Blumenthal Statement on Dough Collins' Second Mass Termination of VA Employees, Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released the following statement on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins’ illegal termination of additional VA employees critical to serving veterans, in addition to the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated earlier this month, which included a number of veterans and military spouses.

“Doug Collins continues to put the interests of veterans last with additional indiscriminate firings of VA employees who serve veterans, including patient-facing employees. We know these terminations are already impairing the Department’s ability to deliver timely and quality care and benefits to veterans, especially as it works to serve more veterans than ever before. These men and women were arbitrarily fired because Doug Collins views them as nothing more than a statistic for his press release. Make no mistake, these actions are destroying the trust veterans have in VA and will do long-term damage to VA’s ability to recruit and retain talented doctors, nurses, and others wanting to pursue a career serving veterans. Not only does it destroy trust, but it disrespects the service of a number of veterans and military spouses who work at VA – unjustly upending their lives and their careers. It is more critical than ever for my colleagues across the aisle to break their silence, join us in pushing back on these harmful cuts, and help stop this Administration from trying to balance the budget on the backs of veterans and their families.”

The Trump Administration’s continued mass terminations of VA employees comes at a time when VA faces critical staffing shortages and increased demand for its services, such as urgently needed mental health care to reduce the veteran suicide rate. In addition, many of these terminated employees had exemplary performance records and multiple years of work experience in government service.

If you are a VA employee or veteran impacted, please reach out to the Committee HERE.

Last week, Ranking Member Blumenthal led a group of 35 Democratic Senators calling on VA Secretary Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated last week who serve veterans and their families nationwide, including critical employees combatting veteran suicide working at the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Senators directly refuted VA Secretary Collins’ vague assurances that these terminations “will not negatively impact VA health care, benefits, or beneficiaries,” by detailing the ways the Trump Administration directives’ to gut VA’s workforce are already are negatively impacting veterans:

·         Openings for new clinics have been delayed because VA cannot hire the necessary staff to open their doors;

·         Service lines at VA hospitals and clinics have been halted;

·         Beds and operating rooms at VA facilities have been suspended;

·         Support lines for caregivers have been reduced; and

·         Veterans Crisis Line employees have been fired, and suicide prevention training sessions have been postponed or canceled.

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