The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that the ongoing federal government shutdown has resulted in nearly 37,000 of its employees being furloughed or required to work without pay.
According to the agency, all medical centers, outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers remain open and are operating normally thanks to advance appropriations provided by Congress.
“The Democrats’ government shutdown is limiting services for veterans and making life miserable for VA employees, and things are only going to get worse as time goes on,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “It’s time for Democrats to stop using the suffering of Americans as political leverage to give free health care to illegal immigrants.”
Collins urged lawmakers to act quickly: “I call on them to open the government and enable VA to provide the complete and comprehensive services America’s veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors have earned.”
Despite the continued operation of key facilities, several programs have been halted. A department news release stated that more than 900,000 veterans cannot access assistance through the GI Bill hotline, which has shut down, and approximately 100,000 enrolled veterans have lost access to Veteran Readiness and Employment program counseling and case management due to furloughs.
Additionally, 56 VA regional benefits offices are closed to the public. Over 16,000 service members preparing to transition out of the military cannot receive VA transition briefings because the contract that funds the program is suspended. Grounds maintenance and headstone placement at 157 VA national cemeteries have also stopped, though burials will continue uninterrupted.
VA benefit claims—including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits—are still being processed and delivered, the department confirmed.
Republican leaders have blamed Democrats for the shutdown, arguing that the opposing party is prioritizing health care for undocumented immigrants over taxpayer needs. Democrats, meanwhile, have countered that GOP lawmakers must agree to a bipartisan resolution that prevents rising health care costs for Americans.
