In accordance with the powers vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, I hereby issue the following order:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy
The security, prosperity, and freedom of our Nation owe an immense debt to our veterans. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, while countless others carry both visible and invisible wounds from their service. Alarmingly, a significant number of veterans find themselves homeless in America. It is imperative that we extend our gratitude to each and every one of them.
Regrettably, the Federal Government has not always honored our veterans as the heroes they are. The previous administration saw unaccountable bureaucrats mishandle their needs disgracefully, failing those who served when they required assistance the most, thereby letting down taxpayers who expect better stewardship of their resources.
The saga of the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center serves as a poignant illustration of this negligence. Over a century ago, the generosity of Senator John Percival Jones and Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker led to the donation of hundreds of acres in West Los Angeles, intended specifically for housing disabled veterans. Once a thriving campus complete with a chapel, billiard hall, and a theater housing around 6,000 veterans, it has since fallen into disrepair, allowed to languish by the Federal Government over the past few decades.
In a troubling turn, parts of this property have been leased to a private school, various companies, and even a baseball team from the University of California, Los Angeles, often at rates significantly below market value. As of 2024, Los Angeles is home to approximately 3,000 homeless veterans, the highest number of any city in the United States, representing about 10 percent of the nation’s homeless veteran population. Many of these heroes endure harsh conditions on the notorious “skid row” of Los Angeles.
During my first term, I enacted legislation aimed at enhancing accountability and expanding benefits and options for veterans in accessing care. My second term will continue in this vein. Accountability will return to the Department, and veterans across the Nation will gain greater flexibility regarding their care, benefits, and services. The VA campus in West Los Angeles will be transformed into the National Center for Warrior Independence, a facility equipped with resources to assist veterans in reclaiming their self-sufficiency.
Sec 2. Establishing the National Center for Warrior Independence
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) shall take all necessary actions to:
(a) Designate the National Center for Warrior Independence at the West Los Angeles VA Campus, providing homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area and beyond with the care, benefits, and services they deserve;
(b) Collaborate with other municipalities and VA facilities to ensure homeless veterans outside the Los Angeles area can access the National Center for Warrior Independence;
(c) In coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and other relevant departments, redirect funds that may have been allocated for housing or services for illegal aliens to establish and maintain the National Center for Warrior Independence;
(d) Work towards restoring self-sufficiency and the warrior ethos among homeless veterans by providing guidance, requirements, and services that facilitate access to housing, substance abuse treatment, and productive community engagement; and
(e) Present an action plan to the President within 120 days of this order, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, aimed at restoring the capacity to house up to 6,000 homeless veterans at the National Center for Warrior Independence by January 1, 2028.
Sec 3. Voucher Program
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall, in consultation with the Secretary, implement a voucher program to assist homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area and nationwide as part of this initiative.
Sec 4. Restoring Accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs
The Secretary shall undertake the following steps to restore accountability and a high standard of service at the Department:
(a) Take appropriate actions against individuals found guilty of misconduct, leveraging the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-41); and
(b) Investigate and rectify the previous administration’s decision to reinstate and provide back pay to employees previously terminated for misconduct, redirecting any resultant savings towards enhancing care, benefits, and services for veterans, in accordance with applicable laws.
Sec 5. Providing Choices and Excellence to Veterans
The Secretary shall work to enhance the quality and variety of care, benefits, and services available to veterans, including:
(a) Within 60 days of this order, submitting a report to the President, via the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, outlining a plan to reduce wait times for Veterans Health Administration appointments, considering options like extended hours, weekend appointments, and expanded virtual healthcare services;
(b) Within 30 days of this order, initiating a feasibility study at the Manchester VA Medical Center, and within 180 days, submitting to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, a plan to establish full-service medical support in New Hampshire, ensuring it is no longer the only state in the contiguous U.S. lacking such a facility; and
(c) In consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, formulating a strategy aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s healthcare services, initially focusing on reducing access times and enhancing service delivery, including options for veterans to receive treatment at select military facilities.
Sec 6. General Provisions
(a) Nothing in this order shall be interpreted as impairing or affecting:
(i) The authority granted by law to any executive department, agency, or its head; or
(ii) The functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget concerning budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, nor does it, create any enforceable rights or benefits that any party can assert against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, their officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall allocate funds for the publication of this order in the Federal Register.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 9, 2025.
