Richard Blumenthal

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which provides health care for retired military members, is planning a reorganization that includes cutting more than 80,000 jobs, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. This is another wave in the Trump administration’s mass firing of federal employees led by the Department of Government Efficiency, or [...]

Veterans have already been speaking out against the cuts at the agency that so far had included a few thousand employees and hundreds of contracts.

The VA chief of staff says the agency's goal is to return to staffing levels from 2019—or just under 400,000 employees.

The VA's chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, told top level officials at the agency that it had an objective to cut enough employees to return to 2019 staffing levels of just under 400,000

President Donald Trump vowed more “swift and unrelenting action” reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before Congress as Democratic lawmakers showed their dissent. The fallout from Trump's trade war continues, with financial markets now...

Veterans have already been speaking out against the cuts at the VA.

WASHINGTON — In an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s swift actions to remake the federal government in his image, provoking cheers from his fellow Republicans and loud protests from Democrats.

Democrats warned that their Republican colleagues would be haunted for their votes to support Trump's FBI pick, Kash Patel.

Some Democratic senators are now publicly admitting that they made a serious mistake in voting to confirm several of the Cabinet secretaries who are now carrying out President Donald Trump’s destructive agenda.New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim told Migrant Insider this week that he regrets his vote for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and told the outlet he wouldn’t vote for any future Trump nominees.New Jersey Sen. Andy KimSen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he regrets voting for Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. “Voting for Collins was a mistake, and I apologize to the veterans of the country,” he told reporters Wednesday“My one vote I cast for a member of the Trump Cabinet was for now-Secretary Rubio. I regret to say I regret that vote, because once installed in office, he is essentially abandoning the positions he took here as United States senator,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland told CNN Feb. 12.The Democratic confessions come a month into Trump’s second term where the Cabinet secretaries in question, along with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, have run roughshod over the federal government. Key agencies and departments like the Department of Defense, USAID, the Treasury, the IRS, and the FAA have seen massive firings, systems disruptions, and a rollback of civil rights protections that were in place for decades.While Trump’s agenda has received an almost unanimous vote of support from his fellow Republicans, Democratic votes have helped to put a bipartisan stamp on the resulting disruption of American life. Trump nominees like Noem, Collins, and former MTV “Real World” star turned Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy all got to their positions with Democratic votes, either directly or through procedural votes.The biggest beneficiary of this bipartisanship was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose nomination sailed through 99-0 as senators voted en masse for one of their own.Since Trump took office, Democrats have been hearing complaints from their core voters that they are not doing enough to oppose him. Some Democratic leaders have reportedly held closed-door meetings and complained about the criticism.Recent opinion polling has reflected this dissatisfaction. In a SurveyUSA poll taken from Feb. 13 to 16, 41% of respondents said the party was “not standing up enough” to Trump.Democrats have been fumbling in trying to find the right rhetorical response to Trump. In the House, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has brought up concerns over consumer costs and the administration’s failure to address them while introducing inflationary tariffs, but the line of attack has not resonated.By contrast, progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, has provoked the ire of the Trump administration by forcefully asserting immigrants’ rights in the face of attempted mass deportation raids. Jeffries reportedly plans to invite guests to Trump’s first congressional address that will rebut his actions and rhetoric.Combined with the Senate admissions, the party may be signaling it is pivoting toward more forceful opposition—a position that the general public seems ready for.Campaign Action

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The two men talked about Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), predicting $1 trillion in suspect spending will be found.

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan Senate bill to ban social media access for kids younger than 13 that sailed through committee is facing pushback from digital rights and tech trade groups that say it’s unconstitutional and overly intrusive.

President Donald Trump's FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, pushed back fiercely against allegations that he directed the firings of bureau personnel made by Senate Democrats citing whistleblowers.

The total number of backers, shared exclusively with Fox News Digital, comes just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to advance Kash Patel's nomination to lead the FBI.

All administrations set their own rules for which transportation projects to prioritize. But some of Sean Duffy's directives were received as highly unusual.

Some of Duffy’s directives were received as highly unusual.

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the directive last week “deeply frightening," and Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray called it “disturbingly dystopian.”

Senate Democrats are privately eyeing delays on all Trump nominees as retaliation for his restructuring of USAID, Axios has learned. Why it matters: This would go beyond the "blanket hold" that Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has placed on State Department nominees. Democrats are furious at Trump's actions, and want to signal a strong response.Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios on Tuesday that he's willing to place holds on Trump nominees on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Blumenthal said the caucus is proceeding as if there is a blanket hold on Trump nominations.

