More than 30,000 APWU members are Veterans, and many more have Veterans in their families or among their close friends. With Election Day drawing near, it’s important for APWU members to understand that Veterans’ issues are on the ballot once again this year.
The starkest threat to Veterans’ benefits are outlined in Project 2025, a vast conservative policy agenda written by more than 140 former Trump Administration officials. Project 2025 is expected to be the roadmap for a second Trump term if he were to win the election. While it’s wide-ranging in its proposals, Project 2025 focuses on growing corporate power, putting people out of work, many of whom are Veterans, cutting earned benefits, and weakening unions.
It even includes some specific cuts to Veterans’ earned benefits. Specially, Project 2025 would cut benefits for disabled Veterans, reducing the number of medical conditions that qualify for disability status. It would also automate all disability claims, making it easier to increase denial rates.
The Veterans Administration (VA) health system is also targeted by Project 2025. It plans to eliminate VA hospitals and health clinics and replace them with privatized outpatient clinics. This would have an especially considerable impact on Veterans living in rural areas. Project 2025 even calls for the privatization of TRICARE, the active duty service members (ADSMs) health system, threatening to drive up health care costs for millions of servicemembers and their families.
On the other hand, Kamala Harris’s campaign has committed to protecting and strengthening benefits for Veterans, including by implementing the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, and supporting the Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act, which would expand Veterans healthcare to address groundwater and other chemical exposures. Harris’s campaign has also committed to not privatizing VA and TRICARE services.
While there are many issues that matter to APWU members, we once again urge you to consider your union, your job, and your earned benefits this election season. For APWU members, especially our Veteran members, the choice this election is clear.
Learn more about Project 2025 and Trump’s ties to it here: https://betterinaunion.org/news/trumps-project-2025
