WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a cabinet confirmation hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), warned President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) nominee, and former Congressman, Doug Collins of his concerns over using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the status of a veteran’s earned benefits. In the exchange, he pressed Collins for his commitment to ensure veterans’ access to benefits will not be adversely impacted by AI technologies.

“I want to make something very clear. I don't want AI to decide if one of my veterans is entitled to the benefits they have earned, period. Capisce?” questioned Senator King.

“Senator, there is no veteran that will miss the benefits they have earned by the way that we process their claims. But I think you and I will both come to the conclusion that if there are better ways to process a claim and our veterans can get benefits quicker, I will look at any opportunity to get their benefits quicker,” responded Collins. “If that involves AI then I am not willing to take it off the table. I am not willing to be in a position where AI is randomly in a situation especially with benefits and others that are more difficult. There will always be a person to oversee the process.

“Well the experience thus far with AI in insurance is not positive. I don't want our veterans to go through claims litigation in order to overturn the decision of a machine somewhere. I understand you are not willing to take it off the table, but I certainly hope it will be handled with great care because it will be very tempting to reduce staff and replace it with this technology, but I am not confident in the technology right now to be making these life or death decisions for our veterans,” said Senator King.

Earlier in the hearing, Senator King spoke of the need to prioritize the transition from active duty to veteran status, emphasizing the importance of a “warm handoff” for veterans as they become civilians and seek benefits and care from the VA.

“I want to emphasize a couple of points that you have already discussed. One is transition with the Chairman, critically important, and there are a number of bills out there: the TAP Promotion Act, Welcome Home Veterans Act, Combat Veterans Pre-enrollment Act. I suspect you are familiar with them. I just want to hear you reiterate your commitment to this transition and work with the Department of Defense because it is a partnership that has to happen to make that warm handoff. Is that going to be a priority for you,” asked Senator King.

“Yes, Senator. There are so many priorities. This one that you hit about making this transition is so important to me because it transcends just getting them into the service. It transcends that benefit they earned. It goes to the very heart of making sure they are taken care of and feeling wanted. As we started a while back, I believe it starts at a recruitment issue all the way through a retirement issue because if they feel like they are being taken care of in the Department of Defense (DoD), they will have a better opportunity if V.A. Reaches out with a hand to say here is the benefit this is what you wanted to participate in, that they have a place there and a facility for them. The concern I have, Senator, is making sure that in DoD, and I already had some look at this, how we could do cooperative work with the DoD and the VA. Also bringing into account the state veterans associations as well,” said Collins. 

“I want to emphasize the last point. I had a proposal in the National Defense Authorization Act, that got in the Senate and knocked out of the House, to communicate a veteran's transition status to the state veterans facility so this person can be greeted at the airport. That is the kind of handoff we want. Do you agree,” questioned Senator King.

“I agree. It is exactly what you said. It is how you are perceived. I view the service part of the V.A. as its most important part. There are sometimes you have to tell somebody no, we cannot do something. But there is always time to make the veteran feel like they are cared for. I think the transition time you are talking about, as you said, that warm hug is a thing we need to look at,” agreed Collins.

“And it is a critical moment, as you pointed out, it is a time of heightened risk of suicide for example,” said Senator King. 

“Yes,” responded Collins. 

Representing one of the states with the highest rates of veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, he has worked to ensure that veterans have access to jobs and training after separating from military service. He has previously cosponsored bipartisan legislation to provide veterans with job opportunities in the trucking industry. In 2024, Congress passed Senator King’s bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ access to health care and benefits.

Senator King has worked to combat extreme risks that could be posed by future developments in advanced AI models. Last spring, he unveiled a bipartisan framework to identify and minimize AI-enabled hazards. He also introduced ‘first of its kind’ bipartisan legislation to establish federal oversight of AI to better safeguard the U.S. national security interests against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cyber AI threats.

Recently, Senator King published an Op-Ed and spoke with CNN regarding his positions on the advise and consent process of Cabinet-Level nominees.

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