Doug Collins, the nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, will now have to wait until January 21 for his confirmation hearing.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, the delay arises from issues with his background documentation, as confirmed by Senate officials on Monday.
Issues with Background Checks
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee members assured that this delay is not due to any shortcomings on Collins’ part.
As a former U.S. House representative hailing from Georgia, he is expected to receive confirmation shortly.
Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas, who chairs the committee, reiterated that Collins has been diligent in submitting all necessary paperwork and has maintained transparency throughout the evaluation process.
The hitch, he explained, lies in the FBI’s pending completion of its routine background investigation, which the committee typically reviews before moving forward with any confirmation hearing.
Additional Nominees Impacted
Further complicating matters, Fox News reported Monday that two other nominees—Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services—are also experiencing delays as they await their background checks.
Importance of Background Checks
Collins was set to be the first of 15 nominees to face questioning by Senate panels this week, which adds to the urgency of the situation.
Now, it seems likely that his confirmation will occur after President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on January 20.
In recent weeks, Trump has been advocating for the Republican-controlled Senate to accelerate the nomination process for his Cabinet picks, aiming to have his administration operational from day one.
Nevertheless, delays are not unusual; for instance, Denis McDonough, the current Secretary of Veterans Affairs, faced a three-week wait before his confirmation following President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York recently emphasized the importance of completing all necessary security screenings before any confirmation votes take place.
He pointed out the critical nature of these positions, arguing that every nominee deserves a proper background check—similar to what any job applicant in the country would undergo.
This underscores the sentiment that thorough vetting processes should remain a priority, no matter the pressures to expedite confirmations.
Source: Militarytimes