Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back against the reckless Republican scheme to rip healthcare and nutritional assistance away from the American people. 

WOLF BLITZER: Turning back now to the very contentious budget battle here in Washington, Republicans remain sharply divided over funding key pieces of President Trump’s agenda, as Democrats hammer them for proposing major cuts to Medicaid. For more on that, I want to bring in the House Minority Leader, the Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. From your vantage point, do you think Republicans have the votes to get these important pieces of legislation through committee and onto the House Floor?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that remains to be seen. House Democrats are going to continue to stand up on behalf of the American people and make clear that what Republicans are trying to do will actively harm everyday Americans. This reckless Republican budget would inflict the largest healthcare cut to Medicaid in American history, and at the same time, inflict the largest cut to supplemental nutritional assistance to the American people in history, literally taking food out of the mouths of children, veterans and seniors. It’s shameful and Republicans need to stand up for their constituents and stop being a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s agenda.

WOLF BLITZER: And on that point Leader Jeffries, how does it—what does it say to you that many of these proposed Medicaid cuts in the current proposal are scheduled to take effect after the 2026 midterm elections?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, once you set these cuts in motion, there will be a dramatic impact on the healthcare ecosystem. And so, despite the Republican gamesmanship, the reality is, if you begin to set in motion collapsing the healthcare system in the United States of America, and more than 80 million Americans rely on Medicaid for their health insurance, what’s going to happen is that hospitals are going to close, nursing homes are going to shut down and, in fact, people will die. And so, this is a matter of life and death, no matter what type of legislative gamesmanship Republicans are playing, they can’t defend these Medicaid cuts. And that is why they are trying everything they can to try to hide them from the American people.

WOLF BLITZER: Republicans, Leader Jeffries, say they can save a significant amount of money by cutting Medicaid funding to those states that help undocumented immigrants purchase health insurance. What’s your position on that proposal? And if Democrats try to fight that proposal, do you worry it could open up your members to Republican attacks that they support tax dollars, U.S. tax dollars going to people who are in the United States illegally?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, this is actually another lie in terms of what Republicans are trying to do. The Congressional Budget Office has been clear that if these Medicaid cuts were to become law, approximately 14 million Americans will lose their healthcare. And the Republicans aren’t even trying to make the argument that the overwhelming majority of those 14 million Americans aren’t actually citizens. Of course they are. These are everyday Americans who work hard. They’re our children and our families and our women and everyday Americans with disabilities. And, of course, those seniors who rely on Medicaid for their nursing home care or for their home care.

WOLF BLITZER: Another key disagreement, as you know, is among Republicans—a disagreement among Republicans—is what to do about state and local tax deductions that primarily benefit blue states out there. You’ve called on letting the caps on those deductions expire altogether, but that would cost the government a significant amount of revenue. So where else would you find that money?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, one of the things that we should be doing is providing tax relief to working families, working-class Americans, middle-class Americans, those who have been struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. Donald Trump and House Republicans spent all of last year promising that they were going to lower the high cost of living. In fact, they promised, Wolf, that costs would go down on day one. We know that’s not happened. Costs, in fact, aren’t going down. They’re going up. Inflation is going up. And Donald Trump, with his reckless tariffs, is actually crashing the economy and driving us toward a painful recession. And instead of trying to actually provide tax relief to help out those everyday Americans to build an affordable economy, part of this GOP tax scam is to cut Medicaid, hurt veterans, cut nutritional assistance to families and children and others, all to give massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors like Elon Musk. The more we expose this tax scam, the worse it gets for Republicans, which is why they are on the run, it’s why they’re not holding town hall meetings and it’s why they’re trying to manipulate the facts and the reality of this toxic piece of legislation.

WOLF BLITZER: As you know, President Trump is in Qatar right now amid major bipartisan criticism over his plan to accept a luxury jet from that country. Are you and your Republican colleagues in Congress taking any steps to try to stop the President of the United States from accepting this gift from Qatar?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Pursuant to the United States Constitution, it’s our view that in order for the president to accept this flying palace in the sky, a $400 million gift, which is a joke and an embarrassment, and it’s malignant, that it’s even under consideration, but in order for the president to lawfully accept this flying palace in the sky, he has to come before Congress pursuant to the Constitution, and ask permission to accept what is technically referred to as an emolument. It’s a fancy word for gift from a foreign power that the framers of the Constitution were very clear should never be accepted or, if it is accepted, only with the permission of Congress.

