BURLINGTON, Vt., March 25 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement Sunday after it was reported that President Donald Trump plans to fire Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin:

“The struggle at the Veterans Administration is about Trump’s desire to privatize the VA and his belief that Secretary David Shulkin is not moving fast enough in that direction. The veterans organizations, representing millions of those who put their lives on the line to defend us, want us to strengthen the VA, not dismember it. The Senate Veterans Committee, on which I serve, must stand with the veterans of our country and oppose all efforts to privatize the VA.”