Budget-Cut Proposal by Musk and Ramaswamy Sparks Worries Over VA Healthcare

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to oversee the expected "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), have proposed to eliminate "unauthorized" federal spending, including initiatives that have not lately received recent approval from Congress. 

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As per their opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, they draw attention to nonprofit grants and public broadcasting service (PBS) funding; but, they also subtly touch on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical services, which depend on appropriations totaling 120 billion dollars without current authorizations.

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Among the Department of Veterans Affairs officials voicing their worries were Shereef Elnahal, the Under Secretary for Health. They underlined developments in accessibility, quality, and trust as well as the increased need for veterans' treatment. Both sides' legislators have promised to protect money for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the chairmen of the House VA subcommittee swear to stop any projects that endanger veterans' healthcare.

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Drawing on Trump's past resistance to the Impoundment Control Act, Ramaswamy and Musk both suggested using legal challenges to circumvent Congress. The proposal has been greatly rejected since MPs warn of possible damage to veteran services in case such modifications are carried out.

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