WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) had a positive exchange with President-elect Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), former U.S. Representative Doug Collins, at his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“You’re going to be a fabulous Secretary of the VA, and you have my support,” said Dr. Cassidy. “You’re a Georgia Bulldogs fan, but that’s ok. Not everybody can be a Tiger.”
“When I speak to people and read about the use of artificial intelligence, some say it’s the perfect bureaucrat,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It can process a tremendous amount of information—next to instantaneously—and come up with the same decision based upon the same set of facts, over, and over, and over. But I’ve also learned it’s only something that happens if you lean into it.”
“Why are we not using AI?” asked Representative Collins. “We’ve got a health care records system that is non-existent right now. We’re going to have to do, as you said, that ‘Red Team’ approach… I’m looking for every possible way I can make it better. Why would I be satisfied for a system that is old and outdated—or non-existent—when my goal, and my purpose, and my mission is to take care of veterans?”
Background
Last week, Cassidy reintroduced the Restore VA Accountability Act to strengthen accountability by unlocking expedited disciplinary processes for VA employees who fail to adequately serve veterans.
In December, the Senate passed Cassidy’s Veteran Service Organization (VSO) Equal Tax Treatment (VETT) Act, sending the bill to the president’s desk. The bill would expand the deductibility of charitable contributions to all federally chartered tax-exempt organizations serving current and former members of the Armed Forces. The Senate also unanimously passed Cassidy’s bipartisan Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act. The legislation increases access to job counseling services for spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died while on active duty through the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program at the U.S. Department of Labor.
In October, Cassidy introduced his VetPAC Act to improve the quality and efficiency of health care provided to veterans. The VetPAC Act creates a new Veterans Health Administration Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) to facilitate a transparent, expert-driven review process for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Modeled after the successful MACPAC and MedPAC, the independent commission will focus on improving health care delivery and addressing the challenges within the VHA.
Last summer, Cassidy penned an op-ed in the American Press highlighting federal resources that support American veterans’ physical and mental health. The op-ed came on the heels of the 43rd National Veteran Wheelchair Games, which was hosted in New Orleans. Read the full op-ed here.
In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed Cassidy’s Solid Start Act to strengthen the VA’s Solid Start program to contact every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty. The program helps connect veterans with VA programs and benefits, including mental health resources.
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