before, he will have to deal with budget shortages.

After the Supreme Court ruling eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion, Collins is also anticipated to take the lead in reversing a Biden administration policy that increased access to reproductive health care services at the agency. Under pressure from Democrats, Collins stated he was going to investigate whether the Biden-era rule violated a 1992 law that prohibited military veterans or retirees from receiving abortion care through the VA health care system, but he declined to take a firm stance on the matter.

Collins is one of several Trump secretary nominees who have received strong Democratic support, such as Scott Bessent at Treasury, Doug Burgum at Interior, Sean Duffy at Transportation, and Marco Rubio at State. Except for Pete Hegseth, whose confirmation necessitated Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie, at least a few Democrats have voted in favor of all of Trump’s nominees that have so far been approved by a floor vote.

Prior to Collins’ confirmation, the VA announced last week that it was proceeding to terminate contracts for “DEI-related trainings, materials, and other consulting services” in accordance with a Trump executive order and that it had placed nearly 60 employees who were involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion activities on paid leave.

The top Democrats in charge of the Treasury Department are urging a congressional watchdog to look into the Trump administration’s choice to grant Elon Musk’s group access to the federal system that handles trillions of dollars’ worth of payments.

Feelings. D-Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren. as well as Ron Wyden (D-Ore. urged the Government Accountability Office to launch an investigation on Tuesday into how Musk’s government efficiency group was given access to the federal machinery that pays out benefits to Americans, such as Social Security, Medicare, tax refunds, and payments to federal contractors, by recently confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“GAO must look into and ascertain who was given access to these systems, how and why this access was given, and the implications for the country’s economic and national security,” Warren and Wyden wrote in a letter to the congressional watchdog that POLITICO obtained.

In response to what they claim is Musk’s unprecedented political interference in a number of federal government operations, including Treasury’s payments system, Democrats have called for an investigation. On Monday, federal labor unions filed a lawsuit to prevent the DOGE team from using Treasury’s payment system.

Bessent assured House Republican lawmakers in a private meeting Monday night that DOGE was examining federal payment procedures to identify inefficiencies and eradicate waste and fraud, and that Musk and his group did not have control over Treasury’s payment systems.

In their outline, Warren and Wyden listed several areas that GAO should look into, such as whether DOGE employees have the proper security clearances, whether there are safeguards to protect the privacy of American data stored in the systems, and whether there are safeguards to prevent Musk’s team from stopping the disbursement of funds for political reasons.

Furthermore, as Musk’s X platform expands its own payment system, Warren and Wyden want GAO to look into any possible conflicts of interest with the Musk team’s access to a payments system. X and Visa announced earlier this month that they would be collaborating to offer financial services, including payment processing.

A request for comment was not immediately answered by a Treasury Department spokesperson.

Wyden is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, while Warren is the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.

During a Tuesday event with POLITICO, the leading Republican on the powerful Ways and Means trade subcommittee voiced concerns regarding President Donald Trump’s trade agenda.

Rep. Smith, Adrian (U.R. stated that while he opposes broad tariffs like the ones Trump has threatened to impose on Canada and Mexico and slapped on China, “we need to come to terms” with the fact that Trump is determined to use them to further his security and economic objectives.

“I would say that Canada and Mexico responded with a posture of cooperation, and I think that’s a step in the right direction,” Smith stated. However, he went on to say: “I’ve long stated that I don’t like tariffs, but I do recognize that they must be a tool in the toolbox. “.”.

The morning after a bewildering round of trade announcements, the representative, one of the most prominent voices on trade among House Republicans, took part in an interview at Playbook’s First 100 Days breakfast series. The president said on Monday that he had reached an agreement with the leaders of both countries to postpone 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a month. Yet the U. A. proceeded to impose 10% tariffs on China, prompting Beijing to impose additional retaliatory tariffs on Tuesday morning.

Smith expressed his apprehension about such retaliation, especially when it targets American farmers. “That is definitely a concern,” he stated.

In response to a question about whether he anticipates Congress taking action to provide funding, Smith stated: “I’ve heard from producers that they would much rather produce for a market than merely to get paid, so whatever is done, I hope, is very temporary … and temporary in its overall application. “.

