'Going to be short-term pain': NC GOP rep 'can’t guarantee' veteran care won’t be harmed by VA cuts

03 March

The ongoing mass firings of federal workers across multiple federal agencies may end up impacting the care some military veterans receive, according to one House Republican.

During a Monday interview on CNN, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) defended the austerity measures President Donald Trump's administration was implementing throughout the federal government. Murphy, whose district includes Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, also sits on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The North Carolina Republican argued that the cuts to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) were justified, saying that the recent layoffs at the agency were because the VA "overhired" staff during former President Joe Biden's administration.

"We really need to get the nation's finances under control," Murphy said. "Everybody is, of course, up in arms because they don't want their issue or their particular agency, you know, dealt with. But this is a national emergency to try to get our finances under control. The VA was mismanaged in the last four years."

CNN host Brianna Keilar pushed back, saying that some of the VA employees who were fired worked on the veterans' crisis line, which provides emergency therapy to veterans in the midst of mental health crises. She added that a lot of the VA's support staff for the crisis line had also been affected by the administration's ongoing hiring freeze, along with staff who process disability violations.

"The VA is not there for itself. It is there for our veterans and trying to reorganize the the VA into doing something that is an efficient, workable organization," he countered. "Is there going to be short-term pain? Is there going to be some issues? Absolutely. And this is what happens with restructuring. But we have to get government back to doing what it's supposed to be doing, and that's working for the people."

"I guess the question is, will that pain be borne by veterans?" Keilar pressed. "Can you guarantee that veterans benefits and care will not be affected by these cuts?"

"No, I can't guarantee anything," Murphy said. "But the whole purpose, again, of restructuring is to make sure that that agency is efficient. And, you know, look, I care for our veterans. One out of ten constituents of mine are veterans. It's a real issue in Eastern North Carolina. but the real issue is also when somebody can't get benefits and they're put off their doctor's appointments for 8 or 10 months when they can't get care. That is where an agency has failed."

Watch the full segment below, or by clicking this link.

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