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Sen. King questions Trump's nominee to lead Department of Veterans' Affairs

Doug Collins, President Donald Trump's pick to be Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, speaks at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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AP
Doug Collins, President Donald Trump's pick to be Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, speaks at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Among the dozens of executive actions that President Donald Trump took on his first day in the White House was a hiring freeze on the federal workforce.

Jobs at federal civilian agencies that were vacant as of Monday noon cannot be filled. And agencies are prohibited from creating new positions.

Military personnel and those involved in immigration enforcement, national security and public safety are exempt from the hiring freeze. Trump implemented a similar hiring freeze for the federal workforce in the first days of his first term back in 2017.

In questioning the president's pick to lead the Department of Veterans' Affairs Tuesday, U.S. Angus King said he "can't complain about a hiring freeze," because he imposed one when he took office as Maine's governor. But he said there ought to be exceptions.

"The hiring freeze should not apply to direct-care workers," King said. "If my Togus hospital in Maine needs a cardiologist and it's been open for a couple of months because they're hard to find, this hiring freeze should not prohibit them for continuing to search for, and if they can find a cardiologist, to sign them up."

In response, Trump's VA nominee, Doug Collins said he'll make sure that veterans have access to the care they need but did not commit to pursuing exceptions to the hiring freeze.

Collins also said there may be a role for artificial intelligence in streamlining benefit claims at the VA.

"I'm willing to look at any opportunity to get their veterans benefits quicker, and if that involves AI, then I'm not willing to take it off the table," he told King. "I'm not willing, though, to have to be put in the position where AI is randomly -- especially in a situation with benefits and others are more difficult -- there will always be a person there to oversee that process."

"Well, the experience this far with AI in the insurance industry is not positive," King replied.

The VA will likely face budget cuts from the new administration, some Democrats worry that under Trump, the department will face pressure to expand a program known as "VA Choice," which allows veterans to seek health care from private sector clinicians in the community.

King said he opposed "creeping elimination" of VA's own health care.

"I believe I heard you say earlier you remain committed to VA health care, in addition to community care where appropriate. Is that correct?" King asked.

"Senator, you heard correctly because I believe that there will always be a VA health care for the veteran that comes out," Collins said. "I believe what we have to do is make sure that we are adapting and make sure that we're giving the care, as authorized by this body, to make sure we do it in the way that's appropriate to the veteran."