SEATTLE — Veterans are facing disruptions in some services following the government shutdown on Wednesday, as detailed in an email from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The VA email outlined which programs are paused and which remain operational, causing frustration among some veterans due to perceived political statements within the communication.
Navy veteran Daniel Fisk Bennett expressed his discontent with the VA’s email, which he felt inappropriately blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
“This is not what the VA is for. It’s there for a specific job. Federal agencies should never be making political statements because they’re supposed to serve all of us, not just who’s on their particular side of the aisle,” Bennett said.
The VA email stated:
President Trump opposes a lapse in appropriations, and on September 19, the House of Representatives passed, with the Trump Administration’s support, a clean continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands.
Bennett explained that the VA’s note is a direct violation of the Hatch Act.
“Basically tried to party blame. We did not swear an oath to a party. We swore an oath of the Constitution,” he said.
According to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the Hatch Act was passed in 1939, stating:
The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation.
Despite the politics, core services are still available for veterans.
Here’s what’s still running:
- VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers will be open as usual and providing all services.
- VA benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits.
- Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries. Applications for headstones, markers, and burial benefits processing will continue.
- The Board of Veterans’ Appeals will continue decisions on Veterans’ cases.
- Call Centers: VA’s primary call center (1-800-MyVA411) and the Veterans Crisis Line (Dial 988, Press 1) will remain open 24/7. The VA Benefit Hotline (1-800-827-1000) will be available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
- Suicide prevention programs, homelessness services, and caregiver support will continue.
What’s been paused:
- VA will cease providing transition program assistance and career counseling.
- Call Centers: VA’s GI Bill (1-888-GIBILL-1) and National Cemetery Applicant Assistance (1-800-697-6947) hotlines will be closed.
- VA benefits regional offices will be closed.
- Public Affairs and outreach to Veterans will cease, including social media, VetResources emails, and responses to press inquiries.
- No grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
- Applications for pre-need burial at VA cemeteries will not be processed.
- No printing of new Presidential Memorial Certificates.
- No outreach to state, county, tribal, municipal, faith-based, and community-based partners by VA Central Office.
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