January 23, 2025

Ranking Member Takano and Committee Democrats Demand Answers for Veterans About Trump Hiring Freeze

Federal Hiring Freeze Has Already Caused Irreparable Harm and Could Cause More Delays to Veterans’ Access to Healthcare and Benefits, and Hurt Veterans Seeking Federal Jobs

Press Contact

Elain Shubat

WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Mark Takano was joined by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Democrats in a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Acting Secretary Todd Hunter about how VA is implementing President Trump’s Inaugural Executive Order to freeze hiring across the executive branch. 

Despite VA reporting more than 40,000 vacancies at the end of 2024, President Trump’s Executive Order was issued without any regard for the impact it would have on veterans’ access to healthcare and benefits, nor for the urgent need to fill critical clinical vacancies within VA, such as mental health providers and nurses. Thousands of Americans have already received notifications that VA has rescinded their job offers, despite many of these individuals having already committed financial resources to relocate, some even selling their homes. Now, they and veterans are being left in limbo. 

Ranking Member Takano said, “This is the same playbook from 2017, where the first Trump Administration began systematically attacking civil servants. But the Trump White House continues to forget about veterans and the impacts these terrible policies will have on them. No one at the White House even stopped to consider that freezing hiring for veterans’ healthcare providers or veterans claims processers might be a bad idea. So much for a ‘veteran first’ agenda.” 

In the letter, Ranking Member Takano and Committee Democrats are seeking specific information and documentation related to how the hiring freeze is being carried out and information about how VA is mitigating the risk of harm to veterans.  

Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT-D), Ranking Member on Senate Veterans Affairs Committee led a letter with 24 Democratic Senators to President Trump requesting answers on his inaugural Executive Orders. 

Co-signers:

  • Representative Julia Brownley  (CA-26) 

  • Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) 

  • Representative Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) 

  • Representative Morgan Mcgarvey (KY-03) 

  • Representative Delia Ramirez (IL-03) 

  • Representative Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) 

  • Representative Tim Kennedy (NY-26) 

  • Representative Maxine Dexter M.D. (OR-03)  

  • Representative Herb Conaway M.D. (NJ-03) 

  • Representative Kelly Morrison M.D. (MN-03) 

The full text of the letter is attached below.  

Dear Mr. Hunter:  

Immediately upon taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) freezing all hiring across the executive branch, including at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unsurprisingly, the Trump Administration reopened the same old playbook with regard to its plans to erode our civil institutions by attacking civil servants, but what is disappointing is that it was done without any regard for the harmful effects it would have on veterans and their access to care and benefits. At his confirmation hearing, Congressman Doug Collins did not have answers about how the federal hiring freeze ordered by President Trump will impact veterans receiving benefits and their healthcare at VA, so we write to you to request this information since you are charged with implementing these EOs.  

We have reviewed the EO authorizing the hiring freeze, along with your “Hiring Freeze Guidance” Memorandum to Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and Other Key Officials, dated January 21, 2025. However, we have numerous questions about the immediate and ongoing effects of these actions.  

We request VA provide answers to the following questions and ensure the Committee is fully briefed on implementation of this, and other EOs issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025:  

  1. Please provide complete and unredacted copies of all guidance and memoranda issued to VA leadership and/or staff regarding the hiring freeze. 

  2. Is VA subject to the hiring freeze ordered by President Trump on January 20, 2025? Does the hiring freeze apply to all positions at VA, including those in the Veterans Health Administration (clinical and non-clinical, including trainees), Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration, and the Board of Veterans Appeals? If not, which occupations are exempt?  

  3. Will all current and future vacant positions determined to fall within the public safety exemption remain open on USAJOBS.gov until the position is filled, regardless of geographic location?  

  4. Will hiring for vacant positions that are determined to fall within the public safety exemption require additional approvals and/or justification before the hiring process can begin? If so, whose approval is required?   

  5. Will VA request further exemptions from the hiring freeze from the Office of Personnel Management? If so, what will be the nature of those exemption requests and for what occupation(s) will VA request exemption(s)? 

  6. Please provide a comprehensive list of all job offers that have already been or will be rescinded due to the hiring freeze, including the date of rescission, job title, grade level and pay band, and location. Please specify how many of these job offers were made to candidates who are veterans or disabled veterans being hired under a hiring preference. How many job offers were rescinded for existing VA employees seeking new positions in the Department? 

  7. How does VA interpret the edict in the President’s EO stating, “Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of …. Veterans’ benefits.” Which VA functions are covered by this exemption, and which are not? Please provide any and all documentation to support this interpretation.   

We ask that you respond to these questions no later than February 7, 2025. Additionally, we request that you provide a briefing to Committee staff no later than February 11, 2025. 

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