WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – released the following statement today after the clean Continuing Resolution to keep the government open until November 21st failed to pass the Senate, leading to a government shutdown:

“This government shutdown benefits no one, especially not veterans, their families and their survivors,” said Sen. Moran. “Veterans and military families need their elected officials to work together to find solutions to fulfill our most basic responsibility of keeping the government funded. We must work to end this shutdown as soon as possible. While we work to pass this continuing resolution that contains extensions of authorities for key VA programs and offices, I want to assure veterans and their families that VA hospitals and clinics will remain open, the Veterans Crisis Line will remain available around-the-clock, and VA will continue to deliver compensation, pension, education, housing and burial benefits.”

Much of the VA operates on advanced appropriations, and approximately 97% of VA employees will continue to work as normal.

More information about VA operations during this government shutdown and services that will not be available can be found at https://department.va.gov/contingency-planning/.

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