One of President Barack Obama’s closest advisers, Rob Nabors, has been deployed to help fix troubles at the Department of Veterans Affairs in the wake of damaging stories of veterans dying while waiting for care and calls from some lawmakers in Congress for the resignation of Secretary Eric Shinseki.  

Shinseki, facing a hostile hearing Thursday morning in the Senate, thanked the White House for sending Nabors to help him review practices at the department.  

“Rob is a fresh set of eyes, he’s a son of a veteran … and a proven performer,” Shinseki said in his opening remarks. Shinseki said he served in the Army with Nabors’ father, retired Maj. Gen. Robert L. Nabors.  

The presidential adviser has both a background in budgeting, management and congressional relations — all skills that might be helpful these days.  

CQ Roll Call profiled Nabors in 2012 , when he was the president’s chief congressional liaison.  

The White House, meanwhile, has had to issue daily declarations of confidence in Shinseki .