Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we'll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The veterans community was devastated last week when House Republicans proposed legislation that would cut 22% from the Veterans Affairs budget, setting back improvements and care that has been fought for in recent decades. The cuts would essentially gut veterans care.
In recent years, veterans have seen improvements in health care, including better access to medical visits and shorter wait times. The new proposal would roll back those gains, leading to 30 million fewer veteran outpatient visits, 81,000 lost jobs at the Veterans Affairs. Veterans won't be able to get appointments for care, wellness visits, cancer screenings, mental health services and substance use disorder treatment. The plan also cuts funding to military cemeteries, meaning 18,000 eligible veterans would lose the ability to be buried with full military honors. The lower budget would prevent construction on health care facilities veterans need, cut housing for veterans, increase food insecurity for veterans, and eliminate job training and other support to homeless veterans.
This proposal fails to honor the memory of all veterans, but veterans are ready to fight for their benefits. The Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO, is calling on all of our affiliates and allies to lift up the message of #HandsOffVeteranBenefits.