At Thursday's House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) questioned VA Sec. Doug Collins.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Representative Ramirez. Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member.
00:04Secretary Collins, it's good to meet you.
00:08As Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee, I've made a commitment to honor the service of veterans in this country with action.
00:15That includes 20,727 veterans that live in my district.
00:20So when I talk about veterans, I talk about all veterans.
00:24And that includes women, that includes people of color, that includes first-generation, low-income, LGBTQ veterans, and also deported veterans.
00:33I know we don't talk about it enough here, but other veterans who have fought for this nation have now been deported.
00:40And because every veteran is entitled to the full benefits they earned and were promised,
00:44I want to make sure that we have a conversation today about where we are on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
00:50When you, Secretary Collins, and my Republican colleagues celebrate turning your backs on a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the VA,
00:58it feels like you're turning your back on veterans.
01:01And I'll tell you why I say that.
01:02I don't believe that any administration and any secretary has the authority to decide which veteran is worthy of the services and care that they're entitled to and which is not.
01:12So, Secretary, given the VA's mission to serve every single veteran, is meeting veterans where they are a priority for you?
01:22Yes or no?
01:24Yes.
01:25And if that's the case, why has the VA paused all outreach efforts?
01:32So let me explain to you.
01:35We have been attempting to work with the VA to do outreach services with the veterans and meet veterans.
01:41And sometimes veterans can't make it to a VA center.
01:44Sometimes they can't make it to a VSO.
01:46And so there's outreach.
01:47There's fairs.
01:48We have been told that outreach services have been put on pause.
01:52And so my question has been, how has halting outreach improved access for veterans?
01:57That's not true.
01:59We've been at events, and I can give your office plenty of events.
02:02And I was just in Detroit where we're doing outreach events in bus stations.
02:06We're doing outreach events at sporting events.
02:08We're doing outreach events all over.
02:09That, I'm really glad you said that because now I'm more concerned.
02:12And I'm going to tell you why.
02:14Because on March 6th, I sent a letter asking about paused outreach programs on behalf of veterans in my district who were confused and frustrated.
02:22We invited the VA to participate in some of the fairs and events that we do in outreach.
02:27And they told us that services had been paused.
02:31Did you receive the letter that we sent on March 6th?
02:34I'm sure we did.
02:36So we have not heard back from your office.
02:39When can I expect an answer?
02:40You're going to expect an answer right now because what you have just described is malicious compliance, and it is not tolerated.
02:45That is not what is happening.
02:47And for a VA employee to tell you that they could not come to a fair or outreach is taking what was done and said.
02:52And I've had to have already faced this, so I appreciate your question.
02:55I'm as upset about it as you are.
02:57That is malicious compliance because what they wanted to be able to do was to say, we couldn't do outreach, although they can do outreach.
03:03Well, Secretary, let me just tell you then for the record here in the letter that you have from March 6th.
03:07On Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, we received correspondence from Chicago community leaders of the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.
03:13Notice that they were temporarily pausing any comprehensive outreach programs effective March 7th.
03:19So I'm going to make sure that we enter this into the record, Secretary, after you and I can have a conversation more about it because obviously there are concerns there that I know you want to address.
03:30Could I get a copy of that letter as well?
03:32Yeah, actually, we have the copy of the letter here.
03:35We'll make sure to get it to you.
03:36Look, this is something that frustrates me, and even if I had to pause and wait for this, I don't want you to feel like you're losing time, Mr. Chairman, because this one is upsetting to me because I'm having to deal with this a lot.
03:47Well, this is exactly why we bring this here.
03:50That's why members of Congress are talking to constituents.
03:51And I'm so happy you did.
03:52Thank you so much for bringing it because that's exactly – malicious compliance right now is hurting our veterans, and if our VA employees are doing that, it's wrong.
03:59And thank you for saying that, Secretary, because outreach, making sure we're meeting veterans where they are, is so incredibly important in making sure that they access the resources they need.
04:07So you and I agree.
04:09Necessity to ensure that outreach is being done in every part of the country is critical.
04:14And I'll say to you, I find it even more critical because sometimes I know that there are veterans that can't make it to certain places.
04:22Black and brown veterans are placed in housing at lower rates.
04:24We know that by facts.
04:25We know that women veterans face greater barriers to care.
04:28And we know that trans veterans are living authentically, still face discrimination inside the very system meant to serve and honor them.
04:35So, Secretary, just this morning, I heard from diverse veterans who said going after diversity, equity, and inclusion programs feels like an excuse to not to serve all veterans.
04:46And you said earlier you're committed to our veterans.
04:49But I didn't hear you clarify when my colleague asked you about the Office of Equity how these disparities are going to be confronted and how you're going to make sure that disparities are addressed.
05:01So can you talk a little bit more about it?
05:03Yes, I'm happy to.
05:04It doesn't need an Office of Equity and Inclusion to actually make sure that veterans are treated properly.
05:09That's something that we've developed.
05:10And I understand something.
05:11There's offices for you, me, anybody, no matter where their service is.
05:14If they've earned the service, if they've earned the benefit, they're going to come.
05:17So, Secretary, where would they go if they have experienced discrimination?
05:20Who should they be calling?
05:21The same place you would.
05:22In the same Office of Whistleblower Protection.
05:24They can call their congressman.
05:26There's several outlets for them to do that.
05:27But I will tell you right now, no matter what background they are, male, female, gender, it doesn't matter.
05:32If they've earned a benefit and they have something at the VA that they feel like they're not getting, then you personally call me and I'll walk into the clinic with them.
05:39I'm glad you say that, Secretary, so I have a follow-up question to that.
05:41Trans veterans are veterans.
05:43They wore their uniform, they serve this country, and gender-affirming care is health care.
05:47It's suicide prevention.
05:48It's dignity.
05:49Last time I raised this with your team, the responses were unsatisfactory.
05:53Mr. Secretary, gender-affirming care is shown to reduce suicide risk and ends veteran suicide.
05:59Ending veteran suicide is a VA priority.
06:01So will you defend and expand access to gender-affirming care, yes or no?
06:06We're going to continue those that are in the VA system to receive the care that they're currently, but we're not adding sex change in the VA.
06:12That's just not what we're going to do.
06:14They'll get every benefit they've earned.
06:16Thank you, Secretary.
06:17I just have 47 seconds left.
06:19I'm disappointed in hearing that, but I'm not surprised.
06:22This administration and my colleagues keep supporting a divisive agenda for the VA that harms our veterans.
06:27Americans, American veterans are diverse, and we don't get to decide who's worthy of a promise to honor their service with action.
06:35The reality is that in this moment, we have veterans who don't believe they'll be able to get care under this administration,
06:41and I want to make sure for the record and in the work that we do in oversight,
06:45that when we talk about every single veteran, we mean every single veteran, and that means gender-affirming care as well.
06:53With that, Chairman, I yield back.