Carbondale Reporter

U.S. Representative Mike Bost from Illinois's 12th district has met with the newly confirmed Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins. This meeting marks their first official engagement since Collins's confirmation.

Bost expressed his honor in reconnecting with Collins, stating, “I was honored to sit down with my old friend and former House colleague, newly confirmed VA Secretary Doug Collins today to discuss our shared priorities and veteran first agenda." He emphasized the challenges they face due to what he described as issues left by the previous administration. Bost remarked, "There’s a lot of work to do to undo the mess the Biden-Harris administration left us with, but I have no doubt that Secretary Collins is up to the task to right the ship."

Key areas of focus discussed included improving veterans' access to healthcare, managing electronic health records effectively, streamlining benefits, ensuring accountability within the VA workforce, and protecting taxpayer investments. Bost stressed their commitment: "The American people – including America’s veterans – gave us a mandate to get the government working for them again. I look forward to working with Secretary Collins to deliver on that promise.”