AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Registered nurses rally outside of Congressman Rick Allen’s Augusta office on Friday, Sept. 12, demanding full funding and staffing for the VA.

The nurses at the rally said the proposed budget cuts could weaken care for thousands of veterans in our area, and pushes more services into private hands.

“Further cuts in the VA will just cause the VA to die. It’s a cycle,” said Irma Westmoreland, of National Nurses United. “The more patients you put out in the community, then the less patients and the money that is going to be in the VA. We believe that the absolute best care that can be given for our patients are inside the VA.”
“Our nurses are overworked and we’re we’re having a very severe nursing shortage right no,” said Tamika Kendrick, local director of National Nurses United.

Nurses there said their message is simple: fully fund and fully staff the VA so veterans get the care they earned.

Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie