Press Releases

Kennedy To Veterans: “I’m Disgusted By the Way You’ve Been Treated”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a House Committee on Veterans Affairs’ legislative hearing, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) expressed outrage over the treatment of federal workers who are responsible for delivering the benefits and care veterans have earned and deserve, noting that many such workers are veterans themselves. Kennedy also pressed officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs for the rationale behind slashing the VA workforce amid a staffing shortage.

Congressman Kennedy began by thanking veterans who attended the hearing, saying, “Let me start by thanking the veterans that are here with us today for your service to our country, and those federal workers that are here with us today that are veterans of this country. Those that are service-disabled, I thank you for your service, and I’m disgusted by the way you’ve been treated, not just you in this room, but your military colleagues across this country. It is heartbreaking. It is infuriating. It is wrong. We’re talking about those who have dedicated their lives to service to this country, some of whom have bled for this country, and then have dedicated their lives even further by going into public service as federal workers, and yet because you’re on probation – or that’s what we’ve been told, we can’t even get a straight answer today – your job is terminated. That’s despicable.” 

Kennedy questioned Tracey Therit, Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, on how the VA could cut workers amid a hiring freeze as well as a 40,000 worker shortage, according to the VA’s own estimates. In response, Therit said that the VA was permitted exemptions to the hiring freeze under the Office of Management and Budget, to which Kennedy replied, “Tell that to the 1,400 people that were terminated. Those veterans and service-disabled veterans who were terminated – tell them that there was an exemption. There was no true exemption for our VA and those veterans – including those that are sitting right behind you today. It’s unconscionable. And this country is better than that.”

BACKGROUND: 

In its last report to Congress at the end of 2024, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimated it had 40,000 vacancies nationwide. Despite worker shortages, the VA was immediately impacted by the Trump Administration hiring freeze, including rescinding 1,904 jobs and removing 716 job postings. On February 13, the VA then dismissed more than 1,000 employees. On February 24, the VA dismissed more than 1,400 employees. In response to severe and indiscriminate cuts to the federal VA workforce, Kennedy sent a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins demanding full transparency on dismissals, criteria used, the number of dismissed employees who are veterans, and details regarding plans to redirect funds. 

Congressman Kennedy is encouraging VA employees, and other federal employees negatively impacted by the Trump Administration, to share their story at Kennedy.House.gov. 

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