WOLF BLITZER: In regards to the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, each party asked the CBO to assess different combinations of the bill text. I just wanted to point that out, Congressman. You want to react to that?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, listen, I mean, I think the reality is the Congressional Budget Office is a nonpartisan organization that was stood up in a bipartisan way by Democrats and Republicans for decades in order to provide us with an actual, fact-based assessment of the legislation that we are considering. And the Congressional Budget Office has made clear that these cuts will be devastating to the health, safety and well-being of the American people. And the Republicans can try to run from that fact as much as they want. We will never let them hide it from the American people.

WOLF BLITZER: Before I let you go, Leader Jeffries, I want to quickly get your thoughts on this new book that’s about to come out from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson detailing President Biden’s decline during his time in the White House? According to one rather stunning passage from the book, President Biden didn’t even recognize George Clooney at a fundraiser that the movie star was actually hosting for him. Why should voters trust Democrats when it’s clear so many in your party went to great lengths to keep Biden’s condition hidden from the public?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I can’t tell you what happened between George Clooney and President Biden. I wasn’t at that event. What I can say is that we’re not looking back. We’re going to continue to look forward, because at this moment, we’ve got real problems that need to be addressed on behalf of the American people, including the Republican effort to snatch away healthcare, snatch away food assistance and hurt veterans.

WOLF BLITZER: You interacted with President Biden during those days, those final days he was President of the United States. Did you see, did you sense there was a major deterioration?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, in the conversations that I was able to have on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus in those final days, we simply expressed our perspective as to what would be best for the party at that given moment in time. President Biden subsequently made the decision that he was going to pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris. Of course, that was the decision that we supported strongly.

PAMELA BROWN: Just very quickly, I want to ask you, Congressman Jeffries. You know, you say we’re not looking back, we’re looking forward. But what happened in the past has to do with what’s going to happen in the future and whether voters can trust Democrats. As you look back, you were in a leadership position when President Biden decided to run again. Should you have done more at that point to intervene?

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s a great question in terms of whether voters can trust Democrats or not. Every single high-profile special election that has taken place since President Trump was inaugurated—a special election victory in Iowa in January, a special election victory in New York in February, a special election victory in Pennsylvania in March, a special election victory in Wisconsin in the Supreme Court race in April and yesterday, decisively defeating a Republican incumbent in Omaha and a surprise to many observers. Clearly, voters are trusting Democrats this year when they go to the ballot, repeatedly rejecting MAGA extremism.

WOLF BLITZER: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Leader in the House, thanks so much for joining us.

PAMELA BROWN: Thank you very much.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

Full interview can be watched here.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (21st District of New York)

Stefanik Champions Reintroduction of BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act | Press Releases | Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – During today’s House Energy and Commerce Committee markup on the Republican reconciliation legislation, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) railed against a massive giveaway to Big Tech companies that would harm consumers and kids online. The provision buried in the bill would prohibit state-level protections on AI, allowing tech companies to deploy this emerging technology without restriction.
“A ban on state regulations of AI for ten years shows where Republicans’ loyalty is: to Big Tech and the wealthy. Dismantling states’ regulations on technology amounts to a financial windfall of epic proportions, consistent with tax cuts for the rich that the Ways & Means Republicans marked up today,” Congresswoman Trahan said. “This provision absolves companies of any responsibility to protect consumers from the harms of AI. It is also drafted so broadly as to implicate states’ privacy and online safety laws, directly harming our kids.”
CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s remarks during the Committee’s consideration of reconciliation legislation. A transcript is embedded below.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is currently marking up House Republicans’ reconciliation package that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would cut $715 billion from Medicaid and eliminate health coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans. Included in that bill is a provision that would ban states from creating or implementing laws to limit potential harms of AI, effectively allowing Big Tech companies to deploy a rapidly changing technology without any accountability for its negative impacts.
During debate over the legislation, Trahan spoke in support of an amendment filed by House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) to strike the 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation.
“This handout for big tech and ultra-wealthy tech barons in the same reconciliation bill that guts healthcare for millions is what people hate about Washington. It’s lop-sided and it’s insulting,” Congresswoman Trahan continued. “If Republicans had chosen to start this hearing with the faces and stories of who they are advocating for, you wouldn’t see everyday Americans like us Democrats held up. We’d be looking at posters of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.”
Following debate on the amendment, every House Republican on the committee voted No, preserving the provision in the legislation.
———————————————