Pam Bondi, a former Florida attorney general and longtime prosecutor, had earned praise for her pledges not to politicize the Justice Department.

Trump's personnel purge continues.

Patel squared off with Democrats for hours over his grand jury testimony in the special counsel probe, involvement with a J6 'inmate choir' and his previous remarks on QAnon.

Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, was at the center of a contentious confirmation hearing Thursday, facing intense grilling from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee about his past comments and allegiance to Trump. To Republicans, Patel is a chance to reform an agency whose public image has taken a hit and [...]

Kash Patel, President Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, wouldn’t acknowledge or sought to distance himself from a host of his past public statements as Democrats pressed him during his confirmation hearing on Thursday. Democratic lawmakers cited numerous controversial statements Patel has made on podcasts and online, but Patel demurred at being associated with his [...]

It must be a tough time for Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a proven liar about his service to our country. He tried to go after Pete Hegseth, a real soldier who fought for our country and who was awarded medals for his recognized service. Mr. Hegseth was greeted by a full house of veterans who [...]

President Trump entered his resurgent era on an avalanche of dozens of sweeping executive orders and proclamations, some of which had immediate impacts on immigration, the federal bureaucracy, the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.Yes, but: Not everyone in the MAGA masses is singing the same tune. Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, Jan. 26. 1. Trump, Biden face pardon pushback Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks during an interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Jan. 26.Monday's flurry of pardons from President Trump and former President Biden exposed a glimmer of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill — with many lawmakers agreeing both took their power too far. Minutes before leaving office, Biden preemptively pardoned five family members. And just after Trump took over the Oval Office, he pardoned some 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants.What they're saying: Pardoning those who beat up law enforcement officers on Jan. 6 was "a mistake," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press.""I will be consistent here, I don't like the idea of bailing people out of jail or pardoning people who burned down cities and beat up cops, whether you are Republican or a Democrat," he continued.Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, Graham also criticized Biden's use of pardons and suggested there should be "an effort to rein in the pardon power of the president" if perceived abuses persist.The other side: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for additional guardrails on the president's vast pardon power on "Fox News Sunday," highlighting legislation he introduced following Trump's Jan. 6 pardons."These decisions are made in the shadows; they are a black box," he said.Worth noting: It's not just lawmakers who would be on board with a change. Some participants in Axios' latest Engagious/Sago swing-voter focus group said Trump and Biden both went too far with their presidential pardons and that they'd back a theoretical constitutional amendment to taper presidential pardon power.Zoom out: Both the Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the U.S., and the International Association of Chiefs of Police condemned Trump's near-total pardons of Jan. 6 rioters.Among the roughly 1,500 pardoned and 14 others whose sentences were commuted were individuals who attacked officers and leaders of the extremist groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.Threat level: Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) highlighted the hyper-partisan environment violent Jan. 6 rioters and members of extremist groups were released into, saying on CBS News' "Face the Nation," "None of this is making us safe."While he defended Biden's decision to pardon his family members in the wake of persistent threats from Trump and fears of political retribution, Crow said, "what I would like to see overall is pardon reform.""People need to know that the person sitting in the Oval Office has their best interests in mind at all times," Crow said, "and certainly not with Donald Trump right now can they have that feeling of trust and confidence, because ... five days into this administration, the abuse is already rampant."2. Trump's inspectors general firings generate some shrugs Sen. Richard Blumenthal speaks during a Jan. 26 interview on "Fox News Sunday."Trump's ongoing civil service shakeup saw more than a dozen inspectors general booted from their posts across the federal government Friday.The intrigue: The terminations, as stated by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, appear to violate federal law requiring a 30-day congressional notice of intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general."There may be good reason the IGs were fired," Grassley said in a Saturday statement to CNN. "We need to know that if so. I'd like further explanation from President Trump. Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress."Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) described Trump's move as "a clear violation of law," while Blumenthal challenged his GOP colleagues to "join me in opposing these firings."Blumenthal added, "Elon Musk ought to be also joining because he is against wasteful spending," something watchdogs would likely monitor.Yes, but: Graham noted that while Trump "technically" violated the law, he has "the authority" to dismiss personnel. Zoom out: Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) echoed Graham Sunday, brushing off concerns that Trump may install loyalists in inspector general posts."It's very common as new administrations come in that specifically these positions be replaced," he said.Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) similarly shrugged off the dismissals, telling Fox's Shannon Bream, "Ultimately, these inspectors general serve at the pleasure of the president — he wants new people in there."Flashback: During Trump's first-term fight to purge the government and so-called "deep state" of those deemed disloyal, he targeted multiple inspectors general.While it is normal for political appointees to be replaced during presidential transitions, a report from the Congressional Research Service notes that the "practice has disfavored removal of IGs during presidential transitions" following sweeping action at the beginning of former President Reagan's term.Since 1981, the report states, "IGs have remained in their positions during each presidential transition."3. Republicans urge Trump to rethink pulling security details for ex-officials Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) speaks during a Jan. 26 interview on "Fox News Sunday."Trump's decision to strip security protections from former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and others could expose those individuals to threats from abroad and have a chilling effect on future officials, Cotton said Sunday.Beyond Pompeo, Trump revoked former national security adviser John Bolton's and former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci's security details.Pompeo's top aide Brian Hook also reportedly lost his security.Context: Pompeo has criticized Trump on foreign and fiscal policy, while Bolton warned his former boss was "unfit" to be president again.Fauci has been open about receiving death threats. Pompeo, Bolton and Hook have faced threats from Iran.What they're saying: "I would encourage the president to revisit the decision for those people who are being targeted by Iran as the president was targeted for assassination by Iran," Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said on "Fox News Sunday."The threat to those involved in the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, once one of the Iranian regime's most powerful figures, is "persistent" and "real," Cotton said. "It's better to be safe than sorry," he said, "because it's not just about these men who helped President Trump carry out his policy in his first term, it's about their family and friends, innocent bystanders every time they're in public."Zoom out: Graham seemingly agreed, telling NBC's Kristen Welker Sunday, "if there is a legitimate threat against people who have served our government from a foreign adversary, I don't want to pull that protection.""The last thing we want to do in this country is tell somebody, come into our government ... come up with policies to stand up to rogue nations like Iran, they come after you, we pull the rug on you," Graham said.More from Axios' Sunday coverage:Vance tells Catholic Bishops to 'look in the mirror' over immigration policy concernsScoop: How Trump's "black box" limits outside influencesCIA favors COVID lab leak theory

