By Caroline Pettey
BELLEVILLE, Ill. – The Trump administration has implemented several policies affecting veterans, sparking debate among critics on both sides of the aisle. In response, Illinois lawmakers met with local veterans to hear their concerns.
Workforce reductions within the Department of Veterans Affairs and the revocation of collective bargaining rights are among the recent changes affecting over one million veterans nationwide.
“There are a lot of jobs being lost. There’s just things thrown up on the wall and seeing if it sticks,” said Maurice Bridges, state commander of the VFW in Illinois.
On Sunday afternoon, Illinois lawmakers met with leaders and members of local Metro East veterans service organizations. The discussion aimed to foster a collaborative environment where veterans could voice their concerns and advocate for stronger protections from Washington.
U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski emphasized efforts to modernize the VA system, particularly in implementing electronic health records.
“We’re making sure we’re working with the VA to get them to adopt electronic health records. It helps to capture the entire veterans’ experience in the VA system. That’s an ongoing process that we’ve been working on,” Budzinski said. She also highlighted initiatives to expand STEM scholarship opportunities and streamline access to VA services.
