SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND DEMAND VA STOP SUDDEN PLAN TO CLOSE SCHENECTADY VETERANS’ CLINIC AND IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORK WITH LOCAL LEADERS TO ENSURE NO DISRUPTIONS IN CARE FOR 1,500+[...]

Sudden Closure Announcement For The Schenectady VA Clinic Has Prompted Major Concerns From Capital Region Vets That Care Could Be Disrupted, Have Veterans Facing Long Wait Times, Or Major Inconveniences For Receiving The Healthcare They Earned After Serving Our Country

Senators Say Capital Region Vets Need Answers and Assurances They Will Continue To Get The Local, Convenient, High-Quality Healthcare They Deserve Before Any Plan Can Move Forward

Schumer, Gillibrand: We Must Protect Healthcare For Capital Region Vets

After the sudden announcement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to close the Schenectady VA clinic, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today demanded the VA provide immediate answers to ensure the healthcare for the over 1,500 Capital Region veterans who rely on this clinic will not be disrupted. The senators said this plan cannot move forward until local veterans and leaders have the assurances they need that veterans will have continued access to high-quality care, including distance to alternative clinics, access to transportation services, and how wait times will be impacted at these alternative clinics.

"The Schenectady VA clinic is the hub for healthcare for over 1,500 Capital Region veterans. Some have built relationships with doctors that go back decades, we cannot risk disrupting their care. Local veterans are justifiably concerned this could lead to longer wait times or major inconveniences for getting the high-quality, convenient healthcare they earned through services to our country," said Senator Schumer. "Capital Region veterans risked their lives for us, and we need to do right by them. This plan cannot move forward without local leaders at the table and veterans confident they will continue to get the healthcare they need. Capital Region veterans deserve nothing less."

"The Schenectady VA provides care to more than 1,500 veterans in the Capital Region who have served our country, and the decision to close this facility will have devastating consequences," said Senator Gillibrand, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Veterans put their lives on the line to defend our nation, and we have both a promise and responsibility to ensure their care. Any plans going forward must include the veterans who rely daily on the care of the Schenectady VA."

Schumer and Gillibrand's letter to VA Secretary Collins can be found HERE or below:

Dear Secretary Collins:

We write to express serious concerns and demand immediate answers regarding the sudden announcement to close the community-based outpatient clinic in Schenectady, NY, on August 28 and transition veterans to care at other VA facilities in the coming months. Any closure would impact healthcare access for the more than 1,500 veterans who rely on the personal care and relationships they have built at the facility by threatening their continuity of quality care. This sudden plan to shut down the clinic cannot move forward until Capital Region veterans have the answers and assurances that the high-quality, local, and accessible care they need will continue without disruption or inconvenience.

The new plan has raised concerns among the local Capital Region veterans' community. The VA has said that patients based in the Schenectady VA clinic will be redirected to clinics in Albany, Clifton Park, Fonda, or Oneonta. In addition, the Albany VA clinic already receives a higher volume of requests, and local veterans fear being forced to wait months before they can access medical attention. With further drives and longer waits, Capital Region veterans are worried about accessing the same quality of care they are used to and deserve in a timely manner.

Our nation's veterans experience a wide range of health issues due to their military service and other factors, all of which require accessible, high-quality, and continuous care. Some veterans have ongoing relationships with providers at the Schenectady VA clinic dating as far back as 1998. Disruptions and closures can prevent the VA from delivering continuous care to our veterans. The Capital Region veterans' community deserves assurances that their care will not be impeded before any transition can take place. Anything else would be an abdication of responsibility to those who have served our country most honorably.

Please provide answers to the following questions by April 10, 2026:

1. Please provide all studies done to justify the decision to close the Schenectady VA outpatient clinic.
2. How did the VA decide that redirecting veterans to other local clinics would better serve local veterans than maintaining access for these same veterans to the Schenectady clinic?
3. With veterans expected to be redirected to four other clinics across the Capital Region, how will the VA decide which patients will be redirected where?
4. Though the VA has stated it will increase staff and services at the Clifton Park VA clinic, what is the VA's plan to ensure wait times and strained emergency services do not get worse at other remaining clinics which could expect hundreds of new patients?
5. What steps will the VA take to ease this transition for local veterans who may find this disruptive now having to travel far distances for care? Will the VA provide transportation for veterans unable to travel to other clinics?
6. How many veterans will be impacted by the closure of the Schenectady clinic? How many and what types of jobs are expected to be lost?
7. Does the Schenectady clinic provide any specialty care that is not offered at the nearby Clifton Park VA clinic? If so, how does the VA plan on assuring veterans can continue accessing that specialty care?

We firmly believe this plan should not move forward until our local veterans receive assurances that the quality of their care will not be impacted. Local providers and veterans can attest to the importance of the Schenectady VA clinic to the community. Our nation's veterans deserve efficient access to the highest quality of care at VA facilities. We cannot risk disrupting their access to care, and we request an explanation for this decision and answers about the VA's plan. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

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