Smith also voiced concerns about Trump’s plans to replace the income tax with tariffs, which he first proposed during the campaign and has since pledged to use as a counterbalance to his tax cut extensions. Smith stated, “I don’t want to become reliant on tariff revenue because that illustrates that it’s just another tax.”.

However, Smith commended Trump’s involvement in negotiating the updated North American Free Trade Agreement, or U.S. S. -The agreement that Trump signed into law during his first term in office, the Mexico-Canada Agreement. The previous Biden administration did not go far enough to engage the U.S., he continued. S. . with international markets.

According to Smith, Trump’s second term follows “four years where it was really unclear what our trade policy was.”. The USMCA is “the most bipartisan trade agreements, probably in history,” he continued. “.”.

Smith has commended Trump’s trade policies in the past. After Trump paused new tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, Smith said in a statement, “The world is watching as the president shows, in no uncertain terms, his ability to bring our neighbors together to stop illegal activity and promote security in North America.”.

The Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has a long history of opposing commonly accepted vaccines, but he is now one step closer to becoming the head of the country’s health agencies.

On party lines, the Senate Finance Committee recommended his confirmation on Tuesday, voting 14–13.

“It’s time to add someone who will go crazy,” Sen said. Tillis, Thom (R-N. A. Recalling President Donald Trump’s pledge to Kennedy following his withdrawal from the presidential race last summer and endorsement of Trump, he made this statement following the vote to move forward with Kennedy’s confirmation.

“I hoped that bringing in a disruptor like Kennedy, a lawyer rather than a health professional, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services would bring new ideas to lower the cost of health care and drug prices, bolster food safety, and improve the government’s health insurance program for low-income people, Medicaid,” Tillis said.

Kennedy has a good chance after Sen. when the entire Senate votes. The R-La Bill Cassidy. Kennedy was defended by those who questioned him harshly during a hearing of the health committee last week regarding his claim that certain vaccines are dangerous.

The vote by the Finance panel is another victory for Trump in securing his Cabinet and another demonstration of his dominance over congressional Republicans who, in a different situation, would have probably rejected Kennedy, a lifelong Democrat who has backed environmental regulation and abortion rights.

Republicans were reassured by Kennedy’s claims that he would not ban vaccines and only sought greater transparency regarding their safety and effectiveness, according to Tillis, rather than because they didn’t take his prior work as an anti-vaccine activist seriously.

“If Bobby Kennedy truly takes a stance against the safety of proven vaccines, that’s the only way we’ll get sidetracked,” Tillis stated. That will present a challenge for me. “”.

Considering the overwhelming evidence regarding vaccine safety, Cassidy had questioned Kennedy’s transparency argument. However, he stated on X that he had chosen to vote “yes” after receiving “serious commitments” from Vice President JD Vance and because of the chance “to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda.”. “,”.

Cassidy, a physician before entering politics, urged Kennedy last week to support vaccine use on several occasions as part of a much larger pressure campaign from the White House and grassroots organizations.

Cassidy admitted that he had a ton of calls from people who supported Kennedy and his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.

Next year, if Cassidy chooses to run for a third term in the Senate, a former Republican representative will be his opponent. John Fleming has criticized Cassidy for voting in favor of convicting Trump of inciting the January scandal in 2021. The Capitol riot on June 6, 2021. A reelection campaign would have been even more precarious if Kennedy had been defeated.

Kennedy, when questioned by Cassidy last week, refused to publicly retract his previous assertions regarding vaccines, including the link between vaccines and an increase in autism cases.

Trump wrote on Truth Social just minutes before the vote: “Twenty years ago, the prevalence of autism in children was 1 in 10,000. IT IS NOW 1 in 34. Whoa! There’s a serious issue. Thank you, DJT! We need BOBBY. “.”.

Following the Finance Committee vote, Cassidy spoke on the Senate floor, claiming that among other promises, the administration had assured him that Kennedy would continue to meet with him on a regular basis and maintain the government’s current vaccine safety systems.

