Sherrod Brown backs Trump pick for VA

Dr. David Shulkin, President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Feb. 1, 2017. Shulkin is the current Veteran Affairs under secretary for health. (Al Drago/The New York Times)

Dr. David Shulkin, President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Feb. 1, 2017. Shulkin is the current Veteran Affairs under secretary for health. (Al Drago/The New York Times)

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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