Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) sent a letter along with Congressman Eli Crane (AZ-02) to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough regarding initiatives to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the VA. These initiatives will result in worse care for veterans, make employees feel ostracized, and lead to potential violations of the Hatch Act.The initiatives include allowing biological men into women-only single-sex spaces, including bathrooms, exam rooms, and medical exam areas, irrespective of where the veteran is in their “transition”. DEI training for psychology supervisors that consists of a 1-hour “Racial Caucuses” session that is “designed to discuss oppression, privilege, and engage in anti-racism activism” in separate racial groups. Also, the creation of a virtual Race-Based Stress, Trauma, and Empowerment group to care for veterans who have been exposed to racism that excludes white veterans from participation.“Segregating employees by race and forcing women to share single-sex spaces with men for any reason is unacceptable,” said Rep. Rosendale. “The VA must focus on our nation’s heroes, not creating DEI efforts that distract them from treating those who laid their lives on the line for our country. These programs must end immediately.”
