Sherrod Brown backs Trump pick for VA

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown has voted in favor of President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Brown, D-Ohio, cast his vote Tuesday as a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for Dr. David Shulkin, who also served in a high-ranking VA post in the Obama administration.

“I expressed serious concerns that President Trump’s comments about privatizing the VA could put veterans at risk,” Brown said in a statement. “Dr. Shulkin made a commitment — both our private meeting and in front of the American people at his hearing — to protect veterans from privatization, and he assured the committee that President Trump shares his position. I intend to hold Dr. Shulkin to his word.”

Brown said he also had a commitment from Shulkin to continue with plans to bring a National VA History Center to the Dayton VA Medical Center campus. Two 19th-century buildings would be renovated with both public and private dollars to open the facility in future years.

Shulkin’s nomination now heads to the Senate for a final vote.

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