Video: Senate Republicans Block Blumenthal, Duckworth & Sanders' Resolutions to Reverse Damage from Trump-Musk Attacks on Veterans

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Committee member and combat veteran U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Committee member and former Chairman U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took to the Senate floor today to ask for unanimous consent to pass three resolutions that would condemn and reverse the Trump Administration’s egregious cuts and firings targeting the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and veterans across the federal government. The resolutions were blocked from passing by Senate Republicans.

“The VA is in crisis. We need to take action for our veterans and VA employees who are deeply disserved and damaged by the Trump and Musk cruel slash and trash regime,” said Blumenthal. “Yet, when my colleagues and I asked for unanimous consent to reverse these draconian and indiscriminate cuts—Republicans once again blocked our resolutions to restore the VA and federal veteran workforce. Now more than ever, veterans need assurances both parties will stand up to protect the benefits and health care they earned—especially the life-saving mental health care they rely on.”

“Two power-hungry billionaires who never served a day of their lives in uniform are taking a chainsaw to the VA, jeopardizing Veterans’ care as well as firing Veterans by the thousands,” said Duckworth. “And, by blocking our resolutions that simply condemn these reckless actions today, Republicans are once again cheering on Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s complete betrayal of our nation’s heroes. Republicans like to claim that they support our Veterans, but their actions tell a different story. Shame on Senate Republicans for continuing to kick more and more of our heroes to the curb—they own these votes and will have to answer for them.”

“The VA is not perfect. It needs improvement. But the idea that you can lay off 83,000 employees and make the VA more efficient is absurd. It is disturbing to me that anyone who claims to support veterans and the sacrifices they have made would object to this resolution,” said Sanders.

The Senators called for unanimous consent on the following resolutions, which were blocked by Senate Republicans:

• Blumenthal’s resolution to condemn actions taken by Trump and Elon Musk negatively impacting veterans’ mental health care and suicide prevention efforts, including the mass firing of VA employees serving veterans. It also calls for all VA mental health care and suicide prevention efforts to be fully staffed and resourced—not the subject of additional cuts.

• Duckworth’s resolution to condemn the Trump and Musk assault on the federal workforce, and demand the immediate reinstatement of all veteran federal employees illegally and indiscriminately fired since Trump took office.

• Sanders’ resolution to condemn and rescind Trump and Musk’s disastrous proposal to reduce the VA workforce to Fiscal Year 2019 levels by cutting 83,000 jobs.

Video of the Senators’ remarks are available here.

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