Summary
- Cheryl Mason confirmed as VA Inspector General.
- The Senate approved 53-45, all Democrats opposed.
- Democrats doubt her impartiality due to past ties.
- Mason vows unbiased VA oversight.
- Replaces dismissed former VA IG Mike Missal.
Mason, the first female chair of the Board of Veterans Appeals, was approved by a 53-45 vote to become the VA Inspector General, with Democrats being the only ones opposed.
She takes over for previous VA Inspector General Mike Missal, who was fired by President Donald Trump after serving in the position from April 2016 to January 2025.
He has filed a lawsuit against the White House on behalf of seven other government watchdogs who were fired, alleging that their dismissals were made without adequate notice or justification. That lawsuit has not yet been resolved.
Democratic senators have criticized the firings for months, claiming they are an attempt to fill important oversight positions with administration-friendly personnel. Mason's nomination has also come under increased scrutiny because she spent months working with the senior VA officials she will now be tasked with looking into.
Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, referred to Mason as "one of the most partisan and least independents we've seen in nominees for an inspector general post in recent years" prior to her confirmation vote on Thursday.
He raised concerns about her ability to properly oversee the agency, pointing out that she had advised Trump's presidential transition team and worked with Secretary Doug Collins on staffing reforms.
Mason promised to be impartial in her investigation of waste, fraud, and abuse at the agency and to be fair in her reporting to Congress during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee in June.
“I consider myself to be an impartial, independent aide to the department,”
she said.
“I am loyal to the veterans. That’s who I serve. That’s who I’m loyal to. I work for the president and the [VA] secretary, but also, if confirmed, I will work for this committee.”
A number of Democratic holds have delayed her confirmation for weeks, citing her qualifications as well as more general issues with public transparency and department downsizing.
The majority of this week, which is the Senate's final working week before September, has been devoted to Republican leaders pushing through a number of administration appointments that the minority party has stalled.
Mason has already advocated publicly for career possibilities for military spouses and is the wife and daughter of soldiers. She served on the Board of Veterans Appeals during President Joe Biden and during the first Trump administration.
In the upcoming days, she is anticipated to be sworn into her new position.
How did Cheryl Mason's confirmation vote compare to previous VA IG nominations?
Cheryl Mason's confirmation vote to become the VA Inspector General was 53-45, largely along party lines with all opposition from Democrats. This margin reflects a more contentious and partisan confirmation compared to many previous VA IG nominations, which often had broader bipartisan support or less polarized votes.
Democrats raised strong concerns about her impartiality given her prior roles advising VA leadership and involvement with the Trump transition team, leading to weeks of holds and increased scrutiny.
The vote to confirm Mason was part of a late Senate push to clear administration nominations that had been blocked by the minority party, underscoring the political tensions surrounding her appointment.