VA furloughs or has 37,000 employees work without pay as Shutdown Disrupts Services
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The Department of Veterans Affairs said the federal government shutdown forced nearly 37,000 employees to furlough or work without pay.
The department’s medical centers, outpatient clinics and Veterinary Centers remained open and operated normally during the shutdown due to advanced appropriations from Congress, the agency said.
“The Democrats’ government shutdown is limiting services to veterans and making life miserable for VA employees, and things will only get worse as time goes on,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said. “It is time for Democrats to stop using the suffering of Americans as political leverage to provide free healthcare to illegal immigrants.”
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VA Secretary Doug Collins said 37,000 employees have been furloughed or working without pay due to the ongoing government shutdown. (Getty)
“I urge them to open up the government and enable VA to provide the full and comprehensive services that America’s veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors deserve,” he added.
Although some services are still available, others have been stopped.
More than 900,000 veterans were unable to receive assistance from the GI Bill hotline, which was closed, and 100,000 registered Veterans were unable to receive Veterans Preparedness and Employment program counseling or case management services because employees were furloughed, a news release said.
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Sign outside Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C. The VA terminated a $15.3 million contract, according to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Additionally, 56 VA regional benefits offices are closed to the public.
More than 16,000 soldiers preparing to leave the military cannot receive VA transition briefings because the contract providing that service is not in effect at the time the appropriations expire and the 157 VA national cemeteries across the country no longer maintain grounds or place permanent headstones.
However, burials will continue in VA national cemeteries.
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Requests for VA benefits, including compensation, retirement, education and housing benefits, continue to be processed and submitted, the agency said.
Republicans blamed Democrats for the ongoing shutdown and accused them of prioritizing health care for illegal immigrants over taxpayers. Democrats, meanwhile, said GOP leaders should negotiate a bipartisan deal that would also protect people from a spike in health care costs.
