Video: Blumenthal Grills VA Nominee on Trump Administration's Dangerous Policies for Veterans, Lack of Transparency

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – At a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing today to consider the nomination of Paul Lawrence to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) grilled Lawrence on his views of the harmful impacts of the Trump Administration policies on veterans, including the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) recent termination of 1,000 VA employees. VA Secretary Doug Collins celebrated these mass terminations last week, and throughout Blumenthal’s questioning, Lawrence refused to condemn the firings and the negative impacts they are having on veterans.

In his opening, Blumenthal underscored the Trump Administration and VA Secretary Doug Collins’ total lack of transparency with Congress regarding decisions being made at VA: “During the nomination process for Secretary Collins…we were promised transparency and consultation…Now, the Chairman and I learn of far-reaching decisions after the fact, and almost always directly from the press, from VA employees, or from veterans. Never from the VA leadership. And when we ask reasonable questions about those decisions and their potential impact, we are directed toward non-answer press releases, or we get no responses at all.”

Blumenthal submitted into the Committee record a list of 22 requests for information, as well as seven letters he has sent to President Trump and Secretary Collins on urgent issues facing veterans’ care and benefits. Despite the Trump Administration and VA Secretary’s public pledges to “collaborate” with Congress, Blumenthal has yet to receive a response to any of this correspondence.

During his first round of questioning, Blumenthal pressed Lawrence on if he would be responsive and transparent to Congress if confirmed, emphasizing how “so far this Administration has utterly failed to be.” “Dr. Lawrence, this is a critical day, not just for you, but for our veterans. Accountability begins today. Do you commit to responding to the requests for information that I have submitted, along with my colleagues, numerous requests for information and accountability, within one week of your confirmation if it occurs? ”

Lawrence refused to answer “yes” or “no” in response.

Blumenthal continued pushing Lawrence to answer if he supported the Trump Administration’s harmful directives for veterans: “Do you support the firing of 1000 VA employees?”

In his subsequent responses, Lawrence was unwilling to answer Blumenthal’s questions and refused to condemn the firings of these VA employees, which included veterans, who comprise 25% of VA’s workforce. Blumenthal called out Lawrence’s unresponsiveness: “I challenge you, as the person who is going to be Chief Operating Officer, to learn exactly what is happening and to be transparent with us.”

Emphasizing the real-life impacts of the Trump Administration’s directives, Blumenthal continued pressing Lawrence, “Let me ask you another question. Transportation for disabled veterans has been reduced. Is that fair?...Service lines at VA hospitals and clinics have been halted. Is that fair? …And the kinds of appeals that VA employees are entitled to take now are to offices that are held by the VA Secretary himself. In effect, you are appealing your firing to the person who fired you. Is that fair?”

In response to these questions, Lawrence responded he would look into these questions, but did not condemn them outright.

Blumenthal concluded, “Well, I hope you look into these questions quickly, and equally important, that you respond to us, as the Secretary has failed to do…My time is expired. I have a lot more questions for you. And I hope that you are more responsive, if you’re confirmed, than you have been so far.”

The full text of Blumenthal’s Q&A is copied below and a video link is available here.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you. I'm happy to take those 1.5 minutes. Dr. Lawrence, this is a critical day, not just for you, but for our veterans. Accountability begins today. Do you commit to responding to the request for information that I have submitted, along with my colleagues, numerous requests for information and accountability, within one week of your confirmation if it occurs?

Dr. Paul Lawrence: Senator, as you know, I'm not at the VA yet.

Blumenthal: That’s a yes or no answer. Do you commit to responding?

Lawrence: Senator, I commit to receiving your questions, if confirmed, to looking at them, to understanding the information you request, to meeting with you to understand that information and determine how best to provide you that information.

Blumenthal: I am going to hope that is a yes answer. I am going to hope for our sake but more important for our veterans, that you will be responsive and transparent as so far this Administration has utterly failed to be.

Let me ask you, since January 21st, we have seen everything from a hiring freeze to arbitrary firings of more than 1000 VA employees to unelected, unaccountable individuals at the DOGE-Musk transition team accessing IT systems that include veterans’ private information and taking action that is contrary to the interest of our veterans. The Chairman referred to a transition. Elon Musk seems to regard veterans as roadkill on this so-called transition. And as to the facts here, we are hearing facts directly from veterans, VA employees, and others who have direct evidence of the impacts, the human impacts of these draconian cuts in funding and staff. Do you support the Administration’s actions so far?

Lawrence: Thank you very much for the question, Senator. Let me see if I can pull this apart. The information, as I understand it, the DOGE employee at VA is accessing, is limited to contracts, general operation, and management of the IT system. This person does not have access to veteran health information nor veterans’ benefits information.

Blumenthal: Do you support the firing of 1000 VA employees?

Lawrence: Senator, as described, I'm not there now, and I do not know how this came about.

Blumenthal: So, you are not willing to answer that question?

Lawrence: What I'm willing to talk about, sir, is what I read in the press release, and what I read in the press release about this activity appeared to be a very thoughtful approach to determining who would be laid off in the sense that it was not mission-critical. It was designed not to affect the provision of health care and benefits. And there was a safeguard where first level SES supervisors could opt somebody out of that process. It was further described by the Secretary that the savings generated by these layoffs, $98 million, would be used to provide better care for our veterans consistent with what I spoke–

Blumenthal: Well, I just want to submit to you, respectfully, that firing VA employees who provide critical services to veterans is mission significant, and that the unfairness and illegality of the actions taken so far have direct impacts on VA health care, on veterans who are potentially suicidal, if you close the kinds of training sessions and other direct help to veterans who say they are going to take their own lives. That’s mission-critical. Wouldn’t you agree?

Lawrence: Sir, I can only tell you what I read. And what you're describing is inconsistent with what I read. That being said, if confirmed—

Blumenthal: Well, it is inconsistent with what you’ve read from the VA press releases. I challenge you, as the person who is going to be Chief Operating Officer, to learn exactly what is happening and to be transparent with us.

Let me ask you another question. Transportation for disabled veterans has been reduced. Is that fair?

Lawrence: Senator, thanks for the question. If confirmed, I will look in that to understand how that’s happening, why it’s happening, and what can be done.

Blumenthal: Service lines at VA hospitals and clinics have been halted. Is that fair?

Lawrence: Again Senator, if confirmed, I will look into that to understand why that’s happening. Again, it is inconsistent with what I’ve read about the intent of the layoffs.

Blumenthal: And the kinds of appeals that VA employees are entitled to take now are to offices that are held by the VA Secretary himself. In effect, you are appealing your firing to the person who fired you. Is that fair?

Lawrence: Sir again, if confirmed, I will look into what are the processes by which veterans–

Blumenthal: Well, I hope you look into these questions quickly, and equally important, that you respond to us, as the Secretary has failed to do. Is that fair?

Lawrence: Again sir, if confirmed, I will look into this. And yes, I commit to figuring out a way to respond quickly to requests once I am confirmed.

Blumenthal: My time is expired. I have a lot more questions for you. And I hope that you are more responsive, if you’re confirmed, than you have been so far.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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