Blumenthal Takes Trump VA Nominee to Task over Failure to Commit to Protecting Veterans' Benefits from Claw Backs: 'I'm Really Disturbed by These Answers'

Blumenthal Takes Trump VA Nominee to Task over Failure to Commit to Protecting Veterans' Benefits from Claw Backs: "I'm Really Disturbed by These Answers" At hearing, Blumenthal grills nominee to lead the Veterans Benefits Administration on her role in cancelling VA contracts and inability to denounce proposals to claw back veterans' benefits Wednesday, September 10, 2025 [WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing today to consider the nomination of Karen Brazell to be the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Under Secretary for Benefits, Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) grilled Brazell on her role as senior advisor to VA Secretary Doug Collins, and her inability to condemn proposals to claw back veterans' benefits-including harmful proposals to begin means-testing veterans' disability compensation. Blumenthal began by questioning Brazell on her involvement in developing the framework and process the Trump VA is using to cancel contracts providing services to veterans and supporting VA operations: "Have you reviewed any specific contracts that have been cancelled?" While Brazell confirmed she reviewed the cancelled contracts, she would not detail the specific contracts she was involved in cancelling. Blumenthal continued pressing Brazell, underscoring a potential conflict of interest in her role of reviewing VA contracts: "Have you reviewed any of the contracts of your former employer, Science Application International Corporation?" Brazell repeatedly refused to answer "yes" or "no" to this question, stating instead "I've met all the requirements of the law." Blumenthal rebuked Brazell's inability to concretely answer his question: "Well, just for the record, your former employer receives $70 million from the VA-no contracts cancelled. So, you can refuse to answer the question-which is what you're doing-that's a fact." Blumenthal continued his questioning by asking Brazell about her plans to lead the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), if confirmed: "Let me ask you, Dr. Brazell, do you support means testing VA disability compensation benefits?...It's a recommendation by the OMB Director Russell Vought. He's proposed clawing back benefits from veterans to save money. Will you tell the veterans of America that you'll oppose this kind of extreme, cruel measure?" Brazell refused to condemn the proposal include in a Vought-authored 2023 Budget Proposal, and instead said she would do a "full assessment and look into that program." She also refused to deny she would consider subsequent proposals from OMB Director Vought, including eliminating compensation payments to veterans rated 20% service-connected disabled or lower, and did not condemn the Trump Administration's recent elimination of collective bargaining rights at VA. Blumenthal continued, "If you're confirmed, you're going to change the way disability benefits are calculated and ratings are determined?" "Ranking Member Blumenthal, if confirmed, I will follow the law," Brazell responded. Blumenthal concluded: "Well, I'm not asking if you'll follow the law. I'm really disturbed by these answers to my questions. I can't force you to be responsive, but I don't view that answer as responsive to my question." If confirmed, Brazell would be tasked with leading VBA, which has faced significant staff losses since the Trump Administration took office because of initiatives including its hiring freeze, forced overtime, and the end of collective bargaining rights. Since January 2025, the quality of claims decisions at VBA has suffered with the number of higher-level reviews increasing by 21 percent, and the average amount of days it takes VA to act on legacy appeals increasing by 44 percent. The video of Blumenthal's questioning is available here. https://www.veterans.senate.gov/2025/9/blumenthal-takes-trump-va-nominee-to-task-over-failure-to-commit-to-protecting-veterans-benefits-from-claw-backs-i-m-really-disturbed-by-these-answers Sign up for Email updates