Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer visited Chittenango to advocate for increased funding for Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Schumer's visit comes in response to a report highlighting financial struggles and staffing shortages at VA facilities nationwide. According to WSYR-TV, Schumer emphasized the importance of safeguarding veterans' healthcare, stating, "Hands off our veterans’ healthcare."
The report indicates that Syracuse alone faces a severe shortage of over two dozen staff members. Schumer pointed out that thousands of VA jobs have already been cut, and a new executive order is rolling back union protections that assist hospitals in hiring nurses and healthcare workers. These cuts could exacerbate the staffing crisis, leading to longer wait times and reduced services for veterans in Central New York.
Local leaders, union members, and veterans joined Schumer in Madison County to support his call for reversing the cuts and increasing funding for the VA system. Madison County veteran Joseph Gaiser shared his concern, noting that he relies on the VA hospital in Syracuse for primary care and has benefited from treatments like acupuncture.
Schumer plans to bring this issue to Washington, demanding increased funding to ensure that veterans receive the care they deserve. He stated, "The bottom line is I say we cannot play politics with our veterans' health care. People who risk their lives for us who served America, if they need help they should get it."