Senator Tammy Duckworth

It was Doge's across-the-board cuts. When you fire this many federal employees, you're going to lose that many veterans. But Doge has also come out, and they've announced they want to cut 80,000 personnel just from the Department of Veterans Affairs. That's their next target.

It was Doge's across-the-board cuts. When you fire this many federal employees, you're going to lose that many veterans. But Doge has also come out, and they've announced they want to cut 80,000 personnel just from the Department of Veterans Affairs. That's their next target.

It was getting better. We passed the PACT Act, which was bipartisan, which basically... signed up a million more veterans who were exposed to cancer-causing toxic smoke from burn pits. They're finally getting the care that they need. And now we have those folks on board, and now they're gonna fire all the people who take care of those folks.

It was getting better. We passed the PACT Act, which was bipartisan, which basically... signed up a million more veterans who were exposed to cancer-causing toxic smoke from burn pits. They're finally getting the care that they need. And now we have those folks on board, and now they're gonna fire all the people who take care of those folks.

Well, we can we can try to stop them. We are fighting them every step of the way. In my case, I've been able to get some veterans their jobs back. They fired veterans from the veterans crisis hotline. These are people who answered the phone when a veteran is contemplating suicide. They pick up the phone and they get an answer within eight seconds or at least they used to.

Well, we can we can try to stop them. We are fighting them every step of the way. In my case, I've been able to get some veterans their jobs back. They fired veterans from the veterans crisis hotline. These are people who answered the phone when a veteran is contemplating suicide. They pick up the phone and they get an answer within eight seconds or at least they used to.

And so some of the folks who work in that hotline were fired and they reached out to me and we were able to get them their jobs back. So we are fighting back.

And so some of the folks who work in that hotline were fired and they reached out to me and we were able to get them their jobs back. So we are fighting back.

Yeah, they've had to cancel operations. The spouses, the family members of disabled veterans are not getting support through their hotline. appointments are being canceled or now they're having to wait even longer, we would just turn in the corner. We were actually reducing the number of homeless veterans. We were just adding more veterans, getting more benefits.

Yeah, they've had to cancel operations. The spouses, the family members of disabled veterans are not getting support through their hotline. appointments are being canceled or now they're having to wait even longer, we would just turn in the corner. We were actually reducing the number of homeless veterans. We were just adding more veterans, getting more benefits.

But remember, this is a president who says people who are wounded or died for this country in uniform are all losers and suckers. He doesn't care about us.

But remember, this is a president who says people who are wounded or died for this country in uniform are all losers and suckers. He doesn't care about us.

I mean... Well, I think what they bought was this rhetoric from him that he was going to, you know, he was going to make America great, strong, and powerful, and yet all he's done is made us weaker, sicker, and less secure.

I mean... Well, I think what they bought was this rhetoric from him that he was going to, you know, he was going to make America great, strong, and powerful, and yet all he's done is made us weaker, sicker, and less secure.

Oh, definitely. Have you seen what's been happening at these Republican town halls where people across the country are showing up in town halls and saying, what are you doing to our veterans? I'm a veteran. Why did you cut my benefits? I had a veteran reach out to me from Tennessee because he was declared dead and didn't get his regular checks.

Oh, definitely. Have you seen what's been happening at these Republican town halls where people across the country are showing up in town halls and saying, what are you doing to our veterans? I'm a veteran. Why did you cut my benefits? I had a veteran reach out to me from Tennessee because he was declared dead and didn't get his regular checks.

He didn't reach out to me through a Ouija board. He actually reached out to me.

He didn't reach out to me through a Ouija board. He actually reached out to me.

I think it's changing. I think there's two things that are happening. One, the fact that he is basically kissing Vladimir Putin's ring, you know, means that these are people who spent their entire military careers getting ready to oppose Russia. And now they see the commander in chief basically doing whatever Putin wants him to do. So that is changing the sentiment.

I think it's changing. I think there's two things that are happening. One, the fact that he is basically kissing Vladimir Putin's ring, you know, means that these are people who spent their entire military careers getting ready to oppose Russia. And now they see the commander in chief basically doing whatever Putin wants him to do. So that is changing the sentiment.