Now that Donald Trump is president, there’s no appetite within the GOP for scrutinizing the myriad conflicts of interest in the White House.

Donald Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is facing stiff criticism from Democrats—but most Republicans back him.

The full Senate will now vote on the nominees in a final confirmation procedure.

Senate Budget Committee concentrates on the power of the purpose during second confirmation hearing.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has advanced former Congressman Douglas Collins, R-Georgia, by a vote of 18-1 and will now advance to the full Senate, according to an announcement Thursday from U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kansas.During Tuesday's hearing, Collins said he would address the VA's challenges, including the interoperability of veterans' health records and making the transition back to civilian life as safe and smooth as possible for veterans' mental health.WHY IT MATTERSNothing is going to hold up the MISSION Act, a legacy of the previous Trump Administration, Collins told Moran after reading his written testimony. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, then asked Collins for several commitments related to funding veterans benefits and investments in VA provider facilities, which he gave. The third item on the list was about veterans' access to care. Senator Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, asked about improving the transition from active duty to the VA and access to community care – and specifically, porting over their medical records.Collins acknowledged that transferring records from the VA to healthcare providers outside the system has been a roadblock to smooth transitions to community care that is more convenient for rural veterans. The EHR modernization program is one example of the VA itself "standing in the way" of veterans' access to care, he said Tuesday."That is a program that has went too many years and cost too many billions of dollars without finding a solution," he said at the hearing. "And my commitment is one of the very first priorities, if confirmed, is to get in and figure out why and put this on a bigger timeframe to get this medical health records issue solved."The beleaguered state of the VA's EHR, with six facilities on the new Oracle system, has left "uncertainty for the veteran, that leaves uncertainty for the family and makes a very unhealthy experience for those that are serving," Collins said.When Moran announced that Collins's nomination would advance to a full Senate vote, he praised the former Congressman and veteran for his firsthand knowledge."During his hearing before the committee, he demonstrated his understanding of the policies he will be expected to administer at the Department of Veterans Affairs and his care and respect for our nation’s heroes," said Moran."If confirmed, I will hold him to his commitment to work with our committee to implement critical reforms at VA to better support our nation’s veterans and their families." THE LARGER TRENDLast month, the VA announced that it had improved veteran trust and clinician satisfaction during the EHR Modernization program reset and would soon resume system deployments.It's been more than 18 months since lawmakers charged the agency with making critical improvements to patient safety at five VA health systems using the new EHR. Following a series of outages and incidents of patient harm, the VA's Office of Inspector General has investigated system flaws and recommended more than 70 changes. In November, Trump tapped Collins to head the VA saying that he would be an advocate for veterans care and support. "Doug is a Veteran himself, who currently serves our Nation as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command, and fought for our Country in the Iraq War," Trump noted. ON THE RECORD"We will not shy away from challenges like homelessness and suicide prevention, electronic health record modernization and shrinking the department’s claims backlog," Collins said in his written testimony.Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.Email: [email protected] IT News is a HIMSS Media publication. Enterprise Taxonomy: EHRHealth and WellnessBehavioral healthInteroperabilityLeadershipCore TechnologiesCareData and InformationOrganizational GovernanceTechnology