Kennedy stated at his confirmation hearings that he would give top priority to addressing chronic illnesses, which he believes are caused by environmental pollution and food additives. According to him, health organizations have allowed chronic disease to spread by investing too much time and resources in infectious diseases.

Kennedy overcame resistance from Republicans and Democrats who were concerned about his personal conduct, as well as his opinions on environmental regulation, vaccines, abortion, food production, and drug legalization, in order to gain the Finance Committee’s approval.

Kennedy’s friends and former allies were among the Democrats who voted “no,” claiming that Kennedy’s claims regarding vaccines contradicted scientific consensus and that he could use his HHS bully pulpit to dissuade vaccination. They said that would result in fatalities.

Ron Wyden, a ranking member (D-Ore). and other Democrats attempted to convince Cassidy of this.

Wyden mentioned Kennedy’s attendance at hearings of the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees last week, saying, “Mr. Dot Kennedy was given ample opportunity on a bipartisan basis to recant his decades-long career peddling anti-vaccine conspiracies.”. He instead skirted the issue and made no indication that he would support the established science behind routine vaccinations if elected HHS secretary. “”.

Kennedy’s ties to lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers and allegations about his personal behavior, such as a sexual assault accusation he has denied, his admission that he once chopped off a whale’s head and took it home, and his disposal of a dead bear cub in Central Park, New York, were brought up by other Democrats who opposed him.

Following the hearing, Wyden expressed his belief that Kennedy might still lose a Senate floor vote.

“We’re going to go all out,” he declared. Some senators, in my opinion, will vote no on the floor. “.”.

Republicans remained unconvinced, claiming that Kennedy would implement the necessary reform.

Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the Finance Chair, stated, “We will have the chance to implement much-needed change to our patients’ health care system.”.

This story is a collaboration with Robert King.

Sen. In an effort to increase Tulsi Gabbard’s chances of being confirmed, Todd Young announced on Tuesday that he would back Donald Trump’s beleaguered choice for director of national intelligence.

Young “engaged in extensive conversations” with Vice President JD Vance after receiving a slew of political pressure from Trump allies to support Gabbard. During these conversations, he sought written assurances regarding Gabbard’s stance on whistleblowers, according to a person familiar with his discussions who was given anonymity to discuss them.

“We should respect and assist American intelligence officers at all locations. To guarantee that our intelligence professionals will be supported and that policymakers will receive objective information under her direction, I value Tulsi Gabbard’s involvement with me on a range of issues,” Young said in a statement to POLITICO.

“As a former Marine Corps intelligence officer, I have done what the Framers intended senators to do: to use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security,” he continued. “Now that I have these promises, I will back Tulsi’s candidacy and am eager to collaborate with her to safeguard our national security. “.”.

Hours before he is scheduled to vote on Gabbard’s nomination in the Intelligence Committee—where any Republican opposition could help thwart her nomination—Young made his statement.

According to the person with knowledge of Young’s discussions, he also made it apparent that he is against pardoning NSA leaker Edward Snowden, who was a key topic of Gabbard’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing last week.

According to a letter that Young made public online on Tuesday, Gabbard promised not to “make any recommendations in a personal or profession capacity” about Snowden’s legal status, refused to “protect” intelligence community members who engage in unauthorized disclosures, and promised to “hold accountable” any intelligence community employee, contractor, or subcontractor who leaks intelligence.

The controversial authority known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which has been used to spy on Americans, will be reauthorized with her cooperation, she also promised.

a hawkish internationalist, similar to the late Sen, his former mentor. Young and Richard Lugar asked Gabbard pointed questions about her prior backing of Snowden.

“I think it would befit you, and be helpful to the way you are perceived by members of the intelligence community,” Young said to Gabbard at a hearing last week, “if you would at least acknowledge that the greatest whistleblower in American history, so-called, harmed national security by breaking the laws of the land.”. “..”.

Young questioned Trump’s judgment in dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin and did not support his 2024 presidential campaign.

In recent days, MAGA Republicans have been putting a lot of pressure on the senator from Hoosier. One such Republican is Elon Musk, who called the senator a “deep state puppet” in a post on X before removing it and claiming that he was later “corrected.”. “”.

