Protesters rally in Elmira opposing federal cuts to veterans' benefits
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) — Protesters gathered near a VA Clinic in Elmira opposing federal cuts to veterans' programs relating to Medicaid, Medicare and jobs of government employees. The protest was held on College Avenue near the clinic where more than ten people participated.
The protesters brought signs with messages that said, 'Hands off of our VA' and 'Protect our Vets.' Some of the people shared criticism about healthcare benefits being cut and expressed support to veterans who served.
'The reason I'm here is to support veterans, but also to support the other issues that a lot of people are concerned about with this administration, which includes veterans benefits, Medicaid, Medicare, all the people who work in the government who have been let go and fire for no cause,' said Barry Short, a Vietnam veteran.
Protesters gather in Watkins Glen opposing federal program cuts
'I think that any kind of cuts to the VA is immoral, and they deserve to get the health care and benefits that have been set up for them for years, hundreds of years,' added Nancy McGowan Lester.
Another protester Margie Rodgers underscored the need for continued support to veterans. She expressed uncertainty about whether cuts have been made or are being threatened and hopes that the demonstration raises awareness.
Below is a statement from the Veteran Affairs national office provided by the VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System:
'VA health care has been on the Government Accountability Office's high-risk list for more than a decade, and GAO says VA faces 'system-wide challenges in overseeing patient safety and access to care, hiring critical staff, and meeting future infrastructure needs.' Under Secretary Collins, VA is working hard to fix these and other issues. Unfortunately, many in the media, government union bosses and some in Congress are fighting to keep in place the broken status quo. Our message to Veterans is simple: Despite major opposition from those who don't want to change a thing at VA, we will reform the department to make it work better for Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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