During a Senate Democrats press briefing on Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke about a court order on the Trump Administration's layoffs at the VA.
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NewsTranscript
00:00It's unlawful, and we know that these reckless firings at the VA are not only harmful, but
00:07illegal, including the 2,400 already terminated at the VA and the potential for 80,000 or
00:19more that have been targeted by Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Secretary Collins.
00:27And all I can say as a former prosecutor and state attorney general is that I urge
00:35Secretary Collins and the Trump administration to comply with this court order.
00:39Failure to do so would be the height of irresponsibility and lawlessness.
00:44But we need to keep fighting for all of the dedicated veterans and the public servants
00:54who provide services to them by passing the Putting Veterans First Act.
01:05That's why we're here, and I am grateful as well to Senator Gallego for joining us and
01:11others on the VA committee, other Democrats who have joined as co-sponsors.
01:16This measure is a comprehensive set of steps to put back to work veterans who have been
01:26illegally fired, make sure that the VA is properly staffed, provide protections in the
01:34future to veterans who may be in fear of illegal firings.
01:41The fact is that this bill is a call to action at a moment of crisis for all of our veterans.
01:50The VA's system of health care and benefits has been disastrously and disgracefully put
01:58on the chopping block by the Trump administration.
02:03Elon Musk's heartless and heartbreaking cuts, freezes, and firings are not just bad for
02:10the people who have been immediately affected, but for all of the veterans suffering real-life
02:17impacts.
02:18And we are seeing those impacts in real time.
02:21Surgeries that have been denied or delayed.
02:27The veteran crisis line whose lines have been unanswered.
02:35The social work that is not provided to veterans, all of it in real time right now.
02:44So this measure is absolutely urgent now.
02:52And it would put back to work, rehire all the veterans who have been fired in all of
03:01the agencies of the federal government, rehire all of the employees of the VA who have been
03:09illegally discharged, provide everyone in the future with specific standards that have
03:18to be used by the VA's leadership, standards based on individual performance, not we don't
03:27like you anymore, but specifically attuned to the performance of anyone who is fired.
03:37And an appeals process for those employees, as well as protection of their data and information
03:44and all of the veterans' data and information in the VA files.
03:49Mental health services for anybody who is discharged.
03:53And this kind of protection should be not only for the veterans, but for military spouses,
03:59members of the National Guard and Reserve, survivors, and veteran caregivers.
04:05This measure is the first comprehensive protection for veterans against these abusive practices.
04:13And my hope is that it will be bipartisan, because there's nothing about veterans' issues
04:18that should be partisan.
04:19The fact is, Elon Musk is disrespecting our veterans, disregarding their rights,
04:27disastrously putting them in jeopardy of lack of health care, lack of benefits, even after the PAC Act,
04:40when we came together on a bipartisan basis.
04:42Let me just say one more point.
04:46There are now close to 40,000 vacant positions in the VA, including more than 6,000 nurses,
04:562,500 doctors, 1,200 custodians, positions that the VA is trying to fill through recruitment.
05:06And at the same time, it's firing exactly those same kinds of people.
05:12How is it possibly going to recruit the doctors, the nurses, the social workers, when it is
05:18firing them without reason, without basis, to the detriment of veterans?
05:25It is a disgrace, it is shameful, and a disservice to all who have worn the uniform and who will
05:36wear it in the future.
05:38With that, let me turn to my colleague, Senator Sanders.