[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6306239,"mediaKeyId","2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0","parentId",2440184,"title","Lawmakers, VSOs warn VA workforce cuts and contract terminations risk veteran services","audioSeconds",2174,"startMs",1714000,"endMs",3888000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0&start=1714&end=3888","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0/thumbnail_1714000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306239/Lawmakers-VSOs-warn-VA-workforce-cuts-and-contract-terminations-risk-veteran-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306239-eb9186cfa267bfda70d0d6da4e237a18/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165503&Signature=LHMKgbI05cxcSxJf9d5Ezsnd9lQGh8xDLm-8ziEOa2Rm228M0ghH7qc~~Wi6rUeH32BmX73hzDDIgcqWrzO9LkdxMLlRzN75JNjfdMgZLjutSPNMsgIsWA2yHYOVNaDFQ5mJ6-wGRY3QGimVLTciwz1Gb-KfQ~5yOHmLZA6iGE6~9hQEaG~au6~ayO0ViEfNO86wBxelf3sJhTe8W7uaKfufNlxs0UfdUhvRD02xkaFoVFCnjgt4VvylKxuPHXpxKIs3TAwMmkJR5qnXur-Op8ww-xh8ijcBrsSYyJAKaBEhGz-hrMlnDUuKNArmUOx4VyPKDROqZv-Oi0cVu3557w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs","date","2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","article","A joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs hearing on veteran service priorities turned into an urgent inquiry about personnel separations and contract cancellations at the Department of Veterans Affairs, with lawmakers and veterans service organizations warning the changes could disrupt care and benefits delivery.

The hearing opened with lawmakers and VSO leaders describing recent personnel actions. \"We learned on Monday that VA indiscriminately fired an additional 1,400 employees,\" Rep. Mark Takano, ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, told the panel. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said similar workforce reductions and contract terminations were already producing localized effects: \"They are having a real impact in Connecticut, where veterans are coming to me,\" he said.

Why it matters: witnesses said the workforce and contracts support claims processing, crisis lines, prosthetics and other direct care functions that veterans rely on. Several members cited specific recent events: public reporting and member statements referenced roughly 2,400 separations occurring over recent weeks and news that the VA had announced termination of a set of contracts described in public statements as covering $2 billion in work. Lawmakers pressed for lists, impact assessments, and assurances that mission‑critical roles would be retained.

The American Legion, which testified at the hearing, said it had met with VA career officials who described the administration’s exemption policy as \"liberal\" and told the Legion that those officials did not anticipate harms to direct health care or benefits operations. \"They did not express any concern that they would,\" Cole Lyle, director of Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation for the American Legion, said of VA career officials' assessments. The American Legion said it would continue monitoring the situation and raise specific examples with Congress and VA.

Still, multiple legislators said VA officials’ public and private explanations did not resolve constituent reports of immediate harm. Members and witnesses described cases they said needed investigation, including temporary terminations and rapid rehiring of staff who worked the Veterans Crisis Line and claims processor positions with long institutional knowledge. Senator Blumenthal asked that a spreadsheet of contract terminations be provided to the committees and entered into the record; he said some of the contracts identified provided direct services such as cancer care and facility decontamination.

VA leadership and the department’s political appointees were not part of this panel; committee leaders repeatedly asked Secretary Doug Collins and VA officials for more complete documentation and for timely briefings. Chairman Mike Bost said he would take members’ concerns \"under advisement\" and urged VSOs to bring concrete cases to the committee. Ranking members and several senators called for formal oversight hearings specifically focused on the workforce and contract actions.

The hearing ended with lawmakers directing VSOs and VA to continue sharing evidence of impacts so the committees can determine whether further congressional action or oversight is needed.