Congresswoman Lori Trahan
Remarks As Delivered
House Energy and Commerce Committee Markup – AI Moratorium Amendment
May 14, 2025
I move to strike the last word.
Very soon, this Committee will be debating the biggest cuts to Medicaid in our nation’s history. Cuts that will strip health insurance from over 13 million Americans all to pay for tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest in our country.
Republicans will say that they aren’t cutting Medicaid – that they are simply implementing quote “sensible” work requirements. But please stay skeptical.
Republicans are implementing cumbersome requirements because added paperwork will lead to less compliance and ultimately, less people enrolled, conveniently giving them enough space to fill the pot for their super-rich friends. A group of friends that, we should note, is headlined by the same big tech CEOs who stood behind President Trump at his inauguration. A group of friends who will say they want a federal privacy policy, a national AI framework while spending millions of dollars to make sure those bills never see the House Floor.
A ban on state regulations of AI for ten years shows where Republicans’ loyalty is: to Big Tech and the wealthy. Dismantling states’ regulations on technology amounts to a financial windfall of epic proportions, consistent with tax cuts for the rich that the Ways & Means Republicans marked up today.
This provision absolves companies of any responsibility to protect consumers from the harms of AI. It is also drafted so broadly as to implicate states’ privacy and online safety laws, directly harming our kids. Simply put, this provision, this single paragraph snuck into a massive budget bill, would undermine digital rights duly provided to millions of Americans by their state legislatures. 
States have taken the lead in regulating technology while Congress has stalled out amidst a barrage of endless lobbying. If privacy and kids’ online safety are any indication, this Congress will not pass meaningful, comprehensive regulation of AI.
And I ask my colleagues: what gives you so much optimism that Congress can pass meaningful protections for AI, privacy, or online safety? You claim that states have created a patchwork of regulations – why do you think state lawmakers have done that? You think they want to be legislating on difficult questions of technology policy?
No. No, state lawmakers have stepped up because their federal counterparts – we – have consistently failed to act. Americans are fed up, and instead they’re asking state legislatures to protect them and their kids online.
Make no mistake: this provision is a product of big tech lobbying. Companies including Meta and Google have long asked for it, and trade associations for big tech rejoiced when Republicans included it in this bill. Because what this provision represents is the biggest gift to the tech industry in its history.
Put in context, however, this ban on tech regulation is not just bad policy, it’s morally bankrupt. We can work together on modernizing our systems, leveraging our data and our analytics. But Mr. Chairman, think about it: Republicans are effectively eliminating requirements on technology companies to make their products safe and trustworthy while, at the same time, adding requirements for Americans to receive lifesaving healthcare. 
Under their bill, Americans will have to jump through hoops and complete mounds of paperwork to prove that they are working. Technology companies, on the other hand, won’t have to show their work at all. This handout for big tech and ultra-wealthy tech barons in the same reconciliation bill that guts healthcare for millions is what people hate about Washington. It’s lop-sided and it’s insulting.
If Republicans had chosen to start this hearing with the faces and stories of who they are advocating for, you wouldn’t see everyday Americans like us Democrats held up. We’d be looking at posters of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos.
Requirements, compliance, and paperwork for busy, working class Americans, but not for billionaire big tech donors. That’s the Republican way, according to this legislation.
But I’d love to be proven wrong. So vote yes on the amendment. I yield back.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

“We have labor shortages everywhere in this country, but when it comes to hiring correctional officers, it is unnecessarily multiplied by the federal bureaucracy. I have toured the Federal Correctional Institution in Oxford, Wisconsin, which is part of the Bureau of Prisons, and I often receive feedback from many of its employees. Unfortunately, FCI Oxford is yet another example of the staffing crisis that has devastated BOP facilities and personnel across the country.” 

