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Secretary Collins to Newsmax: VA Now Focused on Veterans

By James Morley III | Thursday, 03 July 2025 01:45 PM EDT

In May, leadership at the Department of Veterans Affairs testified before Congress that the backlog of veterans' disability claims fell to about 200,000 — the lowest mark since 2020. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins told Newsmax on Thursday that the noteworthy milestone is the result of "a focused effort on making sure we're taking care of veterans."

Collins noted that as of July, the number has dropped to below 185,000 cases. "No. 1, it takes focus. We're about the veterans at the VA," he said on "Newsline."

"Our service is about our veterans and getting the benefits, the healthcare, and — if they need it — the cemetery or burial services they need. That's what we're all about. We only exist because our veterans exist," Collins said.

Collins added that the staff at the VA has been encouraged by strong leadership. "We've taken a workforce that is motivated, that wants great leadership in these departments. I asked our deputy secretary to work on this and get these case numbers down, and that's what we're seeing. It's just a focused effort on making sure we're taking care of veterans," he added.

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