Demand #1: Reverse Cuts to the VA – Fully Fund the PACT Act, Rehire Fired Employees
Today we begin a series of blog posts to explain each of 50501 Veterans’ Six Demands.
Reverse Budget Cuts
Plans by the Trump Administration to cut the VA’s budget by 22 percent are “an all-out assault” against progress the agency has made in expanding its services as the number of covered veterans grows, according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the ranking Democrat on the Senate committee that oversees veteran’s affairs.
This radical razing of the VA’s budget will drastically reduce access to health care services for veterans, leading to 30 million fewer outpatient visits. It will limit critical services – including wellness checks, cancer screenings, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment – and lead to longer wait times.
In addition, at least 370 ongoing clinical trials for conditions such as ALS, multiple sclerosis, and PTSD are at risk of being closed, according to an Academy Health report. “The loss of thousands of VA researchers would further hinder the advancement of medical science and the VA's capacity to innovate in veteran health care,” the Academy Health report concluded.
“Their plan prioritizes private sector profits over veterans’ care, balancing the budget on the backs of those who served. It’s a shameful betrayal, and veterans will pay the price for their unforgivable corruption, incompetence, and immorality,” Blumenthal said in a statement. Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, called the drastic cuts to the VA budget an “outright betrayal of veterans.” He pointed out that the VA had to grow its workforce in recent years to meet new demands, especially those related to Honor our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
Fully Fund the PACT Act
The PACT Act, designed to expand healthcare for veterans exposed to toxic substances, requires full funding to meet its commitments. Underfunding the PACT Act risks denying essential care to veterans suffering from exposure-related illnesses.
“Gutting VA’s staffing to pre-PACT Act levels will cripple the very system that millions of veterans rely on, denying them access to lifesaving health care, claims processing, and education benefits they’ve earned,” Takano said.
Much of the recent growth in those eligible for VA medical care is a direct result of the PACT Act ensuring essential care for veterans suffering from illnesses related to exposure to burn pits.
The Act provides care covering 23 respiratory illnesses contracted by veterans that are related to burn pits used in the military. The department conducted 4.6 million toxic exposure screenings and completed more than 500,000 PACT Act benefit claims in Fiscal Year 2023, according to Government Executive Magazine.
To meet the needs of the rapidly expanding number of veterans now eligible for care, the VA staffed up significantly, including a record-setting year in fiscal 2023 when the Veterans Health Administration alone hired 61,000 new employees.
Rehire Fired Employees
More than one in four VA workers at the beginning of 2025 were veterans. According to Government Executive Magazine, a memo from VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek said that the agency plans to return staffing levels to 2019 levels – just under 400,000 employees.
The VA has fired 2,4000 employees already this year and Syrek’s memo said that the goal is to eliminate 83,000 positions through an agency-wide reorganization by August of this year.
This will have a devastating effect on the quality of care for veterans and on their access to services. 50501 Veterans demands the reinstatement of these critical positions to ensure veterans receive the care and support they have earned.