DETROIT – Mark Curie is a veteran and a licensed practical nurse who treats his fellow veterans. This member of AFSCME Michigan 925 is worried about what will happen to his patients if anti-union extremists in Congress recklessly slash veterans services.
That’s not all they want to cut. They also want to slash programs like Medicaid, education and infrastructure that help millions of Americans, all to give their billionaire buddies even bigger tax cuts.
Last week, Curie and other AFSCME members took part in a press conference in Detroit to oppose these budget cuts. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the senior Democrat on Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined them.
They highlighted what’s at stake for Michiganders if the budget cuts go through. They said the cuts will devastate the care veterans receive and destabilize communities across the state.
“Every day, I work with veterans who depend on consistent, quality care — not just in moments of crisis, but for everyday dignity,” Curie said. “When you cut Medicaid and VA-adjacent services, you’re not trimming fat. You’re slashing into the lifeline that so many veterans, seniors and Michiganders count on.”
Money for Michigan in peril
More than 42% of Michigan’s revenue comes from Washington, a significant portion from the federal Medicaid program. Nearly 1.8 million veterans nationwide rely on Medicaid for essential health services. Proposed federal cuts would put veterans, children, people with disabilities, and older Michiganders at risk.
“These are men and women who served this country and were promised care when they returned home,” Curie said. “That promise means something. And it’s our job to keep it.”
Ed McNeil, a retiree and a member of Michigan Retirees United AFSCME Chapter 255, reminded the crowd of Detroit’s resilience — and why this moment requires standing strong once again.
“We’ve been through hard times — recessions, bankruptcy. But we didn’t quit. We fought for each other and rebuilt,” said McNeil. “Now, they want to rip the rug out from under veterans, working families, and older Michiganders so billionaires can get another tax break. That’s not just wrong, it’s un-American.”
Speakers said the 2017 tax law overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy while doing little for working families. They said this year’s proposed cuts follow the same pattern: rob public services to reward those already at the top.
“Let’s be clear — this is about priorities,” McNeil said. “They want to take away care from the people who served this country and give even more tax breaks to billionaires who already have everything. That’s not just a bad deal. It’s a betrayal.”
‘Heartless and heartbreaking cuts’
Blumenthal pledged to continue standing with public service workers and veterans. He said he traveled to Michigan to spotlight the “damage and chaos the Trump administration has already created in every corner of this country.”
“If unchecked, this administration’s heartless and heartbreaking cuts, freezes and firings for veterans will destroy lives and livelihoods of the very people they're supposed to serve — people who served and sacrificed for us, America's veterans,” Blumenthal said. “Congress must ensure our government reverses course and puts veterans first — not tax cuts for billionaires.”
The Detroit event was part of a wave of grassroots activism fueled by AFSCME’s Get Organized campaign. AFSCME GO is all about making sure every member of our union knows what’s at stake and joins the fight to protect the services we provide for everyone, not just veterans.