news

NEW YORK, NY — Today, U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), following continued concern from local Capital Region veterans, called on Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to provide more information about the planned closure of the Schenectady Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) at the end of the month. When the closure was announced in March 2026, the lawmakers immediately called on the VA to halt the closure and provide immediate answers to ensure that healthcare for the over 1,500 Capital Region veterans who rely on this clinic would not be disrupted. Now, five months following their original letter and with the closure looming, few questions have been answered. 

 

In the letter, the members addressed the lack of communication from the VA and the confusion that Capital Region veterans are experiencing with little to no guidance as to the future of their care. They wrote, “Since the closure was announced this past spring, vanishingly little detail or communication has been made available to veterans or the broader public in the Capital Region. The lack of communication has raised concerns about the burden this disruption will place on veterans with ongoing care. Five months since the announcement of the closure, we continue to hear from veterans and non-profit organizations working to cover gaps in care and transportation for veterans, who find themselves less informed, more confused, and in greater precarity.”

 

The members noted that this would be the second CBOC closure in the Capital Region in five years, forcing veterans to seek out alternative care in places that may be even farther from their homes. They continued, “The communities we represent have expressed significant doubt regarding the VA’s claim that transportation time to the new clinics will be shorter for 80% of veterans. Many older veterans in the area are reliant on public transportation, ride-share services, and friends, family, and their communities for transportation to VA appointments. We are especially concerned that the decision to shift care away from the Schenectady CBOC does not account for the additional bus routes, ride-share costs, and time commitments from friends and families to ensure that veterans have regular access to care at a different facility.”

 

In a series of questions, the members demanded immediate transparency and requested that the VA release concrete data and outreach plans regarding the facility's closure by August 27th. The inquiry pushes the VA to detail its justification for the closure and the projected impact on veterans in the region, as well as the VA’s plans for ensuring that patients maintain their access to high-quality care. 

 

The lawmakers stressed that not a single local veteran or advocacy group had reached out to their offices to voice support for the clinic’s closure. They concluded, “The lack of clear communication and proper planning has caused significant anxiety for veterans in the Schenectady region who place their trust in the VA to manage their care. We urge the VA to listen to the community that would be most immediately affected by this plan, halt the closure of this clinic until all the questions posed in this letter can be properly addressed, and work with us to rebuild trust among veterans in the Capital Region.”

 

The full letter can be read HERE.