Story perspectives

Government Shutdown Strands 900,000 Veterans Without Support

11/5/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The federal government shutdown has furloughed or left unpaid nearly 37,000 Department of Veterans Affairs employees.
56 regional benefits offices are closed.
More than 900,000 veterans cannot access the GI Bill Hotline.
More than 100,000 veterans have lost Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) counseling, and the backlog for new VR&E applicants exceeds 61,000.
VA Secretary Doug Collins criticized the shutdown, urging Democrats to prioritize veterans' services.

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Story summary

The federal government shutdown has furloughed or left unpaid nearly 37,000 Department of Veterans Affairs employees.
56 regional benefits offices are closed.
More than 900,000 veterans cannot access the GI Bill Hotline.
More than 100,000 veterans have lost Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) counseling, and the backlog for new VR&E applicants exceeds 61,000.
VA Secretary Doug Collins criticized the shutdown, urging Democrats to prioritize veterans' services.