Senate approves new Veterans Affairs health care chief

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the troubled health care arm of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dr. David Shulkin, president of the Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey, won approval as the VA’s undersecretary for health by a voice vote.

Shulkin steps into a key role managing a healthcare system responsible for 9 million military veterans in nearly 1,000 VA hospitals and clinics nationwide. The VA was rocked by scandal last year over long waits for veterans seeking medical care at the Phoenix VA hospital and other sites and falsified record to cover up the delays.

Dr. Carolyn Clancy has been serving as interim undersecretary for health. Dr. Robert Petzel stepped down as undersecretary in May 2014 in the wake of the Phoenix scandal.

• Department of Veterans Affairs
• health care
• President Barack Obama