{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-and-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-restore-va-employees-collective-bargaining-rights", "Murkowski and Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restore VA Employees\u2019 Collective Bargaining Rights", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "Senate", "AK", "Lisa Murkowski", "M001153", "www.murkowski.senate.gov", "murkowski", "https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=3", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2014 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL) 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\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\u201cWe must erase Trump\u2019s unlawful executive orders restricting VA workers\u2019 rights to collective bargaining,\u201d said Senator 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\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\u201cAs a former servicemember, I am deeply appreciative of Senator Murkowski's support for the hard-working professionals who care for our veterans and their basic right to collectively bargain,\u201d said Alaska\u2019s AFL-CIO President, Joelle Hall. \u201cThe stripping of collective bargaining rights from America's civil service is bad for safety, bad for morale, and bad for the American public. The Alaska AFL-CIO urges Congress to pass this bill quickly and send a message that we respect the men and women who have served our country and the devoted workers who serve our 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###", 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.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-and-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-restore-va-employees-collective-bargaining-rights"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4381390064954758, "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"}