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Kennedy Introduced Five Amendments for Committee Consideration to Support Veterans and VA Employees; House Republicans Voted No

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) reaffirmed his commitment to our nation’s veterans during a House Veterans Affairs Committee legislative markup, introducing a series of common-sense amendments to protect veterans’ employment, ensure adequate staffing at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and expand burial and commemorative opportunities for families to honor their loved ones. Congressman Kennedy introduced five amendments for consideration during the markup. However, the Republican majority on the committee voted each of them down. 

(Congressman Kennedy during markup)

During the markup, Congressman Kennedy introduced an amendment that would have exempted service-disabled veterans from being removed by any reduction in force saying, “I do not understand how we can sit here as Members of Congress, members of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and allow veterans who sacrificed themselves for our safety and our country to be kicked to the curb because the richest man on earth told Trump to fire them. How are you all not disgusted with what is happening? This is not a partisan issue.”

As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Congressman Kennedy urged his colleagues to join his efforts, saying, “Our veterans deserve better, and we as members of Congress have a duty to honor them with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

The five amendments are summarized below:

Amendment 1: Prevent future hiring freezes at the VA for the duration of Trump’s term, reinstates all veterans who were laid off via reductions in force during the current term, prevents probationary employees from being targeted in future reductions in force, and requires Secretary Collins to provide written notice to both House and Senate Veteran Affairs Committees that he will comply with the bill.

Amendment 2: Prevent the termination of veterans at the VA in future reductions in force.

Amendment 3: Prevent the termination of disabled veterans at the VA in future reductions in force.

Amendment 4: Insert the language of the Honoring Our Heroes Act into the underlying bill.

Amendment 5: Prohibits non-political Employees at the National Cemetery Administration from being placed on Schedule F, which turns regular civil servants, known as “career employees,” into “at-will” employees with fewer protections.

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