Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Leger Fernández (NM-03) announced that Arielle Pines, a dedicated former Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee and military spouse, will be her guest at President Trump’s first address to a Joint Session of Congress during his second term.

Pines dedicated her life to serving those who served our nation until Elon Musk's DOGE and Donald Trump took her job from her. Pines, whose husband is an active-duty senior enlisted airman at the Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, has served veterans as her calling and career. 

In November 2024, she took on a new role overseeing VA operations for Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina to collect data so the VA could run more efficiently. Under Democratic leadership and President Biden, Congress increased the VA budget by $18.63 billion. To make sure those investments made VA services better, it was important to gather the data and information that Ms. Pines was involved in. On February 13, 2025, she was among 40 employees in her Veterans Integrated Services Network who were laid off under the Trump administration’s federal cutbacks of "probationary employees." Arielle learned about her termination on a Facebook group page.

“Trump and Musk are taking a wrecking ball to our Federal Government and the dedicated public servants who serve America. Her story highlights the devastating impact these senseless firings have on our military families,” said Congresswoman Leger Fernández. “Arielle dedicated over 15 years to serving veterans and their families, working to make the VA more efficient so veterans could get the care they deserve. It is the height of hypocrisy when DOGE says this is about efficiency or saving money when in reality, these cuts are about making room for billionaire tax breaks and backroom dealing. I call on President Trump to stop this madness. Reinstate these employees and take steps to make sure Elon Musk’s DOGE does not indiscriminately fire other dedicated public servants like Arielle.”

“I am deeply honored and grateful to join Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández at the Capitol as her guest for the Joint Session. This opportunity allows me to share my experience where I dedicated over 15 years of my life to serving our nation's Veterans,” said Pines. “Unfortunately, I was unjustly terminated on February 13th, along with other career-status Department of Veteran Affairs employees. I hope my story will resonate with our nation's leaders and inspire action to reinstate wrongfully terminated VA employees who are also Veterans and military spouses to ensure that the care our Veterans receive does not suffer.”

The Joint Session will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C., where Arielle Pines will join Congresswoman Leger Fernández as a guest in the House chamber.

About Arielle:

Arielle Pines had dedicated her life to serving those who served until Elon Musk's DOGE and Donald Trump took her job from her. 

The daughter of a veteran and the wife of an active-duty service member, she began volunteering at a VA hospital when she was just 11 years old; she accompanied her mom to the hospital, her Mom retired from the VA. For over 15 years, Ms. Pines worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs, holding roles as a nurse, emergency room technician, medical support assistant, and HR administrator—always striving to improve efficiency and care for veterans.

In November 2024, she took on a new role overseeing VA operations for the states of Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina, helping to collect data to make the VA run more efficiently. But on February 13, 2025, she was among 40 employees in her VISN laid off under the Trump administration’s federal cutbacks of "probationary employees." Arielle learned about her termination through a Facebook group. 

The irony? Her job was to make the VA more efficient, yet she was fired under the guise of "efficiency."

Arielle’s story is not just her own. It reflects the devastating impact of mass federal layoffs on families, veterans, and national security. Now, she is speaking out against these reckless cuts and fighting for the workforce that keeps our country running.

Arielle lives in New Mexico with her husband, who serves as an aircraft maintenance technician, and their two young children. Her family’s military legacy runs deep—her grandfather fought in the Korean War, her father served for 20 years, her brother is active-duty military, and her mother retired from the VA.

Photo of Arielle HERE.