“Senators praised Kurt DelBene, the nominee for chief information officer (CIO) and assistant secretary for information and technology at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), during a quick Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Dec. 8, and called for swift confirmation by the full Senate.”
“If confirmed, DelBene would oversee all of VA’s IT matters and be tasked with delivering adaptable, secure, and cost-effective technology services to VA employees and veterans.”
“’I look forward to getting you confirmed so you can get on the job and start doing what I think can be some really, really, really good work for our veterans in this nation,’ committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., said during the hearing.”
“DelBene, if confirmed, would come to the VA CIO position with both extensive private sector and Federal government healthcare agency experience.”
“He retired from Microsoft in September as the company’s executive vice president, core services engineering and operations, and was previously president of the Microsoft Office Division.”
“DelBene also worked in the Obama administration on improvements to the Healthcare.gov enrollment website, with the title of senior advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.”
“Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., called for a quick confirmation of DelBene, saying it’s time VA moves ‘into the 21st century. Mr. DelBene is uniquely qualified to lead this effort…'”
“Notably, DelBene’s office does not oversee VA’s Electronic Health Records Modernization (EHRM) program, which has come under fire in recent months from Congress over a troubled roll-out and inaccurate cost estimates…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA CIO Nominee Sails Through Senate Confirmation Hearing – By Grace Dille, December 9, 2021. MeriTalk.
