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COLUMBUS, OH – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) joined central Ohio veteran Chuck Keller at VFW Local 3764 to discuss the harmful consequences of VA privatization.

This week, after Dr. Ronny Jackson withdrew his nomination in light of serious allegations, Brown called on the Trump Administration to move swiftly to nominate someone to head the Department of Veterans Affairs who has earned the support of veterans groups and who will stand up to political pressures to dismantle and privatize the VA.

“Millions of American veterans depend on the VA for health care and benefits, and they deserve a strong leader at the top who will stand up to political pressures and work every day to improve care for them,” said Brown. “President Trump needs to move quickly to nominate a VA Secretary who has earned the support of veterans and is fully vetted and ready for the job. This chaos caused by the White House has gone on too long already, and we can’t let it get in the way of the VA’s critical mission.”

Brown was joined today by Ohio veteran and VFW Officer Chuck Keller who outlined why VA privatization would be bad for the veterans community.

“Veterans like VA for healthcare. VA has doctors who know how to specifically care for veterans for a variety of conditions, including cancer and PTSD. We know there’s more work to be done to improve VA, but we don’t want to put VA in the hands of private corporations,” said Keller.  

Brown has said any nominee must commit to oppose efforts to privatize the VA and win the support of veterans in order to earn his vote. He will continue to push any VA nominee to improve VA healthcare for Ohio veterans, strengthen the VA workforce, and expand benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances during service.

Brown is the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Ohio on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. 

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