Wichita Standard

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal has voiced concerns over Doug Collins, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary, being appointed as interim head of both the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel. This appointment follows President Trump's decision to dismiss each agency's Senate-confirmed leaders.

Blumenthal emphasized the importance of having a dedicated leader for veterans: "Now more than ever, veterans need a leader who puts them first and squarely focuses on fighting for them." He noted that Collins, only a week into his role at the VA, should prioritize managing the largest healthcare system in the nation. The VA serves over nine million veterans and is facing challenges from directives from the White House that Blumenthal claims jeopardize veterans' services.

The senator criticized Collins' dual roles as a conflict of interest and stressed that all three positions are too critical for one person to handle effectively. Blumenthal stated, "Doug Collins needs to step aside immediately and focus on serving veterans."

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) oversees ethics across the executive branch, including developing rules on conflicts of interest and monitoring compliance with financial disclosure requirements. It was established by the 1978 Ethics in Government Act to unify ethics policies post-Watergate.

Similarly, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) investigates federal agencies like the VA. Its mission includes protecting federal employees from prohibited practices such as retaliation against whistleblowers. Created by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, OSC also ensures compliance with laws safeguarding political neutrality among government employees and protecting veterans' employment rights.