Senator Hassan Votes to Confirm Denis McDonough as Secretary of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a new member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today voted to confirm Denis McDonough as the next Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

“Earlier today, I met virtually with New Hampshire women veterans to discuss the progress that we have made to improve services for women veterans and the challenges that remain. Significant work is ahead of us to ensure that all veterans – no matter where they live or their age, race, or gender – can receive the support and benefits that they have earned and deserve,” said Senator Hassan. “To strengthen veterans’ services, we must have a strong VA Secretary committed to the mission, and that is Mr. McDonough. I appreciated having the opportunity to meet with him last week, where we discussed ways to enhance veterans’ health care, improve the transition process for veterans, and implement the Deborah Sampson Act. I was glad to vote to confirm Mr. McDonough today, and as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I look forward to working with him and bipartisan Members of Congress to better serve veterans in New Hampshire and across the country.”

Earlier today, Senator Hassan led a virtual roundtable on how the bipartisan Deborah Sampson Act will help eliminate barriers to care and services for many women veterans. Senator Hassan joined in introducing the Deborah Sampson Act, which was signed into law this year as part of a larger bipartisan veterans package that also included additional Hassan-backed priorities to support Granite State veterans. In addition, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Hassan to improve the VA caregiver program became law earlier this year.

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