Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, during a meeting of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Blumenthal and other Democrats harshly criticized President Donald Trump’s plan to invoke a federal freeze on filling vacancies and adding jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and other Democrats harshly criticized President Donald Trump’s plan to invoke a federal freeze on filling vacancies and adding jobs for non-clinical positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
They also condemned a separate plan by the Trump administration to freeze federal grants and loans that pay for community-based health services for veterans, including for suicide prevention, homelessness prevention and nursing homes.
“All these programs are in severe and urgent jeopardy,” Blumenthal said.
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., echoed Blumenthal’s comments at a hearing Tuesday of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. She accused the Trump administration of violating federal law over plans to suspend federal grants and funds that include veterans services.
“These are illegal and unconstitutional acts,” she said.
The pause on federal grants and loans is to allow for a review of spending, according to the Trump administration.
Direct aid to individuals is not supposed to be affected, but some programs that assist veterans could lose federal funds because the dollars are funneled through the states and passed on to community nonprofits, opponents contend.
Blumenthal and Hassan were among 24 Democratic senators who also sent a letter to Trump late last week demanding he immediately exempt all VA positions from a hiring freeze.
Blumenthal and other Democratic senators accused the Trump administration of undermining health care for veterans.
The hiring freeze “could dramatically impair the ability of veterans from across the country to get the care and benefits they desperately need,” the senators wrote. “It could also delay or deny various other veterans’ services across VA, from burial services to job training to assistance for homeless veterans to life-saving assistance from the Veterans Crisis Line.”
Trump issued a memorandum ordering a “freeze on the hiring of federal civilian employees, to be applied throughout the executive branch.” No federal civilian position vacant at noon Jan. 20 can be filled, and no new position can be created without special exception, according to the order.
Direct care workers at the VA are exempt, including nurses, physician assistants, psychologists, occupational therapists and pharmacists.
Doug Collins, Trump’s pick to lead the VA, said at his confirmation hearing last week that he plans to review how the hold will affect new hires and operations at the VA. Collins said he would make certain that veterans get the appropriate care they need.
But Blumenthal sought to highlight the range of jobs affected. The functions span claims, GI Bill tuition assistance, burial scheduling, chaplains, patient advocates and food service workers, among others.
Though jobs related to veterans’ benefits are supposed to be unaffected, Blumenthal said the hiring freeze will extend to the Veterans Benefits Administration and affect the processing of claims.
New hires at the Office of Information Technology also would be put on hold, including for cyber security, health data protection and website maintenance.
“The Trump administration is going to try to confuse the issue with a lot of vague assurances. We need a clear commitment that every VA employee is exempt—effective immediately,” Blumenthal said.
