Good evening, everyone.

News this week is fairly dominated by the new administration’s sweeping policy changes as President Donald Trump fulfills his promises on numerous fronts. From transgender servicemembers to immigration, there are plenty of stories to watch over the next few days.

The House is away, but the Senate is hard at work. Several hearings are set to take place this week as President Trump’s nominees continue their confirmation hearings. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will dive into community care on Tuesday; we are eager to see how this compares to the House’s examination of the subject last week.

In this week’s Nimitz Report:

• Nomination hearings: Tulsi Gabbard, Pamela Bondi, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and more

• Alarms sounding at the VA: Lawmakers raise concerns about ousted DEI workers, fired watchdogs, and the federal hiring freeze

• Executive order incoming: President Trump plans to ban transgender people from serving in the armed forces

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Tuesday, January 28th

• 🩺 Full Committee Hearing: “Protecting Veteran Choice: Examining VA’s Community Care Program,” Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) at 10:30 am. Watch here.

NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

Congressional News

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, is reportedly facing some early obstacles to her confirmation in the GOP. Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee have said “the jury is still out” on whether Gabbard will have enough support to move forward. She cannot afford to lose a single Republican vote, as the Committee is split 9-8. Her nomination hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning.

Democrats in Congress are struggling with their approach to immigration now that President Trump is back in the White House. “I think Donald Trump has painted the Democratic Party into a corner on immigration, and it’s going to take us a while to get out of the corner,” said Sen. Michael Bennet. Several Democrats are searching for possible areas of compromise, while others are prepping their districts for anticipated mass deportations. This will certainly be an early indicator of the parties’ ability to work together in the first few weeks of the President’s second term.

Veteran News

Following President Trump’s push to close diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices across the federal government, at least 60 VA employees have been placed on administrative leave. The VA has not provided information on whether these individuals will be hired somewhere else or fired permanently. Acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter claimed that DEI programs “divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”

On Friday, President Trump fired at least 17 independent watchdogs at multiple federal agencies, including VA Inspector General Mike Missa, who had served since April 2016. Senators are claiming that they were not given the required 30-day notice for the watchdogs’ removal, and many of those fired have also said they were caught off-guard. In a press release, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal stated, “Purging the VA’s Inspector General puts veterans at risk of a surge in corruption and abuse of power. The Inspector General is the most important internal watchdog that protects veterans from waste and wrongdoing. Firing him and eliminating his independent oversight is a betrayal of trust as well as a violation of law.”

In hearings last week, several members of Congress expressed concern about the impact of the federal hiring freeze on the VA’s ability to deliver care to veterans. Many Republicans argue that the freeze will help reduce bureaucracy and cut wasteful spending on unfilled positions. On the other hand, Democrats fear that the policy could negatively impact veterans' access to essential services, like mental health care. Additionally, former servicemembers are expressing anxiety, as staffing shortages at the VA continue to be a major issue.

National News

Later today, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order banning transgender people from serving in the military. In a widely circulated fact sheet about the decision, the administration claims that “allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military has undermined military readiness and unit cohesion.” This order is expected to be the first of many under newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that seek to reshape the armed services.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

FOR FUN

Winter Restaurant Week starts today in DC! The district-wide event will take place from January 27 to February 2. To get more information on the best deals, click here.

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