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Thursday easily advanced Doug Collins' nomination to be the secretary of Veterans Affairs, setting him up for a full Senate vote that is likely to be uncontentious. The panel voted 18 to 1, with the lone "no" vote coming from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who said Collins’s plans for [...]

One by one, President-elect Donald Trump's hoped-for Cabinet is falling into place.

Six of President-elect Donald Trump's nominees faced Senate confirmation hearings, previewing a parade of policy and political fights that will define his second term.

He stressed he would follow the law, even as he emphasized Trump’s desire to overturn the 1974 Impoundment Control Act that requires congressional approval to rescind spending.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal declared that the political battle is just starting after certification of President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 election victory.

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday that the company would adopt X standards and restore free speech protections across Facebook, Instagram, and Meta platforms.

US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery announced her resignation Monday, effective 11:59 p.m., Jan. 17. Avery was appointed by President Joe Biden and sworn in May 9, 2022. She was the first Black woman to hold the post.

Biden Regrets Hiring Top Agency Head Because He Didn't Go After Trump Enough: REPORT

Stalling the protections is wrong and will unnecessarily prolong a dangerous digital environment for America's youth.

Say you’re the mom or dad of a teenage girl who repeatedly slams into the maximum balance on her credit card. One solution most responsible parents wouldn’t consider, for even a half second, would be raising or even eliminating the maximum balance on her credit card. But that’s pretty much what Sens. Christopher S. Murphy [...]

WASHINGTON — The feud between Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell could soon spark anew in the next Congress with the Kentucky Republican poised to hold ample sway over the president-elect’s agenda and nominees.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s efforts to curb China’s and Russia’s access to American-made advanced computer chips have been “inadequate” and will need more funding to stymie their ability to manufacture advanced weapons. That's according to a report published Wednesday by...

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will unveil on Wednesday his list of Senate Democrats who get top committee positions, Axios has learned.Why it matters: These Senate Democrats will Schumer's top lieutenants to fight against Republican nominees and legislative priorities starting next year.The assignments:Sen. Amy Klobuchar, AgricultureSen. Patty Murray, AppropriationsSen. Jack Reed, Armed ServicesSen. Elizabeth Warren, BankingSen. Maria Cantwell, CommerceSen. Martin Heinrich, EnergySen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Environments and Public WorksSen. Ron Wyden, FinanceSen. Jeanne Shaheen, Foreign RelationsSen. Bernie Sanders, Health, Education, Labor and PensionsSen. Gary Peters, Homeland SecuritySen. Mark Warner, IntelligenceSen. Dick Durbin, JudiciarySen. Kirsten Gillibrand, AgingSen. Jeff Merkley, BudgetSen. Maggie Hassan, Joint EconomicSen. Alex Padilla, RulesSen. Ed Markey, Small BusinessSen. Richard Blumenthal, Veterans' AffairsSen. Chris Coons, EthicsSen. Brian Schatz, Indian Affairs

In July, 91 senators supported the legislation, which would establish limits on Big Tech's collection of young peoples' data and the use of that data to keep them glued to scrolling on their screens. In an age when the mental health of teens, tweens and children is suffering, the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act cannot wait. It's a disservice to Americans that House Speaker Johnson is unwilling to bring well-conceived and thoughtful digital safety reforms to the House floor.

As sports betting has spread across the U.S., college athletes have increasingly faced harassment from bettors. A federal ban on wagers that concern individual performances could help, the NCAA says.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is set to meet Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) co-CEO Ted Sarandos on Tuesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, Reuters cites familiar sources.Reuters, citing researcher OpenSecrets said Sarandos has traditionally backed Democratic Party candidates by donating to support them.Also Read: HubSpot To Dominate SMB CRM Space With AI-Driven Platform, Says BofA AnalystLet us examine the dynamics between the streaming giant and the U.S. government. Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings had committed a record $7 million to a super PAC backing Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.Hastings’ contribution marks his largest single donation to a candidate. Although initially hesitant to endorse Harris following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal. This pledge followed Harris’ ...Full story available on Benzinga.com