This week, Republican Congressman Andy Barr spoke to the sixth District Veterans Coalition, a group of veterans from Barr's district who meet regularly to hear updates on foreign policy and veterans issues from the congressman.

Some veterans expressed concern about recent federal cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Our Mackenzie Spink has more from Richmond.

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After updating the six District Veterans Coalition on the work that he's been doing in Washington, Congressman Andy Barr opened the floor for a Q&A session with the veterans.

Out of the gate, Congressman Barr was asked why he voted for the so-called Big beautiful bill, since it included cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs or VA. Barr said reductions at the VA are partially a result of the bill, but also from the leadership of President Trump and the secretary of the VA.

He says more is not always better.

Do American veteran taxpayers really want their hard earned tax dollars to go to paying vendors to water plants as opposed to take care of patients at the VA hospitals?

Do they really want, woke die programs versus actually taking care of patients or delivering the disability compensation benefits?

I mean, what is the mission of the VA?

And I think most veterans that I've interacted with, they appreciate a refocusing of the mission of the VA on the core job of the VA, which is to take care of veterans, not trying to not trying to advance a political agenda.

According to the VA, it phased out its Dei program and treatments for veterans with gender dysphoria earlier this year.

In July, the VA announced it was on pace to reduce total staff by nearly 30,000 employees.

By the end of September.

What we have seen is that in a reduction of of non mission critical employees and a focusing on health care and disability claims, the real mission of the VA.

Guess what?

Performance and results have improved.

The VA says its disability backlogs are down by 30% this year, compared to an increase of backlog by 24% during the Biden administration, and that there are safeguards in place to ensure staff reductions do not impact veteran care or benefits.

However, groups like the National Military Family Association are more concerned about how cuts to Medicaid and Snap in the president's tax and spending bill will affect veterans who they say face unique obstacles to finding employment.

Congressman Barr also weighed in on redistricting, which has dominated headlines across the country in recent weeks as Republican challengers in the U.S. Senate race have expressed support for redrawing Kentucky's congressional maps to strengthen the GOP stronghold in the Commonwealth.

Congressman Barr says he thinks the current district doing well represents the politics of the state, but added that nothing's off the table.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

And if, if the Democrats and some of these states want to.

Jeremy Gander, and if Governor Beshear supports it, then why not do it in Kentucky at the end of the day?

We have A51 ratio in Kentucky.

The Republican Party is obviously, surging in popularity in Kentucky.

The president is extremely popular in Kentucky, but there are pockets of Democrats.

And so, you know, the ratio that we have is probably reflective of where we are politically in the state.

So far, Republican leaders have not indicated that a congressional redistricting effort will take place in the 2026 legislative session.

For Kentucky edition, I'm Mackenzie Spink.