Hirono Meets with VA Secretary Nominee Ronny Jackson

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono met with Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) nominee Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson today. The meeting occurred ahead of Rear Admiral Jackson’s Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on April 25.

“I welcome Admiral Jackson’s commitment that he will not privatize the VA and I will hold him to it,” Senator Hirono said. “We also discussed the unique needs of veterans in Hawaii, including a shared commitment to improving access to health care services for veterans in rural communities through telehealth services. I look forward to hearing more from Admiral Jackson at his confirmation hearing.”

As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Hironorecently worked with the VA to continue providing nursing home care services for Maui veterans. Last month, she visited the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo to highlight her recently enacted legislation with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to increase reimbursements for adult day health care services for severely disabled veterans. In January, the Senate unanimously passed Senators Hirono and Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) VETS Act to expand VA telehealth services.

###