{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-murkowski-schumer-and-ramirez-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-restore-va-employees-collective-bargaining-rights", "Blumenthal, Murkowski, Schumer & Ramirez Introduce Bipartisan Bill to restore VA Employees' Collective Bargaining Rights", "2025-11-14", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Ranking Member, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL), House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member, introduced bipartisan legislation to restore and protect Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees\u2019 collective bargaining rights in response to the Trump Administration\u2019s cancellation of union contracts for 80% of VA employees.\n\n\u201cWe must erase Trump\u2019s unlawful executive orders restricting VA workers\u2019 rights to collective bargaining,\u201d said Ranking Member Blumenthal. \u201cVA worker rights are essential to imposing proper oversight and scrutiny and providing veterans the care and compensation they deserve. As this Administration broadly cuts federal employees and their pay, collective bargaining rights are more important than ever.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur country made a promise to care for those who have served \u2014 and that promise is upheld by ensuring that our Veterans Affairs workforce is able to provide the best possible care to our former servicemembers. That includes upholding their right to collectively bargain so they have access to working conditions that allow them to focus on supporting our veterans,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis legislation will defend those who speak up about waste, fraud, and abuse within the Department. When we protect this workforce, we protect veterans\u2019 access to the high-quality care and benefits they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, the Trump administration implemented a cruel, anti-vet, and anti-worker order that compromised the health and livelihood of our nation\u2019s veterans,\u201d said Leader Schumer. \u201cWe now must fight for our VA workforce \u2013 many of whom are veterans themselves \u2013 and make sure that we defend their right to collective bargaining. Despite what the Trump administration might espouse, strong unions protect workers, promote excellent customer service, and prevent high turnover. Our nation\u2019s heroes deserve nothing less.\u201d\n\n\u201cVA employees are essential to ensuring the VA effectively serves veterans and meets its mission. Protecting VA employees and their rights ensures we retain the workforce that delivers on the promises we made to our veterans as a nation,\u201d said Congresswoman Ramirez. \u201cAs the Trump administration doubles down on their attacks on federal workers, we must reaffirm every worker's right to voice in decisions that affect their work and to be protected from actions that would jeopardize their rights, safety, and dignity. I am proud to work with Senator Blumenthal on legislation that will defend workers' rights.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 VA Care and Benefits Accountability (VA CBA) Act will restore cancelled union contracts and nullify Executive Order 14251 (90 Fed. Reg. 14553) and Executive Order 14343 (90 Fed. Reg. 42683). This will restore union bargaining rights and protections for nearly 400,000 VA employees, among which almost 25% are veterans.\n\nIn August, Trump VA Secretary Doug Collins terminated union contracts for most of VA\u2019s bargaining-unit employees\u2014enforcing the executive orders despite ongoing litigation and the Office of Personnel Management\u2019s recommendation to wait until court proceedings had been fully resolved. This decision impacts nearly 80% of VA\u2019s workforce, including mission-critical positions like mental health providers, nurses, and claims processors. This action stripped employees of certain essential rights that help protect whistleblowers who advocate for accountable leadership and increased support and resources to provide quality, effective, and efficient services to all Americans.\n\nThe unions impacted by the Trump VA\u2019s policy are the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE), National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 legislation is supported by key labor partners and veterans\u2019 advocates.\n\n\u201cAFGE and its National Veterans Affairs Council (NVAC) strongly support H.R. 6015/S. 3174, the 'VA CBA Act of 2025.' We greatly appreciate Senator Blumenthal and Representative Ramirez for introducing this bill that would restore collective bargaining rights to hundreds of thousands of Department of Veterans Affairs Employees, including those covered by the NVAC CBA, the single largest bargaining unit in the federal workforce,\u201d said AFGE\u2019s NVAC President Mary Jean \u201cMJ\u201d Burke. \u201cPassing this legislation would restore protections for VA employees and allow unions to bargain and grieve when a problem occurs in VA facilities across the country. Restoring these rights will help the VA with recruitment and retention, and enable VA employees, a third of whom are veterans themselves, to better serve veterans.\u201d\n\n\u201cNFFE strongly supports H.R. 6015/S. 3174, the VA CBA Act of 2025, and urges its swift passage,\u201d said National Federation of Federal Employees\u2019 (NFFE-IAM) National President Randy Erwin. \u201cThis legislation is essential to restoring collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of VA employees\u2014many of them veterans\u2014so they can speak out about fraud, waste, abuse, or management failures without fear of retaliation. At a time when outside interests increasingly pressure the VA to prioritize private profit over patient care, these protections are more critical than ever. Collective bargaining is not just about supporting employees; it ensures they have the confidence and security to hold management accountable to the promises we make to veterans every day.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou can\u2019t claim to support veterans while breaking the backs of the people who care for them. When VA employees lose their right to organize and advocate for safe staffing and fair treatment, it\u2019s veterans who suffer,\u201d said Common Defense\u2019s Political Director Naveed Shah. \u201cThe Veterans Affairs Care and Benefits Accountability Act of 2025 restores balance and reaffirms a simple truth: veterans deserve a VA that is strong, public, and staffed by professionals who have a voice on the job. Common Defense thanks Senators Blumenthal and Murkowski for their leadership in standing up for the VA workforce and protecting the system our veterans depend on.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-murkowski-schumer-and-ramirez-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-restore-va-employees-collective-bargaining-rights"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0833521373569965, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}