From my first days in Congress, I have made working with veterans in Northwest Washington a top priority.

Last weekend, I wrote a piece for the South Whidbey Record to talk about veterans and the recent report I released. You can read the whole piece here.

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My report, "Listening to Veterans in Northwest Washington," is based on the four pillars that guide my work for veterans in Congress: health care, housing, education, and employment.

In order for veterans to have access to timely, quality health care, stable and affordable housing, educational opportunities, and employment that provides for a smooth transition to civilian life, Veterans Affairs (VA) must have proper staffing to process claims and deliver care.

Unfortunately, since January, VA has lost about 30,000 employees because of the Trump administration's mass firings, early retirements, and limited recruitment. VA should be focused on shortening wait times and reducing backlogs, and to do that, VA needs more staff, not fewer.

I remain committed to holding VA and the Trump administration accountable for meeting the needs of veterans in Northwest Washington.

More soon,

Rick