For the first time in 15 years, the Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary visited the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin. Last week, Secretary Doug Collins, a Georgian serving in the Trump Administration, joined Rep. Rick Allen, R-GA, and Rep. Austin Scott, R-GA, in touring Medical Center. During the visit, the group met with Veterans, facility leaders, and VA employees.
“Under President Trump, VA is putting Veterans first. That starts by having honest conversations like the ones we had in Dublin,” said VA Secretary Collins. “I appreciated the opportunity to hear from local Veterans and staff, whose feedback will help us make VA work better for Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors.”
Despite receiving 15.6 percent more claims than last year, the department completed its one millionth FY25 claim Feb. 20 — faster than at any point in the department’s history, Collins said. In fact, the 10 highest claims processing days in VA’s history occurred within the last month, and the department’s highest claims processing day ever was Feb. 12, when VA processed more than 12,000 claims.
Other successes so far:
● Accelerating the deployment of its integrated electronic health record system, after the program was nearly dormant for almost two years under the Biden Administration.
● Ending DEI at the department, reversing the divisive Biden-era policies and stopping more than $14 million in DEI spending.
● Ending the Biden Administration’s telework and remote work policies, ordering thousands of VA employees back to the office.
● Redirecting hundreds of millions from non-mission-critical efforts to health care, benefits and services that directly support VA beneficiaries.
“Secretary Collins is committed to reforming the VA to better serve our nation’s Veterans and I am grateful that he took the time to visit the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin,” said Allen. “We had productive and thoughtful conversations with the current leadership team, Veterans, and staff about needed improvements at the facility to ensure that those who have selflessly served our country receive the high-quality care they have earned. Our Veterans in the 12th District and across the state should feel confident that they have a partner and tireless advocate in Secretary Collins, and I will continue to work in lockstep with the administration to achieve our shared mission of excellence at the VA.”
“I appreciate my longtime friend, Secretary Collins, visiting the Dublin VA Hospital this week. Secretary Collins is a good man, and I’m confident that veterans’ health care will improve under his leadership in Georgia and nationally,” said Scott.
