As Washington, DC, faces a cold front and a tight January 30 funding deadline, the halls of Congress are anything but quiet. The fatal shooting of Minneapolis VA nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents has ignited a high-stakes legislative standoff that threatens to stall the gears of government. While standard VA medical funding remains secure, the fallout has Democrats and Republicans split over the future of DHS oversight, just as the VA prepares to roll out its largest-ever healthcare contract. From "historic" staffing shortages to shifting reproductive rights, here’s what you need to know this week.

In this week’s Nimitz Report:

• “Stayed back” gets blowback: President Trump’s NATO comments receive international condemnation.

• Blumenthal report: SVAC Ranking Member details net loss of 40k staff and surging wait times.

• Budget standoff: How a tragedy in Minneapolis could trigger a partial shutdown.

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Wednesday, January 28th

• 🏥 Committee Hearing: “Building a 21st Century VA Health Care System: Assessing Efforts to Restructure the Veterans Health Administration,” Senate Veterans Affairs Committee at 3:30 pm. Watch here.

NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

Congressional News

The fatal shooting of VA nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents has triggered a major funding standoff in the Senate, with Democrats vowing to block a massive government spending package unless Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding is removed. While standard funding for the VA and military construction was fortunately secured in a previous "minibus" bill and will remain operational, a broader partial shutdown on January 30 would still halt critical non-medical services like transition assistance and regional benefit offices. Lawmakers like Senator Patty Murray argue that "guardrails and accountability" must be placed on federal immigration agents before further funding is granted to the DHS. This legislative deadlock leaves the remaining 96% of the government, including the Department of Defense and Health and Human Services, in a state of high uncertainty as the Friday deadline approaches.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal released a scathing report last week detailing significant staffing losses and spiking wait times under the current administration. According to the findings, the VA experienced its first annual net loss of staff in history during 2025, losing over 40,000 employees, the vast majority of whom were frontline doctors, nurses, and mental health clinicians. The report links these workforce shortages directly to a national mental health wait time average of 35 days, a crisis that Blumenthal argues compromises national security by failing the veterans who served. As the Senate prepares for a high-stakes oversight hearing with VA Secretary Doug Collins this week, the report accuses the administration of a "cover-up" regarding the true impact of budget cuts and the cancellation of thousands of service contracts.

Veteran News

Recent comments from President Donald Trump claiming that NATO allies "stayed back" from the front lines in Afghanistan have sparked deep offense among international veterans and Gold Star families. British and Canadian service members, who sustained thousands of casualties and hundreds of deaths while fighting alongside American troops, are calling for a formal apology for what they describe as "disrespectful" and "incorrect" rhetoric. While some members of the administration have echoed these sentiments, several veteran advocates and families have stated that the "blood, sweat, and tears" of international partners were essential to the mission’s stability and the safety of American personnel.

Starting February 1, the VA will officially reinstate a near-total ban on abortion and abortion counseling, rolling back a Biden-era policy that allowed access in cases of rape, incest, and serious health risks. Under the new rule, VA health benefits will only cover the procedure when a physician certifies that the patient's life is in immediate danger, providing no exceptions for survivors of sexual assault or those facing chronic health-threatening conditions like preeclampsia. This reversal has sparked intense debate in Congress, with some members introducing legislation to restore these services, while others argue the change aligns the VA with longstanding federal spending restrictions. Experts and advocates warn that this shift may disproportionately affect the 2.1 million women veterans who rely on the VA as their primary healthcare provider, potentially impacting military recruitment and the long-term readiness of the force.

The VA is preparing to initiate its Community Care Network (CCN) Next Generation (Next Gen) contract, a massive $700 billion agreement designed to modernize how the department manages private-sector healthcare for veterans over the next decade. Examined at length during last week’s House VA Committee hearing, this move aims to promote a healthier veteran population through "value-based" care, prioritizing medical outcomes and quality over the sheer volume of procedures. While the VA promises more rigorous oversight and increased competition for regional vendors, the Next Gen contract faces bipartisan skepticism regarding its total cost and the potential for further privatization of veteran services.

National News

The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a dedicated ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA, during a protest has ignited a fierce debate over federal law enforcement actions across the country. Colleagues at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System described Pretti as a "gentle soul" who intentionally chose the high-stakes environment of the ICU to serve the nation’s most critically ill veterans. Before becoming a registered nurse in 2021, Pretti spent years as a VA research scientist contributing to clinical trials, including a major study on preventing life-threatening bacterial infections among hospital patients. He was also well-known for his "final salutes," a solemn VA tradition where he would personally wheel deceased veterans through the halls while staff lined up to pay their respects, often reading final tributes to grieving families. Pretti’s death marks the third federal shooting in Minneapolis this month and raises urgent questions about the domestic role of Department of Homeland Security agents.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

FOR FUN

The Seattle Seahawks are set to take on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl after this weekend’s tough matchups. Fun fact, the Seahawks were bound to make it to the final game, as they have the past three times a new Pope has been chosen.

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