Eighty thousand jobs — that’s the number that the Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to slash, rolling back staffing to pre-2020 levels. VA Secretary Doug Collins insists the cuts won’t affect veterans’ healthcare benefits, calling it a move toward efficiency.
However, veterans groups and lawmakers from both parties are alarmed, warning that mass layoffs could reduce access to care and essential services for millions of veterans.
The memo tells agency leaders to begin restructuring in August, and work with Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to streamline operations. But many are warning that these cuts will leave the VA struggling.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal called it a “betrayal” that will leave veterans frustrated and underserved.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
