Democrats urge Trump to exempt veterans, VA from 90-day federal hiring freeze

Dozens of Democrats urged President Donald Trump on Wednesday to exempt the Department of Veterans Affairs from the temporary federal hiring freeze he imposed Monday, saying it had the potential to harm veterans seeking health care and those trying to access benefits.

They also called on Trump to allow federal agencies to continue to hire veterans, who make up about one-third of the federal workforce.

“I am deeply troubled that your freeze on the hiring of federal civilian employees will have a negative and disproportionate impact on our nation’s veterans,” the letter to Trump from Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said.

Read the full article at Stars and Stripes.