Blumenthal, Peters Call on Republicans to Hold HSGAC Hearing to Examine Whether Partisan Nominee for VA Inspector General is Capable of Conducting Independent Oversight

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), and U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), today called on HSGAC Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) to hold a hearing to consider the nomination of Cheryl Mason to be the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General. Mason’s nomination is unprecedented for an Inspector General given her role serving as a Trump political appointee at VA. If confirmed, she would be charged with conducting independent oversight of the Department and VA Secretary Collins, who she recently served as a senior advisor.

“We write to request you convene a hearing on the nomination of Cheryl Mason to serve as Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)…so Members of this Committee can ensure this nominee meets the high standards required for this position,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Chairman Paul. While SVAC already held a nomination hearing to consider Mason, Mason’s nomination was referred to both SVAC and HSGAC. In the past, both Committees have held nomination hearings to ensure the VA Inspector General nominee was properly vetted.

Ensuring both Committees hold nomination hearings for Mason is particularly important given Mason’s partisan ties to the Trump Administration and her role as a political appointee. Inspectors General, per law, are intended to be independent non-partisan watchdogs focused on rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. However, Mason served on both the Trump transition team and as a senior advisor to VA Secretary Doug Collins.

The Senators continued, “As you are aware, Inspectors General are a critical part of that oversight to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer funds…The hearings held by HSGAC and SVAC in 2016 to vet Mr. Missal were crucial to ensuring his experience, qualifications, and impartiality prior to confirmation. As the Senate’s primary oversight committee with jurisdiction over Inspectors General, it is vital HSGAC continues the precedent of holding hearings for these unique roles that ensure transparency and accountability in our government.”

Blumenthal and his Democratic colleagues have repeatedly stressed a clear conflict of interest in the Trump Administration nominating Mason--a former political appointee--to the independent oversight role as VA’s top watchdog official, who is intended to be non-partisan and independent of the agency’s leadership.

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and below.

Dear Chairman Paul: 

We write to request you convene a hearing on the nomination of Cheryl Mason to serve as Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) before her nomination is discharged from the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on July 14. This nomination, PN 141-30, was dually referred to HSGAC and the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) on May 6, 2025; and on June 4, 2025, SVAC held its hearing on this nomination. We believe Ms. Mason should appear before HSGAC so Members of this Committee can ensure she meets the high standards required for this critical position.

Under your chairmanship, HSGAC has highlighted the importance of strong, independent oversight of government agencies and of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government. As you are aware, Inspectors General are a critical part of that oversight to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer funds. VA’s prior Inspector General, Mike Missal, worked on a bipartisan basis with Congress and identified more than $45 billion in savings, cost avoidance, and questionable costs over his eight-year tenure. The hearings held by HSGAC and SVAC in 2016 to vet Mr. Missal were crucial to ensuring his experience, qualifications, and impartiality prior to confirmation.

As the Senate’s primary oversight committee with jurisdiction over Inspectors General, it is vital HSGAC continues the precedent of holding hearings for these unique roles that ensure transparency and accountability in our government. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

-30-