Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins told Newsmax he applauds a proposed appropriations bill in the Senate that would cover his department until next fall.
Collins said on "Newsline," Monday, that he was "excited" about the potential.
If passed, the proposed appropriations bill would provide full funding to the department until next September, added Collins.
The proposal, he said, would ensure the department is "not caught up in something that would happen again in January," which is "good for us."
The long-term funding would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to "get by the silliness and move forward with taking care of our veterans and making sure we do so in a very timely way."
"So we're excited to get this as a possibility," he stated, though he added a note of caution, "I'm not holding my breath.
"I was in Congress for eight years. I'm not sure this is over until it's over."
Regarding the current government shutdown, Collins confirmed that veterans are being harmed.
"In the meantime, yes, our veterans are getting hurt," he said.
He elaborated that "many of them are away from their funds, especially educational benefits, transitional benefits."
The VA still has its hospitals and clinics open, and disability payments are being processed.
However, the current situation "is just not something that should happen," Collins stressed.
He called it "very disheartening" when members of Congress say their only leverage is "the pain of people."
Collins added that the situation was particularly significant with the observance of Veterans Day and said, "Their leverage is the pain of veterans."
Collins said he hoped all Americans understood the importance of their fellow citizens serving in the armed forces.
"They're the best around because they're the ones that actually uphold the freedom of the press, the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion."
Collins noted that freedoms come at a price.
"Those don't come from any clergy or any press person or any lawyer. They come from the fact that the military has stood up to fight and to serve this country and to protect it."
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