WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly 37,000 Department of Veterans Affairs employees have been furloughed or forced to work without pay as the federal government shutdown — triggered by a budget impasse among Democrats in Congress — grinds into effect, disrupting critical services for America’s veterans.
While the VA’s hospitals, outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers remain open thanks to advance congressional appropriations, the shutdown has halted several programs that serve hundreds of thousands of former service members. Among the hardest hit are educational and employment assistance efforts, cemetery maintenance, and transition support for troops preparing to leave the military.
According to the VA, more than 900,000 veterans cannot reach the GI Bill Hotline for education benefits, while over 100,000 enrolled veterans have lost access to Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) counseling and case management. The backlog for new VR&E applicants has already surpassed 61,000 and continues to rise daily.
The shutdown has also shuttered 56 regional benefits offices to the public and forced the Manila regional office — the VA’s only overseas location — into permanent closure after its legal authority expired at the end of September.
Grounds maintenance and new headstone placements have stopped at all 157 national cemeteries, and more than 16,000 transitioning service members are now without access to in-person VA briefings designed to help them reintegrate into civilian life.
“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.”
Despite the disruptions, several essential services remain operational. VA medical centers, benefits processing, burials, suicide prevention programs, and homelessness services continue unaffected. The Veterans Crisis Line (988, Press 1) and main VA call center (1-800-MyVA411) remain open around the clock.
Still, the broader fallout is significant, with public affairs, outreach to local partners, and several memorial programs suspended indefinitely. Unless lawmakers reach an agreement soon, officials warn that the toll on veterans and their families could deepen as the shutdown drags on.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.