Background Information 

Grothman is joined by Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX). 

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) is serving his fifth term representing Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

Rep. Estes Applauds Ways and Means Tax Legislation Vote

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means and as the Senior Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, voted against legislation offered by Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee that would cut taxes for the wealthy while doing little for regular people, and even raising taxes for many working Americans.

Beyer said:

“Democrats relentlessly fought for over 17 hours to protect Americans’ health care, lower costs, and support working people, while Republicans just as relentlessly fought to protect the wealthy.

“At every turn, Republicans voted down amendments designed to prevent the majority of benefits of their tax bill from flowing to rich people. They defeated amendments to close the carried interest loophole, and to resume pre-Trump tax rates for the highest income bracket. They voted to protect an expansion of the estate tax, a tax cut that only benefits a small number of estates worth over $25 million, at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars. Republicans even rejected an amendment that would simply have blocked their tax cuts from benefitting billionaires.

“At the same time, Republicans rejected Democratic amendments to protect Americans’ health care. As new, nonpartisan estimates show nearly 14 millions at risk of losing coverage from this legislation, Republicans voted against amendments to prevent these life-threatening cuts. They also rejected our amendments to stop Trump’s trade war and stop attacks on American energy, effectively voting to sustain higher prices, destroy the American clean energy industry, and raise everyone’s electric bill in the process.

“The biggest surprise of the markup came when JCT distribution tables, delayed by Republicans’ massive last-minute changes to the bill, revealed that tens of millions of working Americans will actually see a tax increase the year Trump leaves office under Republicans’ bill. This is largely because they made provisions like addressing taxes on tips and overtime pay temporary, as opposed to the cuts for the richest 1%, which they made permanent. The unavoidable truth is that Republicans’ core priority with this legislation was to benefit the wealthy at the expense of everyone else, and that is exactly what their bill does.”

Beyer spoke in opposition to the bill at the outset of the markup, and offered amendments to bar people who earn over $100 million per year from benefitting from Republican tax cuts, and to close the carried interest loophole, both of which were defeated with all Republicans voting against. At the end of the 17-hour markup, Republicans advanced the bill on a party-line vote.

Distribution tables produced after the beginning of the marathon markup session by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), Congress’ designated scorekeeper on taxation and spending, showed that the most benefits of Republicans’ tax bill would flow to the wealthiest people in the country, while the lowest quintile of the population would see a tax increase beginning in 2029.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

Last night in the House Agriculture Committee markup of the partisan reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) spoke out against Republicans’ proposal to slash $300 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In her opening remarks, Pingree questioned how leaving Americans with fewer tools to feed their families affordably and healthily, further straining our health care system and driving up costs for everyone, will “Make America Healthy Again.” 

Pingree’s full opening remarks are available here and copied below.

The Committee will reconvene today to debate amendments. Tune in live here. 

+++

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. 

I’m fortunate to have served on this committee for more than a decade. During that time, I’ve had the opportunity and the great privilege to work on bipartisan Farm Bills that are designed to strengthen our agricultural sector, to support our farmers, and to help hungry people access food. So, I am deeply disappointed that we’re sitting here tonight not doing that but debating a bill that will gut the single largest anti-hunger program in America.

Frankly, I can’t believe we are trying to shove the Farm Bill into the reconciliation process, stripping this committee of the chance of a truly bipartisan Farm Bill. 

And let’s not sugarcoat what this bill is. It’s a $300 billion assault on struggling families, seniors, children, and veterans, all to fund tax breaks for billionaires and corporations. 

The average SNAP benefit is $6 a day, $6 a day. That is barely enough to buy a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. And if this bill passes, some of the most vulnerable people in America will be denied even that. Make no mistake, this will lead to more kids going to bed hungry, more seniors skipping meals to afford their medicine, and more parents forced to sacrifice their own nutrition so their kids can eat.

 In my state, 175,000 people rely on SNAP to put food on the table, including over 36,000 children and 6,300 veterans. That’s tens of thousands of Mainers who stand to lose their benefits under this proposal. 1 in 5 children in Maine struggles with food insecurity. That’s 1 in 5. And it’s not just individuals who will suffer. The bill threatens the very businesses that keep our rural communities alive.

