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Congressman Carson Statement: Trump Administration is Hurting Veterans and Seniors

March 6, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman André Carson (IN-07) made the following statement in response to the Trump administration identifying two federal buildings in Marion County for sale or closure, as well as the termination of contract funding for a new VA medical facility in Indianapolis: 

“DOGE is creating chaos and fear – and it’s hurting our veterans and our seniors.  

“Last night, I learned that DOGE has arbitrarily terminated contract funding for a feasibility study necessary to start construction of a new VA medical facility planned in Indianapolis. The new facility is necessary because the current Roudebush Medical Center is beyond capacity and at the end of its building lifecycle – in other words, we have to build a new facility, or our veterans won’t get the health care they need. 

“Today, I learned that DOGE wants to sell off two of the most important federal facilities in our region, the Bean Center and the Minton-Capehart Federal Building. The Bean Center is the 2nd largest federal building after the Pentagon and includes Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), which handles payroll for the Department of the Defense. The Defense Department’s primary mission is readiness. Disrupting and displacing military paychecks for every service branch is the opposite of readiness. 

“The Minton-Capehart Federal Building in downtown Indianapolis houses offices for the VA, Social Security, Immigration Courts, and several other agencies. Donald Trump has maintained he will not touch Social Security – but this plan will sell the very building where Social Security employees help Indianapolis residents with their benefits every single day. 

“DOGE claims these buildings are functionally obsolete and unsuitable for use by the federal workforce. This is untrue. I serve as a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and we publicly reviewed and approved both local facilities to ensure they are in the best condition possible to fulfill their respective agency missions. 

“DOGE’s website is deceptively sparce on details, but big on numbers that don’t add up. It provides no substantive cost-benefit analysis or mission-driven justification for these terrible actions.  

“I am working with my colleagues to do everything possible to stop DOGE’s destruction and reverse these devastating actions – from oversight and investigation, to legislation and litigation, and making sure everyone sees what happens when an unqualified, unelected billionaire hijacks our government.  

“Our veterans and our seniors deserve better.” 

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Issues:Veterans