Federal Government Policy and Business

Citing Comey Firing, Democrats Block VA Reform Hearing

Government Executive: A scheduled hearing to review options to overhaul the Veterans Affairs Department was postponed Wednesday, with Republicans accusing Democrats of blocking the proceeding due to "political games."

VA Secretary David Shulkin was slated to appear at the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing with an array of veterans group officials, but the event was postponed after Democrats declined to provide unanimous consent for it. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on Wednesday morning interfered with a procedural process allowing committees to meet as scheduled, saying he and Senate Democrats objected to the motion from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., “because of the decision last night by the president to terminate the director of the FBI and the questions that it’s raised.”

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