In Schenectady, Gillibrand Rails Against Closure of Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic

1,500 Capital Region Veterans’ Care Disrupted Despite Repeated Requests for Answers, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Has Provided Little Transparency and Communication on the Future of Capital Region Veterans’ Services Today , U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, held a press conference addressing the recent closure of the Schenectady Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). This is the region’s second CBOC closure in five years, following the shutdown of the Troy CBOC in July 2021, forcing veterans to seek alternative healthcare in places that may be far from their homes. “The Schenectady VA provided access to care for more than 1,500 veterans in the Capital Region who put their lives on the line to protect our nation,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The decision to close this facility with little communication on alternative care could have devastating consequences. Veterans served our country, and we have a duty and responsibility to ensure their care. I have repeatedly demanded answers from VA Secretary Doug Collins, and I want to reiterate that any plans going forward must include the veterans who have relied on the care of the Schenectady VA.” “The federal VA closed our Schenectady Clinic despite months of warnings from veterans and repeated calls to stop this decision,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “The VA’s own records show that cost and projected savings were part of the plan. The bottom line is our veterans should never be asked to pay the price for federal cost-cutting. The lack of answers and communication throughout this process was unacceptable. Veterans deserved answers, not excuses, and access to care, not another barrier standing in their way. At the very least, the VA should have paused the closure, met with us and listened to the veterans who depended on this clinic. The doors may be closed, but the fight is not over. I will continue standing with our veterans and fighting to restore the local access to health care that this closure stripped away.” “As Rotterdam Town Supervisor, I stand firmly against the closing of the Schenectady VA Clinic,” said Rotterdam Town Supervisor John Polimeni. “This decision, overseen by VA Secretary Doug Collins, abandons the men and women who wore our nation’s uniform and now face greater barriers to the care they were promised. I have repeatedly requested meetings with VA staff and have offered practical solutions to keep services accessible locally, yet those concerns have gone unanswered. Our veterans deserve better than to be pushed farther from care and treated as a budget line instead of as heroes who have earned our unwavering support.” The closure of the Schenectady VA Clinic is a slap in the face to those who sacrifice everything for this country and runs contradictory to our shared commitment to caring for all of our veterans when they return home,” said State Senator Patricia Fahy. “Schenectady County veterans should not have to travel further or pay more to access the basic services afforded to them after their service is complete. Our community has not been and will not be silent while this federal administration rips away healthcare from veterans at a time when access to quality, affordable healthcare is dwindling. Our message is clear: reverse this decision and continue your commitment to serving our Schenectady County veterans and meet them where they are in our community.” “The closure of the Schenectady VA clinic is a serious concern for Veterans across the Capital Region who relied on that facility for their care,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “Our Veterans should not face additional barriers or uncertainty when it comes to accessing the health care they earned through their service. I share Senator Gillibrand’s concerns and believe the VA must provide clear answers and a plan that ensures continuity of care for every Veteran affected by this closure.” “The VA clinic in Rotterdam provided care to more than 1,500 veterans. Now, those veterans are dealing with the impact of its closure, including challenges finding transportation to get to another clinic and uncertainty about who will provide their care going forward,” said Schenectady County Legislature Chairman Gary Hughes. “Our veterans served and sacrificed for our country. They earned these benefits, and we have a responsibility to make sure they can access the care they need. We thank Senator Gillibrand for standing up for our veterans and bringing us together to make sure their voices are heard.” When the closure was announced in March 2026, Gillibrand immediately called on the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to halt the closure and provide immediate answers to ensure that healthcare would not be disrupted for the over 1,500 Capital Region veterans who relied on this clinic. Now, six months following the original letter, and after a subsequent follow-up letter in August , few questions have been answered, even as the VA has closed the clinic. ###