According to the Associated Press, the Veterans Affairs Bureau (VA) plans to cut 80,000 jobs this summer as part of an “active” restructuring of the agency this summer.
A memo submitted by Christopher Silleck of the Virginia Chiefs of Staff, said an agency-wide reorganization will take place this August, directing top-level officials to “align and adjust the workforce to the mission and revised structure.”
Silek also said in a memo that agency officials will work with Government Efficiency (DOGE) to “actively escape” with “take a practical and disciplined approach” to the Trump administration's goals.
Syrek said the agency plans to cut jobs sufficient to return to staffing levels in 2019. In doing so, it would need to cut tens of thousands of jobs in the VA created under the Biden administration under the Beinen administration law.
Oka reached out to the VA for comment.
The division has already suffered a wave of workforce cuts under President Trump, including 1,400 employees last Monday, with 1,400 employees slashed by 1,000 in February.
VA secretary Doug Collins also announced cancellations of up to 875 contracts last Tuesday, but the division paused its efforts the following day amid rage from Democrats and groups of veterans.
Collins defended workforce cuts last week, saying the recent wave would save VA more than $83 million a year.
“Though these and other recent HR decisions are extremely difficult, the VA focuses on allocating resources to support many veterans, families, caregivers and survivors as much as possible,” Collins said in a statement at the time. “These moves will not hurt VA's healthcare, benefits, or beneficiaries. In fact, veterans will notice a change for the better.”
Rep. Greg Murphy (RN.C.), who is on the Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a recent CNN interview that he cannot guarantee that health benefits and care will not be reduced, but he cannot defend the agency's restructuring to ensure it functions efficiently for Americans.
“Look, I care about veterans. One of my 10 ingredients is veterans. It's a real problem in eastern North Carolina,” Murphy said. “But the real problem is also when someone postponed a doctor's appointment for eight or ten months when they can't get benefits and can't take care of them. That's where the agency failed.”
“We're trying to get an agency that actually works for the people it's supposed to care for,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed.
