Every year, Chuck commits to traveling to all62 counties in New York to meet with constituents.
Standing with local caregivers and veterans at the Eastwood American Legion Post 1276, on April 8,2019, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to immediately make imperative and overdue improvements to the VA caregiver program, which provides comprehensive support services to caregivers and their families. Caregivers are loved ones who support the health, independence, and well-being of a veteran at home, often obviating the need for the veteran to be in an institutional care setting. Depending on the severity of the veteran’s health condition, this can often be a full-time job and prevent a caregiver from working and earning money in any other capacity. There have been numerous reports, including in Syracuse, of families being arbitrarily removed from the program, often without warning. Schumer also publicly held the VA accountable to ensure the expansion of the caregiver program to include eligible veterans of the Vietnam and Korean Wars is fully implemented by October 1, 2019--as directed by the recently-passed VA MISSION Act. Schumer said that last December, the VA suspended discharges and decreases of caregiver benefits because of continued concerns expressed by veterans, caregivers and advocates about inconsistent application of eligibility requirements by VA medical centers. Therefore, Schumer argued that it is clear that changes are needed to ensure the caregiver program gives Syracuse and Central New York veterans access to the care they need and deserve and demanded answers from the VA on its plan to fix it.