WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) joined Co-Chair of the Democratic Veterans Caucus and Iraq War veteran Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), his fellow Co-Chair and veteran Pat Ryan (NY-18) and other members of the Democratic Veterans Caucus to raise the alarm on the Trump Administration VA’s efforts to cut around 35,000 healthcare jobs at the VA. This will hurt veterans’ healthcare, likely drive up wait times, and force veterans into less accountable, more expensive, and worse healthcare with private providers who lack veterans’ expertise. The Democratic members of Congress attending the event included Representatives Seth Moulton (MA-6), Mike Thompson, Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Bobby Scott (GA- and Eugene Vindman (VA-7). 

 At an event at the U.S. Capitol today, the group of Democratic veterans shared information from recently obtained internal VA documents that reveal the regional breakdown of job cuts at VA Medical Centers across the country. Congressman Deluzio also shared takeaways from internal Pittsburgh VA materials that specifically show that the VA serving his region in Western Pennsylvania plans to cut 481 jobs under the Trump Administration’s plan.   

“I believe in the sacred promise that those who sign up and serve our country will have a VA that is able to deliver on the promise of care that veterans earned,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Now, internal documents are showing that the Trump Administration VA is cutting around 35,000 VA healthcare jobs across the country, and just under 500 jobs in VA Pittsburgh. This includes clinical healthcare roles like doctors and nurses and will of course hurt veterans’ care. This effort to gut healthcare jobs and sell off the VA is a betrayal. The Democratic Veterans Caucus came together today to raise the alarm to urge Secretary Collins to back off from these dangerous job cuts. In Pennsylvania, people—especially veterans—are getting fired up about this dumb plan, and I’m going to keep fighting to get my fellow veterans the care they’ve earned.” 

Congressman Deluzio is a fighter for his fellow veterans and a fully staffed and funded VA. He previously took on the Trump Administration VA for stalling cancer trials and hurting veterans’ healthcare, and has written several opinion pieces in The Hill and Military.com on the Washington GOP’s effort to sell off and privatize VA healthcare. 

Photos and video of the event are available here. 

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