Opposing Efforts to Dismantle and Privatize the Department of Veteran’s Affairs

WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, providing essential medical care, mental health services, housing assistance, and benefits to more than nine million enrolled veterans, many of whom are Black and from historically underserved communities; and

WHEREAS, While the Department of Veterans Affairs is not without flaws — particularly in how it serves Black veterans and veterans of color who face persistent disparities in disability ratings, mental health care, and equitable access — the solution is to strengthen and reform the VA from within, not to dismantle or privatize it; and

WHEREAS, Recent federal actions have included significant staffing cuts at the VA, including the dismissal of more than 2,400 employees in early 2025, among them crisis responders, social service assistants, and quality assurance staff critical to the delivery of VA services; and

WHEREAS, These staffing cuts will adversely impact the VA's 2024 record of processing over 1 million benefit claims, a notable improvement addressing a backlog of nearly 250,000 claims the same year; and

WHEREAS, The erosion of the Veterans Crisis Line's staffing and infrastructure undermines suicide prevention efforts at a time when, according to the VA, more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide annually in the United States, a crisis that disproportionately affects post-9/11 veterans, veterans of color, and those facing economic instability and mental health issues; and

WHEREAS, These cuts have been accompanied by a broader effort to shift care away from the VA system and toward private, for-profit providers under the guise of "choice" and "efficiency," despite recent data from the National Institutes of Health showing VA care often yields better health outcomes for veterans and is more culturally competent in addressing military-related trauma; and

WHEREAS, Such efforts to incrementally dismantle the VA through defunding, staff reductions, and outsourcing of services represent a long-term strategy to privatize veterans' healthcare and reduce the federal government's obligations to those who have honorably served; and

WHEREAS, The NAACP opposes the privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs and any federal actions that diminish its capacity to serve veterans through budget cuts, staff reductions, or the elimination of core services.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the NAACP calls upon the U.S. Congress to exercise its oversight authority to enforce the allocation of funds for the full restoration of staffing and support for the Veterans Crisis Line and other critical VA programs proven to reduce suicide and improve veteran health outcomes.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP demands Congress to invest in the long-term sustainability, modernization, and expansion of the VA's public healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that veterans, regardless of race, income, geography, or era of service, receive comprehensive, high-quality, and publicly accountable care.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will work in partnership with veterans' service organizations, advocates, and community-based coalitions to amplify public education and advocacy efforts that protect the VA and the rights and well-being of all who have honorably served.