WASHINGTON — Almost one-tenth of Department of Veterans Affairs employees are missing paychecks this week due to the nearly month-long government shutdown.
The lapse in funding for roughly 37,000 employees has forced the VA to either furlough or request them to keep working without pay, even though not all of its congressionally appropriated spending had expired when the shutdown began Oct. 1.
“The Democrats’ government shutdown is limiting services for Veterans and making life miserable for VA employees, and things are only going to get worse as time goes on,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins in a statement.
The VA had been undergoing a staffing reduction earlier this year projected to leave 455,000 employees at the department by the end of the fiscal year, the day before Senate Democrats blocked a House-passed stopgap measure funding the government at current levels until Nov. 21.
As a result, critical services for more than 1 million veterans are facing backlogs and some offices are closed, according to reps for the VA.
At least 900,000 won’t get assistance from the GI Bill Hotline, which has been temporarily closed, and another 100,000 won’t be able to enroll in the Veteran Readiness and Employment program.
That program already had a more than 60,000 application backlog.
Dozens of regional benefits offices have also been shuttered for the time being, and more than 150 VA cemeteries are closed as well, with the exception of burials needing to take place.
Only one permanent closure occurred at a benefits office in the Philippines.
There’s been no effect yet on medical care centers and outpatient clinics due to “some advance appropriations from Congress,” according to the VA, and “benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits.”
Collins in his statement added: “It’s time for Democrats to stop using the suffering of Americans as political leverage to give free health care to illegal immigrants. I call on them to open the government and enable VA to provide the complete and comprehensive services America’s Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors have earned.”
Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer of New York have blamed the prolonged closure of the federal government on Republicans’ refusal in adding an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies to the funding bill.
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