VA claims GOP proposed slashing $30 billion from veteran spending

VA Secretary McDonough says proposed cuts could mean potential reduction of 30 million healthcare visits for vets, loss of over 81K state employees providing benefits to veterans

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s proposal to dramatically slash federal spending has raised concerns about the future of healthcare and benefits for America’s veterans. The VA claims the proposed cuts could lead to a 22 percent decrease in resources for veteran spending including care and benefits, risking reduced access to care, longer wait times for benefits, and weakened infrastructure.

Last Congress, the country made a promise to toxic-exposed veterans by providing benefits and care to around three million veterans exposed to toxins, including burn pits. However, this achievement will be meaningless if the funding to implement it is gutted.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary McDonough says that the proposed cuts could mean a potential reduction of 30 million healthcare visits for veterans and the loss of over 81,000 VA employees providing benefits to veterans. This news is guaranteed to land with a thud in veterans’ communities nationwide.

President Biden’s budget honors our nation’s sacred obligation to care for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

Speaker McCarthy’s latest bill would make drastic cuts to services for veterans – including health care, housing, food assistance, and job training. pic.twitter.com/E7D42Uhsmo

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 25, 2023

Members of Congress who sit on committees with jurisdiction over veterans’ issues have urged their House Republican colleagues to ask the country’s 19 million veterans whether they think slashing investments in their well-being makes sense.

Veterans’ care and benefits are sacred promises that the country pays to its veterans as part of the cost of war and in acknowledgment of their sacrifice. It is time for Republicans to put their money where their mouth is, and demonstrate their commitment to America’s veterans by producing a budget that honors those who served, lest they allow veterans’ healthcare and benefits to be held hostage by the extreme wing of their party.

The proposed cuts would mean a disservice to the men and women who have served this country, and it is befuddling given how often Republicans wrap themselves in the flag and embrace the veteran community. The cuts could lead to a reduction in veterans’ access to care, fewer staff to process claims, less support for national cemeteries, weakened VA cybersecurity and telehealth services, and further deterioration of VA infrastructure.

As members of Congress who sit on committees with jurisdiction over veterans’ issues, they hear from veterans and the organizations that advocate on their behalf every day. It is the responsibility of the nation’s veterans to honorably recognize their service and not subject them to political hijinks with potentially disastrous consequences.