Veterans Respond to Trump’s Plan To Erode Earned Benefits in Joint Address to Congress
Families Throughout Hampton Roads Feel the Crunch as Funding for Essential Services Faces Chopping Block
Virginia Beach, VA – Last night, President Trump addressed Congress where he laid out his priorities for this year. Unsurprisingly, his priorities did not line up with working families. He proved once again that he is only interested in cutting programs essential to seniors, veterans, and children in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires.
“Veterans and other community members from across Hampton Roads have raised their voices at rallies and town halls in an effort to reach Representative Kiggans,” said Emily Yeatts, Campaigns Director for Affordable Virginia. “However, their pleas continue to fall on deaf ears while she falls in line with the most extreme members of her party. We know that this supposed effort to reduce government waste is just an effort to find more funding for his rich friends’ tax cuts. We also know that 30% of federal workers are veterans who have never stopped serving their country. They work hard, and are homeowners and small business owners, and the keystone of our communities.”
“Every family has unique needs, there is no one size fits all, whether that comes to education, healthcare, or childcare,” said Ember Zado, Isle of Wight resident and Navy veteran. “Regardless of a family’s needs, we can all agree that billionaires don’t need another break – working families do. These proposed cuts will be devastating to our families, our small businesses, and our communities. It’s up to Jen Kiggans to stand up for her constituents and oppose tax breaks for the rich!”
“As a veteran of the Navy, I understand the unique experience faced by military families as they transition out of active duty,” said Heidi Dragneff, Virginia Beach resident and Navy veteran. “They rely on essential services provided by Veterans’ Affairs. When they can’t access care elsewhere, they know the VA is there, but with the recent cut of 1,000 VA employees, veterans are now facing longer wait times, and substandard care. Our veteran community cannot afford for Rep Kiggans and Congressional Republicans to continue chipping away at their earned benefits.”
“President Trump and his buddies at DOGE continue to attack working families like mine,” said Kassaundra Stivanson Chesapeake resident and Navy veteran. “Their proposed cuts would erode essential programs like Medicaid and education programs that ensure children with special needs are able to thrive. Whenever there’s talk of so-called waste, we know they really mean they’re going to cut programs that help the most vulnerable in our communities – children, seniors, and veterans. The only waste in government isn’t funding special education, it’s funding tax breaks for billionaires.”