More than 1,500 retailers in Maine – grocery stores, corner markets, and mom and pop shops – rely on SNAP sales to stay open. When you cut SNAP, you don’t just take food off the table, you rip the economic rug out from under those businesses in the communities they support. 

And then there’s the unfunded mandate that this bill dumps on Maine. My Republican colleagues call this “cost shifting,” but they are forcing states to pay at least 5% – and in many cases, much more of the cost – of supporting SNAP. So, let’s just call that what it really is: a backdoor way of sending this program into a death spiral, pushing the blame for the inevitable wave of hunger and hardship under governors and state legislatures.

It cuts programs like the National Education, Obesity and Prevention Grant program, commonly known as Snap Ed. Snap ed helps families make their SNAP dollars stretch further. It teaches people how to make nutritious meals using SNAP funds. In Maine, this program has reached nearly 20,000 people with free classes and cooking, budgeting, and healthy eating. Eliminating these services will leave families with fewer tools to feed their families affordably and healthily, further straining our health care system and driving up costs for everyone.

Tell me, is this really making America healthy again? 

This … bill is not about reducing “waste” or fixing “fraud” or finding errors. It’s all about sacrificing the health and well-being of the most vulnerable, most vulnerable amongst us, so that billionaires like Elon Musk can get even richer. It’s about taking food out of the hands of hungry children, cutting off lifelines to families in need, and shattering the basic safety net that millions of Americans rely on.

We should be writing a Farm Bill that supports our local farmers, strengthens rural economies, and ensures that no one in this country goes hungry. Instead, this proposal sacrifices families and communities for short term political win. 

So, for me tonight, I’m a no. Tomorrow I’m a no. Every day from now until whenever my Republican colleagues come to their senses and do what right is right for America and for the people who are their constituents, I will stay a no on this bill.

Thank you. I yield back.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed a discharge petition to force a House vote to protect Medicaid and food assistance from Republicans’ devasting budget cuts. 

“The reckless Republican budget has over $1 trillion in cuts to basic essential programs that millions of everyday Americans depend on,” Rep. Meeks said. “Among the benefits on the chopping block are Medicaid and SNAP. Trump and his minions are willing to take health coverage and food assistance away from children, seniors and veterans. The people in my district and across the country want Republicans to keep their hands off their vital services. I implore my Republican colleagues to listen to their constituents and join Democrats in forcing an up-or-down vote on the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act. We must keep these lifeline services intact.”

In NY-05, the Republican budget puts 312,918 people at risk of losing Medicaid coverage and would impact 86,000 people who count on SNAP to put food on the table for their families. 

A discharge petition allows lawmakers to bypass House leadership and bring a bill directly to the floor. If four House Republicans sign this discharge petition, the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act would be considered in the House immediately.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) joined 14 of his Democratic colleagues in the New York Congressional delegation in sending a letter to Secretary Doug Collins of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and budget changes to the agency that will threaten the well-being of those who have served the nation. Standing united with his peers, Rep. Meeks demands that Secretary Collins immediately reverse course on his plans to reshape the VA to the detriment of our veterans. 

“Veterans hospitals play a critical role in supporting individuals who served our country,” Congressman Meeks said. “These facilities are not just places for medical treatment, they serve as lifelines providing specialized care tailored to the unique needs of veterans. It is unfathomable that the Trump Administration is willing to cut the budget and scale back on the trained professionals who understand what patients are going through and can offer effective treatment to our war heroes.” 

With plans to downsize the workforce by over 15%, proposed cuts will force veterans to withstand longer appointment wait times, benefit delays, and reduced patient-provider interactions. As healthcare, housing, and other veteran services continue to be defunded and stripped of support, these existing struggles will only be exacerbated following the implementation of Secretary Collins’ proposed changes. The lawmakers argue that these mass firings would threaten the department’s fundamental purpose—to provide veterans with timely, quality, equitable, and individual-centered healthcare, benefits, and housing resources. 

