Why It Matters

The VA faces a staffing crisis which is directly threatening service delivery for millions of disabled veterans seeking healthcare and benefits.The VA faces unprecedented workforce collapse, with the agency shedding 40,000 employees in fiscal 2025—the first annual net loss in its history.

Mental health of veterans remains a crisis. The VA’s 2025 report showed 6,398 veteran suicides in 2023, with roughly 61 percent of veterans who died by suicide not receiving VA care in their final year. New controversy surrounds a VA interim rule potentially reducing disability ratings for veterans on medication—a change the DAV warns could affect millions.

Claims processing quality is deteriorating. While the VA reduced backlogs, requests for claim reviews jumped 44 percent as staffing shortages led processors to prioritize speed over accuracy.

These issues will be at the center of the Joint Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees hearings on February 24, 2026.

Broader Context

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) will present legislative priorities amid historic VA turmoil. The Veterans Health Administration shed 88 percent of the agency’s 40,000 staff including thousands of nurses, physicians, and claims processors. Mental health appointment wait times now exceed 100 days in some facilities.

A new VA interim final rule threatening to reduce disability ratings for veterans on medications has triggered alarm. The DAV criticized the rule as potentially affecting millions of disabled veterans through an "unnecessarily expedited" process.

Partisan tensions are sharp. Republicans argue workforce cuts improve efficiency, while Democrats contend these decisions create dangerous gaps. The hearing will test whether Congress can address fundamental questions about VA functionality with reduced staffing and potential benefit cuts.

The Agenda

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV)(https://app.legis1.com/hearings/detail?id=92079#summary) are the lead witness. Other Veterans Service Organizations including The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Paralyzed Veterans of America will participate.

These organizations will present unified legislative priorities on VA workforce stability, mental health services, implementation of the PACT Act, healthcare access, and VA funding. The witnesses are expected to provide testimony informed by their members’ direct experiences navigating VA systems and make specific legislative recommendations.

Between The Lines

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Jerry Moran (R-KS) has prioritized VA accountability and workforce stability. During 2025 joint VSO hearings, Moran stressed that a strong VA workforce is essential for delivering care. He’s championed multiple bills including the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Health Care Act and focused on firearm safety counseling to prevent veteran suicides.

Senator Angus King (I-ME) has emerged as a forceful voice protecting veteran funding. At a 2025 joint hearing, King questioned VA leadership about recent layoffs and has publicly slammed proposed cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Senator Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH) co-authored the bipartisan Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act and has actively engaged with VSOs on expanded PACT Act benefits.

The committee includes combat veterans Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), whose lived experience shapes deliberations on disabled veterans’ needs.

Competitive Landscape

Alliance for America’s Promise Inc. has emerged as a significant lobbying force, retaining Liberty Partners Group LLC for $150,000 per quarter throughout 2025, focusing on Veterans, Health Issues, and Medicare/Medicaid policy areas.

However, the primary stakeholders remain the non-profit veterans service organizations—DAV, American Legion, VFW, AMVETS, and others—whose legislative priorities carry significant weight with lawmakers. The hearing provides these organizations a formal platform to present data and legislative demands directly to Congress.

The Bottom Line

The DAV hearing on February 24, 2026, occurs as the VA faces its worst workforce crisis in history with 40,000 employees lost. Persistent veteran suicide rates, and controversial policy changes affecting disability ratings will spur disabled veterans’ organizations to directly challenge policymakers on PACT Act implementation, mental health gaps, and VA operational adequacy.

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