Young’s office told POLITICO that Musk did not press him on Gabbard during the call after the two spoke on Sunday.

Sen’s and Young’s statements today. Maine’s Susan Collins yesterday, Sen. Only one Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Jerry Moran of Kansas, has not yet stated his vote on Gabbard.

The Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Tulsi Gabbard’s chances of being confirmed are dependent on three Republican senators who have not publicly committed to the candidate. These senators have the ability to defeat their nominations in committee votes on Tuesday.

Sen. At 10 a.m., the Senate Finance Committee will decide whether to move forward with the HHS secretary nominee, with Bill Cassidy as its only wildcard. m. In addition to juggling his political future in deep-red Louisiana, where he is running for reelection next year, Cassidy has stated that he is still troubled by Kennedy’s skepticism about vaccines.

Cassidy told reporters Monday that he spoke with Kennedy in a “friendly” manner over the weekend, but that he was “still working through” his choice. Cassidy has discussed it with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Senators, over on Senate Intelligence. Jerry Moran and Todd Young will meet in private at 2:00 p.m. to discuss Gabbard’s nomination as national intelligence director, but they have not yet revealed their voting positions. M. Young told reporters on Monday that he spoke with Gabbard in “a lot of great conversations” over the weekend. Although he did not specify his vote, Moran said that Gabbard’s answers to his questions about Russia and maintaining the impartiality of intelligence were “satisfactory” when he left her hearing last Thursday.

Sen. Gabbard’s support was announced on Monday. Another Intel swing vote, Susan Collins, stated that the former Hawaii lawmaker “shares my vision” of reducing the size of the DNI office and “addressed my concerns” regarding her prior support for the pardon of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Sen. . Despite voicing concerns last week that Gabbard declined to label Snowden a traitor during her confirmation hearing, James Lankford, another Intel member, reiterated his support for Gabbard.

Take a step back: President Donald Trump has a good chance of getting all of his Cabinet picks—aside from Matt Gaetz—through the Senate if Gabbard and Kennedy advance on Tuesday. Just a few weeks ago, it appeared as though Kennedy, Gabbard, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were all in trouble. This is a completely different situation now. And it demonstrates Trump’s firm hold on the congressional GOP once more.

And what else are we observing?

Other nominees: Chris Wright was confirmed by senators on Monday night as the secretary of energy. Additionally, in procedural votes, the Senate nominated Russ Vought for OMB director and Pam Bondi for attorney general. Doug Collins, the nominee for VA Secretary, will be up for confirmation at 12:15 p.m. M. Tuesday. On Monday, the Senate of Agriculture also gave Brooke Rollins permission to head USDA.

Bills for budget resolution: Speaker Mike Johnson’s reconciliation plan is already behind schedule. The speaker had originally intended for the House Budget Committee to vote on a budget resolution this week, but two people with knowledge of the situation say that is not the case. Republican leaders have been rushing to meet the demands of hard-line committee members who want more drastic spending cuts.

Bessent’s assurances on Musk: Five lawmakers in a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill on Monday night said that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent assured them that Elon Musk and his group do not control a sensitive government system that controls the flow of trillions of dollars in payments. Rep. “Treasury has control of the Treasury payments system,” said Andy Barr, a senior Republican on the Financial Services panel, in an interview, adding that Bessent’s presentation was “very reassuring” to GOP lawmakers. Democrats, meanwhile, are banding together to make Elon Musk their archenemy, threatening to hold up nominations for the State Department and submitting amendments that would bar Musk and his supporters from using Treasury payment systems.

David Sacks on the Hill: This afternoon, as Republicans draft legislation that will benefit the digital assets industry, Trump’s czar for cryptocurrency and AI policy, David Sacks, will be up on Capitol Hill. He’ll be speaking at 2:30 p.m. A. interview with the media in the Senate Banking hearing room.

Contributors to this report included Jennifer Scholtes, Michael Stratford, Meredith Lee Hill, Daniel Payne, Jasper Goodman, and Jordain Carney.