Government Shutdown Affects VA Employees and Services
In Washington, about 10% of employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are not receiving their paychecks this week due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has lasted nearly a month.
This funding lapse has resulted in the furlough of roughly 37,000 employees or has required them to continue working without pay. It’s worth noting that the appropriated funding from Congress hadn’t completely expired when the shutdown kicked off on October 1.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins commented, saying, “Democratic government shutdowns have limited services for veterans, making life miserable for VA employees, and things will only get worse over time.”
This year, the Veterans Administration had already reduced its workforce, aiming to have around 455,000 employees by year-end. However, Senate Democrats blocked a stopgap funding measure that the House previously passed, which would have kept government funding at current levels until November 21.
Consequently, essential services for over one million veterans have been interrupted, and certain offices have had to close, according to VA officials.
At least 900,000 people are no longer able to access the temporarily closed GI Bill hotline, while another 100,000 cannot enroll in Veterans Readiness and Employment programs.
The situation is further complicated by an existing backlog of over 60,000 applications in the program.
Dozens of community benefits offices remain closed indefinitely, and more than 150 veterans cemeteries have closed, with exceptions only for necessary burials.
Interestingly, only one benefits office in the Philippines has had a permanent closure.
The VA has stated that medical centers and outpatient clinics are currently unaffected due to “some advance appropriations from Congress,” ensuring that benefits like compensation, pensions, education, and housing continue to be processed and disbursed.
Collins also urged Democrats to cease using this situation for political leverage, insisting that the government should reopen to allow the Veterans Administration to deliver the comprehensive services that veterans and their families deserve.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer from New York, attribute the ongoing federal shutdown to Republicans’ refusal to include funding extensions for the Affordable Care Act in the funding bill.
