Republican senators on Thursday confirmed senior Veterans Affairs advisor Cheryl Mason as the next top watchdog for Veterans Affairs programs, despite objections from Democratic lawmakers who questioned her ability to be an impartial investigator of the department.

Mason — who previously served as the first woman ever to chair the Board of Veterans Appeals — was approved for the VA Inspector General post by a 53-45 margin, with all of the opposition coming from Democrats.

She replaces former VA Inspector General Mike Missal , who served in the role from April 2016 to January 2025, when he was dismissed by President Donald Trump.

He and seven other fired federal watchdogs have sued the White House over their dismissals, claiming they were done without proper reason or notification.

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