President Trump’s move this week to freeze the hiring of federal workers has sowed confusion in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and it may be driving a wedge between the president and veterans, who overwhelmingly backed him during his campaign. “A lot of our members are extremely worried.”Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs are still trying to figure out the effects of the freeze. On Thursday, the Republican leaders of the House and Senate veterans affairs committees sent a letter asking for clarification, but have not gotten a response. The freeze comes as the veterans health care system is trying to claw itself out of a backlog of appointments caused by rising demand and a shortage of providers. She said a hiring freeze could bring about another “disaster.”“Common sense says we need all health care workers to be exempt,” she said.

Source: New York Times January 27, 2017 19:27 UTC