Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks March 4, 2025, during a congressional hearing in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a resolution Tuesday demanding the immediate reinstatement of the 6,000 veterans fired from federal government jobs in a sweeping workforce reduction, including at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., quickly stood to object to the resolution after Blumenthal called for passage by unanimous consent. His objection effectively ended the resolution’s adoption.

Moran is chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Blumenthal is a member of the same committee.

Blumenthal pledged to continue to fight for the restoration of veterans’ jobs. He was joined by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., when he introduced the resolution.

But Moran said it would divide members of Congress, as Republicans have pledged to carry out President Donald Trump’s directive to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Nearly one-third of federal civilian workers are veterans.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, speaks Jan. 28, 2025, during a committee meeting. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

“I commit to all my colleagues to work with them to make VA retain an effective workforce, but we will only achieve that by working together and with the Department of Veterans Affairs for desired outcomes,” Moran said.

Blumenthal pledged to work with Republican senators on a bipartisan agreement and bring veterans back to their jobs.

“I think that is fundamental to the effort today,” he said.

Blumenthal mentioned recent firings, including the pregnant wife of a veteran and a veteran on probation in his civilian government job after serving in the Marine Corps for 25 years.

“Even if this resolution fails, veterans will know we tried,” Whitehouse said.

Whitehouse said he learned about the firing of a veterans crisis line worker in Rhode Island who was then contacted for rehiring. But the worker has yet to be called back to work, he said. The Trump administration has vowed not to end jobs that are deemed critical. Crisis line workers field calls from veterans in distress, including some who are suicidal.

“This is not easy work. But with all the scrambling at the VA, they still do not have a return-to-work date for the improper firing,” Whitehouse said. “It is administrative malpractice. It is stupid and it is wrong.”

He blamed Elon Musk, who serves as a Trump adviser, for mishandling workforce reductions by “running around fast and breaking things, like Thing 1 and Thing 2 from ‘Cat in the Hat.’ “

Thousands of workers new to their jobs and on probation have been targeted in the cuts. Probationary workers have fewer employment protections than workers more seasoned in their jobs.

Whitehouse used the term “muskrats” to describe the young tech workers who Musk brought in to identify probationary workers and facilitate the firings.

“Keep those little muskrats out of Rhode Island and away from our veterans,” he said.

Peters, a former lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, said veterans represent a talent source for the federal workforce.

“Employing our nation’s veterans is not just a responsibility, it is a smart business decision. Workers are devastated about why the administration has turned their backs on them like this,” he said.

Peters mentioned the situation of a VA worker with 30 years working in federal government who was swept up in the firings after being promoted to supervisor. He was still on probation in his new role.

“He has never received less than an excellent performance review,” Peters said.

In another case, an Air Force veteran’s probationary period was days away from ending when he was fired from a VA job in Michigan.

“These cuts are cruel. Our country will not be better off,” Peters said.

Kelly said the layoffs will affect government services, including at the VA, no matter what the administration says.

“Firing thousands will do nothing to speed up veterans’ health care. It will make accessing care more difficult,” he said.

On social media, Kelly posted Blumenthal “just tried to get VA staff who serve veterans rehired after Donald Trump and Elon Musk fired thousands of them without cause. Senate Republicans blocked it.”