Political Quotes

On the recordJanuary 14, 2026
this past December, the Department of Veterans Affairs released a proposal to cut 25,000 openings nationwide for much-needed nurses and medical staff. In the New York City area, this would mean a loss of approximately 380 positions. While the VA claims these are unneeded openings left from the pandemic, its own inspector general reported last August that 94 percent of VA facilities reported severe staffing shortages for medical officer occupations, and 79 percent of facilities reported severe shortages for nurses. It is baffling, but 250 years on, this Nation still struggles to reconcile the way that it treats the men and women who fought for our country after they have traded their swords for plowshares. The same can be said for the caregivers who tend to their wounds, both physical and psychological, in the years after their service. Scrimping on veterans' medical care or diverting its availability is un-American, and it sends the message to our citizens that this government will not keep its part of the bargain. I demand that this government invest in the VA system rather than seek its demise. The brave men and women who sacrificed to defend our country deserve better.
Said by
George Latimer
New York

Editor's note · Context

Addressing proposed cuts to nursing and medical staff positions at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Share

More from George Latimer

Mar 4, 2026

in this Chamber, we speak of this American experiment in democracy that is 250 years in the making under principles forged in our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the laws of the judicial rulings that have followed. Yet, these…

govinfo.gov
Mar 17, 2026

this Sunday, the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church will celebrate their 45th annual parish day, reflecting on their years of heritage and gratitude for parishioners not only from Yonkers, where the church is located, but from…

govinfo.gov
Mar 25, 2026

Permit me to extend happy birthday wishes on April 4 to Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen, who is showing talent and leadership in the public sector, as well as in the private nonprofit world. Chance was elected as mayor of the village of Pelham…

govinfo.gov
Mar 25, 2026

I rise today to salute the community presence of Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church, a beacon of faith and service in the city of Mount Vernon, New York. Under the spiritual leadership of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue, Greater Centennial…

govinfo.gov

Other voices in this conversation