Ending: Committee members said they will continue follow‑up, ask for lists and written briefings from VA, and monitor reports from VSOs and local facilities to determine whether additional hearings or legislative responses are required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Presentation of The American Legion & Multi VSOs","oneSentenceSummary","A joint House and Senate Veterans' Affairs hearing on veteran service priorities turned into an urgent inquiry about personnel separations and contract cancellations at the Department of Veterans Affairs, with lawmakers and veterans service organizations warning the changes could disrupt care and benefits delivery.","taxTitle","Veterans Affairs: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",2000,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6306224,"Minority and transgender veterans tell Congress they face eroding trust and access to care",2302,8767000,11069000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0&start=8767&end=11069","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0/thumbnail_8767000.jpg","/articles/6306224/Minority-and-transgender-veterans-tell-Congress-they-face-eroding-trust-and-access-to-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306224-38b47f0e21a6b3277df6232dbd0ca296/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165503&Signature=CZtRLUfKOpnqYlFQw26JLWQacOV9ij8fp7EahgazTf5hyECxeKfxVppcF9hRhtAmr0SXf3pDu5LP7D4-lz4IlzTU6OMqz9hN-JEFbTfVVaa-H8s1QLdiJPYG4uqICGjVygVHwN5Iy1-xFtXCBPB5wVoa1h5l6hiPkb3asMwwtBxWPaMeZqJFgHys8WKfHAR8Sj2wBTZiCZjFCZe8rqCX-v1prqOK4I-V-Xsu-VP3QJphqIg0Uum8M8hhKWFbScUbYqhjO1LVmDtcFZ~R2op4q87ZSmj~BnpVQ8nTb-iUN4BNpHAOO-IidZrBZrHcAIK2Bun4PNoqzmCN1bsiijl2iQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers from Minority Veterans of America and other advocacy groups said at a joint House–Senate hearing that veterans from historically underserved groups face special and immediate risks from policy and administrative changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

\"Our community is under attack,\" Lindsay Church, executive director of Minority Veterans of America, said in opening remarks. Church described the removal of gender markers from some records and recounted that providers and transgender veterans report confusion about what care will be permitted under recent executive direction. \"Providers who serve trans patients are deeply uncertain about what they can do,\" she testified.

Church and other witnesses urged Congress to conduct vigorous oversight and to protect established services. She cited a recent local suicide involving a transgender veteran in Syracuse, saying advocates are seeing both direct health consequences and growing fear among veterans who rely on gender‑affirming and other specialized care.

Why it matters: Minority and LGBTQ+ veterans are a growing share of VA users and, witnesses said, face higher rates of harassment, discrimination, and barriers to care. The witnesses called for sustained oversight of VA policy changes, full implementation of the Deborah Sampson Act protections, and immediate steps to ensure reporting mechanisms and anti‑harassment measures are independent and transparent.

Committee response: lawmakers including Rep. Mark Takano and Sen. Richard Blumenthal acknowledged the testimony, and several members asked witnesses and VSOs to forward specific cases to their offices so committees could pursue oversight and remedies.

Ending: Witnesses urged the committee to keep oversight active and to ensure that policy change at VA does not lead to loss of access for veterans who are already at elevated risk for poor health outcomes.","Minority Veterans of America and other witnesses warned that recent administrative moves and executive orders are eroding access and trust for veterans from marginalized groups, with transgender veterans reporting records‑level uncertainty about care and instances of removal of gender markers from records.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6306229,"State veterans homes and cemetery programs need boost, state directors tell Congress",239,6072000,6311000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0&start=6072&end=6311","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0/thumbnail_6072000.jpg","/articles/6306229/State-veterans-homes-and-cemetery-programs-need-boost-state-directors-tell-Congress","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306229-f5ebd3b5eec602dd16394a91d664d6d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165503&Signature=hpOE1ypz6lVynmiMgJk0qKw18zqhqgOEBDY2tD~noydumJ3IwfJ3AMyIFUU4are8REC6tykhne~WByzP3XbCgnuBjILPoB63OjKTS4FyC5AX4rCTXRsddA36WlXR7upGr1WeNog~p5cl7Indj5Jr4XPBlHgVKBFftmnK89~fUFSQh1IEbSyJ0ad~er1TgqEsIzQWJkLPryiFMDixAGjnNyGEJfgT3grft9W2uk93d8YV7AcwZ9M567tVOmECQQv8VcyUtJ01564I0vV09abb6OvwG1XbUuk21zG-s8NvttLnOAJgpN8xuHvIqiZ3uegR2S5gTMNakVKr7AM0b6PFyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State veterans affairs directors told a joint congressional hearing that federal grant programs for state veterans homes and veterans cemeteries are underfunded and face growing demand as the veteran population ages.

\"The State Veterans Home program provides more than half of the nation’s long‑term care for veterans,\" Timothy Shepherd, president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDAVA), told the committees. He said 81 priority projects in the State Veterans Home Construction Program require roughly $1.3 billion in federal match funding to proceed, and recommended raising annual funding from the proposed $147 million to at least $650 million to address the backlog.

Cemetery grants also need more resources, Shepherd said: the FY2025 request for veterans cemetery grants is $60 million but NASDAVA said priority needs exceed $120 million to fund priority projects and new state or tribal cemetery establishments. The witnesses said federal per‑diem rates for operational support also need adjustment to reflect higher staffing and pharmaceutical costs.