The St. Albans VA Medical Center stands in New York’s 5th congressional district, providing veterans with primary and specialty healthcare services. Proposed cuts will threaten the accessibility of timely and comprehensive healthcare for constituents of the 5th District. Congressman Meeks condemns this looming threat and urges Secretary Collins to consider the consequences of his proposed changes to the VA to protect our veteran residents and those across the country who deserve efficient and stable support.

A total of 15 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Rep. Meeks, the following members joined in signing: Representatives Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), George Latimer (NY-16), John Mannion (NY-22), Grace Meng (NY-06), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Josh Riley (NY-19), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07). 

Full text of the letter is provided below:

Dear Secretary Collins:

We write as Members of the New York Congressional delegation to strongly oppose the proposed staffing cuts and benefits changes to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) that threaten the well-being of those who have bravely served our nation. This proposal would cut 80,000 employees – over 15% of the VA’s total workforce – who help provide health care, housing, and other services to our veterans,[1] including more than a quarter of whom are veterans themselves.[2] We urge you to immediately reverse course on the proposed firings and ensure that the more than 688,000 veterans in New York State receive timely care, benefits, and peace of mind.

VHA facilities reported a total of 2,959 severe occupational staffing shortages nationwide in fiscal year 2024. New York facilities reported at least 143 severe staffing shortages.[3] New York’s VA facilities have already suffered after the dismissal of more than 1,000 probationary employees nationwide.[4]

These shortages and firings have directly affected care quality by leading to reduced patient-provider interaction, longer wait times for appointments, delays in benefits, and increased workloads for existing staff. Ultimately, these conditions compromise the level of care veterans receive. In February, the Castle Point VA in the Hudson Valley temporarily closed due to inadequate staffing, with employees citing the federal hiring freeze as a key roadblock to getting the providers needed for the community.[5] At the Bronx VA, 20-year veteran Luke Graziani was abruptly fired weeks before his probationary period ended, leaving a vacuum in internal and external communications for the facility. While we are glad to see Mr. Graziani reinstated, the chaos and recklessness of these actions have created a widespread atmosphere of fear and instability across the state.[6]

The PACT Act was transformational legislation that expanded eligibility for VA healthcare and benefits for veterans with toxic exposures during their military service. Since passage, over 796,000 veterans have enrolled in VA healthcare with over 4.8 million claims received.[7] To handle the surge in veterans becoming eligible for care, the VA needed to hire more employees to process claims, provide healthcare, and manage the expanded services. Cutting VA employee levels back to pre-PACT Act levels would be detrimental to veterans’ care and benefits, leading to longer wait times for appointments, claims processing, increased costs in care, and a significant decrease in mental health services.[8]

The New York Congressional delegation has consistently fought for public, high-quality, accessible health care for our veterans. In New York, we have worked to keep facilities open, expand services, and fight for critical investments to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve. These firings will threaten the agency’s core mission to provide quality healthcare, timely delivery of benefits, and housing resources for our veterans. It is the federal government’s responsibility to “honor the contract,” – we must honor that commitment by providing the care, benefits, and opportunities every veteran has earned through their sacrifice.

As Members of the New York Congressional delegation, we stand united in demanding that the administration reverse course on your proposed staffing and benefits cuts that will cripple the livelihoods of our veteran constituents.

###

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), co-chair of the PFAS Task Force, released the following statement in response to reports that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to rescind the landmark PFAS drinking water standard implemented last year.

“I see the urgent threat of PFAS firsthand in Michigan, and this is a problem many communities across our country are facing and working hard to rectify. After years of fighting, the EPA issued a final rule to limit the levels of PFAS commonly found in drinking water, an important step to keep forever chemicals out of our homes. Rescinding this standard means more Americans will be poisoned and harmful PFAS contamination will continue to spread. Too many people have already suffered the adverse effects of PFAS exposure, and we must do everything possible to combat this dangerous public health threat.”

The national drinking water standard issued last year by the EPA set legally enforceable levels, called Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS commonly known to occur in drinking water. The EPA estimates this rule will prevent PFAS exposure in drinking water for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.

Dingell has long led the fight against PFAS as the author of the PFAS Action Act, which includes establishing a strong national drinking water standard.