U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez have introduced the Right to Representation for VA Workers Act. This legislation aims to restore Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees’ right to choose their own representation during internal inquiries that could lead to disciplinary action.
The move comes after reports from unions and VA staff that recent policies under Trump administration officials have restricted employees' ability to select their own representatives in investigation meetings.
“VA workers deserve to be represented by someone of their choice—a right that must be guaranteed by statute because the VA is routinely denying it in practice. It’s part of Secretary Collins’ assault on VA worker rights, including an illegal ban on collective bargaining. Ultimately, it harms care and benefits for veterans, and it must be stopped,” said Senator Blumenthal.
“VA employees are essential to ensuring the VA effectively serves veterans and meets its mission. Protecting VA employees and their rights ensures we retain the workforce that delivers on the promises we made to our veterans as a nation,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “As the Trump administration doubles down on their attacks on federal workers, we must reaffirm every worker's right to a voice in decisions that affect their work and to be protected from actions that would jeopardize their rights, safety, and dignity. I am proud to work with Senator Blumenthal on legislation that will defend workers' rights.”
Historically, what is known as the Weingarten right allowed federal employees representation through collective bargaining agreements. The cancellation of union contracts by the Trump Administration has resulted in repeated infringements upon this right for VA workers nationwide.
The new bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Mazie Hirono, Bernie Sanders, Angus King, Angela Alsobrooks, Alex Padilla, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Tammy Duckworth. It has received endorsements from several labor organizations including AFGE, NAGE, NFFE, NNOC/NNU, SEIU, AFSCME, and Common Defense.
This legislative effort follows another recent proposal from Blumenthal and Ramirez—the VA Care and Benefits Accountability (VA CBA) Act—which seeks to restore union bargaining rights for nearly 400,000 VA employees affected by contract cancellations last August. Almost 25% of these workers are veterans themselves.
In August 2025, then-Secretary Doug Collins terminated union contracts covering most bargaining-unit employees at the VA despite ongoing litigation and recommendations from the Office of Personnel Management to wait until court proceedings were resolved. This decision impacted about 80% of the agency’s workforce—including roles such as mental health providers and claims processors—removing certain protections for whistleblowers who advocate for accountability within the department.
