VA SECRETARY COLLINS DEFENDS FEDERAL WORKFORCE CUTS IN SENATE HEARING

By Buddy Blouin

If you’re a Veteran, you should prepare for the possibility of waiting longer to receive your benefits. There is a threat as there are federal workforce cuts of up to 80,000 at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is intended to redirect the budget for Veteran care.

The layoffs are not the only cuts affecting the government, with some ex-personnel concerned about the state of the department, as so many departures leave Veterans out to dry. They have even been affecting the VA Crisis Line, a critical resource for the Veteran community.

In a Senate hearing last week, Secretary Doug Collins defended his restructuring efforts for the VA, making his first appearance before Congress since his confirmation hearing earlier this year.

Secretary Collins Defends Workforce Cuts & Restructuring Efforts

In February, there were two rounds of firing, in which the VA dismissed 1,000 and then 1,400 more employees, including Veterans. Originally, these cuts will help the VA save over $98 million per year, which the department claims will be reinvested to help with benefits, healthcare, and other services.

Over 43,000 probationary employees are working in the department; however, the recent cuts aimed to cut non-bargaining unit probationary employees who have held a position for under a year in a competitive service appointment or those with under two years of experience through an excepted service appointment.

It’s worth noting that most of the 43,000 probationary employees may not experience layoffs because they are considered to be critical for operations at the VA.

Many of those who the VA should not lay off are supporting benefits and services for beneficiaries; however, insiders have reported to VeteranLife warning that not even these positions are safe because there’s an additional 80,000 positions that are going to be on cut, and that’s about 15% of the agency workforce, according to VA Secretary Doug Collins.

“There’s not been 83,000 people targeted for firing,” he said. “You start with what you’re looking for, and then you use the data that you find from your organizations to make the best choices you can.”

Some employees who may also be spared from the Trump administration’s cuts are covered under a collective bargaining agreement, and those who chose to be a part of the Office of Personnel Management’s deferred resignation program also received an exception.

"Our goal is to increase productivity, eliminate waste, bureaucracy, increase efficiency, and improve health care and benefits for Veterans," Collins told the committee.

The cuts will focus on non-mission-critical roles like DEI positions and probationary employees, as this cut is aimed at redirecting the funds for Veterans’ benefits.

To be more specific, the following are the agencies that might be impacted by the layoffs:

NASA
The Department of Defense
Internal Revenue Service
Department of the Interior
Environmental Protection Agency
Veterans Affairs
Department of Housing and Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Department of Energy
Federal Aviation Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

VA Layoffs Affect Veterans Crisis Line

It’s unknown just how many people were let go from the VA’s suicide crisis line, but the employees responsible for answering the phones have been let go. While some quickly had their positions reinstated, questions still remain as to why these positions were eligible for cuts in the first place.

“Crisis line serves Veterans in their darkest hour, and it is our responsibility to make certain that it operates to the highest standards, just as every military commander understands that our war fighters’ effectiveness, indeed their lethality, depends on a fully resourced, diverse network of enablers,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said.

Furthermore, despite being told that they would be reinstated, some employees still report that they were unable to access their work accounts.

Employees and leaders alike remain shocked at these federal cuts as workers play a vital role in helping Veterans when they need it the most. Cuts continue to be confusing far and wide, with some probationary employees nearing the end of this period being let go, and even workers with outstanding performance reviews being relieved of their duties.

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“At VA, we are focused on saving money so it can be better spent on Veteran care. We thank these employees for their service to the VA. This was a tough decision, but ultimately it’s the right call to better support the Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors the department exists to serve. To be perfectly clear: these moves will not negatively impact VA healthcare, benefits, or beneficiaries. In the coming weeks and months, the VA will be announcing plans to put these resources to work helping Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

The Trump administration is working to make the department more efficient, trim costs, and refocus the way healthcare, benefits, and services are rendered.

Widespread Cuts

While VA layoffs will have an obvious, direct impact on the Veteran community, they are far from the only ones being dished out by the Trump administration.

Over 200,000 federal workers could qualify for the potential of being laid off, with those who have worked for less than a year or two in the potential crosshairs of the Trump administration.

Multiple agencies beyond the VA, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), have already received emails and video calls letting employees go.

Rumors and Protests

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) wants cuts, people need jobs, Veterans deserve benefits and services, unions have concerns, and in the middle of it all is a slew of political moves.

Despite some assurances to clear up rumors about the sharing of data and that benefits wouldn’t be cut, many don’t trust the government to follow through.

Now, there is a demand for explicit promises that Collins and the White House that they will stop cutting the VA and will create a separation between Musk and the department.

Demonstrations outside the VA headquarters near the White House have begun early in Trump’s second term and will likely continue as many are vowing to oppose what is sure to be future policies deemed unfavorable for the Veteran community.

Furthermore, other parts of the country have also experienced similar protests due to these cuts.

The VA Employee Fairness Act

There’s a second bill that Duckworth plans to reintroduce, and it would help expand the VA clinical staff’s collective bargaining rights. This would also help give them the right to speak up about workplace safety issues, and in this regard, the aftereffects of the federal workforce cuts.

This bill would allow VA clinical staff like nurses, doctors, dentists, and physician assistants to speak up about poor working conditions and other workplace issues they might have experienced, and that is the VA Employee Fairness Act.

House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) will introduce a House version of the bill on Wednesday, that was previously passed by the House in December 2022.

“The VA Employee Fairness Act would grant these indispensable workers the collective bargaining rights they deserve and have been fighting for while improving VA employee retention,” Takano said in a statement.

“This legislation is more critical than ever, given the Administration’s efforts to fire VA employees and make cuts that continue to diminish VA employee morale.”

How Are the Federal Workforce Cuts Affecting Everyone?

While the federal workforce cuts aim to make the department more efficient, Veterans could pay the price.

Having fewer people due to the VA layoffs has many ex-employees and experts warning that Veterans should be prepared to experience longer wait times to receive their benefits and services.

Compounded with the fact that the last few years have seen a spike in claims due to the PACT Act, the Veteran community needs to hope for the best while preparing for the worst.

The federal workforce cuts will surely affect a lot of people, and some are really angered by it too.

"You cannot slash and trash the VA without eliminating essential positions which provide access and availability of health care," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the committee's ranking member to Collins. "You may give us a lot of verbiage here, but you're not giving us facts. And facts are essential to accountability."

Even though there is some backlash to the federal workforce cuts, Collins has made sure that Veteran services are available, saying he will not let Blumenthal scare Veterans and employees.

Updated by Allison Kirschbaum

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