Letters Sent

Date Sent Name Subject Status
05/15/25 To Secretary Collins: Authorize an Extension of the Pause in Discharges for Legacy Caregivers Enrolled in VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Ranking Member Blumenthal, along with his Democratic colleagues, wrote to Secretary Collins to request that he give an extension of the pause in discharges for legacy caregivers enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). No information has been provided about how the current Administration plans to proceed with this rulemaking process, presenting serious concerns that a failure to extend this pause will cause thousands of caregivers and veterans to lose life-changing benefits this year.
  • Benefits
 Awaiting Response
05/05/25 To Secretary Collins: Prevent President Trump's Tariffs from Harming Veterans and VA Medical Facilities Ranking Member Blumenthal and 8 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Collins requesting information on his plan to mitigate the effects of tariffs on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, specifically to ensure continued access to critical medications, medical supplies, equipment, and other goods necessary to support VA’s ability to serve 9.3 million veterans.
  • Trump Admin Harm
  • Health Care
 Awaiting Response
04/09/25 To Secretary Collins: Abrupt Closure of Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP) Will Push Thousands of Veterans into Foreclosure Ranking Members Blumenthal and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Takano, along with 8 Senate Democrats and 12 House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Collins urging him to immediately reverse his decision to abruptly end the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program, which helps veterans avoid foreclosure on their VA home loans. By not accepting any new veterans into the program after May 1, 2025, VA risks putting 80,000 veterans onto the streets and out of their homes.
  • Homelessness
  • Trump Admin Harm
 Unsatisfactory Response
04/02/25 To Secretary Collins: Protect Labor Rights of VA Employees Ranking Member Blumenthal and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Takano, along with 21 Senate Democrats and 106 House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Collins urging him to exempt VA employees from President Trump’s executive order which eliminates collective bargaining at VA and other agencies. Under this directive, up to 425,000 veterans across the government have been stripped of their labor rights.
  • Workforce
  • Trump Admin Harm
 Satisfactory Response
03/28/25 To Secretary Collins: Detailed Schedule and Cost Estimate for VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization Program Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Blumenthal, along with 6 other colleagues from the Senate and House, sent a letter to Secretary Collins requesting the cost estimate and schedule of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Electronic Health Record Modernization program.
  • IT
 Satisfactory Response
03/14/25 To Secretary Collins and Secretary Rubio: Elimination of DEIA Programs and Office of Equity Assurance Creates Difficulties for Veterans to Access Benefits Ranking Member Blumenthal and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Takano sent a letter to Secretary Collins and Secretary Rubio requesting that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs permanently reinstate the authority, functionality, responsibilities, research, and personnel of the Office of Equity Assurance. Its abrupt closure, brought on when Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility programs within the Federal government were eliminated by an executive order by President Trump, will make it harder for veterans to access their earned benefits.
  • Benefits
  • Mental Health
  • Trump Admin Harm
 Unsatisfactory Response
03/11/25 To Secretary Collins: Reverse VA Contract Cuts Affecting Timely Delivery of PACT Act Benefits Ranking Member Blumenthal, Senator Gillibrand, and 16 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Collins requesting he reverse his planned decision to cancel critical contracts that support VA’s implementation of the PACT Act that delivers benefits and care to veterans.
  • DOGE Harm
  • PACT Act
 Satisfactory Response
03/10/25 To Secretary Collins: Massive Terminations Will Cripple Veterans' Ability to Receive PACT Act and Other Benefits Ranking Member Blumenthal and 24 Senate Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Collins highlighting the disastrous potential impacts of reducing VA workforce to 2019 levels including harming implementation of the PACT Act and other massive improvements to veterans’ benefits and health care since 2019.
  • Benefits
  • Workforce
  • PACT Act
 Unsatisfactory Response
03/06/25 To Secretary Collins: Terminating 83,000 VA Employees Will Quickly Endanger Veterans' Access to Benefits Ranking Members Blumenthal, Takano, and Wasserman Schultz and all of their 18 Democrat Members of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs sent a letter to Secretary Collins expressing their extreme concerns with the Collins plan to reduce VA’s workforce to 2019 levels.
  • Benefits
  • Workforce
 Unsatisifactory Response
03/04/25 To Secretary Collins: Withdraw From Efforts to Dismantle VA's Purchasing Card Program Ranking Member Blumenthal and Senator King sent a letter to Secretary Collins expressing concerns over his proposed plan to dramatically limit usage of the VA purchase card program and highlighting the negative impact of this proposal on veterans and their families.
  • DOGE Harm
 Satisfactory Response