President Donald Trump's hiring freeze at the Department of Veterans Affairs reportedly puts him at odds with his own nominee to head the massive agency – and that of its current acting head.
Dr. David Shulkin, the chief executive of the Veterans Health Administration, has repeatedly pushed for more healthcare staff to cut wait times for ailing vets – and the acting head of the VA, Robert Snyder, said Tuesday he is looking for ways around Trump's federal jobs' hiring freeze, Military.com reported.
"The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to exempt anyone it deems necessary for public safety, including front-line caregivers" from the freeze, Snyder said in a statement, Military.com reported.
Shulkin, who has headed the department's largest division for the past two years, has advocated for more doctors and nurses in the wake of the 2014 delayed-care scandal at the VA, the outlet reported.
The hiring freeze could impact the VA's current call for 2,000 more personnel.
According to Military.com, several veterans service organizations are heartened by Snyder's plan to ask for "public safety" exemptions to the freeze.
"We're giving Mr. Snyder credit" on the exemptions, Louis Celli, director of national veterans affairs for the 2.4 million member American Legion, told Military.com.
"We're taking his word that this is a done deal. We want to be sure that the VHA did not fall under the hiring freeze."
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