Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is sitting out President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night as the designated survivor.
The Associated Press, citing a White House official, reported that Collins is the one government official being kept away in the case there is an attack on the proceeding to ensure someone in the line of presidential succession stays alive.
Collins, the former U.S. House member from Georgia, was confirmed as secretary of Veterans Affairs last month.
Another Georgian serving on Trump’s Cabinet, former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, is in attendance in the U.S. House chambers for tonight’s speech. Loeffler was confirmed two weeks ago to serve as Trump’s Small Business Administrator.
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