MARIETTA, Ga. – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s intent to nominate Paul R. Lawrence of Virginia to be U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undersecretary for benefits:

“We are glad to have a nominee to serve in this critical role,” said Isakson. “I look forward to learning more about Mr. Lawrence in the coming weeks and chairing his nomination hearing.”

The VA has been without a permanent undersecretary for benefits since October 2015, and at a Jan. 17, 2018, hearing, Isakson called on VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin to outline progress on filling vacancies in critical VA positions, including the undersecretary of benefits.

The undersecretary for benefits is the senior official within the Veterans Benefits Administration who oversees a variety of benefits and services to service members, veterans and their families.

Lawrence is a vice president at Kaiser Associates and has three decades of experience solving management problems in federal government organizations.

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing on Lawrence’s nomination.

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The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 115th Congress. Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the armed forces as well as more than 750,000 veterans.