Peake: I Would Fight For Vets’ Health Care
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WASHINGTON — Pledging to “do the right thing,” President Bush’s Veterans Affairs nominee, James Peake said yesterday he will be an independent advocate for thousands of injured veterans and will fight for the needed funding for their care. In a 2 1/2-hour confirmation hearing, the retired Army lieutenant general also vowed to work on making significant headway in fixing gaps in care and reducing delays in disability pay. But Mr. Peake hedged on offering specific solutions, deferring to detailed briefings he will receive later if confirmed. He indicated his greatest mark on the agency might be improved communications with the Defense Department.
