Ahead of the Oversight and Investigations hearing this past week, IAVA & @aclu.org submitted a statement for the record regarding VA's efforts to pursue legal guardianship over veterans. 👇Here's what they had to say.

Secretary Collins seems to be in a race to tear down VA from within. He has created a toxic work environment, eliminated collective bargaining rights, and demeaned his employees. Instead of being a Secretary who builds up his employees, he's tearing them down.

Collective bargaining agreements make VA a safer place for veterans, and a better place for employees to work—the epitome of accountability and efficiency. Yet, Secretary Collins continues to defy the courts regarding @afgenvac.bsky.social's collective bargaining agreement.

Trump and his VA Secretary are trying to strip veterans of the freedoms they fought for. Homeless veterans should not be forced into guardianships. These veterans aren’t without hope. They deserve care and services, not confinement and shame. This VA is deterring veterans from seeking VA care.

ICYMI:VA has spent weeks misleading the public about its plans to force homeless veterans into guardianships. Trump's EO last year called for locking up homeless people, including veterans, rather than helping them. Guardianship will not fix the crux of the problems veterans face; they need support.

🚨 STARTING at 3 PM, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will conduct an Oversight hearing entitled, “Kitchen Table Issues: Lowering Costs for Veteran Families Through the VA Home Loan Program”. 📺 Tune in to hear RM @repchrispappas.bsky.social's opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjCD...

Family & Medical Leave (FMLA) ensures VA employees can take the time they need to care for their family members. But Sec Collin's VA believes in-laws shouldn't be counted as family. We must pass @ramirez.house.gov's HR 7948 to ensure VA employees can care for all members of their family when needed.

STARTING SOON: At 1:15 PM ET, the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs will conduct a Markup on 6 bills. To listen to RM @repmcgarvey.bsky.social deliver his opening remarks: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqOv...

Veterans served our country. Like all Americans, they should be able to afford a roof over their heads, food on their tables, and a reasonable way to get to work. But the costs of housing, groceries, and gas are all skyrocketing under Trump. Veterans shouldn't be struggling just to get by.

Trump's VA now has the most restrictive abortion policy of any federal healthcare program. Federally incarcerated women now have more access to reproductive healthcare than women veterans at VA. This is not right, and we will continue to fight for women veterans' rights.

Women veterans and servicemembers answered the call to serve their country—to put the mission before self and, at times, our safety before theirs. During Women's History Month, we honor their courage and commitment as they pave the way for future generations. Join us in celebrating their service.

Tonight, Senators will vote to uphold or overturn Trump's cruel and dangerous ban on abortion care and counseling for veterans who receive their healthcare through VA. They must vote to restore veterans' rights.

Soon, the Senate is voting on a resolution to overturn the Trump admin's near-total ban on abortion care and counseling for veterans who receive their healthcare from VA. Veterans deserve access to a full range of reproductive healthcare at VA. The Senate must vote in support of veterans.

🚨STARTING AT 2:15 PM ET – the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will conduct a legislative hearing on 12 bills. To listen to Ranking Member @ramirez.house.gov's opening remarks, tune in live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlpW...

🧵Last week, @repmarktakano.bsky.social held a roundtable on veterans' fertility care & IVF access. Alex, an Air Force veteran, shared her story of nearly losing her fertility and her life after she was unable to receive timely reproductive healthcare while serving our nation.

Trump ran on fixing the economy and ending forever wars. But he's dragging us into war with Iran and causing gas prices to skyrocket. Veterans already feel rising costs in every part of their lives. Instead of starting a war, Trump should focus on lowering prices for veterans and everyday Americans.

Trump's EO criminalizing homelessness last year made it clear this admin won't protect homeless veterans. Now, AG Pam Bondi & Sec. Doug Collin are having VA attorneys go to state courts to get a homeless veteran assigned a guardian. The focus should be on housing veterans, not guardianship.

Our hearts are with the Jasper community as they grieve the loss of Nicholas Crews, a VA social worker who tragically lost his life this week. To the family, friends, and colleagues of Nicholas Crews, we are so sorry for your loss. No words can bring him back, but his name and legacy will live on.

The admin wants money for a war, but where's the funding needed to tackle veterans' benefits? Trump's creating veterans without preparing for them. 👉 RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social knows exactly how he would spend $200 Billion on veterans, survivors, and their families if that were ever an option.

Guardianship should be a last resort. Veterans fought for our freedom, and now they're at risk of losing their freedom to the federal government. VA should put an end to "Project Safe Harbor" today and focus on real solutions for homeless vets, like housing and services.

As Dr. Ryan pointed out at our IVF roundtable, proving a connection between women veterans' infertility and their military service is difficult. Women veterans often spend their peak reproductive years in service. They deserve access to reproductive and infertility care once they leave service.

Access to IVF & abortion care is critical. "Veterans have risked their lives to protect our rights and freedoms, and to deny theirs, including their ability to access the fertility healthcare they need to build the families they want, is inexcusable." - Karla Torres, Center for Reproductive Rights

The Trump administration is moving to take control away from homeless veterans, and they’re doing it quietly. Instead of helping veterans get back on their feet, they are setting up a system that will put them under legal control and force them into treatment or institutions against their will.

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs exists to hold VA accountable and deliver results for those who served—our nation's veterans. The mission is the veteran, and we must not lose sight of that.

A new conflict means a new generation of veterans—veterans this VA needs to be prepared for and equipped to serve.

