January 25, 2017

Tester, Walz Statement on VA Hiring Freeze

(U.S. Congress)— Ranking Members of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Representative Tim Walz (D-Minn.) issued the following statement today on President Donald Trump’s executive order to freeze hiring at the VA:

“This executive order will make it harder for veterans to get in the door at the VA and receive the timely benefits to which they are entitled, and that is totally unacceptable.  The VA is already struggling to keep the promises our country has made to the folks who served because VA health clinics and hospitals across the country are understaffed, and VA staff are too often unable to process their disability, education and survivor benefits in a timely manner.  We therefore call on the President to immediately exempt the entire VA as well as any veterans looking for work from his executive order.”

Tester is the Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Walz is the Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

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