Shinseki’s VA confirmation looks likely

[unhappycamper]

Shinseki’s VA confirmation looks likely
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 14, 2009 20:52:34 EST

No major obstacles appear to block the path of former Army chief of staff Eric Shinseki’s nomination to be secretary of veterans affairs, but he and the Obama administration face a long list of challenges.

Shinseki, who retired in 2003, is expected to be among a batch of Obama cabinet nominees confirmed by the Senate as early as Jan. 20, the day President-elect Obama is sworn in.

“It is my hope Gen. Shinseki will be confirmed on Jan. 20,” said Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Ranking Republican member Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina also predicted Shinseki will be easily confirmed for the job.

The retired four-star acknowledged during a Jan. 14 confirmation hearing before Akaka’s committee that there is much he doesn’t know about veterans issues, like details of the complicated disability ratings system that is the bane of veterans trying to get help, and could be part of the reason it is so difficult to quickly reduce the backlog of claims awaiting processing. But, he promised to learn.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/military_va_shinsekihearing_011409w/%2e