A Democratic senator is putting holds on VA nominees to protest Trump's plans to cut its workforce

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 1:06 PM EDT, April 1, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego announced Tuesday he will block the confirmation of top leaders at the Department of Veterans Affairs, raising the stakes in Democrats’ bid to get the Trump administration to back off plans to cut jobs from the sprawling agency that serves millions of military veterans.

Gallego, a Democrat and Marine Corps veteran, made the announcement just hours before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs was scheduled to hear testimony from three nominees for the VA who are military veterans themselves. It marked a significant escalation in the Democrat’s effort to counter President Donald Trump’s plans to slash federal agencies and a sharply partisan move on a committee that has often been marked by cooperation between Republicans and Democrats.

“Talking to veterans, people that I served with as well as seeing some of what’s happening in Arizona, I decided that whatever tool I have to fix the situation, I’m going to use it. And this is one of the few tools I have at this point,” Gallego told The Associated Press.

The holds — a maneuver used on occasion in the Senate — means that it is impossible for the chamber to move quickly to confirm the nominees and would potentially have to tie up hours or days of floor time to advance each nominee.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/veterans-congress-gallego-trump-6236bbc77ff1a98f736b1cf134cab609

[Prairie Gates]

1. 'bout time

[Scrivener7]

2. Excellent!! Finally!!

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. This should have been done

on EVERY damned nominee since January.

[JMCKUSICK]

4. Why not for ALL nominees?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. It's based on the Committees that they are on

He is apparently a member of one of the Committees that reviews nominees for Veteran Affairs, etc.

Others need to step up who are on other Committees to do the same and delay - just like Stuporville did with the military promotions.

The one thing to keep in mind too is that this tactic works best with the "lower level" nominees that are usually confirmed "by unanimous consent" (e.g., SESs like Regional Directors, Deputies and Assistants, etc).

[JMCKUSICK]

18. Right and right

[Paladin]

5. YES!

This is the sort of aggressive, effective response that all Democrats should be launching against the trump regime. Well done, Sen. Gallego!

[Vinca]

6. Excellent move.

[BComplex]

7. YES!!!!!

This is great news!!!

[calimary]

9. Good Good GOOD!!!

[wordstroken]

10. Great news!! Go Gallego!!

[bronxiteforever]

11. Kick! GOP get some! Time to repay Tuberville.

[ReRe]

12. It really is the best name for the (non)action:

It will forever be known as a "Tubberville"!

[Cherokee100]

13. Semper Fidelis

Carry on Marine.

[Bluetus]

14. Don't stop with these. Put a hold on EVERYTHING possible

Force the Senate to do it the hard way. Public pressure is mounting. The slower the Senate moves, the more they will feel the pressure before their next bad move.

[ShazzieB]

15. Good idea, but other senators will have to get involved for that to happen.

See https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3431147

[Bluetus]

19. Yep. That's right.

And that is EXACTLY what should be happening. I don't know how any person could call themselves a Democrat and not be fighting mad about what this regime is trying to do. We have Sanders, Murphy, and now Booker. We need the other 45 to get out there. This is the moment of truth. Any elected Dem who is not out there on April 5 should just fold up and retire.

[maxrandb]

16. They should block/hold all military promotions too!

Let me know when Returdlicans begin paying a price for stuff like this, and I will change my mind.

We know that the military promotions coming under Donnie Dipshit will be based on their "whiteness".

Not one more fucking promotion until they put all the references to minorities and women back in EVERY FUCKING Pentagon website, academy, library and unit that they've "purged" them from.

[Bluetus]

20. It is cumulative. It is not just one act by one person.

We need every elected Dem out there. The grass roots is gearing up for April 5. The elected ones need to be on board right now.

Is Booker's performance the most effective thing we could possibly do? Probably not, but let's not criticize the one who is doing SOMETHING while we have about 40 Senators apparently doing nothing at all, other than counting their corporate contributions.

Focus your anger on those who aren't even trying.

[lastlib]

17. NOW we're cookin' with gas! THIS is how it'sdone.

Tommy Potato can do it, so can we!

That's one small step for a Senator, one giant leap for America!