Why it matters: state homes and grant cemeteries provide regional long‑term care and burial options — services which witnesses said cannot be supplied only by VA medical centers or national cemeteries. Directors asked for predictable federal appropriations, faster grant awards and updated per‑diem rates to stabilize operations and expand capacity in rural and aging communities.

Ending: Shepherd urged Congress to consider larger appropriations for the State Veterans Home Construction program and veterans cemetery grants in FY 2026 appropriations, citing pending projects and population needs.","The National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs told lawmakers that federal grants for state veterans homes and cemetery expansions are underfunded and recommended large increases to meet demand for nursing‑level care and burial options.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6306234,"Veterans service organizations press Congress to finish Dole Act implementation, strengthen PACT Act processes and improve transition supports",388,2846000,3234000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0&start=2846&end=3234","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2440184-71ce65fdbc084d9455ab676f229697c0/thumbnail_2846000.jpg","/articles/6306234/Veterans-service-organizations-press-Congress-to-finish-Dole-Act-implementation-strengthen-PACT-Act-processes-and-improve-transition-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306234-bec63e692b7a8389df6d3fb0a5be5885/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165503&Signature=Rel8PTJEDaXCFW9cwFLsW90molNPqkpBwnypFzoQu9VJk9PLSSm3jxwfvoDKEy~~cuIPAJTXzusJI0hNTnwbeU6Zt3LCCXxPEkkNOBC4WDy1z2gK7TYZS-QIiNbgpWJA~rsuiBVhcyeiW0gBvW5C-QiWg~cZxxMFt2BvRky0Vadm1r9OBBgFjSa8GVJpsfUCxHFAelWnQQY4UsqEtqs8p6A8HERJTUURMohM4D-mT5LLp~D-MSzHbiKBsLKSkjmmaPXMdRa-RVWogP02kkALU-VVK5U1e42pklxB9-R4vq118BcfnhiQnkbcV2fETPWEE4gTUZsCp6ERHCctmsMVcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of major veterans service organizations told a joint House–Senate Veterans' Affairs hearing they want Congress to move from passing statutes to funding and implementing programs that affect veterans’ daily lives.

\"We deeply appreciate the opportunity to discuss our legislative priorities for the 119th Congress,\" James LaCourcier, national commander of The American Legion, said in opening testimony. VSOs urged completion and implementation of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, stronger presumptive‑condition procedures under the Honoring our PACT Act, enhanced transition assistance for separating service members, and sustained funding for suicide prevention and caregiver supports.

Why it matters: Witnesses described concrete outcomes tied to these priorities. The American Legion highlighted the need for an effective electronic health record system that follows service members from enlistment through veteran status. VSOs called for codifying a predictable, timely framework to consider new presumptive conditions so that veterans do not face decades of delay like past toxic‑exposure cases.

Specific asks and examples: several organizations urged:

- Full execution of Dole Act provisions and immediate appropriations to fund per‑diem and transitional housing supports; MOAA and others said funding remains a barrier to implementing those programs.

- A codified process for new presumptions under the PACT Act so claims tied to toxic exposure can be adjudicated faster. \"We must end the wait,\" said Renee Campos, Military Officers Association of America.

- GI Bill parity for National Guard and Reserve members and improvements to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Senator Moran and others highlighted bills (including a National Guard GI Bill Parity Act and a TAP Promotion Act) as bipartisan priorities.

- Continued investment in suicide prevention programs and community grants (including the Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox grants and the American Legion's Be The 1 training), and stronger data and evaluation standards for community‑based programs, emphasized by the Danieliello Institute.

- Passage of the Major Richard Star Act to expand concurrent receipt for combat‑injured retirees, requested by Wounded Warrior Project and other groups.

Committee response and next steps: lawmakers from both parties thanked VSOs for their advocacy and asked for follow‑up documentation. Ranking members stressed the need for oversight to ensure that enacted laws receive the funding and programmatic attention required for effective implementation.

Ending: Witnesses said they will continue to work with Congress to move bills from passage to implementation and to provide evidence from the field to guide appropriations and administrative practice.","National VSOs at a joint congressional hearing outlined legislative priorities: full funding and implementation of the Elizabeth Dole Act provisions, codifying a faster presumptive process under the PACT Act, GI Bill parity for Guard/reserve, TAP improvements and investments in suicide prevention and EHR modernization.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers, VSOs warn VA workforce cuts and contract terminations risk veteran services

Minority and transgender veterans tell Congress they face eroding trust and access to care

State veterans homes and cemetery programs need boost, state directors tell Congress

Veterans service organizations press Congress to finish Dole Act implementation, strengthen PACT Act processes and improve transition supports