Senate Democrats disclosed plans Monday to hold unofficial “shadow” hearings starting in April to examine the mass firings at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the impact on veterans services and benefits.
Doug Collins, the VA secretary, is invited to speak at the first shadow hearing, which is scheduled for April 2, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, when he announced plans for the informal hearings.
The shadow hearings are in response to the refusal by the Republican-led committee to recent petitions by Senate Democrats to schedule hearings on the layoffs, he said.
Other Democratic senators as well as independents on the VA committee are expected to attend the informal hearings, including Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., who is chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, refused last month to have members examine the mass layoffs, after Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., urged him to do so during an unrelated hearing with veterans service organizations.
After a heated exchange, Bost said he would take the request under advisement.
Veterans, terminated VA workers, contractors and union leaders also will participate in the shadow hearings, Democratic senators said. A room at the Capitol for the hearings is being reserved, according to Blumenthal’s office.
Posted by John3262005