(U.S. Senate) - U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today released the following statement after the Senate unanimously voted to confirm Dr. David Shulkin as Secretary of the VA:

"I look forward to working with Dr. Shulkin to hold the VA accountable so Montana and our nation's veterans can access the timely care and benefits they have earned. We must now hit the ground running to reform the Choice Program, address challenges facing rural veterans, and ensure we are living up to the promises we made the brave men and women who served this nation."

Tester oversaw the confirmation hearing of Secretary Shulkin, after which the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee voted unanimously to bring Shulkin's nomination to the Senate floor for final consideration.

Shulkin has served as Under Secretary of Health at the VA since 2015, and prior to that, he spent more than 20 years as a hospital administrator in the private sector.