March 12, 2025
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal are leading a group of 18 senators in calling on the Trump administration to reverse its cancellation of 585 contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs, including those that help veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins access lifesaving health care. This care is guaranteed under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act (PACT Act), which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and has provided care and benefits to over 1 million veterans. Contracts targeted for cancellation by the Trump administration help provide the necessary personnel and resources to conduct outreach to eligible veterans, screen applicants, and process claims. The senators are demanding that Trump reinstate all PACT Act contracts and commit to preserving all PACT Act-related programs in the future.
“Carrying out such arbitrary cuts and contract cancellations under the excuse of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse is exactly the form of cynical action that prioritizes talking points about wasteful government spending rather than helping the veterans who have honorably served the American people. Any actions to hamstring implementation of the PACT Act – which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support – betrays our veterans and fully disregards congressional intent,” wrote the senators. “We ask that you take immediate action to protect and preserve all relevant programs, employees, and contractors in support of PACT Act implementation and ensure they remain unharmed by any further plans by you and DOGE.”
Gillibrand’s letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins was also signed by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).
Gillibrand also sent a letter to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, expressing concern over his decision to cancel the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) meeting, which was scheduled to determine influenza vaccine strains for the upcoming flu season. Additionally, the letter also expresses concern over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) decision to postpone its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting in February to review, among other issues, the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine. The cancellations and postponements were announced with no plans to reschedule, which could endanger the lives of older adults and even hinder the capacity of New York hospitals to treat patients.
The letter requests answers on how the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to address the impact of meeting cancellations and postponements for at-risk populations who depend on timely vaccination and what alternative measures will decide the selection of influenza strains for vaccine production. The letter also expresses concern for hospital staff in New York’s health systems whose emergency rooms and intensive care units may be overwhelmed, diverting resources from other essential care needs.
The senator notes that “New York State… recorded 432,000 flu cases so far this season, which already far surpasses the total from last year’s flu season. The escalating severity of influenza underscores the critical need for robust and timely vaccine development and deployment. Any slowdown in this process will exacerbate the risks faced by the American public.”
She continues, “New York State’s current flu outbreak is its worst in at least 15 years. At one point in January, only 13 percent of hospital beds in New York were available due to the surge in influenza, along with other seasonal illnesses. This surge in demand not only jeopardizes the quality of care for influenza patients but also impacts the overall capacity of our health care infrastructure, potentially leading to preventable deaths across various medical conditions.”
