1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

This is your weekly reminder that your responsibility is to the people you represent, not to Donald Trump, not to Russell Vought, and not to an administration that continues to dismantle and destabilize the federal government. A recent Government Executive report on the Department of Veterans Affairs should be a wake up call. VA officials reported 4,712 severe occupational staffing shortages in fiscal year 2026, the highest number reported in seven years. All 139 VA health care facilities reported staffing shortages, including widespread shortages of physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, nursing assistants, and other essential positions. And this is happening after the VA reduced its workforce by approximately 30,000 employees and eliminated tens of thousands of vacant positions. Whatever terminology the administration chooses to use, the consequences are real. Federal agencies are being stripped of the people they need to provide services to the American public. This is not an abstract political game. These are veterans waiting for care. These are Americans waiting for Social Security services. These are families depending on federal programs. These are federal employees who have devoted their careers to serving the public and are now being subjected to constant uncertainty, upheaval, workforce reductions, and attacks on their profession. And Russell Vought continues to be at the center of efforts to reshape and weaken federal agencies. Recent reporting has documented his role in pushing further changes to agencies including NIH, while other reporting has detailed the administration’s broader efforts to dramatically reduce the federal workforce. At some point, you have to decide whether you are going to be a representative of your constituents or simply a representative of this administration. Because your constituents are watching. Every time you remain silent while federal agencies are dismantled, we notice. Every time you stand behind policies that destabilize the federal workforce, we notice. Every time you choose political loyalty over the people who elected you, we notice. You may be willing to do whatever Donald Trump wants, but you should remember something fundamental about American government. The people are the ones who give politicians power. The people speak. The people vote. And elected officials ultimately answer to their constituents, not the other way around. If you want to continue representing this district, then start standing up for the people who actually live here. Start demanding accountability from this administration. Start defending the federal agencies that millions of Americans depend on. Start recognizing that destroying the federal workforce does not make government better. It can leave the public with fewer people available to deliver the services Congress has mandated. You should also remember that the midterm elections are approaching. They will provide voters with an opportunity to tell their representatives exactly what they think about the direction this country is being taken. So think carefully. Think about who you represent. Think about the federal employees and families in your district. Think about the veterans who depend on the VA. Think about the millions of Americans who depend on federal agencies every day. And think about whether continued loyalty to this administration is worth sacrificing the trust of the people who put you in office. Because elections have consequences, and so does refusing to listen to your constituents. I am asking you to start standing up. Start asking difficult questions. Start demanding accountability from Russell Vought and this administration. And most importantly, start putting the people you represent ahead of political loyalty. Your constituents are watching. Think.