Thursday, March 27, 2025
Ricky Sanchez, a U.S. Army veteran and former Department of Homeland Security employee from Wantagh will be Rep. Laura Gillen’s guest for President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress tonight.
Gillen also reaffirmed her support for H.R. 1637, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, a bill that seeks to reinstate veterans who were removed or dismissed from federal employment without cause.
Sanchez, who is considered a dedicated veteran who served both in the Army and at DHS' Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency was recently dismissed during a round of firings led by the Department of Government Operations and Employee Affairs. Despite what was said to be his stellar performance and his protected status as a veteran, Sanchez was among those impacted by the administration’s chaotic workforce reductions.
“Ricky Sanchez has spent his life serving our country, first in the U.S. Army and then as a dedicated federal worker,” Gillen said in a news release. “It is shameful that after years of service, he was dismissed without cause during DOGE’s recent firings. This is a direct attack on our veterans. That’s why I’m proud to support the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, which would reinstate veterans who were unjustly let go. I will continue to fight for Long Island’s veterans in Congress.”
DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency — is initiative under the current Trump Administration that aims to cut federal spening.
“I’m a proud Army veteran, husband, and patriot,” Sanchez said in the release. “I never imagined that veterans like me would be targeted and fired without reason. I just want to return to my job and support my family. I am grateful for Congresswoman Gillen’s unwavering support for veterans, and I’m honored to join her for the joint address.”
Gillen’s support for the jobs act is part of what she said is her mission to protect the rights and economic security of veterans and their families.
