VA care and benefits have seen signifcant growth in recent years, a trend that the outgoing secretary hopes will continue.
Department leaders had warned of funding gaps of up to $18 billion but now believe those estimates were too high.
Bipartisan legislation passed by the House would improve at-home care options for ailing vets and mandate protections for community care programs.
Collins served as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserve and deployed to Iraq in 2008.
