Democrats’ government shutdown is the ultimate display of hypocrisy

Congressional Democrats’ vote to shut down the government is one of the biggest displays of hypocrisy in recent history.

For the last eight months, Democrats in Congress have accused the Trump Administration of destroying the Department of Veterans Affairs, cutting benefits and services, and hurting veterans along the way.

There is no truth to their claims, of course.

In fact, VA is performing much better under President Trump than it did during the Biden Administration. 

The backlog of veterans waiting for VA benefits is down 45 percent, and we are processing more claims than ever. The department is spending an additional $800 million on infrastructure improvements to keep patients safe. We have offered more than 1.4 million appointments outside of regular working hours to increase customer service and convenience for veterans. And we have even opened 17 new health care clinics this year, bringing more care and convenience to veterans, closer to home. The list goes on and on.

But after spreading false accusations for months that the Trump Administration is cutting services for veterans and making life miserable for VA employees, congressional Democrats voted to do both of those things for real.

Their government shutdown has closed key parts of the department and is forcing thousands of our hard-working employees to go without pay.

Specifically, because of the Democrats’ government shutdown:

• More than 30,000 VA employees will go without pay until the government reopens.
• VA will not provide veteran career counseling or transition assistance program activities.
• The GI Bill Hotline will be closed.
• VA benefits regional offices will be closed.
• VA will cease public affairs and outreach to Veterans.
• VA will not permanently place headstones or maintain the grounds at VA national cemeteries.
• VA will not process applications for pre-need burials.
• VA will not print new presidential memorial certificates.

Anyone who thinks it unfair to blame Democrats for the shutdown doesn’t have to take it from me. The legacy media, which never met a Democrat it didn’t love, agrees with the Trump administration that Democrats did this to us.

The Associated Press memorialized the fact that “Democrats voted for a shutdown. Now they have to find a way out.”

The New Yorker, meanwhile, tried to explain “why Democrats shut down the government.”

The effects of the Democrats’ government shutdown extend far beyond the Department of Veterans Affairs. Economy-wide, the shutdown is costing an estimated $15 billion in U.S. GDP per week.

Millions of American essential workers who protect our nation are going without pay, including members of the military, air traffic controllers, Border Patrol and Coast Guard crews, federal firefighters and FBI agents. And federal contractors who aren’t working because of the shutdown will never see back-pay — a huge financial hit for families across the country.

Meanwhile, the same Democrats who support the shutdown keep collecting their own paychecks.

It gets even worse when you realize why Democrats imposed these hardships on Americans: They want to give free health care to illegal immigrants. Their plan would result in nearly $200 billion spent on health care for illegal immigrants and other non-citizens over the next decade. They also want Medicaid to pay more for emergency care provided to illegal immigrants than it does for American patients who are disabled, elderly, or children.

Thankfully, the government shutdown won’t stop us from carrying out key parts of our mission. Veteran health care will not be affected by the shutdown. VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers will remain open. VA benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits. Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries. Applications for headstones, markers, and burial benefits processing will continue. The Board of Veterans’ Appeals will continue decisions on Veterans’ cases, and VA Contact Centers (reachable at 1-800-MyVA411) and the Veterans Crisis Line (Dial 988, Press 1) are open 24/7.

The Democrats’ government shutdown is bad for everyone. But there is one silver lining: At least we finally know that Democrats have no problem putting politics ahead of Veterans, VA employees and other hard-working Americans.

Doug Collins is secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.