Rosen Joins Colleagues In Urging President Trump to Exempt All VA Employees from Federal Hiring Freeze

While The Trump Administration Has Backtracked To Exempt Health Care Employees From Freeze Following Rosen-Backed Letter, Other Personnel Are Still Being Affected

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined a letter urging President Trump to exempt all Veterans Affairs (VA) employees from the federal hiring freeze he issued this week. In response to this letter, the Trump Administration has announced it's exempting health care and law enforcement positions, but other jobs related to veteran's benefits are still affected. The hiring freeze will negatively impact Nevada's veterans, including by blocking the hiring of personnel needed to process benefits.

"As written, this Memorandum could dramatically impair the ability of veterans across the country to get the timely care and benefits they desperately need," wrote the Senators. "It could also delay or deny various other services across VA - from burial services to job training to assistance for homeless veterans to life-saving assistance from the Veterans Crisis Line."

"Mr. President, to prevent the delay or denial of life-saving services and benefits for our nation's heroes, we urge you to provide an immediate, clear, and full exemption to VA personnel from your hiring freeze," they continued. "We are hopeful to work with you to build upon our nation's promise to these men and women, but we also vow to fight every effort that dishonors their service and reneges upon that sacred promise."

The full letter can be found HERE.

Senator Rosen has worked consistently to deliver for Nevada's veterans. Earlier this year, a bipartisan bill she supported to expand veterans' benefits outreach became law. Senator Rosen's bipartisan bill to require the VA to maintain a permanent helpline for veterans to use for information on VA services is now law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025. She also successfully pushed President Biden to include the construction of a new VA hospital in Reno in his 2024 Budget Request and helped introduce and pass bipartisan legislation to officially authorize its construction.

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