[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H894]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        STAFFING CUTS AT THE VA

  (Mr. DELUZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DELUZIO. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago we saw more than 1,000 staff 
being fired at the VA. Then, this week, 1,400 more staffers were fired 
at the VA.
  Who are these folks?
  They support the veterans' crisis hotline. They take care of medical 
research, studying cancer, mental health, you name it, and burn pit 
exposure.
  Mr. Speaker, remember that the Federal Government is the largest 
veteran employer in the United States. Around one-third of all VA 
employees are veterans themselves.
  Yesterday, we learned the Trump administration is canceling more than 
800 VA contracts.
  Do you know what these things fund, Mr. Speaker?
  Getting toxic exposed veterans access to their records to prove their 
claims, cancer care for veterans, and calibrating radiation detection 
equipment. I could go on and on.
  It is a betrayal to attack veterans' care. We do not send young 
Americans off to fight wars and then when they come back to this 
country, we betray them by attacking the VA.
  Mr. Speaker, do you want to talk about fiscal responsibility?
  Then go look at the fraud, waste, and abuse at the Pentagon. Go tax 
billionaires and offshoring corporations. We don't do it on the backs 
of veterans.
  This is unacceptable, and we are going to fight this every way we 
can.

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