A packed room listens to testimony Feb. 25, 2025, during a joint House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON — From health care for burn-pit exposures to transportation for blind veterans, services that veterans rely on from the Department of Veterans Affairs must be sustained and improved in a time of accelerated cost-cutting to government programs.

That message was delivered Tuesday to lawmakers by more than a half-dozen veterans service groups presenting their legislative priorities at a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees.

Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS and the Vietnam Veterans of America were among advocacy groups that urged lawmakers during a three-hour hearing to protect VA services and prevent any efforts by the VA or Congress to reduce or tax veterans’ benefits.

“Veterans need access to a full continuum of care,” said Daniel Contreras, DAV national commander and a service-connected disabled Army veteran. “A fully funded VA is absolutely vital for ill and injured veterans to receive the care and benefits they earned. Underfunding or delayed funding can have dire consequences for veterans who rely on VA disability compensation or health care. It is not an exaggeration to say in many cases this is life or death.”

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., chairman the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, speaks on Feb. 25, 2025, during a hearing with more than a half-dozen veterans service groups presenting their legislative priorities. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., the chairman the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, asked the veterans service groups to bring specific instances of how layoffs of nearly 2,500 VA workers and a hiring freeze are impacting delivery of care and benefits.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers echoed Bost’s call for veterans to let them know about challenges to receiving VA services because of personnel cuts.

“We would be lying if we said everything at the VA is perfect,” Bost said.

But job reductions at the VA represent less than 1% of the workforce, he said.

“If you can point to any eliminations that are mission critical, I would like to know about that,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. “I am a fact-based sort of guy. If you can provide information on how terminations have affected service levels or wait times, I want to know that.”

Horace Johnson, national commander of AMVETS, said his organization is deeply concerned by the actions and lack of transparency from the newly created Department of Government Efficiency to reduce the federal workforce.

“Reports of new employees being abruptly terminated have raised alarms, yet clear information has not been shared with veterans service organizations. While we are not here to wade through speculation, one fact remains: We expect greater transparency and communication from Congress, VA and the White House when fundamental changes are made to the department,” Johnson said.

Bost said he has confidence that Doug Collins, the new VA secretary, will “right size” the VA, which employs more than 470,000 workers and has a budget close to $370 billion.

“Veterans, the people sitting in front of us, are my No. 1 priority and not the bureaucracy. I take Doug Collins at his word who said there will be no impact to services,” he said.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., asked the advocacy groups to relay information on what they are hearing from veterans about how their health care and other benefits are impacted by workforce reductions ordered by President Donald Trump.

“Given today’s political climate, these hearings are occurring in a different atmosphere than before. I am concerned about how President Trump’s directives are being carried out, especially at the Department of Veterans Affairs,” he said.

Takano said he has received no response to requests for Collins to provide information on how his office is carrying out executive orders to reduce the federal workforce and end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, also known as DEI. Collins said resources would be redirected back into benefits and care for veterans.

“We are asking the [veterans groups] to hold the administration accountable and Congress accountable. We cannot waver because we know veterans are depending on us,” Takano said.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., speaks on Feb. 25, 2025, during a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees to discuss priorities for veterans and concerns about staff and budget cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Jack McManus, national president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, said there is a need for VA to further ease veterans’ access to private-sector doctors, especially in rural areas. Veterans can receive coverage for non-VA health care when they are unable to see a VA doctor in a timely manner and close to home.

“Many health care providers are reluctant to participate in the VA system due to delayed payments and bureaucratic red tape,” he said. “We must create a framework that prioritizes local health-care access for veterans. Establishing a reimbursement model that ensures timely payments is crucial for encouraging participation.”

Contreras said DAV’s legislative goals include easing obstacles and delays for veterans exposed to toxins to receiving care for illnesses and injuries incurred from military service.

DAV also favors an expansion of assisted-living and home-based services for aging veterans. About half of the nation’s veterans are 65 or older.

Contreras also criticized ideas and suggestions that he said he has heard for taxing VA disability compensation or phasing out some benefits when veterans reach retirement age, “even under the pretext of fiscal responsibility.”

“We are seeing organized efforts to curtail what veterans have earned,” he said. “Veterans benefits need to be reinforced, not clawed back.”

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, raised concerns the Trump administration is following a political roadmap called Project 2025, published by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. King said one of the policy goals of Project 2025 is to revise VA’s disability review process and reduce awards for disabled veterans.

Contreras said DAV is aware of the policy goals of Project 2025 that include reforming, taxing and reducing VA’s system of veterans’ benefits.

“We would not be in favor of that,” he said.

“The power is with the veterans, and you need to use your voice,” King said to the veterans advocacy groups.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, told the advocacy groups to provide names and details when they receive reports about shortages, delays and other problems in the delivery of care and benefits.

“We are moving into the next phase of VA leadership,” Luttrell said, referring to Collins, who has been the VA secretary for less than a month.

Luttrell said lawmakers can provide guidance to VA leaders with adequate information from veterans groups and other constituents.