Sen. Tammy Duckworth introduces bill to rehire fired veterans
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth waves as she walks away from the podium after speaking on the second day of the DNC at the United Center in August. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
As the Trump administration continues its efforts to downsize the federal government with massive staffing cuts, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth is fighting back for veterans.
Why it matters: Veterans make up more than 30% of the federal workforce.
- Illinois is home to 20,900 civilian federal employees who are veterans, spouses of veterans, or spouses of active military personnel, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.
The latest: Duckworth has co-authored a bill called the "Protect Veteran Jobs Act," which would rehire veterans fired as part of the recent DOGE cuts.
- Duckworth says at least 6,000 vets have been terminated since President Trump took office in January.
- A new internal memo at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outlines plans to cut more than 80,000 employees, many of them vets.
What they're saying: "Donald Trump and Elon Musk have fired more veterans than any administration in our nation's history," Duckworth said in a statement. "It is a stunningly cruel betrayal of the men and women who bravely answered the call to serve our country in uniform."
Context: Duckworth, who serves on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, has become the Democratic leader on veteran issues. Before her time in the Senate, Duckworth was the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.
- The former pilot served in the Iraq War, losing her legs and partial use of her arm when her Blackhawk helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004.
Between the lines: The Republicans hold majorities in both the Senate and the House, so this Democrat-sponsored bill would need bipartisan support, pitting the GOP against Trump.
Reality check: The bill may be political posturing to allow Democrats to paint their political rivals as anti-veteran, because bipartisan support is unlikely.
Illinois Rep. Mike Bost (R-12th) chairs the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and defended the proposed cuts, but only if benefits for vets were improved.
- "I know President Trump shares my desire to provide veterans and their families with the best possible services for the best dollar," Bost said in a statement. "When we're talking about downsizing a federal bureaucracy that's grown too large, we need to make sure the end goal is streamlining access without sacrificing benefits and quality of care."
- VA Secretary Doug Collins says the cuts are designed to reform the VA's bureaucracy and will not impact veterans' benefits and care.
Yes, but: Republicans have also said they want to introduce legislation protecting veterans in the federal workforce but stopped short of offering to rehire them all.
- "The goal ought not be a number," Senate Veterans Affairs Committee chair Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said in a hearing Tuesday.
Zoom in: In Chicago, Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) said the VA in Chicago has already paused regular outreach programs in his ward, which were designed to help vets get answers about their benefits.
- "Veterans served their country. And they didn't turn their back on us," O'Shea said to the Tribune. "Now, the government is turning their back on veterans. What message does it send?"
What's next: The planned mass layoffs at the VA could happen by June.