Schumer Leads Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Democratic Senators Request Investigation of Health-Care Cuts Impact on Veterans

In Washington, D.C., Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have gathered support from 26 colleagues in their call for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the effects of the Republican health-care cuts on veterans and their families. The group of legislators formalized their concerns in a letter to the watchdog agency.

Concerns about Veteran Care Amid Health-Care Policy Changes

This move comes after Senate Republicans declined to join Democrats in extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. These tax credits are critical to making health care affordable for 267,000 veterans. Furthermore, the forthcoming cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, expected to take effect next year, will place additional financial pressure on Americans, including millions of veterans and their families.

The senators expressed their apprehension regarding the upcoming health care reductions together with the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to downsize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). They strongly highlighted that the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (BBB) and the expiry of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021’s tax credits could potentially lead to life-threatening restrictions to health care for veterans.

The Impact on Veterans and their Families

According to the letter, 1.6 million veterans and four million family members could lose their Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage due to the “One Big Beautiful Bill”. It was recently found that 267,000 veterans will no longer be able to afford ACA marketplace coverage if the enhanced premium tax credits are not extended. These veterans are largely not eligible for Medicaid, TRICARE, or Medicare, and are also not eligible to receive health care through the VA.

Job Cuts and Workforce Reduction at the VA

Recent reports have revealed the Trump administration’s plan to cut as many as 35,000 health care jobs at the VA. These cuts include positions for doctors, nurses, and support staff that remain unfilled. The VA has already lost over 30,000 employees between January and September of this year due to hiring freezes, delayed resignations, early retirements, and a high resignation rate sparked by President Trump and VA Secretary Collins’ harsh workforce policies.

The letter, backed by Schumer and Blumenthal, was also signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

A full version of the lawmakers’ letter is available here.