MENG: U.S. ARMY VETERAN FROM QUEENS UNJUSTLY FIRED FROM NYC VETERANS HOSPITAL GETS JOB BACK
Congresswoman’s constituent, Luke Graziani, has been rehired after he was her guest at the President’s address to Congress last month to stand against mass terminations of federal employees; Graziani was among these tens of thousands of laid off workers
QUEENS, NY – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that Luke Graziani, the veteran from Woodside, Queens who was unjustly fired from his job at a New York City veterans hospital, has been reinstated to his position, and is back at work at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx.
Graziani, 45, was rehired after Meng brought him as her guest to President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last month (on March 4) to stand against the ongoing mass firings of federal employees and veterans. He was among these tens of thousands of federal workers that the new administration has unfairly terminated across numerous federal agencies over the past several weeks.
Graziani is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran who is a public affairs officer at the hospital. He was abruptly laid off in February and returned to work nearly two weeks ago. Meng had intervened with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on his behalf urging the agency to reinstate him, and he was rehired after a federal judge last month ordered the Department, and other federal agencies, to reinstate probationary workers who were terminated.
Prior to working at the medical center, Graziani served two tours in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan.
“I’m glad the Administration has been forced to walk back some of its indiscriminate firings, but people like Luke should have never been terminated,” said Congresswoman Meng. “I am pleased that his attending the President’s speech as my guest sent a powerful message that these mass layoffs of federal workers and veterans is unacceptable. We have not forgotten about the many employees who continue to be impacted, and I renew my call for them to be brought back to the federal workforce.”
“After the trauma of being terminated through a thoughtless and robotic email, returning to my role at the VA feels like justice has been restored,” said Graziani. “I'm thankful to Congresswoman Meng for giving me space to stand beside her in bringing national attention to these indiscriminate firings. While I'm back doing the work I love—supporting fellow veterans—I remain concerned for dedicated public servants still fighting to regain their positions and for the looming threat of future force reductions. This experience has, if nothing else, reinforced my belief in the importance of standing up for what's right.”
Graziani is the father of four children and his Woodside home is located in Meng’s congressional district.
In Congress, Meng has worked to assist veterans by sponsoring and supporting legislation, securing funding and spearheading local initiatives.