STARTING SOON: Today, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 10:15 AM, the House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs will conduct a legislative hearing on 27 bills. Listen to RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social deliver his opening remarks: youtube.com/live/UoAe_Sk...

Servicemembers are being sent off to war in Iran, while their families' access to care is being threatened. Research from @harvardhpm.bsky.social, shows more than 4.2 million TRICARE beneficiaries' nearest hospitals are at risk of financial distress due to Medicaid cuts from Trump's Big, Ugly Bill.

Trump can't even be bothered to acknowledge the Americans who died for this country in a war he started. No leadership, no accountability, not even a second thought. A real Commander in Chief shows up.

"The infertility rate of military women is more than twice the civilian rate." But proving service connection remains challenging. That's why Rep. Morrison and Rep. Obernolte are leading a bill that would make infertility a presumptive condition under the PACT Act. 🔗 Read more: tinyurl.com/y8wk5d5u

RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social released the following statement following Judge Melissa DuBose's decision to grant AFGE/NVAC's motion for a preliminary injunction against VA's termination of its collective bargaining agreements. Secretary Collins must immediately reinstate all unions at VA.

"The Trump-Vance administration is pursuing policies that would push hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans into institutions and court-ordered guardianships," said RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social 🔗 VA Begins Drive to Put Some Homeless Veterans Into Guardianship: tinyurl.com/54x76ypv

Our National Guard Members serve honorably when called upon by the President. Guard & Reservists face the same risks as their active duty counterparts & deserve the same benefits. Every day in uniform should count toward their service. Passing the GI Bill Parity Act is crucial to fix this inequity.

RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social released the following statement regarding VA's announcement that it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Justice, giving VA attorneys the authority to initiate and participate in state court guardianship or conservatorship proceedings.

VA Secretary Collins is intentionally misleading veterans by eliminating unfilled positions to artificially improve vacancy stats. But as we continue to hear from veterans like Robert Thomas with Paralyzed Veterans of America, the struggle for timely access to care remains frustrating.

ICYMI: The last three weeks, the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs welcomed our VSO partners to share their 2026 priorities. RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social was honored to attend and hear from the advocates directly, to ensure he can help deliver results for ALL veterans.

Most Americans would rather have their tax dollars go to veterans' earned benefits than have them fund a war with Iran they never wanted. There's a long list of Trump priorities that taxpayer money shouldn't go to.But our country should pay for increasing veteran disability & indemnity compensation.

Sec. Collins promised his VA reforms wouldn't impact veterans' care access. As @reptimkennedy.bsky.social said, that promise was broken. Collins cut 10,000+ positions for doctors, nurses, & clinical staff—leaving veterans with fewer options & longer wait times. We need a fully staffed & funded VA.

Families don't want to replace their loved ones, but when they find love after loss, the system treats them like they have. With the passage of the Love Lives On Act, widows like Anita could finally remarry without the burden of having to choose between financial security and finding love again.

Secretary Collins has continued to attack, erode, and disrespect VA's workforce, putting services for veterans in danger. As VA slashes critical positions, VA claims that these are “old COVID-era positions” for jobs that are no longer needed. But VA's own data shows that is not the case.

The President started an illegal war with Iran, putting servicemembers' lives at risk, all while VA's Sec. is busy gutting VA from the inside out. His leadership leaves our veterans vulnerable when they return home. We need a VA that is prepared to provide the benefits we promised to our veterans.

VA told veterans their care wouldn't be affected by cuts, but the numbers say otherwise. 14,400 medical positions — gone. Not filled. Eliminated by Secretary Collins. 1,500 physician positions & 4,900 nursing roles — gone. That's not all... To read the full article: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/u...

VA has lost over 1500 physicians in the last year! Sec. Collins claims he can't hire or retain doctors because he can't pay them enough. But over a year ago, Congress gave VA the authority to pay doctors more under the Dole Act. The Secretary either doesn't know the law or is refusing to use it.

🚨STARTING AT 10:15 AM ET – the Subcommittee on Health will conduct a hearing entitled “Hidden Wounds: Effectively Supporting Veterans with TBI”. 📺 To hear RM @juliabrownley.house.gov’s opening remarks: youtube.com/live/xTf8FzR...

STARTING AT 2:15 PM ET – the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will conduct a hearing entitled “Delivering for Veterans and Caregivers: Year One of the Dole Act”. To listen to RM @ramirez.house.gov’s opening remarks: youtube.com/live/xcSV7Dh...

Paying for the true cost of war means investing in VA now!

We must pass the Major Richard Star Act now- veterans earned these benefits. Listen to American Legion National Commander highlight the urgency for this bill's passage.

The cost of war is more than the cost of the tanks, ships, and guns our troops need to fight in the conflicts our country sends them into. The cost of war lasts long after servicemembers return home. Is VA prepared to provide a lifetime of medical care and compensation?

VA claims it’s cutting unneeded, Covid-era vacant VA positions. The data they shared with Congress shows that’s not true. 73% of the eliminated positions were last filled in 2025 or 2026. Read the New York Times article now: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/u...

🚨 STARTING AT 9:45 AM ET in Dirksen G50 - the House & Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs will conduct a Joint Legislative Presentation of multiple VSOs. 📺 To listen to RM @repmarktakano.bsky.social's remarks, or to hear the statements from our VSO partners: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQS9...

It was clear at today's VSO hearing that veteran suicide has deeply impacted our communities. To our veterans: you are not alone. We see you. We support you. If you want to talk to someone or need help, please call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, then press 1.