As we approach the upcoming spring break, several events are scheduled this week. Hearings and markups center around critical topics such as the VA’s budget, quality of life in the military, pending legislation, and addressing delays in disability compensation. The Senate is also gearing up for a business meeting to consider the VA nominees who testified last week. As always, you can rely on us to keep a close watch on these events, anticipating both substantive discussions and the inevitable political drama.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is bracing for what promises to be a turbulent week, with high-stakes negotiations and strategic maneuvers likely to dominate the headlines. We expect more breaking news and political twists to emerge in the coming days. Until then, enjoy your week, and stay tuned.

In this week’s Nimitz Report:

• Welcome back, Secretary Collins: SecVA returns to the Hill for testimony

• VASP gets axed: Trump admin ends loan program for struggling veterans

• DOGE at VA: Musk operative promotes AI, automation at department

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Tuesday, April 8th

• 🎖️ Subcommittee Hearing: “Quality of Life in the Military,” House Appropriations Committee, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee at 10:30 am. Watch here.

Wednesday, April 9th

• 🔍 Subcommittee Hearing: “State of the Department of Veterans Affairs,” House Appropriations Committee, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee at 10 am. Watch here.

• 📝 Subcommittee Markup: “Markup on: PENDING LEGISLATION,” House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) Economic Opportunity Subcommittee at 10:30 am. Watch here.

• 📋 Full Committee Business Meeting: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) at 11:30 am. Watch here.

• 📝 Subcommittee Markup: “Markup on: Markup of H.R. 530, ACES Act; H.R. 1286, Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act; H.R. 1578, Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025; H.R. 2201, Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma Claims Act; H.R. 2303, Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney Retention and Backlog Reduction Act; and HR. 647, Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025,” HVAC Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee at 1:30 pm. Watch here.

• ⏰ Subcommittee Hearing: “Examining VA Efforts to Decrease Delays in Veterans’ Disability Compensation Claims,” HVAC Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee at 2 pm. Watch here.

NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

Congressional News

On Wednesday, VA Secretary Doug Collins will testify before the House Appropriations Committee regarding the department’s fiscal 2026 budget. This will be his first appearance on Capitol Hill since his confirmation hearings. Tensions are expected to run high, as Secretary Collins has faced relentless criticism from Democrats over workforce reductions at the VA and other proposed reforms. In response, he has accused his critics of fear-mongering and defending entrenched bureaucracy, raising the likelihood of a contentious hearing. We will have a Nimitz News Flash ready to go with all the pertinent details.

The House is now poised to consider the Senate-approved presidential agenda framework following last week’s success. Some GOP members have already stated their intention to vote against the budget resolution, while others have criticized various aspects of the deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass the resolution this week but can only afford to lose three votes, assuming full attendance and a united Democratic party. Despite his victory over Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s proxy voting measure last week, the Speaker faces significant challenges in the days ahead.

Veteran News

Last week, the Trump administration ended the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which was designed to assist veterans struggling to pay their home mortgages. The program will stop accepting new participants on May 1, preventing additional veterans with VA-backed home loans from deferring their mortgage payments to the end of their loan term due to income loss. Republicans argued that the program put taxpayer dollars at risk, as the department purchased approximately $5.5 billion worth of loans. GOP leaders, including HVAC Chairman Mike Bost, have pledged to collaborate with the VA to establish a revised partial claims program that offers enhanced protections for both taxpayers and veterans facing financial hardship.

Several Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operatives have reportedly been given privileged access to VA systems despite lacking relevant government experience. One such operative, Sahil Lavingia, has promoted the use of AI tools to replace manual processes, prompting concerns from VA employees about security and reliability. DOGE’s actions—including canceling contracts for maintaining the VA’s Content Management System (CMS) and pushing for full digitization of services—have sparked fears that critical systems could fail. Both veterans groups and VA employees warn that this could endanger veterans’ access to essential benefits.

Black veterans are speaking out against the Trump administration’s attempts to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content from the Defense Department’s website. In recent weeks, webpages highlighting figures such as Jackie Robinson, Colin Powell, Army Maj. Gen. Charles C. Rogers, the Navajo Code Talkers, and Japanese Americans were inexplicably removed. Although the pages were later restored following public backlash, members of the veteran community believe these actions send a troubling message to minorities who have served or wish to serve. One veteran stated, “Their intent is to resegregate as much of this society as possible where they believe they can get away with it. If they can’t achieve this through legal means, they’ll attempt to do it by making Black people feel unwelcome or unsafe in these spaces.”

National News

On Thursday night, CNN will host a town hall featuring four members of Congress representing some of the country’s most competitive districts. Republican Reps. Mike Lawler and Ryan Mackenzie and Democratic Reps. Jahana Hayes and Derek Tran will join the event, where a live studio audience will include members from each of their districts. The lawmakers will answer questions from the audience as well as from hosts Jake Tapper and Kaitlan Collins.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

FOR FUN

Easter is just around the corner! Danielle is getting ready to head out to the Midwest to see her extended family and visit the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in Omaha, NE. We hope you all enjoy the upcoming recess and stay safe in your adventures.

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