Veterans Affairs Doge Cuts

Floor Speech

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Mr. DELUZIO. Mr. Speaker, I am all for protecting public money, fighting price gouging in the defense industry and others. I am not for the Department of Government Efficiency going after veterans' healthcare to pay for billionaire tax handouts.

I use the VA for my care, as do thousands of my constituents in western Pennsylvania. Yet, DOGE proposes cutting $119 billion from veterans' healthcare. That is more than a third of the Department of Veterans Affairs' budget. That is all types of healthcare: surgical, specialty care, dental care, counseling for combat veterans, and more. It is ridiculous.

My question to my friends on the other side of the aisle, President- elect Trump, and others is this: Do you want to cut healthcare for veterans who risked their lives for this country? If not, you should say you don't. You should stand up against this. If you do, folks like me are going to fight you every step of the way. This is the cost of war, and this country expects us to pay it.

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