[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 126 (Thursday, August 1, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                    Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

  Mr. President, now let me talk about the VA and Long Island's only VA 
medical center--the Northport VA. Right now, Long Island's only VA 
medical center, the Northport VA--and many other VA medical centers 
across the country--are being threatened by the MAGA Republican plan 
known as Project 2025.
  This is a picture of the Northport VA. It is the only VA on Long 
Island, serving over 100,000 vets across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. I 
know how good it is because my father, who passed away 2 years ago, got 
good treatment at the VA. He was a World War II vet.
  And Long Island has so many vets, so many people who served their 
country who are getting older now. They desperately need that Northport 
VA for their healthcare. If Republicans take power, the Project 2025 
plan is just itching to become law, and it would have a disastrous 
impact on the VA and create chaos for vets, not just across Long Island 
but across America, especially those now receiving health benefits that 
we fought so hard to win.
  Project 2025 has a fancy website. It has a fancy book. It has a lot 
of glitter, but this plan is far from gold--far from gold. It is a pile 
of corroded ideas that have never become law because of how unpopular 
they are, including undermining the VA. And deep in this plan is a 
mandate to defund the Northport VA on Long Island. The plan would also 
slash veterans' benefits.
  It seems to repeal the PACT Act, which we just passed 
overwhelmingly--bipartisan--that said that our veterans who served in 
Iraq and Afghanistan and were exposed to burn pits and got cancers and 
other illnesses could get help from the VA. This plan--this Project 
2025--is so intent on slashing all government plans so the very rich 
who represent this plan can pay fewer taxes. It is outrageous--
outrageous.
  Now, when faced with questions on these proposals, MAGA Republicans 
are running away, claiming they don't know anything. MAGA Republicans 
even announced they fired the guy who authored all this dreck. But, 
sorry, you can fire all the people you want. These are the goals.

  It was put together by lots of Donald Trump's former employees and 
has, as one of its leaders, somebody who wants to slash--slash--all 
kinds of government programs up and down the line because the very rich 
people that they seem to represent don't want to pay any taxes. They 
don't care about the rest of us.
  So MAGA Republicans, again, they can fire anyone they want. We know 
the goals. This revealed it. They were proud of this Project 2025 until 
it was revealed that it had so many bad things in it.
  So I am sounding the alarm on this little-known project for all the 
Members of this Chamber and pledging that, under my majority, the VA 
will not be depleted, veterans' benefits will be protected, and the 
Senate floor will not consider programs and proposals that undo years 
of bipartisan progress on veterans affairs, healthcare, and on funding 
our hospitals.
  The plan would revive the effort to shut down Long Island's Northport 
VA. This is what Project 2025 says:

       [T]he Senate Veterans Affairs Committee lacked the 
     political will to act on the White House's nominations of 
     comission members, and this ultimately led to termination of 
     the AIR--ASSET AND INFRASTRUCTURE REVIEW. The next 
     Administration should seek out agile, creative, and 
     politically acceptable operational solutions.

  Those here in this Chamber should know exactly what AIR was: a plan--
a hard-right plan--to defund the VA system.
  Well, we bipartisanly said no way, and we saved our VA hospitals.
  Project 2025 doesn't just want to revive AIR but implement it. Defund 
the VA hospitals--that is what it says.
  Look, over 9 million veterans are enrolled in the VA healthcare 
system, meaning that these proposed cuts and policy changes will affect 
a massive amount of people. But for Northport and the vets of Long 
Island, it would be the end of care as they know it. They would have to 
travel to New York City for basic care or more complex care. The 
waiting lines and the waiting lists--veterans have to wait long enough 
for healthcare--would get even greater. And, as I said, it is over 
100,000 vets--vets I have stood with, vets I launched a petition with. 
I will not--will not--let this VA close or be defunded.
  So for all of you here, look close. Which one of your critical VA 
hospitals does MAGA want to shutter?
  Project 2025, a bunch of bad ideas that hurt working people, 
veterans, and others who served this country. MAGA fired the guy who 
ran it, but they still are intent on the plan--still intent on 
decimating and closing this great hospital. Make no mistake about it.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant executive clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.