Senate Confirms Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs Secretary

Collins, a former member of the House of Representatives, has served as a military chaplain in the Air Force Reserve.

Former U.S. Representative Doug Collins testifies before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on his nomination to be Veterans Affairs Secretary, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 21, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP

The Senate confirmed former congressman Doug Collins as the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in a 77-23 vote on Feb. 4.

President Donald Trump’s VA nominee has served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force Reserve and would bring his experience as a military chaplain to the leadership role. Collins also has experience working with lawmakers, having represented Georgia’s Ninth Congressional District from 2013 to 2021.